twoloose

iTrader: (2)

Hey guys I'm thinking about building my own sub box for my GS300, the speaker I have is a Kicker L5 12, running a Kenwood Excelon 600w amp. I'm looking to do a sealed box, looking for cleaner bass. Anyways what would be the ideal cubic space for that sub to get the best sound out of a sealed box?


Here is the sub.
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-NTMQkSc...ml#details-tab

irishcharm

iTrader: (1)

Since I am a die-hard Kicker fan......

For the 2006 SoloBaric L5
Minimum Volume Required (Sealed Comapct) = 0.88 ft^3 (24.92 L) = 600 W RMS
Maximum Volume Required (Sealed SQ) = 2.0 ft^3 (56.64 L) = 500 W RMS

Key: Compact produces high-impact bass and SQ generates low bass frequency protraction. What you choose to use depends on your taste and kicker says that anything in between is fine as long as it is obviously between the minimum and maximum.


Both of the above include woofer displacement and are the specifications for the interior cubic volume. You can use the12volt.com/installbay + box builder if you need help with the box length, width, ect for traditional box designs.

Also all sealed-enclosure airspace should be filled to 50% loose poly-fil (polyester fiberfill) stuffing.

GL

Shibumi1

it may be more cost effective to just buy a prefab encl for the L5 12... it should split the difference at about 1.4cu' which would give u the best of both worlds hard hittin (min encl) an good low end extension(maxc encl). jst make sure that the box is 3/4' mdf and has been wood glued at the joints... if your worried buy some elmers pro bond wood glue an reseal it yourself.. still add a bag of polyfil to encl...should sound awesome..

good luck

twoloose

iTrader: (2)

So too big would be bad then, I thought bigger the better for sealed boxes..That calculator is big help.

So just to make sure, I want to build a box no bigger than 2 cubic feet of interior volume right?


Also what would be better to do the 1 12 kicker or 2 10 kicker competitions?

These http://www.kicker.com/comp with the same amp...

irishcharm

iTrader: (1)

Look at the rms ratings. L5 FTW. The comps are their entry level stuff. Also never heard of competitions..... they are just called comps, thats it lol.

And yes no more then 2 cubic feet.

The correct box makes or breaks a sub sound.

Also, each person has different taste in sub sound, see my post above.

Shibumi1

agreed.. also the larger the enclosure the lower the power handling..

any questions contact kickers tech dept.. they'll give u a ton of help.. but i usually tell people building there own encl.. unless u've done it before an KNOW EXACTLY what your doing and expecting.. run towards the middle.. its more forgiving to the ear..(more room for error as it were)

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

Comp is short for competition They have a long lineage as competitions before the shortening of the name. IIRC, the first iteration only had 4 screw holes for mounting, then shifted to 8 when they went with the inverted dustcaps, similar to the Solobarics. Either way, that's some serious history. Old skool with the block letters that were just outlines, not even filled in. Holy crap...I started playing with those 20 years ago.

Big Mack

irishcharm

iTrader: (1)

big mack, dont age youself, lol.

my rep told me that the reason they dont use the word competition anymore is because it doesnt sound as quick and to the point. and takes away from the fact that thier whole line is competition grade. Comp was used to make note that the sub is right up there in terms of performance while still hitting an affordable price range.

however the L series is their best line up (along with the Comp VT) and is my personal favorite, hence my current L7 and spare L7 (or future use L7). Stay with the L5 OP. it allows you that extra bump when you want it just by design, will take up less space, and depending on the box is still crisp sounding, with more RMS wattage to use if you decide to do so. all around win.

But box building, even in a simplistic square enclosure, is an art. my first box held one sony sub and sounded like junk. after i perfected that i moved to ported. and so on. build a few practice boxes out of sheet wood just until you get it down pat. then of course use 3/4" MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) and a lot of wood glue and a few screws. It is the glue and design that are important while the screws are just placeholders and have a minor factor in holding strength. If your buying the sub off crutchfield. go to their sub installation section and get a bunch of stuffing and a nice quick terminal to make wiring air tight.

GL

Shibumi1

Mack remember the stitching on the cone instead of glue between the cone an surround... thats ol skool!!

or back when High Current amps were cheater amps because everyone else was only 2ohm stable...an i was somewhere just under .5ohms...

but whats once true still remains true...

