How many cu feet and what tuning point?

[Bobbytwonames 5,000+ posts]

I'm searching for the best box for open door music listening, not a hairtrick machine you know what i mean, i have 2 10s and a pro audio driver each side in the front. Do you agree with "Hispls"? 4 cubes around 36-38? I want your opinion too

Yes, that sounds about right. I would personally tune your sub around 32-34 hz.

 

[K9_Candyman]

Yes, that sounds about right. I would personally tune your sub around 32-34 hz.

Even for just musical purpose? Remember, i don't like the demo car full of only bass that shake the sh*t out of people. I know, it's a noob question, be patient

 

[winkychevelle 10+ year member]

My opinion is that anywhere from 32-36hz is good for most music and being a 15 it will be easier to dig low with. I would likely run the higher end of the spectrum.

 

[K9_Candyman]

My opinion is that anywhere from 32-36hz is good for most music and being a 15 it will be easier to dig low with. I would likely run the higher end of the spectrum.

4 cubes and 37hz then?

 

[winkychevelle 10+ year member]

4 cubes and 37hz then?

I think you would be happy with that you could see if buck could design you one with interchangeable ports so you can adjust tuning on the fly. Or run pluggable ports.

Like 2 6inch aeros 1 tuned for 37hz and the other 32hz and depending on what you want you could just swap the plug from one to the other

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Lower tuning will be flatter and IMO more musical, typically. If you want strength to your lows, you may want to tune a little lower. Tuning higher will result in a higher peak, so just keep that in mind. If that's what you want, then go for it. I personally like to tune low, because I like my bass to be a little louder as it goes down to 30 hz. I've noticed that tuning low usually helps the peaks, where when you transition notes, higher tuning can be brutally louder on some notes than others. Tuning lower helps smoothen the transition, usually, depends on cabin gains, and that allows for typically a flatter response, where there's less loudness difference between notes. I have a good bit of EDM with low to mid 30's bass. And EDM is very dynamic, a lot of quick bass, a lot of rolling sweep type bass. If you do a sweep from say 30-60 hz with a 30 hz box vs a 40 hz box, you may very well understand what I mean about peakiness and note-loudness transitioning. I just like loud music, and I like to play low. But that's the beauty of audio is that you can tune to whatever makes you feel good

Tuning in the low to mid 30's seems to be what most people like, from my designing experience. I personally get far more customers wanting to tune very low to play around, vs tune very high to play loudly. I find that interesting, not sure what it means. Most customers just want loud, daily music. So, just some thoughts.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

I just like to say this as a point of reference:

2 DC M1 XL 18's @ 29 hz tuning ~12.3 in^2/cube of port area on 2400w rated RMS @ 12.6v (usually stayed in mid to high 13's at very full volume).
I did about 145 db @ 25-26 hz, 147 db @ 27-28-29, peaked 149.3 @ 35 hz, I could play up to about 65-70 hz at 147 db. Over 65-70, my box was a little too big, because it was originally for different subs, and I had a second resonance around 70 hz (35 x 2 is 70, octave). So if I didn't have a 12 db crossover at 63 hz, my subs would begin unloading and I'd drop into the 11's, even with only 2400w, a 300 amp alt @ 14.8-15v, a batcap 3000 and 3 100ah AGM's in the back, once I got past about 65 hz. It was VERY loud past 65 hz into the 70's and rolled off hard before the 80's. If it didn't unload, I could've played up to about 75-80 hz with that box, at maybe 145 db or so. It was just too brutal on my equipment, but that was fine. I had so much fun with that box.

I listen to a ton of dubstep, trap, edm, etc. Mostly the wub wubs in the tubs type music, and a lot of rap. So that's how I like my boxes for that kind of music. The hardest part of any system, for me, is getting the higher bass and midbass and mids to blend. Like when you get around 60-100 hz, or so, it's hard to get systems with very loud bass to blend with the midbass. So, having a lower tuning will provide a roll off that makes the top end not too intense, so it'll be more likely to blend (volume level wise) better with your system, since it's less likely to peak on a higher note. That's how I like my systems.

But you do you, have some fun testing it and figuring out what you like. Everybody has their own tastes.

 

[K9_Candyman]

Lower tuning will be flatter and IMO more musical, typically. If you want strength to your lows, you may want to tune a little lower. Tuning higher will result in a higher peak, so just keep that in mind. If that's what you want, then go for it. I personally like to tune low, because I like my bass to be a little louder as it goes down to 30 hz. I've noticed that tuning low usually helps the peaks, where when you transition notes, higher tuning can be brutally louder on some notes than others. Tuning lower helps smoothen the transition, usually, depends on cabin gains, and that allows for typically a flatter response, where there's less loudness difference between notes. I have a good bit of EDM with low to mid 30's bass. And EDM is very dynamic, a lot of quick bass, a lot of rolling sweep type bass. If you do a sweep from say 30-60 hz with a 30 hz box vs a 40 hz box, you may very well understand what I mean about peakiness and note-loudness transitioning. I just like loud music, and I like to play low. But that's the beauty of audio is that you can tune to whatever makes you feel good

Tuning in the low to mid 30's seems to be what most people like, from my designing experience. I personally get far more customers wanting to tune very low to play around, vs tune very high to play loudly. I find that interesting, not sure what it means. Most customers just want loud, daily music. So, just some thoughts.

