MDF vs Plywood...

[darita 10+ year member]

Just read this, "The Loud Speaker Cookbook actually states marine grade plywood or sheet pvc is a superior material to mdf for sub enclosure construction. Both the plywood and sheet pvc would flex with the sub but remain air tight."

True or not?

Click to read more...

 

[PIITB Wut Wut 10+ year member]

box flex bringz da dbz

 

[michaellane 5,000+ posts]

serious replies please? this is a good question....

 

[Mookie 10+ year member]

IIRC any type of box flex is no good.

 

[Toone 10+ year member]

well i know cutting the 3/4 in pvc would **** ***, and its about 400 dollars for a sheet of 3/4 in pvc thats 48x96

 

[FurbiesAndBeans 10+ year member]

If flex was good, then why are SPL cars loaded with sound deadner and sometimes filled with concrete?

 

[michaellane 5,000+ posts]

soooo the book is wrong?

 

[plugitin 5,000+ posts]

If flex was good, then why are SPL cars loaded with sound deadner and sometimes filled with concrete?

yes...flexing is bad...

numerous people have gained on the tl through bracing their box

 

[Haunz 10+ year member]

Good hardwood ply is lighter and more rigid then MDF.. meaning it's better..

Of course it's also a lot more expensive...

 

[Hoodlum007 10+ year member]

I always use 3/4 to 1" mdf.

 

[528hz 10+ year member]

Personally, with my experience...I think plywood if far superior to MDF. It's lighter, NOT compressed, and flexes far less than MDF.

Think about it, MDF is compressed and glued dust.

 

[Blove1991 10+ year member]

I once built a plywood box for fun because I had extra plywood laying around.

Sounded fine.

 

[slam 5,000+ posts]

As far as numbers(meter) theres no difference in mdf and birch

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

Just read this, "The Loud Speaker Cookbook actually states marine grade plywood or sheet pvc is a superior material to mdf for sub enclosure construction. Both the plywood and sheet pvc would flex with the sub but remain air tight."True or not?

Also consider most applications that that book considers are low power low x-max.

I prefer plywood as it's lighter and much easeir on tools.

MDF flexes plenty and really most conventional boxbuilding materials will. There is no substitute for bracing!

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

As far as numbers(meter) theres no difference in mdf and birch

I know a few serious SPL competitors who would disagree with that statement...