Please explain required cubic feet of sealed enclosure!

[Propel152]

Ok, so I have limited space for subs in crew cab truck. Only option I have is downfire box under rear seat. I have a set of kicker CVX 10's. Why does kicker require so much more sealed cubic feet volume than Alpine or JL audio?? JL and Alpine suggest around .66 cubic feet of sealed volume per sub and kicker requires .8-3.0 cubic feet of sealed volume. Why is this?

Click to read more...

 

[jrdnhsnbrg 10+ year member]

Ok, so I have limited space for subs in crew cab truck. Only option I have is downfire box under rear seat. I have a set of kicker CVX 10's. Why does kicker require so much more sealed cubic feet volume than Alpine or JL audio?? JL and Alpine suggest around .66 cubic feet of sealed volume per sub and kicker requires .8-3.0 cubic feet of sealed volume. Why is this?

The very same reason some subs work better in large ported enclosures than small sealed enclosures- it's just how it works. You can make a smaller box than recommended and stuff polyfill in it if you want to

 

[Propel152]

There is more to it than that. There is a detailed explanation for the difference of required space for optimum performance. If they were the same exact mechanical structure than they would require the same habitat to perform equal. The Kicker CVX must have more movement or longer stroke? I'm not educated on this subject but I know there is a difference.

 

[ciaonzo 5,000+ posts]

Sealed enclosures are pretty much centered around what system Q you desire. A value of .707 usually represents the best combination of power handling and low-end extension, while anything on either side of that leans toward one or the other until the point of misalignment and bad sound due to bad behavior. There's a bit more to it, but generally the suspension is the biggest indicator of the enclosure volume needed.

Some Wiki...

Vas

Measured in litres (L) or cubic metres, is a measure of the 'stiffness' of the suspension with the driver mounted in free air. It represents the volume of air that has the same stiffness as the driver's suspension when acted on by a piston of the same area (Sd) as the cone. Larger values mean lower stiffness, and generally require larger enclosures. Vas varies with the square of the diameter. A typical factory tolerance for Vas spec is ±20–30%.

 

[jrdnhsnbrg 10+ year member]

There is more to it than that. There is a detailed explanation for the difference of required space for optimum performance. If they were the same exact mechanical structure than they would require the same habitat to perform equal. The Kicker CVX must have more movement or longer stroke? I'm not educated on this subject but I know there is a difference.

Not necessarily, it depends on the motor force, coil size/power handling, spider configuration, cone material, surround characteristics, etc. it all plays into the T/S specs of the sub. Manufacturer recommendations aren't spot on, either. In fact, most if not all pro box designers/builders don't use manufacturer specs.

 

[Propel152]

Ok, so I appreciate the feedback!! Now that you both have brought me a up a notch in knowledge, let me ask you one more question. If I am going with a single sub set up and I can meet the minimum sealed requirement of .8 cubic feet for the kicker, should I choose the kicker CVX? I can actually get close to 1.0 cubic foot of space for the sub. Will the CVX outperform the Alpine type R or JL w3??

 

[Propel152]

Not necessarily, it depends on the motor force, coil size/power handling, spider configuration, cone material, surround characteristics, etc. it all plays into the T/S specs of the sub. Manufacturer recommendations aren't spot on, either. In fact, most if not all pro box designers/builders don't use manufacturer specs.

Ok, I appreciate feedback!! What would you suggest? If I am going with single sub setup and I can meet minimum sealed requirement of .8 cubic feet for Kicker, should I choose the Kicker CVX? I can actually get close to 1.0 cubic foot of space for the CVX. Would the CVX outperform a single Alpine type R or JL w3 10" ?

 

[jrdnhsnbrg 10+ year member]

Ok, I appreciate feedback!! What would you suggest? If I am going with single sub setup and I can meet minimum sealed requirement of .8 cubic feet for Kicker, should I choose the Kicker CVX? I can actually get close to 1.0 cubic foot of space for the CVX. Would the CVX outperform a single Alpine type R or JL w3 10" ?

I'd do a seat lift and throw a big ol 12 under there

 

[blobb454 10+ year member]

Id do two sa-8 sundown subs. They require little space, take a nice amount of power and ******* pound when done right.