For beginner’s that don’t know any better. The enclosure is just about the most important thing in a system. Prefab box’s are very good for shelving space, that’s about it. You can throw together and better box yourself in an afternoon for less money that buying a prefab.
I really want to build a box myself that is smaller than the Bose II (the old box)! Something that will go inside of a vehicle and would hardly be noticed but hits hard!
Really true me and my uncle built a box for a 15 tuned to 34 hertz , it’s 3.2 cubic ft but with the port it’s 2.84 cubic feet and it slams lows and highs great plus it was definitely cheaper to build a custom box that hits way harder than prefab
Remember when you enlarge the port in a attempt to lower the resonant frequency of the box you are also increasing the displacement of the port. That in turn, lowers the net air space of the box raising the resonant frequency of the bix. What you end up with is a very small drop in tuning from lengthening the port. I'd estimate 44 to 41hz with 12 more inches of port legnth. If you want to get down to 35 your going to add another 12 inches of port probably more and you'll need to add some external port length. That will extend the port without decreasing net air space, a much more effective way to drop that tuning. Even just 4 inches of external port length will give you 2-3hz drop.
Thank you so much for posting this, perfect timing as well! Just yesterday, I got a piece of plywood to do this to my box, because ive been very confused as to why I cant hit lower than 40. Didnt know if it was a box issue, subwoofer, or amplifier. It moves plenty of air, just can't hear the sound of the notes. So this should help fix this issue. Thanks for doing something like this and showing people how to tune a pre-fab. Mine wont be proper or pretty, I just need it to hit a few Hz lower, I'm a fan of the sustained low-low notes. Posting videos of my current upgrade process soon as well. I'm new to posting vids, but I'm trying to get it done. Not fancy, not much music, and no editing, but I like what people like you do.
Do what you want and how you want. It's yours. Bump it till the wipers fall off. Oh by the way I have settled with Rockville. Since the glue issue in the aluminum, you've done an awesome job keeping us informed of the Destroyer. Im Investing in incriminator
Cool video fun to watch. The one thing that jumped out like crazy to me is your voltage switch in the back next to the amp. If you don't have the voltage meter in a visiable place usually up in the dash it's not as useful. It's super easy to extend the switch. You don't need to use a large wire to extend it because it doesn't draw juice.
I got a box for my L7 Q class 15” , it’s a prefab, and I did the same thing . Extended the port internally, but due to the box being too small for most 15”s , I put a front baffle on and put a 12” in just to test it out, and woah I’m impressed. Sounds really good and gets low. Sounding much louder and clearer than the 15” did and digging way deeper . The box was originally tuned to like 40 hz . And now I’d guess it’s around the 34 hz mark, going to extend it a bit more to try and get close to 30, and put a front baffle on made of birch, and stain it and go with an extra high gloss finish. Should be a fun project just to revive a box that was basically useless . It hardly fits my Mercedes trunk, but it fits and that’s what counts . Hope to see more videos like this, turning prefabs from trash to good . May do the same with a 2 12”s box I have, it’s closer to spec for some good 10’s, extend port, put a nice new front baffle on, should be good 💯
I did this to a box that has an hx2 10", using it in my home theatre surround sound. I must say adding that piece of wood to shorten the port made a difference in my box.
Yeah, although the slot ports are pretty easy, and cheap for the little piece of extra wood, it sure seems like a few bucks for a couple of 3" or whatever is needed for your specific situation has got to be quick and easy- especially being able to run into any hardware store and grab some PVC pipe, cut to whatever length needed for tuning is hard to beat! **I've lengthened a few slot ports on prefabs or someone's home made box all with great success, but thinking about going with either a bought round port or just some PVC pipe from the bunch lying around living on an old farmhouse with tons of diy project leftover!
I always modify prefabbers. They're always tuned way too high. I always add to the port of make the port smaller and longer. Also, you can take away air space or add poly fill to match the airspace.
