what difference does size make in a sealed enclosure?

[kingsxman 10+ year member]

THinking about an Alpine type S. 10 inch sub. I notice that their web site states the following:

Recommended Sealed Box Volume : 0.65 – 1.5 cu. ft.

What is going to be the difference in sound between a .65 and a 1.5 cu ft box?

DO the power requirements change if you use one over the other?

Click to read more...

 

[Intercooler 10+ year member]

Still learning here but my conversations with RE today:

The bigger one will sound better with less power and will also be more boomy.

The smaller one will take more power but will be tighter sounding.

 

[negativezeroz 5,000+ posts]

In essence smaller you will lose low end extension ascompared to a bigger sealed enclosure that you will gain low end extension..

 

[nosaj070 10+ year member]

Basically a larger box will require less power to become as loud. Gives it the ability to reach lower notes and therefore in some cases a flatter response. I would also build as large as i could until it began to be a pain, which in my case was about .85 cuft, but I was always satisfied. You are going to experiment with your car and box building in order to find the right match.

 

[ntense702 10+ year member]

. You are going to experiment with your car and box building in order to find the right match.

very true, and I myself would go with a big box

 

[GSteg 10+ year member]

i

I can't stand it when subs are in a smaller box than they should be in. Too peaky for my taste.

 

[kingsxman 10+ year member]

Can you define peaky?

Would this work for an Alpine type S:

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=audio+enhancers+css10&hl=en&lr=&sa=N&tab=ff&oi=froogler

 

[skadude016 5,000+ posts]

send squeak12 a pm for a box plan. Make sure you tell him if you want more punchy or boomy bass. I would stay away from prefab.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Can you define peaky?

http://www.carstereo.com/help/Articles.cfm?id=29

Enclosure volume affects Qtc. Large enclosure = lower Qtc, smaller enclosure = higher Qtc.

Now, look at that graph and notice the big hump in the response in the upper bass/lower midbass region for the higher Qtc (smaller box size) enclosures. Notice how the smaller the box gets (the higher the Qtc gets), the larger that hump in the response gets. That's what he is referring to as "peaky".

Larger the enclosure (lower the Qtc), generally has better low frequency extension, better transient response, flatter frequency response, and better efficiency at the cost of lower overall output. Smaller enclosures (higher Qtc) generally have less low frequency extension, worse transient response, peaky frequency response, less efficiency, but with more overall output. But notice if you go too large, you can again start loosing low frequency extension......an enclosure with a Qtc of .707 has maximally flat frequency response and the lowest F3 (best low frequency extension).

The bigger one will sound better with less power and will also be more boomy.The smaller one will take more power but will be tighter sounding.

A larger enclosure is typically perceived as being "boomy" because of the flatter frequency response and better low frequency output (i.e. the slow frequencies that sound "boomy"). But, in actually, it's less "boomy" than a smaller enclosure. It's actually more accurate with tighter transient response. Likewise, a smaller sealed box is typically perceived as being "tighter" and "punchier" because of that hump in the response in the upper bass/lower midbass region (the "punchy" frequencies) and because of it's decreased low frequency output (less output of the "boomy" frequencies). But, in actuality the small box is more "boomy" (because of that unflat frequency response) and less accurate. So, those descriptions are more of perception than actual response.

 

[bikejunkie223 10+ year member]

A small box can sound every bit as good as a trunk hog, you just have to choose the right combination of driver, box type, box volume, power, and crossover point. Trial and error is one way, or you can talk to the squeakmeister for plans, or go to any reputable shop and talk with them about what they think you should do, as they typically have quite a bit of experience with subs in all manner of boxes. And by reputable, I'm not talking about Circuit City, or Best Buy.

 

[Intercooler 10+ year member]

My 2.0 box listed in the sig below is getting cut down to the proper 1.0 size spec'd for the SE-12 so I will let you know how it sounds in comparison today.

 

[Starky 10+ year member]

http://www.carstereo.com/help/Articles.cfm?id=29
Enclosure volume affects Qtc. Large enclosure = lower Qtc, smaller enclosure = higher Qtc.

Now, look at that graph and notice the big hump in the response in the upper bass/lower midbass region for the higher Qtc (smaller box size) enclosures. Notice how the smaller the box gets (the higher the Qtc gets), the larger that hump in the response gets. That's what he is referring to as "peaky".

Larger the enclosure (lower the Qtc), generally has better low frequency extension, better transient response, flatter frequency response, and better efficiency at the cost of lower overall output. Smaller enclosures (higher Qtc) generally have less low frequency extension, worse transient response, peaky frequency response, less efficiency, but with more overall output. But notice if you go too large, you can again start loosing low frequency extension......an enclosure with a Qtc of .707 has maximally flat frequency response and the lowest F3 (best low frequency extension).

A larger enclosure is typically perceived as being "boomy" because of the flatter frequency response and better low frequency output (i.e. the slow frequencies that sound "boomy"). But, in actually, it's less "boomy" than a smaller enclosure. It's actually more accurate with tighter transient response. Likewise, a smaller sealed box is typically perceived as being "tighter" and "punchier" because of that hump in the response in the upper bass/lower midbass region (the "punchy" frequencies) and because of it's decreased low frequency output (less output of the "boomy" frequencies). But, in actuality the small box is more "boomy" (because of that unflat frequency response) and less accurate. So, those descriptions are more of perception than actual response.

I think hes asking what does a Peaky Sub sound like? what does it do when it peaks?

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

I think hes asking what does a Peaky Sub sound like? what does it do when it peaks?

Peaky simply means it does not have a linear response across its useable frequency spectrum. How it sounds will depend on exactly whats happening in the frequencies. Basically, it will sound unnaturally louder at certain freqs than at others.

 

[Intercooler 10+ year member]

It's done! Still kind of new to all the audio stuff but this 1.0 DOES play different. I added more power to the fronts recently to balance stuff and with this box adjustment it balanced it even more..... for that I am happy. With the 2.0 in there I would play the volume level hard at upper 30's on the HU before it started sounding bad. With the 1.0 in place I found 40+ sounded just fine and of course up there the CDT stuff was really sounding good (balance)! I guess I kind of got used to the boomy sound of the 2.0 because the 1.0 doesn't have the long wavelengths if I can call them that. My Daughter is my usual gauge on changes and she said she likes the current 1.0 box better. Not so much because the bass is better but with the old 2.0 box she said you heard that more than the stuff up front (audio expert you know!). I think I will have to play it a little more before I can say I like it one way or the other. It plays a little tighter at 1.0 I guess where the 2.0 had longer wavelengths. From the looks of it I would have to say what I was told about the bigger box playing better on less power kind of holds true since what I saw on the HU IMO confirmed this. I could tell a difference so I learned something today.

 

[kingsxman 10+ year member]

So is it "punchier"?

I'll have to talk to this squeek dude and see what he recommends. I'm getting a bit fed up with the bass response from my old school bazooka. On some things (i.e. some Steely Dan) it sounds just stellar. I throw in other stuff and is boom city.