Positioning of Box in SUV

[Platestacker45 10+ year member]

For a box loaded with two subs facing back and ports back, how far from the hatch would you recommend it being? I've heard to have the box as close to the 2nd door line as possible but not past it. I've heard 6 inches from the hatch. And I've also heard as close to the hatch as possible. What cha think? I'm not competing, just want the loudest possible to the ear. 05' Explorer 4 Door.

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[dvrmstrng 5,000+ posts]

got my 18 in 9.3 cubes...with the hatch shut i have about 4 inches...its fine...asked the same question a while back some people said give it at least 2...

 

[srmfball 10+ year member]

If you are interested I have a custom built box for the ford explorer that has 2 JL 13w1v2 subs. It sounds great. Im selling them because I sold my explorer. If you have a 3rd row it fits behind that too.



Let me know if you are interested.

 

[JohnBlayz142 10+ year member]

Good rule of thumb is at least port's width from the hatch. Say you have a 4" wide port....you put that thing about 6 inches from the hatch and you will love the results. I like to go just a little more than the width of the port.

 

[dvrmstrng 5,000+ posts]

^^ not to go agaisnt you but i did hear that you could go less than that...

 

[JohnBlayz142 10+ year member]

^^ not to go agaisnt you but i did hear that you could go less than that...

Oh, sure you can. I'm just saying what I prefer....I like to let all that air have a little more room to do it's thing. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I've found that cancellation seems a little more common with it any closer than port's width. Maybe it's just in my head, but it sure seems like it...

edit...with a sealed box I've loaded from as little as 1.5" away and had it sound great. For example, downfiring in a quad cab pickup.

 

[Platestacker45 10+ year member]

The way I got it now is: Third row seats folded down and box all the way against 2nd row. So basically it's as far foward as it can go. So your saying it will be louder if I scoot in back to the hatch?

 

[AndonD454 10+ year member]

mine seems loudest when its more than a foot (and not more than 3) from the hatch.

96 explorer 2 dr.

but i havent ever metered it.

 

[ktraughb 10+ year member]

The way I got it now is: Third row seats folded down and box all the way against 2nd row. So basically it's as far foward as it can go. So your saying it will be louder if I scoot in back to the hatch?

yes scoot it toward the back, youre letting the pressure dissipate too much before it can reflect off the rear hatch area. do doubt it still will, but not as efficiently. it would be very odd if it didnt sound louder once moved back. up there is actually a good rule of thumb for the ports width to space from the hatch. usually about 4-5 inches away yields good results as well just in general. my experience in my explorer is about that and for spl too.

 

[Platestacker45 10+ year member]

Bump

 

[JohnBlayz142 10+ year member]

Why did you bump this, we answered your question.

The only way for you to find your answer, however, is to experiment with different box placements yourself.

 

[dvrmstrng 5,000+ posts]

yes scoot it toward the back, youre letting the pressure dissipate too much before it can reflect off the rear hatch area. do doubt it still will, but not as efficiently. it would be very odd if it didnt sound louder once moved back. up there is actually a good rule of thumb for the ports width to space from the hatch. usually about 4-5 inches away yields good results as well just in general. my experience in my explorer is about that and for spl too.

^^^ agreeed

and agreed on why the bump....try it out and let us know what you find

 

[Platestacker45 10+ year member]

^^^ agreeed

and agreed on why the bump....try it out and let us know what you find

I bumped it to get some other people opinons of course. I did move my box so it was about 6 inches from the hatch. It diden't really seem any louder, but I think it made everything vibrate and shake a little more. Seemed like the bass was farther away and not as "boomy" as it was before. Maybe it's because my box is wedge in there tight and I have my Mid/High box on top of it, so there's not a ton of places for air to move around?

 

[ktraughb 10+ year member]

mid/high box? theyre in boxes? why? youve got slots in the doors and stuff right?

 

[kballa422 10+ year member]

"Facing the drivers towards the rear is always louder...even when compared to firing the drivers up towards the roof of the vehicle. Contrary to popular belief, I'm not an SPL guy. I know how to get the physical loudspeakers loud, but other than that, it's all in the application. The theory behind facing thedrivers backwards is that you are essentially creating a horn-loaded type of system when you do it. The drivers and ports fire backwards only for a very short distance before the sound waves are forced upwards and forwards towards the front of the vehicle. See, if you fire them upwards, you have the possibility for more cancellation due to the sound waves traveling towards the back of the vehicle as well as towards the front of the vehicle. See what I'm saying?"

This is the response I got from Nick at Stereo Integrity when I asked him if I should face the drivers up or towards the back in my Jeep. Not the exact same question as you, but u can interpret his quote and assume that he would agree that being closer the hatch enables the sound waves to reflect upwards and forward towards the front of the car, and create less cancellation, thus making it louder (at least to the ear anyways).

My 15" XXX was loudest when about 4-5" from the hatch in my Jeep.