This video just inspired me to do the same thing. I have the same enclosure but I have the version sprayed with bedliner from Sonic electronics. Their specs say 2.5 cu. Tuned to 43hz. I added 11" to my port length. I have no idea how much it lowered the tuning but anything lower than 43hz is an improvement. I'm still waiting for the glue to dry so I haven't listened to it yet. Love the channel content.
I’ve always put a wash rag behind my license plate, just to help with the rattling. Yes I know they make sound dampening matts or padding, that helps, but us broke country boys can’t afford all that lol great video man!
If you shop around you can get a pretty decent prefab for your sub. Some tuned around 34hz. Obviously custom box is ideal but not everyone has the tools and time to build one from scratch.
Nice job! The only difference on my box, what I was talking about doubling the mdf is I ran another piece on the inside the full length of the port, 25.5" making the inside width 2.75" on the port. This lowers lowers tuning a little more for me.
After seeing that coil, I don't think your sub is going to survive much longer. I'm glad you like it and put out these video's. After all the videos of Rockville subs blowing up I'll never buy one.
I just bought this Q- Power box for $75 shipped on ebay for a temporary box for my Resilient Sounds Onyx 12". I was pleasantly surprised by how thick the wood was, 1" faceplate and .75" everywhere else. the tuning is about 38 hz with this particular sub. The glue on the carpet is minimal and the terminal cup is worthless being way too small. 10 GA wire at best. I just run my 12 GA off out the port. I don't hear any rattles at all and it holds my 85 lb sub no problem. I'm still going to put liquid nails inside the box and maybe a brace or 2. It doesn't vibrate much at all. For $75 bucks, you can't beat this box. It's also high density partical board not medium density like most boxes. I was really surprised. With some liquid nails, it will last forever. The existing caulking they used is garbage but I do see glue drips, so they used alot of glue for sure. I wish it had a lower tune but I may cut a piece of ⅝" wood and install it against the existing 13" port to narrow it and lower the frequency so I don't use up any air space like Parker did doing it that way but it worked for him. I need the airspace.
Ya invert the sub get maybe .2 more cubes. And put the box where the port fires to the rear and the subs magnet faces the rear passenger wheel bass likes to bounce off stuff. Then play some Bassotronics!! I rock prefabs and add wood glue add screws ever 5 inches to make sure the box is reinforced till I make a better box myself. Cool vid like the flexn shots.
Move your port from the left side of the box if your looking at it from the back and make it face the trunk so your port letting its air flow hit the trunk and then move forward you’ll hear a big difference position and where the port is does play a very big factor
I have the same model jeep and I had problems with the sub not going low like it should. Turned out those grand cherokees have noisy interior panels back there. I added sound deadening to the inside of all the rear panels and it sounds much better. Hits lower and cleaner.
Next time cut it longer and slide it in and just lay it on the original port and just screw it to that, then u can slide it back and forth to adjust tuning unill u get it where ur happy. Instead of glueing it in.. make your next box with an aero port, they are easy to swap in and out, I bought like four 6in ports from parts express and u can add length to them easy or shorten them.. I don't use them anymore though. I went back to slot port once I figure out the tune I wanted
Interestingly enough , the extra wood adds mass and rigidity . All the while lowering the tuning !! Thats a win win +Win man . Thats an awesome budget bass lifehack , Heaveans Yes !! !!
Dam thank young home..This was something I dint know that Rockville sub looks MEAN. I just learned how to tune my boxes in a mater of min.I use prefab boxes for that same reason ..You got a new subscriber..
Sorry I didn't comment earlier.. I was painting walls in the house. It sounds way better. It gives me incentive to "Port them birtches" exact quote from my Instagram comments😉 lol. I just think leaving the original. MTX alone, sell it buy a pair of Skar 12" ported. Decisions, decisions.. Anyhow, nice job brother! Sounds better every vid!
Add some insulation to the inside. This is the easiest way to fine tune to lower frequencies. It emulates larger box sizes and cancels out highs from port noise. Also point port to rear to lengthen distance of wave to you.
Yes and yes! Direction of the sub and port make such a HUGE difference in how hard they hit it's almost hard to believe! I remember a 2nd generation VW GTI that adjusting the top box to make the subs perfectly parallel to the hatch window made such a huge difference I used to worry about blowing out the back window sometimes!!
