I keep the same amount of volume inside it? I have 2 12's in a huge premaid square box. If I want to make a box that's less deep, but taller and wider keeping the recommended amount of space for each sub inside the box would I get similar response or will it change the way my subs sound? It's a sealed box, btw. Thanks in advance for help. . .

 

It won't audibly affect the sound in a sub enclosure. It's the volume of air in the box that is the primary factor. The air in the enclosure acts as a spring on the back of the cone. A larger box has a smaller pressure change for the same sub moving an equal distance in a smaller enclosure. This is the reason that bigger boxes are more efficient.

 

If the volume is kept the same, it will sound the same.

 

Exactly what he said.

jmax is wrong, bigger doesn't equal better. I hate when people give incorrect advice. You need to build your box for the correct specs of your subs

 

I am sorry nocanreadit's. I never said bigger was better. And I wasn't wrong in what I said. I was in fact correct as can be verified by anyone with more than 5 minutes of experience building subs. Or anyone who has opened a physics book.

 

It's odd, my post had the same answer with an explanation of the answer. How do you judge one answer of "yes" or "no" to a simple question better than another answer of "yes" or "no" to the same question? I don't agree with incorrect advice either. Unfortunately about 99% of the advice on this board is incorrect.


Let's get with the program before giving incorrect advice.

 

Thanks guys, off to buy MDF . . .

 

To jmax
I don't want to jump this mans thread just to start an arguement with you. I will apologize, you did say a bigger box is more effecient and you didn't say it was better, my bad.

Now, I agree with everything you said, again I read the word better instead of effecient.

Let go to the question at hand:

"If I want to make a box that's less deep, but taller and wider keeping the recommended amount of space for each sub inside the box would I get similar response or will it change the way my subs sound?"

Your response:
"It won't audibly affect the sound in a sub enclosure. It's the volume of air in the box that is the primary factor".
Great answer, stop there you have answered his question.

But you went on to say:
"The air in the enclosure acts as a spring on the back of the cone. A larger box has a smaller pressure change for the same sub moving an equal distance in a smaller enclosure. This is the reason that bigger boxes are more efficient."

Why even put that, that has nothing to do with his question. He already stated he is going to keep the internal volume same. Read what you wrote again and you seem to be encouraging him to builb a bigger box. That is my problem with your post, TMI (too much information). I hope you are not saying to increase the total internal volume of his box will make it more effecient

You could have simply answered his question with what MAXSE03 said:
If the volume is kept the same, then it will sound the same.
That it, that is the answer to his question.

On the other hand, space is limited in the trunk. So to be "effecient" at designing a speaker box, taking up as less space as possible and achieving the same results. You would not want to build a bigger box when the better results can be acheived by building a smaller box with the correct internal volume.
Read his question again, if he wants it less deep then obviously he wants some of his trunk space back, maybe you need to be more effecient with your answers?

 

I prefer accuracy to efficiency. There is plenty of space in the trunk for anyone willing to look. I indicated that changing the shape won't audibly affect the sound in the sub bass, or for a sub enclosure. That is being as brief as accuracy allows. In the rest of the frequency range the shape plays a larger role. Speaking of efficieny if you can get the same spl by making the box bigger instead of buying a bigger amp, which is the more efficent use of money and space? A bigger amp require more room to mount, larger power wire, larger cap, more air volume to cool, etc. This is also a useful purpose of infrasonic filters and bass eq's.


If the person asking the question does not know the answer they also likely do not understand the question and all of the implications. That is good enough reason to give a proper answer instead of an answer without burden of proof. Understanding the difference between the two answers relies on one's fundamental education and ability to learn. I first became interested in music at a very young age. Began building speaker enclosures in high school and continue in my thirties to search for even more information on the subjects of music and sound reproduction.

Remember knowledge is power. Knowledge may be obtained free of charge or for very little expense. Constant refinement and recalibration of the facts is needed throughout life.