I have a pair of 10's that are under my helm firing forward. when I decided that I wanted more, I added a third 10" sub in a separate box that's on the back side of the primary box in the helm. It basically fires towards the starboard bow underseat storage, but it has a port that fires upwards into the space of the helm that's ultimately open (under my dash where my wiring and steering stuff is, but is still open near my legs). Throwing a sub in the Port observer compartment was never a consideration for me.

Quote Originally Posted by Stazi View Post
Personally I think the sub inside the enclosed compartment sounds terribly muffled and a waste. It sounds like when your neighbors are having a party in their basement, next door.

Put it under the drivers dash where it can fire unobstructed into the cockpit.


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^^^^ This.

Quote Originally Posted by MLA View Post
Comparing a direct-radiating woofer under the helm to a woofer closed in an insulated locker, there can be a significant difference in sound quality and perceived output. A closed woofer is like cutting your amp wattage in half. They tend to be less accurate sounding and radiate through the boat more. More of a boat shaker, then a bass maker. A direct radiating woofer, you hear more of the bass, compared to feeling it.

Under the helm would be the spot I would want to go first. The results are typically better. if I was going to place a woofer under the helm, it would be a 2nd woofer to compliment the primary woofer under the helm. if I was only going to do one woofer and it had to be in the closed locker, I would suggest venting the locker in order to gain some of that radiation back.
^^^^ THIS, with really cool techy explaination!