Nice video. I actually think this is a good idea. But the quality of the wood really makes a huge difference in sound bro. I promise I was so scared to spend money but once I got a good quality birch box and a few other custom boxes I was hooked! I can take a budget sub and make it hit 5x harder in my box than a standard prefab or even eBay “custom” box. You can build your own just look at tutorials. The internal tricks and things inside used with custom boxes is insane. Internal bracing helps, internal corner inserts to help redirect air. Also having all the cracks and seams inside box properly sealed Makes a big diff too. All brand new boxes I get I always use liquid nails or silicone or something to seal every seam and corner inside an out. Also I seal around the terminals too. Painting wood boxes and sealing them is a good idea too and helps humidity and moisture not get to them. I wish you could feel the diff with that sub in a custom birch box
So from grabbing a sheet of MDF from the local lumber yard has nothing on some good Birch plywood!? Obviously bracing and how much power is getting pushed makes a huge difference, but you think for my first Birch box with either this DC Audio stage 4 12 inch sub and a 2500(+) RMS Orion amp would do better, with proper bracing and some nice chamfered edge's and I was thinking about 1/4 round(or something like that) for the inside corners for better sealing plus giving more surface area to strengthen it all the best possible within reason? Oh, and what does the Birch go for, 3/4" at least I'd think? Thank you in advance
@@BabyCharlotteschannel I am not a box guru I'll admit but I'd suggest joining some hardcore car audio enthusiasts groups on reddit and maybe discord and post what your thinking and see if you can bounce ideas off with some of the pros who do it way better than I can. I had a buddy build mine and help me with another. It is nuts how the material makes a diff. I also am not a fan of mdf to be honest.
@@cppctek thanks for the quick reply and tips. Yeah when I first moved out here in good ole Missouri I met a guy who is a member of a local car audio group. Super cool guy and seemed knowledgeable but I lost his number as I go through phones and lost some numbers.. Guess I'll at least try this nice looking box this DC Audio stage 4 12" sub is in if I'm lucky enough to get it in the next few days and play with it if needed for now. But I'll definitely be looking into the better types of wood for whatever the next box I build for sure! Thanks again and keep it thumping Brother!
I started building boxes about 2 years ago Im still young about to be 19 and have improvements to make but one thing i can tell you is putting that sub in a bigger box will make it hit much lower i have my 15 in a 2.5 cubic ft box tuned to 31 hz and my other box is 3.5 tuned to 35 hz and even though its tuned higher the extra air volume make is hit much much lower than my box tuned to 31 hz and just the sound alone is much deeper, put that rockville in a bigger box and itll hit much lower Id say 2.5 cubes tuned to 35 is a good box to still be musical and hit those lows and also another point is to hit the low lows you want all your air to be between the sub and the port unlike a lot of boxes with the subs facing up and a vertical port facing the trunk, a box with a sub facing up and a horizontal port on the bottom will play lower and sound deeper since theres more air space between the sub and the port
hey does a sub sound different if the port is a U shape rather than the traditional L shape slot port. im thinking of building a box that way for my sundown x12. box will be 2.5 cubes at 32hz
You should have cut the port wall completely out and covered the hole instead of lengthening it. You could have used a aeroport or pvc pipe tube to length that way you would have gained air space and lowered the freq. even lower at the same time. It does sound better the way you did it too but you lost internal air space that way. But good video, i do think it sounds better.
I have the same box for my 15. It says 37 hz. Dont know if its true but it does play pretty well in the 30s. I plan to add an external port and turn it with an L in the driecrio the sub is facing. I am pretty happy with this box. Makes one 15 SDR impressive.
