Subwoofer Project FINISHED!!! (Enclosure Dimensions Included)

[CTSportX5]

Scanning through the thread some people have touched on the volume. Assuming 0.5 inch thick MDF all around, the interior volume is just under .30 cubic feet. The .53 cubic feet stated is using the outer dimensions accounting for no material thickness.

Seems people are happy with the sound though. I am looking at a woofer that requires .40 cubic feet so I did my own calcs.

[m5james]

What woofer are you using? It seems the most popular is either the Pioneer shallow or the Kicker L5-8", which is what I have.

[Allstarsrd12]

Update - been extremely busy recently, sorry for the delay in response.
M5James- I didn't use that much polyfill. I put a bunch in there for when I took the pictures. Thought it would look better than the inside.
Some say to use nothing at all inside, some say with polyfill. I went with a happy medium I would say. Sounds very solid and tight.


Recently added a minor change to the design to give it a little bit more interior volume. Pictures below.

Also have an interlagos blue wrap for anyone interested. Don't take the pictures too much into account since I just used a bunch of scraps to test out the color actually on the box. Think it came out quite nice.

Available for $100 plus shipping. Again, comes wrapped, with polyfill, terminal, and mounting bracket.

Going to try to post up a video, but don't really know how I can capture sound that well. If anyone has any suggestions feel free to chime in. Thanks!

[CTSportX5]

Originally Posted by m5james

What woofer are you using? It seems the most popular is either the Pioneer shallow or the Kicker L5-8", which is what I have.

I have a MB Quart RLP 254 on the way. I may just build a small box and forget going stealth. The optimum cubic feet is .65 with heavy polyfill. The box would be 12.5x12.5x11.5, so removing it on occasion would not be that much of a hassle.

[Allstarsrd12]

I love my pioneer shallow ten. I think it gives you the best of both worlds. Perfect for when ladies are present. The radio bass settings all the way down makes the sub hardly that noticeable. (Also saves me from the complaining, and that's always a BIG plus!) But at the same time, at the halfway setting, everything shakes in the car. (Of course need to make sure you amp settings are set very close to perfect). I just love finally having ALL of my trunk space. Nice change from my history of obnoxious size boxes ( 2 12's, 3 10's) that had to be moved or taken out even for things like going to the grocery store.


Will be uploading pics of the "renovated" box in a short while.

[m5james]

The only reason why I went with the L5 8" is because I read various opinions about a shallow speaker not having a lot of excursion. Mine does decent for a square subwoofer, but there are times I still wish it had more, but I know it's also coming down to enclosure limitations. The RE 12" in my 7 is in a HUGE box, running about 1500 watts, so it's not even a fair comparison.

[Allstarsrd12]

Heres the box with the little addition I made on the bottom that angles out. Pretty much just did it to rule out any possibility of it being even close to the minimum interior volume. Sounds amazing without poly fill, but also with it. (fiber poly fill= very good for deeper sound) I have a little in mine, for the sole fact that it "fools" the woofer into thinking that the interior volume is more. So, its not too small in there, and not too big.

Also put on a strip of sound foam on the back side, where the lip is, since there is a piece of metal running along in the compartment that might vibrate a little bit.

Only problem is that now my interior lights flickr on deep notes lol....

[m5james]

Maybe my problem is my amp. I'm running a 300 watt monoblock JH300 with a bass knob upfront. I went to a local stereo shop and had him change my settings around on both the deck and the amp, but it didn't make any considerable changes.

What amp are you running again?

[Allstarsrd12]

I'm running an Alpine v12 mrd-m605. I'm most certainly over-powering it, but will hopefully be adding in another 10, since I already sold my extra one..
James, did you say you were using polyfill or werent?

[m5james]

MTX JackHammer JH300 Mono subwoofer amplifier — 300 watts RMS x 1 at 2 ohms at Crutchfield.com
Alpine MRD-M605 Mono subwoofer amplifier 400 watts RMS x 1 at Crutchfield.com

You are running twice the power I am, but I'm running at 2ohms since my sub is a DVC subwoofer. Even if the Pioneer isn't a DVC subwoofer (it doesn't look like it from online specs), that means you're still running another 100watts more than I am. Hmmmmm....