Sub enclosure

[Jughead]

Has anyone tried a low profile downward facing enclosure under the console?


Sent via smoke signal using my Zach Morris brick phone.

[MLA]

There can be some advantages to boundary-loading a sub like a down firing enclosure. But if you are having to compromise the enclosure size, resulting on the use of a shallow mount sub, then those advantages are lost. The best sub is the one done right. Correct enclosure size and shape for the given space, right amount of amplifier power, etc.

[EarmarkMarine]

[QUOTE=Jughead;219790]Has anyone tried a low profile downward facing enclosure under the console?

Low profile woofers are lower efficiency than their deeper architecture counterparts. It is hard to make a flat cone as stiff without adding mass. The shallow sub excursions are typically very limited in comparison too.
A downfiring woofer makes use of the sole as a reinforcing boundary. That's a good thing. However, if the sub is close to the sole so that the radiating surface area is reduced at any point in the radiation path then you have lost output, and if dimensions are too tight a more rigid loading can alter the woofer's 'Q' (ie; damping). For example, the high peak of the surround on a 12-inch woofer with an average excursion needs to be ideally 3.125" off the sole.
The small and closed cabin of a vehicle is far more forgiving. You can afford to get more creative without a penalty. An open field boat is a different story.
So in a boat I like deep woofers, normal rectangular enclosures and unobstructed paths. Have we been forced to do otherwise? Sure. Sometimes you have to take what a particular boat gives you.

David

[Jughead]

thanks for the feedback. I think I will have more than enough room for one 10 or 12 in the outback under the helm, without having to sacrifice leg room.

[motosno963]

here is my new box i built with 2 tens..i winged it so its not the greatest but it stil works haha
http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/1369/o2k6.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/545/o2k6.jpg/)

[NCSUmoomba]

Jughead,

That is sort of what I did. I removed my factory kick panel and replaced it with a new one that is the back of my sub box. My sub fires more forward, but is angled down as much as I could get it. It works AWESOME. For a single 10" sub with not a ton of power, it is quite loud and hits quite hard. I left the new kick panel an inch or so from the floor for a "vent" so to speak and to let water run through there and not touch the panel.

You can see it here in my boat mods album on picasa (or I guess it is google+ now):

https://plus.google.com/photos/101444528102814367861/albums/5779629261036480257?banner=pwa

The box is made of MDF, and I tried to waterproof it, but it didn't work so well. You can see in the photos where it has swelled up some. In the photo, I think the box is a couple of seasons old. Good news is that the box is still maintaining its seal, and it is over 6 years old.

Personally, I think is it better acoustically to have the sub "loaded" and firing away from people. Also, I like that when anyone looks in my boat, they cannot see anything, and I lost no legroom. I think this is by far the BEST way to do this!

[MLA]

Hay wolfpack moomba, by the looks of the pics, your sub enclosure looks to be sitting right on the carpeted floor. If so, that probably has more to do with the swelling then how you water proofed it. If you rebuild, try to use some composite or HDPE feet to lift it off the floor. Just a little makes a big difference.

[NCSUmoomba]

No, its is raised an inch or inch-and-a-half above the floor. If you look further down in the pics (the on with the fire ext. in it) you can see how it is raised up. That SOB is heavy though and very awkward to get in position.