how big is too big for a ported box and visa versa?

[BriGreentea]

Right now I am planning on getting a new box but still debating if I want to get 2 subs...right now I have a single Alpine type R and to me is in one of those cheap, thin square style ported enclosures and measured it to be about 1.5 cubic feet. The box is falling apart for various reasons....

Absolutely convinced it will sound louder and cleaner in a bigger enclosure. I was thinking a wide, large 2.0 cubic feet would be nice. The funny thing looking around for enclosures says my subwoofer on one advertisement for 1.8 cubic feet and then another is for 2.0 cubic feet. One I saw looked interesting because it had a huge tube port on it and was 1.8 cubic feet. Then has the same one but says it's designed for a Kicker Comp and is 2.0 cubic feet. So what would happen if I placed it in a 2.0 cubic feet one where I have seen other types of boxes that is designed for mine is 2.0 cubic feet anyways?

There is also a more expensive one that barley would fit in my car that is 3.0 cubic feet. This one is interesting because it has a large "L shaped" slot port on one side and the subwoofer is placed on the opposite side of the box and is I think 37" long. I have seen this box on youtube with an alpine in it and it was flexing like crazy but is 3 cubic feet too much?

When does it become the point where too small of a ported enclosure would not sound good and too big of one would not sound good?

Click to read more...

 

[schackel 10+ year member]

dude i have no idea what you just said. can you just tell us what you want or what your question is?

 

[branham1127 10+ year member]

dude i have no idea what you just said. can you just tell us what you want or what your question is?

Ha, it is a bit confusing.. I got out of it that he has a type r in a "crappy" 1.5 cuft box and wants to change it and maybe get two.. He is wondering if 3 cubic feet is too big for it(idk if he means for the single or for the pair)

Is it a new or old style type r? What kind of power did you plan on running to the single? If you did dual what would you run to the pair?

 

[daboyfrumdabx 10+ year member]

Everything he said...also, how much are these boxes you're looking at going to cost? For the price you may be better off getting one built for you(actually, either way you're better off having one built for you), it will sound much better than a prefab and you can actually get full potential from your sub.

 

[branham1127 10+ year member]

Everything he said...also, how much are these boxes you're looking at going to cost? For the price you may be better off getting one built for you(actually, either way you're better off having one built for you), it will sound much better than a prefab and you can actually get full potential from your sub.

X2, I was gonna say something similar when he chimed in with the info on the subs.

 

[BriGreentea]

newer type r....2009

Sorry for the confusing post. I'm probably going to stick with just the one sub. I was looking around 100-150 dollars for a prefab enclosure. I'm right now using a 1700 watt Hifonics Brutus and the 4 ohm sub is wired in parallel.

The point of the question is wondering at what point is too big of a ported enclosure too big. My one sub in a 1.5 cubic foot ported enclosure which I know is too small in my theory vs 2.0 or up to 3.0 cubic feet. I can fit up to a 40" box in my Jetta going across so size isn't too much of an issue. But I don't want to waste money on an enclosure that is so large it wouldn't sound well that's all. Thanks.

 

[branham1127 10+ year member]

newer type r....2009Sorry for the confusing post. I'm probably going to stick with just the one sub. I was looking around 100-150 dollars for a prefab enclosure. I'm right now using a 1700 watt Hifonics Brutus and the 4 ohm sub is wired in parallel.

The point of the question is wondering at what point is too big of a ported enclosure too big. My one sub in a 1.5 cubic foot ported enclosure which I know is too small in my theory vs 2.0 or up to 3.0 cubic feet. I can fit up to a 40" box in my Jetta going across so size isn't too much of an issue. But I don't want to waste money on an enclosure that is so large it wouldn't sound well that's all. Thanks.

Well for that price you could definitely find someone that would build you a better box. By the looks if it your giving the sub~1k watts.

I meant to ask but forgot to, I'm assuming this is a 12" type r? I did many type r boxes when I ran mine off 850 watts each and 2.5ish is what it seemed to like the most. With running a little more power to it, a little smaller enclosure wouldn't be a bad idea. I think you'd be plenty happy with a 2 ft box after all displacements. I liked mine most tuned @ 35 hz, but tuning is all about your personal preference.. I'd say tune it from 32-36 hz depending on your goals.

 

[BriGreentea]

oh lol...yes it is a 12" sub... As for the enclosure I have now I couldn't tell you for the life of me what it is tuned at nor really know much about tunings on ported boxes. I was told to set the subsonic level 10z above what it is tuned at. I have read there is no reason to have an enclosure that is tuned to low and visa versa too high.I think mine is about 35 or 40 so have it set at 50 on my amp.

On a more depressing note I used to have two subs (cerwin vega v maxs)...one of the voices coils burned up and ended up selling the other one. I had them in a sealed enclosure and didn't like it so stared over with getting a new sub (the Alpine) which I love but hate the enclosure but I"m not giving up on the ported enclosure idea as this one sub in a small ported enclosure out pounds my former two Cerwin Vegas in a sealed enclosure by a mile.

If I had to do it over and was planning on only getting 1 sub I would have gone for a 15" sub but that is history.

 

[branham1127 10+ year member]

oh lol...yes it is a 12" sub... As for the enclosure I have now I couldn't tell you for the life of me what it is tuned at nor really know much about tunings on ported boxes. I was told to set the subsonic level 10z above what it is tuned at. I have read there is no reason to have an enclosure that is tuned to low and visa versa too high.I think mine is about 35 or 40 so have it set at 50 on my amp.On a more depressing note I used to have two subs (cerwin vega v maxs)...one of the voices coils burned up and ended up selling the other one. I had them in a sealed enclosure and didn't like it so stared over with getting a new sub (the Alpine) which I love but hate the enclosure but I"m not giving up on the ported enclosure idea as this one sub in a small ported enclosure out pounds my former two Cerwin Vegas in a sealed enclosure by a mile.

If I had to do it over and was planning on only getting 1 sub I would have gone for a 15" sub but that is history.

Well you don't want an enclosure that is tuned too high or tuned too low, but 40 is pretty high for a daily box IMO. 32-35 is ideal for most daily setups. As for the subsonic, its supposed to be set below the tuning of the box, not above the tuning, I typically tune my box to 35 hz and set my ssf at about 28. Once you get this sub in the right box I'm sure you will be pleased. Build or have someone build you a box that is 2.0 cubic feet and tune it to 35 hz and you will not be disappointed in how loud it will get and set the ssf @ 25-30 hz and the lpf at 60-80.