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Improving on the meter

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wew lad

wew lad
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wew lad inc
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So I've done some testing and after having a friend allow me to borrow his meter for a little while, I finally have some numbers. Setup is a single Team AA 15 on a Taramps bass 12k. The box should be 4.5 - 5 cubes net. It's tuned at 35 with an 8x18 inch octoport.

I could definitely use some insight because 1) I have no peak lol and 2) Shrinking volume actually causes loss on the meter

148 at 37hz isnt bad but I'm sure I could break a 150 if the box was better. The box will be changing to sub up port up (2 Team AA 15's) in the next few months so this wont help much I guess other than seeing what a team aa 15 likes for volume, tuning, and port area.

I have a theory that the way the box is set up, the airspace around the port on the end of the box (sub forward, port side) is being ignored causing the sub to react like it's in a smaller box than it is. Can't really do anything about it.

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12,000 watts and under 150 , dang. maybe you should try some ct sounds products lol
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I suspect the problem is low tuning and not enough cone area/displacement. "12K" amp is pretty worthless when the sub will bottom out at 3000

 
im just ****** with him i don't see a problem with that much headroom, the issue is going to be this thought of chasing numbers with this setup. but then again i think chasing numbers is a waste of time there's always someone louder. if it sounds good to you just enjoy it.

 
What do you gain with driver's side door/window open?
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Didn't gain much, maybe 1db and that's where I got the 148. I tried all types of weird stuff with moving seats and it didn't change much but I believe that's due to box orientation. Also my port is ~4 inches away from my rear door

It's certainly confusing me, but admittedly this isn't an area I'm well versed in

is 35hz really considered low tuning?

12,000 watts and under 150 , dang. maybe you should try some ct sounds products lol
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the driver isn't getting anywhere near 12kw especially at 37hz. Maybe 3-4kw and 6-7kw where impedance is low.

 
Didn't gain much, maybe 1db and that's where I got the 148. I tried all types of weird stuff with moving seats and it didn't change much but I believe that's due to box orientation. Also my port is ~4 inches away from my rear door
It's certainly confusing me, but admittedly this isn't an area I'm well versed in

is 35hz really considered low tuning?

the driver isn't getting anywhere near 12kw especially at 37hz. Maybe 3-4kw and 6-7kw where impedance is low.
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I've never gained much by moving seats around but if you're competing a tenth here and a tenth there adds up especially if you're pretty neck and neck with someone else in your class it can be fun. Where you sit in the vehicle can make a difference too or if you stand outside. Test EVERYTHING.

37hz PEAK is low for SPL especially with so little piston area. Are you actually tuned there or a little lower? If you're crowding the port into a hard surface in the vehicle it's almost definitely NOT tuning where modeling software says it is. In the second graph (I assume this is just your response curve at lower power) there seems to be a second peak up in the mid 50s. That is probably where the truck wants to peak. Most woofers won't actually peak right at port tuning frequency so do some modeling and see what size and port tuning gives you the best peak centered around that spot and then see what kind of number you can get. Small box with big external flared port I'd think considering power isn't an issue and it'll give you more flexibility to move it around and tweak tuning.

 
I've never gained much by moving seats around but if you're competing a tenth here and a tenth there adds up especially if you're pretty neck and neck with someone else in your class it can be fun. Where you sit in the vehicle can make a difference too or if you stand outside. Test EVERYTHING.
37hz PEAK is low for SPL especially with so little piston area. Are you actually tuned there or a little lower? If you're crowding the port into a hard surface in the vehicle it's almost definitely NOT tuning where modeling software says it is. In the second graph (I assume this is just your response curve at lower power) there seems to be a second peak up in the mid 50s. That is probably where the truck wants to peak. Most woofers won't actually peak right at port tuning frequency so do some modeling and see what size and port tuning gives you the best peak centered around that spot and then see what kind of number you can get. Small box with big external flared port I'd think considering power isn't an issue and it'll give you more flexibility to move it around and tweak tuning.
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The box is tuned to 35, and testing pretty much proves that as the sub barely moves around the frequency.

As far as 50hz goes, I'm guessing that's a resonance as I didn't play anything at 50hz but I'll give it a go. Definitely won't get as much power due to voltage drop but if I do peak up there that'll definitely be weird because it doesn't sound that way on music.

I'll mess with it in WinISD but considering it's a team driver and has a large thermal mass I imagine the 35% variation rule will absolutely be a factor

 
Some weird things going on, obviously im missing something. The larger I make the box the bigger the peak gets almost to no limit (obviously it'd be bottom out where it doesnt show on this chart)

this is 3 cubes vs 5 cubes @ 35

vs

5 cubes @ 40

this driver clearly likes higher frequencies to peak at

the 3 cubes at 35 looks a lot like my response curve right now, making me think somehow my box appears to be more towards 3 cubes than 5 cubes which *****.

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Did you try full power at any of the higher frequencies?

You could have a higher gain because it’s closer to cabin peak

Also what about shrink the port

Like just clamp a 2x4 in it

 
My buddy has two team fi 15s in a trunk wall and can do mid 50s with acouple 8ks amps... on 1 8k he still does 150+.. center port like 8c box with like 90” of port. One of the loudest trunk walls I’ve heard.

 
YOU could try to flip to sub back port sideThat is a low peak for how “high” you are tuned
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I listen to music more daily than for competing that's why it's tuned at 35hz

Did you try full power at any of the higher frequencies?You could have a higher gain because it’s closer to cabin peak

Also what about shrink the port

Like just clamp a 2x4 in it
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I tried at I believe 45hz and it was down 2-3db but I didn't try 50 or so, I'll give it a try.

I tried putting a 2x6 in but it mostly blocked the pressure more than anything I think lol because it lost

My buddy has two team fi 15s in a trunk wall and can do mid 50s with acouple 8ks amps... on 1 8k he still does 150+.. center port like 8c box with like 90” of port. One of the loudest trunk walls I’ve heard.
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Probably on the same clamped power as me, and maybe has smaller airspace to pressurize than my ext cab. Trunks with sub/port forward seem to score well

 
I listen to music more daily than for competing that's why it's tuned at 35hz
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nothing wrong with 35hz tuning, i tuned at 51 for testing and it was great for music, it was just the low stuff that it missed out on. i meant it seems to like to peak low. generally sub back will peak lower than sub forward. it may help to drop your cabin peak closer to your tuning. or it will just lose more db and make no sense!!!!!

 
nothing wrong with 35hz tuning, i tuned at 51 for testing and it was great for music, it was just the low stuff that it missed out on. i meant it seems to like to peak low. generally sub back will peak lower than sub forward. it may help to drop your cabin peak closer to your tuning. or it will just lose more db and make no sense!!!!!
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ah yeah i think the cabin peaks low as it is. a while back with a different sub it peaked at 27hz or something stupid like that but i didnt do much testing so it could have been a fluke

 
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wew lad

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