Let me explain my point so maybe you can teach me the true about it. My biggest fear Is that if i tune low like 30 for example, my subwoofer will not be able ti play the boom boom boom from songs like "Wild wild west - Groovaholic and Mandragora" that starts at 1:15 because someone once told me that this kind of music needs a high tuning to be played, i post the link so you can tell me what you think about it.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

Do you think that can work for the most music genre? Some rock here and there too? What port size for that box?

Yes. Bear in mind your port doesn't stop playing the instant you get below tuning so if you tune to 37hz you should be able to safely play down to 30-32 (give or take). Yes, you will want it to play strong from 40-60hz if you like some rock (drums, bass guitar, etc.) even old rap music mostly happens around 50-55hz range.

I would also encourage you to try using round port. That will be the easiest way to test different tuning by adjusting the length of the port (shorter will tune higher). Start at 32hz tuning, play a variety of songs, cut an inch or two off the length of the port and test the same songs. You should quickly get an idea of how the box/sub/tuning reacts with the acoustics of your car, then you can go about making the port permanent and secure. You can use large PVC pipe or even cardboard construction tube (used for pouring round concrete foundations). 8" round should be great for 4 cubic foot box but 6" (flared would be best) would likely be OK. You may need to compromise on port diameter to fit the port in the box. DO NOT crowd the port! The inside opening of the port should be at least 1 port width away from the wall behind it and also the mouth of the port should be one port width away from any wall or obstruction in the vehicle. You might get away with crowding the port and have good results but it will not perform as predicted if you do.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Yeah man, there's definitely gives and takes to how you tune. Port area and box size play a big role in how the sub plays, as well. There's tricks to expanding bandwidth, IMO, by messing with port sizes, box sizes. Balance is the word I'm looking for.

 

[K9_Candyman]

Yeah man, there's definitely gives and takes to how you tune. Port area and box size play a big role in how the sub plays, as well. There's tricks to expanding bandwidth, IMO, by messing with port sizes, box sizes. Balance is the word I'm looking for.

4,9 cu feet, 70 square inch of port tuned to 32. To be honest i have no time to try different kind of ports, so i build that box and i'm trusting you

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

4,9 cu feet, 70 square inch of port tuned to 32. To be honest i have no time to try different kind of ports, so i build that box and i'm trusting you

I mean, you definitely need to know what you want. I can’t guarantee a box I don’t design; it’s a recommendation, but enclosures are complicated. I can do the specs you just listed in multiple ways and have it sound differently. That’s not enough parameters to settle on.

 

[K9_Candyman]

I mean, you definitely need to know what you want. I can’t guarantee a box I don’t design; it’s a recommendation, but enclosures are complicated. I can do the specs you just listed in multiple ways and have it sound differently. That’s not enough parameters to settle on.

So Buck, i have to say thank you. Thank you for this lesson, now i understand exactly what you tried to teach me in the last couple of days about tuning. I made a test box, 4,5 cubes and i had a very long 8 inch diameter pvc tube in my garage so i cutted a 20 inch piece, tuning it at 31, then i swiched to a piece long 9 inch tuning the same box at 41. My experience was dramatic. At 31 The bass was deep and linear with every song. Rebassed-slowed was devastating for my car, and normal songs sounded just very good from the beginning to the end. At the other side when i switched at 41hz the rebassed was not deep, the cone was pumping like crazy with no bass, and normal songs sounded shitty because every bass type had different loudness, starter too loud then too silent then again too loud, a disaster. So now i understand very good what you told me. Thank you again, here a photo of the test box i used. The next one will have a rectangular port tuned maybe at 30.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

So Buck, i have to say thank you. Thank you for this lesson, now i understand exactly what you tried to teach me in the last couple of days about tuning. I made a test box, 4,5 cubes and i had a very long 8 inch diameter pvc tube in my garage so i cutted a 20 inch piece, tuning it at 31, then i swiched to a piece long 9 inch tuning the same box at 41. My experience was dramatic. At 31 The bass was deep and linear with every song. Rebassed-slowed was devastating for my car, and normal songs sounded just very good from the beginning to the end. At the other side when i switched at 41hz the rebassed was not deep, the cone was pumping like crazy with no bass, and normal songs sounded shitty because every bass type had different loudness, starter too loud then too silent then again too loud, a disaster. So now i understand very good what you told me. Thank you again, here a photo of the test box i used. The next one will have a rectangular port tuned maybe at 30.

Hey man, glad I could help. That's why I love audio; it's so much fun to figure out what you like. You can see how what you change changes the sounds.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

That's the same reason why I like low bass. There's a better depth, IMO, when your box is tuned lower. You and I agree on that. Even playing higher notes somewhat, they just seem to hit a little different. I think it has to do with port length and resistance, overall, with higher tuning having shorter ports for air to go through, regardless of what frequency is resonating.