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Well, I built this gigantic box for my C6 and it sucked. Tonight I cut it down, a lot, took all the little compartments I made off and it sounds way better. It’s a subwoofer placement issue. The box I have will not work and I’m back to the drawing board. I’ve taken a couple of pics of some of y’all’s boxes and am studying them. I ran across this tonight while using google, looking for other ideas and I like it. I was wondering if anyone else has used their boxes?
I really like the idea of a ported box as that’s all I’ve ever used. The box I built is sealed and it just doesn’t play the low bass that I like. My subwoofer manual gives me the specs I need to build a ported box but where this one fits is exactly where I need it to and with a price tag of $225 plus whatever, it seems like a bargain. When you ad up the materials that I need to build another box, seal it cause I can’t seem to cut straight lines to save my life, carpet it and just the time it takes to do it I think a prefab may be the better option. The subwoofer is a 12” Morel Ultimo SC. If anyone has any better ideas, please chime in. I do want to be able to store my top.
I ran into the placement issue too where I figured out that cancellation was hampering low end performance in my car. I ended up making a different enclosure that moved the driver to a more central location to reduce the cancellation and I got a significant improvement in low end response.
I ran into the placement issue too where I figured out that cancellation was hampering low end performance in my car. I ended up making a different enclosure that moved the driver to a more central location to reduce the cancellation and I got a significant improvement in low end response.
Did you seem to get the best results from the back of the car? I talked to a guy at the stereo shop of the link I posted and he said the best placement for the subwoofer was at the rear of the car, slanted slightly up toward the glass. I’ve decided to try to build another box. I’m going to do a ported one this time. Please share pics of what you decided on this time. I’ve already got a pretty nice subwoofer and am trying to use it.
I wanted something that looked like it may have come from the factory, so I just installed a sub in a box that fits in one of the rear cubby holes on my 2011 GS.
Did you seem to get the best results from the back of the car? I talked to a guy at the stereo shop of the link I posted and he said the best placement for the subwoofer was at the rear of the car, slanted slightly up toward the glass. I’ve decided to try to build another box. I’m going to do a ported one this time. Please share pics of what you decided on this time. I’ve already got a pretty nice subwoofer and am trying to use it.
The single 15" in the center rear had more low end (40hz and below) than anything else, with pretty good presence up in the 50-70Hz "fun bass" range. NO other corner cubby arrangement can touch it on either front, I tried both sides independently and together with JL 10" subs and plenty of power.
I'm now running the Subthump dual 10" partition box with the drivers aimed toward a cavity behind the box. There is less cancellation in the 50-70Hz range with this position, but it can't play the bottom octave as well as the ported 15" could. Everything is a trade-off.
The BEST position I found was pointed into the side of the rear quarter panel, just behind the wheel well, so it corner loads the subwoofer. DB at 40hz from the same volume level pointing forward towards the driver or up at the rear glass was 90db. Down firing was 93db. Pointing towards the rear quarter panel, 95 to 96db. This was with a 10" Alpine Type S subwoofer in a 1 cu. ft. sealed box.
The BEST position I found was pointed into the side of the rear quarter panel, just behind the wheel well, so it corner loads the subwoofer. DB at 40hz from the same volume level pointing forward towards the driver or up at the rear glass was 90db. Down firing was 93db. Pointing towards the rear quarter panel, 95 to 96db. This was with a 10" Alpine Type S subwoofer in a 1 cu. ft. sealed box.
That’s great info! I’ve built another box, this one will be ported/vented and I was trying to figure out which direction to aim the port. I now know what I’ll try first! Thank you
Also...here is a very simple test to tell if you have wave cancellations in your subwoofer design/placement/aiming. Use a DB meter of any kind, radio shack, or even a free app on your phone, download one. Measure the DB at a low frequency, like 40hz or 30hz. Don't touch the volume, 1st measure with the doors closed/windows up, next measure with both windows down.
If you measure higher DBs with the windows open, you have wave cancellations.
It might not bother you, but it would be a good idea to have 2 different eq memory settings stored in your head unit/dsp. One for windows closed, and one for windows open.
If you have your subwoofers set up correctly, it will be loudest with the windows closed.
As stated above I found the best to be pointed to the rear quarter panel, but because I decided to use a better 12" subwoofer , an Image Dynamics IDQ12, I had to point it up due to the size of the speaker, I didn't want to mess around with angles in the sub box and all that mess. It took me over 2 months just to make the box as-is. You can park your car on top of it.
