But I always tipped better than she did. I loved that crazy thing you did with the quarter and your.....nevermind. Just know I like it.



So do we get to know what your up to these days?

 

Shhhhhh

nada, just workin like usual

 

My box for my flatines were also 1.25 net cu. ft. ea. A tech, from Arc, told me 1.25 sealed would sound the best. The box was very similar to yours but obviously not as clean looking and I made mine out of mdf. I was giving them 1500x2 rms, they would bottom out if I turned up the gain more than 1/2 way. I'm selling them because I wasn't very happy with the sound (I'm VERY picky). I'm using my old set up now because it sound alot better, it's cheaper, and the single 15" set up requires alot less power (>1000wrms) than 2 FL's. It's an eclipse 15" aluminum in a bandpass box that is ported through the rear armrest opening. The box for my 15 is also made out of birch plywood. Birch is ALOT stronger and weighs less than mdf.

I always assemble my boxes with a brad nail gun instead of screws because it looks better, takes alot less time, and is just as strong (glue holds a box together, not screws or nails).

 

which brings me to my last question which wasn't answered (or i missed it):

how much more does birch cost than MDF?

oh, and you really honestly thought an eclipse aluminum sounded better than a flatline?? thats just surprising to me. i had an eclipse aluminum in my old setup as well, and i love the way it sounds, but i've always figured the Flatline being an Arc Audio product would probably sound better...

 

Substantially more, but depends on your area. Ive seen various amounts in different territories.

I went from a pair of Eclipse Tis to the FLs and never thought twice about it. Many would agree that have demoed my car.

 

Sorry to thread jack Don.. just wondering if you got my PM? if so plz respond!

thanks!

 

I thought that the flatlines would have sounded alot better than the eclipse aluminum 15 and that's the reason that I bought them. The main reason the eclipse sounds so much better is because It's in a VERY unique enclosure. The flatlines sound really good/accurate on certain high quality rock songs (i.e., alice in chains-unplugged, stone temple pilots,...). But they didn't sound that good for other types of music like techno. The aluminum will play the fastest, punchiest beats and it'll also play rumbling bass very smoothly. My eclipse sounds accurate and clean on every type of music. The eclipse isn't as loud as the flatlines but it's still plenty loud enough (143 db). The eclipse will play lower and higher frequencies better than the flatlines.

I thought about making a bandpass box for the FL's (similar to the eclipse box) but it would be ALOT of work and it would take up my ENTIRE trunk leaving with no room for my extra battery, amps, or my p9 goodies. Although, it would probably sound just as good or better than mine eclipse and it would get alot louder.

Initially, I cut 2 13" holes in my parcel shelf (where the rear speakers were), then I put the flatlines in a sealed box that had four 13" o.d. mdf rings (2 per sub, the mdf rings raised the subs off of the box 1.5"), put the box in the trunk and lifted it up so that the subs were firing through the parcel shelf into the cabin (I just put pieces of wood under the box to support it). It looked like were mounted to the rear shelf. Believe it or not, they sounded accurate but weren't loud enough AT ALL. They'd almost be bottoming out but hardly any sound was coming out. So then I put them in the trunk firing towards the rear of the car and they got ALOT louder but they weren't very accurate any more and I didn't like the sound of 'em.

I do have pics of my FL set-up if anybody wants to see.

 

Post pics of both the Eclipse and the FL's.

 

thanks.

and interesting. thats more what i expected... perhaps that guy had the FL's in the wrong box.

 

mmmmmm, what a nice box! can I have it? :P

 

Finished pics?

 

nah not yet, still workin...

 

I just posted some pics on my cardomain site...The pics at the bottom of the page and the interior pics were taken yesterday.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/726678/1

 

I'm guessing the 2 slot ports in the rear armrest is the Eclipse? Your box for the FL's are very...unorthodox. The rear deck is pretty flimsy and very prone to rattling, which was giving you a poor baffle. Your box doesn't look like it was braced (inside or out) that well. You also have to remember your firing 2 subs straight into glass to reflect everywhere.

Oh yeah, really nice head unit.

 

Yes, the slot ports in the rear armrest are the for the eclipse enclosure.

I didn't take pictures of it, but I deadened the rear parcel shelf after the install. Bracing shouldn't make that much of a difference. Why would I brace the out side of the box?? I was planning on mixing fiberglass resin and saw dust to strengthen the inside of the box. Don's box doesn't have any bracing?? My whole idea was/is to keep the bass in the car instead of in the trunk. After I installed them like this, I put them in the trunk firing toward the rear and the they got MUCH louder.

Neither install is complete. I ditched the flatline idea a while ago and I'm going to stick with my old eclipse set-up. All I have to do is install one more amp (mids) and make a nice amprack. The reason the rings on the flatline enclosure were sloppy is because I couldn't find my router bits. lol.

I've heard ALOT of different high quality systems out there and I know what my sub(s) should sound like. I've had many friends hear each way I've had my sub(s) set up and they all think the eclipse set is more clean, accurate and pleasant to listen to.

The only way I could show you how unique the eclipse enclosure is, is to unbolt my flanges and remove it from the car to explose the inside of the box. Mainly you just have to hear it. Everyone on the forums thinks I'm crazy when I say I have an SQ bandpass box. lol.

BTW, Sorry for the thread jack, Don. Your birch box for the FL's is definitely VERY nice!

 

very interesting 505max.

 

When I said bracing on the outside, I meant how it was held down. Although you should always brace the inside for flexing. It's a big box, it may not look like it, but it will flex. I'm not tryin to dis skill and knowledge or anything, I'm just commenting on what you showed us. And yeah, I understand your concept of trying to keep the bass in the cabin. That's how I would want my sub. You're also very right, we would have to listen to it to evaluate it.

 

The box was pressure fitted up against the rear deck and it didn't around move at all.

I underststand you want the box to be as stiff as possible to prevent flexing. Flexing means SLIGHTY less output and accuracy (depending on flexing there is of course). In this case the box was descently strong and it didn't matter so much. Since the subs sit so deap into the box, there really isn't any room for really good bracing (I was thinking about doing this when I built the box).

I almost always do things unorthodox....I like trying new things and being original.

 

+1 for originality, and at least you got the learning experience to let us know how it sounds. A+, good work!
Oh yeah, sorry Don for stealing your thread so badly.

 

Its all good, I dont mind a thread steal here an there. If I did I woulda deleted em all.

 

Don,
That box does look very nice.

On a side note, I still havent heard from you yet When can we set up a time to talk about my stuff?
-Jih

 

Hey Don, this thing in your trunk yet?

 

Of course !

 

I think somebody needs to make an addition to the "What's in your trunk" sticky!