Subwoofer Box Size

[Don Bulee]

Hello, since I got my TJ I have always had a sealed box for my two 12 inch subwoofers (installed by PO) but the box already needs to be replaced.... so I start reading a bit about it and I found out that my subs requires/recommend way more free volume of air in the box (each sub requires 1.25 cu ft) of what I have (right now I only have around 50% of that for each sub).. I know there are some sound gurus here so, would it be better to just replace my current box for a same one with the same dimensions (keeping my subs a bit strangled by the small amount of air available) or should it be better to say good bye to one subwoofer and keep only one (instead of 2) but with enough space for it to keep working as it is recommended by MTX?

right now Im okay with my tight cargo space since I have all what I need but, not sure if I would be able to make the box bigger to have the two subs since I DO need my small current space for recovery gear...

summary:
- MTX recommends 2.50 cubic feet for my two subs
- I only have around 1.25 cubic feet available in my current box for both subs (50% of recommended)
- what would be better? keep the same dimensions in a new box or use only one sub with the recommended space in the box
- the amp is not a problem, I have a skar marine with more than 600 watts RMS at 2 ohms, my two subs are more than enough fed with power....

 

[CreepinDeth]

The answer is subjective

Your musical tastes are something no one can guess at.
I am a GenX metalhead and just one 10” sub suits me fine. Old timers will think youre nuts

I ran dual 12’s back when I was 20 something for club music and some various other genres. It was beyond obnoxious, bandpass box, but cool as a kid.

I will tell you it depends on your musical preference, but make sure you give the subs the proper space to operate or its a”halfassed” result

 

[Don Bulee]

The answer is subjective

Your musical tastes are something no one can guess at.
I am a GenX metalhead and just one 10” sub suits me fine. Old timers will think youre nuts

I ran dual 12’s back when I was 20 something for club music and some various other genres. It was beyond obnoxious, bandpass box, but cool as a kid.

I will tell you it depends on your musical preference, but make sure you give the subs the proper space to operate or its a”halfassed” result

I listen to pretty much all kind of music, rock, metal, EDM, rap, country, etc.... but mostly rock...... but.... the kind of music is a factor to have 2 halfassed subs instead of 1 but with proper space? my question was more aimed into the technical factor... would I benefict more for having two subs with improper space instead of only one with the proper space in the box?

 

[brendenhrvy]

Late reply. A adequate space for a sub is better for the sub and amp as well as produces closer to optimum for that sub speaker. Whether the 2 subs with half space required do better than one is any ones guess. Ideally 2 speakers mean twice the power but if performance is cut by half due to size than 1 properly mounted sub would be equivalent. The assumption could be made that 2 subs in smaller that recommended box that are ran at 40%-60% rms power would be okay. But as far as SPL of 1 of those subs in proper box ran at 80-90% RMS vs the above setup is also anyones guess.

In my experience a sub matched with proper box and power is going to give the best result in sound qaulity and equipment life. Now for pumping SPL out of the space that a TJ offers, I have not decided on a configuration.
Let us know what you decide on.

It is definitely tough ($$$) to get a the proper mounting for 2 12in subs in the cargo space behind back seat in a tj.

 

[Don Bulee]

well... once I installed my skar monoblock with the adequate RMS rating for my two 12's in the custom made box, I'm AMAZED of how good the bass is in my rig, I even need to turn down a bit of the epicenter knob due to the extreme bass that my two 12's are producing... so... two 12's without space but well fed will do the trick...

Ps. I custom made the box exactly as the one shown in the first post, but since the old box was all messed up and with a lot of air escaping through a lot of gaps and the subs were not correctly fed, the sound was not even the half of what I'm having right now...

 

[brendenhrvy]

Nice! Why did you choose to match dimension on diy box instead of making it larger?

 

[Don Bulee]

I didn't think I would be gaining more/better sound by adding 2-3 inches and I like the option of having my recovery gear next to the box in the trunk.... My plan worked cause I have more than enough bass and still room for my recovery strap, recovery ring, jumper cables, etc..