Anyway, when I finish my install, I will create 2 different eq curves for the sub, one for windows closed, and one for windows open. There is a HUGE difference. Sound quality itself is comparable, but the loudness difference is huge.
Also...here is a very simple test to tell if you have wave cancellations in your subwoofer design/placement/aiming. Use a DB meter of any kind, radio shack, or even a free app on your phone, download one. Measure the DB at a low frequency, like 40hz or 30hz. Don't touch the volume, 1st measure with the doors closed/windows up, next measure with both windows down.
If you measure higher DBs with the windows open, you have wave cancellations.
It might not bother you, but it would be a good idea to have 2 different eq memory settings stored in your head unit/dsp. One for windows closed, and one for windows open.
If you have your subwoofers set up correctly, it will be loudest with the windows closed.
As stated above I found the best to be pointed to the rear quarter panel, but because I decided to use a better 12" subwoofer , an Image Dynamics IDQ12, I had to point it up due to the size of the speaker, I didn't want to mess around with angles in the sub box and all that mess. It took me over 2 months just to make the box as-is. You can park your car on top of it.
Anyway, when I finish my install, I will create 2 different eq curves for the sub, one for windows closed, and one for windows open. There is a HUGE difference. Sound quality itself is comparable, but the loudness difference is huge.
I’m running a 12” sub as well, it’s a Morel Ultimo Sc. Would you mind posting up a couple of pics of your setup?
Here is the status of where I am at right now...just finishing up the sub box grill. Still need to do sound deading everywhere, door speakers, and head unit/amps. Gonna put plain black trunk liner everywhere when done.
I know The sub box looks really ugly, but I don't care....did you notice the roll bar and spare tire ? Yup, it's ugly and it's my car, and I'll take function over looks every single time. Besides, if someone says oh man your stereo looks great, and it sounds like poop, well then it sucks. I'd rather had some one say, that looks like poop...and it's the best sound system I ever heard.
My sub box has 1-1/2" x 1-/2" square pine battons in a skeleton frame under the 3/4" baltic plywood. Also, you can see I have FOUR braces in the middle. 1/2" all thread going through the same sized square pine wood, using them as dowel rods kind of. So, like I stated, I can park my car on top of this thing, and it wouldn't budge at all. Overbuilt...yes. Necessary, for me , yes, that's what I do.
Sub is super clean all the way down to 20hz. My Audio Control DSP will take care of the EQ for it and provide the best bass response possible. If you don't have 9 bands of EQ for your subwoofer, then you are missing out on a TON of performance and tuning, in my opinion.
I can honestly say I’ve never seen a subwoofer box built so strong. I threw mine in yesterday, without the port installed yet. It’s got some serious cancellation. Louder with the windows down. I’ve got an audiophile friend that had me make a hood for the last box and it seemed to help. I’m honestly thinking of firing this one down and I’m definitely going to port it into the passenger rear corner. If I can’t get this sub to do what I want I may end up changing subs to something a little smaller that can either be pointed into the rear corner or possible do a band pass box. I’ve never done one before and have always wanted to try it. I was truly hoping I could figure out a way to store my top in the back but I don’t think I’ll ever get the sound I want and be able to do it. Honestly taking the top out blows my hair everywhere and the sun is in my face anyway....
Thank you for the help! Down firing and porting to the passenger rear corner was exactly what it took. My sound cancellation is not an issue anymore. There may be a little there as it does sound a little better with the windows down but it’s a very, very small amount. Tuned it to about 29hz and it’s picking up everything I throw at it. Now I need to figure out what to do with the amp and crossovers. I’ve got room to mount them on the top of the box and that would be the easiest way to hide all of the wiring. It would also allow for easy adjustments.
I am am interested in learning more about DSPs. Were you saying you have 9 bands of EQ adjustment just for the subwoofer? That would be incredible! I am super pleased with all of the Morel equipment, the sub is very clean and accurate, components sound amazing!
Glad I helped....i can't believe someone made a box bigger than mine!
I have an old Audiocontrol DQXS and only the sub output works without distortion...i think 12 years ago when i first installed it, i touched the rcas together, must have messed up the mids and highs equipment inside.
For new stuff, i see that the " mini dsp " is super cheap and works well.
This is what I ended up with for now. I wanted to do something different that hides the wires but really can’t come up with something creative right now. The sound is incredible and it’s not a show car so this may be it! Anyway, thanks to all of you that chimed in with ideas.
C6 subwoofer box ideas
