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How can I impove this sub enclosure for my home theater ?

1869 Views 25 Replies 5 Participants Last post by VanillaRice, Mar 31, 2014

VanillaRice

Discussion Starter · Feb 18, 2014

4

I just picked up this sub / enclosure combo for a great price but unfortunately it's more designed for SPL (used to be in a car) and not so much for sub 30hz movie watching. Originally intended to ship an SI 18" from the states due to the lack of 18" subs here in New Zealand. But high shipping costs (almost the same as what I bought this setup for!!) led me down this path instead.

I'm looking for some advice on how I could possibly tweak this enclosure to sound cleaner and deeper for my movies ? I'm pretty sure I'm going to be limited by my subwoofer specs, you will see my fs at 37hz is quite high.

But I was wondering if the knowledgeable enclosure builders out there could suggest what I could change to improve its sound ? Should I add some insulation ? if so how much ? What would plugging the ports do ?

I have tried a test tone and it sounds really nice down to 27hz but anything less than that the sound level drops off and quality diminishes.

The enclosure dimensions are 95cm x 60cm x 44cm (excuse the metric I'm from New Zealand) converting these units I get 8.85 cu ft (outside dimensions).

I'm running a Behringer ep2500 bridged @ 4ohms, sub is rated 1800w so a good power match, easily pressurizes my high 25ft ceilings.

Pics:

Excuse all the glue marks.

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1 - 20 of 26 Posts

Manic1!

· #2 · Feb 18, 2014

What brand is it?

VanillaRice

Discussion Starter · #3 · Feb 18, 2014

Blaupunkt VPW-460

Quiklux

· #4 · Mar 19, 2014

I have just built box and installed one of these And it runs flat to 20hz and rolls off completely at 15hz but can sure be felt at 16hz. Box is just over 7ft3 excluding 2 rectangle port 70mm by 332mm at 1100mm length. This box has the best control over the sub I've ever seen. Running soundstream x3.60 amp at 1ohm at over 2000w rms.

Bombelman

· #5 · Mar 19, 2014

looks nice with both ports !! should sound good too....

Quiklux

· #6 · Mar 19, 2014

New here...will get used to it and post pix etc

. Doesn't sound boomy like an 18" but man it works the bass up high and low...very surprised as I was planning to split the bass stage with a 15" to do 80hzish up and canned that idea!!! Thanx for the message.

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VanillaRice

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 19, 2014

Quiklux its nice to know I'm not the only one around here with this sub. The person who had this sub/box combo used it for car audio sound off competitions it's tuned to approx 41.5hz!! I will need to make a new enclosure if I want it to respond well under 30hz. Some long ports like yours are definitely going to be needed.

Care to post some pics of your setup ? How large is your living room ?

VanillaRice

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 19, 2014

Yes I have a 10" active sub that I was going to keep but the 18" is on such another level there's no point in keeping it.

Quiklux

· #9 · Mar 19, 2014

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Quiklux

· #10 · Mar 19, 2014

I van installed it in my workvan. Man alive if you put this in a house it would destroy it....as it is incomplete build atm it flexs the whole van panels and dash move up and down lol.

Quiklux

· #11 · Mar 19, 2014

I can send details on the build to copy but as it is 900 high and 750 wide you would need serious room in house and may need to double check forums on room acoustics similar to what you have.

Quiklux

· #12 · Mar 19, 2014

"If you build it they will come"...mostly neighbours to tell you off!!!!

I ran test specific frequencies at 16 thru to 20hz (no treble at all) with all doors and windows closed and neighbour and missus seriously thought it was a quake....I was kennelled for a day got that!!!!

Quiklux

· #13 · Mar 19, 2014

"Kennelled for a day for that"...not >"kennelled for a day got that"

Quiklux

· #14 · Mar 20, 2014

Hope u build it vanilla as it will be more than enough. Could hv my box out and in your house fast if you live in Welly lol!!! I'd love to try it.

VanillaRice

Discussion Starter · #15 · Mar 20, 2014

I'm still torn between keeping this sub or going for a sub with lower Fs and higher Xmax. I figure your apparent low frequency response is helped by the small area it's placed in compared to a large living room area which requires a lot of air displacement. Of course I'm still convinced that an enclosure like yours which is tuned to a much lower frequency would work wonders

It's a shame I live in Auckland, I'd be keen to check it out. Although the person I bought this off had it installed in a station wagon and I thought it was going to blow the roof off when he gave me a demo !

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Quiklux

· #16 · Mar 21, 2014

At 18hz silent wind blows by me in the van with no trouble...or port noise. It also is very flat right up to 125hz without playing with equalisers etc. obviously your call on it

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Quiklux

· #17 · Mar 21, 2014

I will have the van in a big concrete walled shed next Saturday for tuning...still got one front door to dynamat and install splits before then. Once in shed I'll run a test sweep on bass and let u know what it does from 20 ft away so I can hear if it fills the shed.

. If it does any good at all

it will work for you. Let the games begin!

Might try park it up next to house tmw with van side door open next to house door and see what goes. Thanx for the incentive to try ideas bro.

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VanillaRice

Discussion Starter · #18 · Mar 21, 2014

Yeah that sounds like a good idea mate good luck. I'm guessing you have lots of space between you and your neighbors. I live right next to my neighbors so I can only belt it for 30secs or so. At least when I listen to movies with lots of sub 30hz listening it not as apparent outside compared to a techno thump which would have my neighbors at my door in seconds haha

Quiklux

· #19 · Mar 21, 2014

I usually tune

cars out in the open with windows down. If it sounds good

10mts away it

Sounds good

Inside. With house gear I go outside to see what works best for neighbours and compromise or shield

Walls or move sub a bit....or just ask them if they have trouble with it all or times

I need to keep it down...surprising what u get away with if u ask first!!

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Martycool007

· #20 · Mar 21, 2014

If you want to do this right then you need to download winISD and get the T/S specs on the driver and input them into the winISD program to see what the optimal enclosure specs are. I can tell you straight up that most 18's will stomp most 15's, assuming you build the right box. There is a lot more to this than just using any various box with any various driver.

1 - 20 of 26 Posts

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