Same...I have 2 one for my American bass XD-1522 and one for my Audiopipe 15in 3stack. It sounds good for what I paid for them in my opinion but will try this trick and see what happns😅
First of all I know this is a old video those prefab boxes are subwoofers like that are for people who on a low budget?You have to start somewhere?I don't like anything tuned above 38 hertz 45 and higher destroys subwoofers it's only for spl shows it's two peaky it doesn't have enough time to keep the coils cool 36 to 32 hertz is for daily drivers 😉
Keep doing what your doing sir great work you really help people like me a lot to select the right subwoofer for my car thank you a lot I really appreciate it
Hey buddy, I've been out of the business for so so SO long, in your opinion what would be the best looking way to seal a slot ported box. Love your vids btw and don't ever get discouraged or quit. Keep up your good projects and good luck.
Why would you want to seal a slot port? A slot port box is gonna be too large for a sealed enclosure. Why not just build a sealed enclosure as one of the perks to using sealed is saving space.
Rockville is alright I guess, I like their amps and their powered subs aren’t too bad, but I just blew a new Rockville sub last night, completely unwrapped the voice coil. Just ordered a skar svr-12 to replace it, bought the Rockville setup with the amp, box, wiring, and sub for like 140 on eBay, should be a decent little budget build once I get that skar speaker put in it.
May sound dumb but how do you really know where it peaks and how low it’ll play on a tone generator. I’ve tried doing this a million times and I’m tuned to 32, and my box will play from 21 to about 50 ish pretty good to me. Is that my peak and how low I can get ? I’m not great at car audio so I wanted to ask
@@Jamesdagreat199 you see/feel the excursion by eye/hand, where it moves the least is tuning frequency, i built boxes using re box calculator and guess what every box is tuned to exactly what the calculations say at the excursion being minimum at tuning frequency. try it, using this technique i figured out that most prefab boxes are tuned to 40hz, my peaky box is tuned at 37hz and my new box at 34hz
@@braydanwilliams5781 in this vid Migas is correct, Parker failed to deduct the port and sub displacement in the final calculation. After displacement his box was around 2.0 cubic feet which puts his tuning with a 26" long port at 45 hz... (He got his original tuning of the factory box wrong too. It was tuned near 50) To be able to tune it to 35.5 Parker would have actually need a 44" port in that box which is probably not feasible. 🤷♂️
@@videosgoneviral7858 3500 of clipped signal. read emfs comment, he called them out for not showing the o scope. the sundown sub will handle the power as long as its not clipped
Ok I got a seriously stupid question I'd like you to test :here's the hypothesis does a sub hit harder if it's put in a ported box then put a sealed box over the front of the ported box (redneck bandpass ) I happen to have a sealed and ported box and think you could do fun video and who knows the results may surprise
Why do you ignore the change in net box volume when you increase the port length/volume? You'd be better off shrinking your port area if all you want to do is change tuning. No worries about screws through the carpet either. Just attach another piece to the port wall of equal length to the stock port. You'll probably get a bit of port noise but better than shrinking the box volume.
Plus pointing your port to the back of the vehicle changes your tuning too. Back to front ratio changes... just in my experience .. sounds ok... sorry to hear about your subwoofer issues.. 👍😎
Do you think it would have hit harder with the sub flip upside down. I just purchased a sundown x12 v3 and I’m looking for a 32 hertz box but I can’t find any online.Great video bro.
try turing the box so the port is facing the rear trunk door. it might be louder. thats what i did in my friends explorer and it was a noticeable difference.
better if you have the Thielle Small parameters of the speaker(qms, qes, qts, vas, fs) alfa factor. Sealed boxes are easy to calculate if you have this data. Ported boxes are some formulas if you dont have the calculator.
Face the sub to the rear so the sound waves can bounce towards the front. Also, the port should not be on the side. Your port should be facing up, next to the subwoofer. It would improve your bass response.
@@jamesalexander3547 yup! This used to be noted in old Dynamat advertisements in Car Audio magazines. Face forward and seal off the enclosure to cancel any back waves from going into the trunk. Worked like a charm.
I just made a sealed bass tube with a W65K9D2, I built it using "Subwoofer Tools" (after I converted 0.4 cubic ft in a box to cylinder measurements)! I know it won't hit 35hz with that thing but do you think it will bump?
My box was built in account for subs displacement so would inverting them make them hit lower if I have enough room so they don’t hit the backs of my seats