Need Advice: New Audio System

[djtech2k 10+ year member]

Sundown recommends 32hz. The numbers look kinda strange on that calculator. At Sonic, I see 3" and 4" aero ports. Not sure how exactly to calculate the length, but either way when I put in 3" or 4" it comes out to look like a VERY long distance. Am I misunderstanding something? My box is going to end something like 42 x 12.5 x 6, which should give me something like 1.16 I think. The 10" woofer displacement is .11. Am I missing anything? I am working on my install materials list that I will post in a second.

 

[djtech2k 10+ year member]

Ok, so here is my install parts list. Please tell me if I have missed anything or am getting the wrong thing.

Battery Terminal (Power): V12-2148PN or NVX XBTPN08 = $20

In-Line Breaker (250Amp): Xscorpion CB250A = $15

Power Distribution Blk: T-Spec V12FDB-124M = $14

RCA Cables 3x: Xscorpion STP12 = $24

SpeakerWire: 16AWG 50ft = $8

Power Wire: 20 ft XS Power XPFLEX0RD-20 (Iced Red) = $48

4 AWG Pwr Wire 4x (End Rings): T-Spec V10-RT804P = $12

1/0 AWG 4x (End Rings): T-Spec V10-RT810P = $12

4 AWG Power Wire 5ft: XS Power XPFLEX4RD-5 (Iced Red) = $12

4 AWG Power Wire 5ft: XS Power XPFLEX4BK-5 (Iced Black) = $12

Sub Box Terminal Cup: $4

Big 3 Kit: Belva BBG3KT = $40

125A Fuses (4x): T-Spec V8-MANL125 = $8

80A Fuses (4x): T-Spec V8-MANL80 = $8

Aero Port: ???

 

[djtech2k 10+ year member]

The port calculator is confusing me a bit.

I think my box will end up somewhere between 1.16 and 1.4 cu. ft, before woofer displacement of .11. When I put that into the calculator with a 32hz tuning frequency and 1.05 cu. ft., it says the port needs to be 2" diameter because any larger port requires a massively long length.

Is that right? Will a 2" aero port have a negative impact over a 4" or 6"? I want to order everything now so I can install this weekend, but running out of time.

Also, do I read the calc right that they are saying to figure a certain length to the flanges on the port?

 

[DaytonLax14 10+ year member]

The port calculator is confusing me a bit.
I think my box will end up somewhere between 1.16 and 1.4 cu. ft, before woofer displacement of .11. When I put that into the calculator with a 32hz tuning frequency and 1.05 cu. ft., it says the port needs to be 2" diameter because any larger port requires a massively long length.

Is that right? Will a 2" aero port have a negative impact over a 4" or 6"? I want to order everything now so I can install this weekend, but running out of time.

Also, do I read the calc right that they are saying to figure a certain length to the flanges on the port?

You just read exactly what the calculator says...you'd want more than one aero port. Hold on ill do it for you...

 

[DaytonLax14 10+ year member]

You could do two 3" aero ports that are each 19.5 inches long

 

[djtech2k 10+ year member]

Hmmm. I'm not sure how I will do that. I overnight ordered (1) 2" and (1) 3" port kit last night so I can do this over the weekend. My box dimensions are a way that the only place 19.5" port would work is on the side of the box because its 42" wide. All other sides are much shorter than 19.5". With the port kits, do they even come with 19.5" long tubes?

So a single 2" is not going to sound good? I expected it to be a lot of air flow noise or something, but the aero should help with that.

I just checked the port calculator at http://www.the12volt.com/caraudio/boxcalcs.asp and it says a standard round 3" port could be like 12.11" if my box is 1.3cu.ft. I know those are more noisy, but maybe it could be a temp thing.

The port measurement is the entire length of the port and NOT how much goes inside the box, correct? Just trying to remember if you account for wood thickness on the port.

 

[djtech2k 10+ year member]

Wow, I just got a shocker email. Yesterday I emailed Sundown to ask about what the box specs are for the SD-3 10" since the specs on the website are for the SD-2. He responded and said the 10" should be in a .5 cu.ft. sealed box. Here is exactly what he said:

"SD-3 10’s need to be in a sealed enclosure. Each woofer should be in its own chamber of 0.5cuft."

I responded and he came back with this:

"SD-2’s did ok in ported but sounded better in sealed. The SD-3’s Must be in sealed.

That is a Gross volume (before displacement)"

Now WTH do I do?

 

[DaytonLax14 10+ year member]

You'll want the ports firing towards the passenger side anyways in a truck. You'll want anywhere from 8"-14" of port area per cube

I guess put it in a sealed box, what was the reasoning for getting the SD?

 

[djtech2k 10+ year member]

So I had a long email thread and then a phone conversation with Sundown. He told me a LOT of stuff I did not know. Here is a short version of it.

• The SD-2's were built on the SA series woofer, but with some different parts, like the motor. He said they perform best in a sealed box but do sound good in ported as well
  
• He said that for the 8" SD-2, the best box is a sealed box at .25cu.ft.
  
• He said the SD-2 is a LOT louder of a woofer than the SD-3.
  

• He said the SD-3 is a completely different woofer, built from the ground up.
  
• The SD-3 was built for the shallowest application, even thinner than SD-2.
  
• The SD-3 was also built to be a lot more musical than SD-2.
  
• The SD-3 can ONLY be put in a small sealed box. I think it may be smaller box than SD-2. He said no ported option for the SD-3.
  

So after those conversations, he strongly suggested I go back to (2) 8" SD-2's. He said that if you want it to be loud and/or move the woofers a lot, then SD-3 is not the woofer for me. So I now ordered the SD-2 8's and will send back the SD-3 10". I am hoping to start building the sealed boxes Saturday.

With all of that, I am looking for ideas to build this box and maybe include a way to mount the amps. With such a small box, I could possibly put the woofers facing forward or backward. I guess I need .35cu.ft. per chamber so after displacement it will be right. Any ideas on box/amp rack design?

 

[DaytonLax14 10+ year member]

If you're amping your fronts, they will probably over power the bass then...

 

[djtech2k 10+ year member]

Maybe, but I have to start somewhere. I am just now looking for ideas as to how to layout the box and maybe incorporate a place to mount the amps.

 

[DaytonLax14 10+ year member]

You can pretty much do it however you want. It would be extremely easy to build

 

[djtech2k 10+ year member]

Yeh, the box should be much easier to build. They recommended like .6cu.ft. for a box with 2 woofers in it. I am just trying to think of a way to build the box and maybe some nice way to mount the amps.

 

[DaytonLax14 10+ year member]

Just do something like this, mount amps in the middle

http://www.bassworx.com/images/enclosures/DAKOTA210A.jpg

 

[djtech2k 10+ year member]

Yeh I think I am going to have to wait for all the equipment to arrive because the SQ amps look like they are huge. I'm not sure how I can get them both to fit if they are that big. From the looks of things, my box only needs to be 20" wide to make the right volume. So that leaves me with about 20" or so to do other things with. I might be able to stretch it a bit, bit if it goes wider, I run into the plastic molding in the truck.