Sub enclosure size and power

[ekincam 10+ year member]

I am thinking about getting an Arc Audio KAR sub and the recommended enclosure is 1 cu ft and power handling is 250W RMS.

What happens if the enclosure is smaller than recommended sealed 1 cu ft, say 0.8 to 0.9 cu ft? I am assuming that it would limit movement of the of cone.

My amp will put out 350W RMS but I think as long as I'm not going crazy with the volume knob and keep the gains down, I think I should be ok. Is this correct?

Now what happens if I have the sub using that amp in a 0.8 cu ft enclosure?

Click to read more...

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

The smaller enclosure will help with power handling but the stated power handling is not usually based on the enclosure but rather the thermal limits of the driver. That said, mechanical power handling is usually less than thermal especially in a sealed box.

You've got the right idea though, keep the gains conservative and don't go nuts with the volume and you'll be fine.