STILLWATERS RUN DEEP!!!! lmao

twoloose

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the info guys, I'm going to use the L5 and make a sealed box. I have a friend who has made a ton of boxes that is going to help me out. I just want to do it my self for the sense of acomplishment..haha

I already have the sub, its in a ported kicker box right now but I want a cleaner bass, thats why I'm doing the sealed box.

Robert_J

That was invented by Stillwater's OEM - Credence Speakers - http://www.credencespeakers.com/about_us.htm

twoloose

iTrader: (2)

So this is what I came up with for a box, it comes in at 2.38 cubic ft

twoloose

iTrader: (2)

Hey guys so just to have someone double check me, my measurements for the panels to cut would be as such...

3/4 MDF

Front - 30x14
Top&Bottom - 30x16
Sides - 16x14
Rear - 28 1/2 x 12 1/2

Shibumi1

looks way too big... depending on woofer mounting depth.. i'd make the encl a lil shallower.. since i duuno the dimensions of the amp i'd suggest doin the sides at 6.75'' assuming your using 3/4'' mdf (also is that an amp rack on the back? or the amp itself?

the actual cut list would look like

Front 30x14
Top & Bott 30x 10.5
sides 12.5 x 10.5
rear 28.5 x 12.5

which brings the internal volume of the encl to just about 1.4' cu.. 2.38 for 1 12 is way toooooo big for a sealed application

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

Too late. I don't care, though. I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything.

Bah. Why have heritage and keep it, right? That's why I don't like a lot of the marketing types. When a company has a solid history, it should tout that, not just go for the quick and dirty. There is a reason automakers stick with their same logos for ages - consistency.

Agreed. An art form that seems to have been lost on a lot of cookie cutter shops that sell nothing but generic boxes that fit speakers but are not anywhere near where the specs say. I've seen plenty of people with "custom" systems that are as generic as they come. Not saying everything needs to be completely space age and use exotic materials, but come on. Trunk liner on a sheet of particle board is a "custom" box?

Of course I remember that stitching, how do you forget it? And yes, the original HCCA's were amazing, along with the 100HC from Audio Art that could do 1/4 of an ohm. Damn near a dead short, and that thing was dropping 1kW like it was nothing. I built many systems with a single amp and elaborate custom passive crossovers, but I never ran my own gear that low. I preferred big power without the need for a cooling fan the size of a wind turbine. And since I learned from people that knew about power and it being logarithmic, I never really need a kW to hit hard. Some of the loudest ones I had myself were only rated for a couple hundred watts and could shake the car next to me that had a Mr. Fusion in it (I know, I know...but I like Mr. Fusion )

Uh...how is the rear held in? If you have a front and sides that are 14, a top and bottom that are 16, you're screwing the top down on the top of the sides/front. Perfectly fine, and that's always how I recommend it (as opposed to screwing the sides onto the side of the top/bottom), but you're going to come up long or short, depending. The side pieces will end up 3/4 in too long if you screw them to the front, or 1.5 inches too short if you try and cap the top/bottom/front with them. EIther way, that rear piece would have to use the force to stay in place. Measure twice, cut once, young Jedi.

Hmmm...28.5" long, 12.5" high, 10.5" wide = 2.16 cu ft. The sub displaces almost a cube by itself? Not according to Kicker. Their numbers show 0.11 cu ft displacement, so this box would yield net 2.05 cu ft, which is gigantic for that sub. Perhaps you meant this for two subs?

And where is the 6.75 you recommended?

OP - build a box that is about 1.3 cu ft. After putting in the sub, you'll have about 1.19 cu ft, which gives you good power handling and enough air to really boom if you want to.

Cuts would be done assuming you screw the front/rear to the sides, with the top and bottom capping:

3/4 MDF

Front/rear: 12 x 25
Sides: 12 x 7.5
Top/Bottom: 25 x 9

12 x 25 x 7.5 = 2250 cu in. = 1.302 cu ft. Subtract for displacement of sub, and you get 1.192 cu ft. This also leaves you with 3/4 of an inch of space behind the woofer, since the mounting depth is 6.75".

Big Mack