Please help me choose a new direction....

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I have been out of the car audio game for sometime. One thing that has always been hard for me about car audio, is it is really impossible to say that brand x is better than brand y and that everyone has an opinion regarding their equipment or product line. Realizing that I also believe that there are products outside the main stream distrubtion that are equally as good if not better for less cost. This is where I want my journey to begin...

I have ad 2 12's in a 2004 honda accord refiring. The sub brands were MTX 5000, Kicker Comp VRs, and JL 12w3v2s. (I realize this just dated my last setups......). Bostons for seperates up fron and coax in the back. Amps were one MTX 2160 on each 12 and one MTX 4300 for the front and back. The output on the 2160 is 424 watts x 1 at 4 ohms bridged and the 4300 is like 37.5W x 4 or 150 x 2, both at 4 ohms. (On a side note I could use the 2160 for upfront. 127 x 2 at 4 ohms, 233 x 2 at 2 ohms) All output at 12 volts.

In 2006 the entire setup went into a four door f150. Again, I was ok with the sound. Surprisingly, the JLs have lasted up until about 6mths ago. More suprisingly is that they were not replaced! Since then the F150 is gone and I have switched over to a 2003 Expy with second row buckets. This is where I hope you all can help......

In the Expy I want to re-enter the car audio world. I by no means want to compete, this is purely or my enjoyment. I believe that I want to resuse the Pioneer Head unit and amps that I have. My musical tastes go country, hip hop, old school. I do want to keep my hearing. I would love to get sub(s) delivered for under $500 to get me started. Box construction and installation is no problem. Here are my questions:

1. The space between the center seats will accomodate a 16" w x 15" h x 32" l box. I was thinking about down firing and holding it off the groud 2.5". Approx box volume would be 2.81cuft x 1 or 1.4cuft x 2 adjusting for wood thickness, not displacment. At 16" high I run into the arm rests on the bucket seats, so to go further I would need to step in and continue up. Probably something up to 12" w x 8" h x 32" l to get around a total volume of 2.65cuft per side. Is this an acceptable location? I really wanted to maintain the cargo area if possible.

2. With this available space, what would suit me better. One 15" ported, two 12's sealed, four 8's sealed. 10s? Any other configurations that should be considered?

3. With this much cabin space and the sub options available, do I have enough amp or do I need to start looking to upgrade there as well?

Please ask anything that would help you help me.

Thank you.

[S.DeYoung 967]

So you have roughly 400wrms for a subwoofer and 2.65 cubic feet. I would purchase a SSA Dcon 12" subwoofer. They require 2.25 cubic feet ported. I like the center console idea. You will have to mess around with sub and port location to see which way you like. I have built one console box before and it was sub and port back. It performed to my liking. Use the amplifiers you have now and if they aren't enough, upgrade later. On my phone right now, I will add more later.

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just to clarify I have two of the 2160 amps, so 2 x 400W available. Would one ported decon be cleaner/louder than two sealed? Thanks.

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running some numbers, what about a ^ shaped box. The top dimension would be about 12" wide, the bottom would be 16" wide, the sides will be tapered from bottom to top, and the height would be roughly 24" plust 2" for room under. This would yeld about 2.5 cuft per 12" sub, prior to deduction of sub, bracing, and port. How could this be ported? Round tube straight up through the top? Thoughts?

[S.DeYoung 967]

Still on my phone but: two 12" dcons in a 4 cubic foot box would sound great. For ports use aeroports. You can find them at parts express. I would use two 4".

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Which would be better. One in a ported box or two In a sealed?

[S.DeYoung 967]

I am currently running my Dcon in a sealed enclosure and it sounds nice but they really shine in a ported enclosure though. I will probably go back to a ported enclosure soon. A sealed box would be easier to design/build for you. What are your musical tastes? Have you had a ported enclosure before? You could go either way since you already have two amplifiers. You could buy one Dcon and try the one ported idea and then if you wanted more power you could buy another and tried two sealed.

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I consider bass music and listen to it often. I also listen to country, hip hop, and top 40. Box construction is no problem. My hobby is cabinets and woodworking.

So last night I sat in the second row and played with dimensions and options. If i stay with the console idea between the two seats I would need to stay with probably two sealed 12s. I have essentially done that before in my F150 and I really want to try something different. I have never had any other enclosure besides sealed. With that being said, I have decided to lower the third row seats and set the boxes there. I plan to make them removable if I need the whole back area or need to put the seats up. With this option box size is not a problem. I am thinking two chambers or two boxes with each around 2.5cuft final volume. Each option will get 400w. Thinking about slotting the box.

Opt 1: 2 13w3s tuned to 27 hz

Opt 2: 2 12" SSA Dcon. Tuned 28hz?

Opt 3: 2 15" SSA Dcon. Tuned to 28hz?

Thoughts?

[Ohjay 116]

1 enclosure with dual chambers. If you're willing to give up the room, I say go with the 15s, if you're looking to keep some room available, get the 12" Dcons. Either setup should sound great and have plenty of output with those MTX amps.

[S.DeYoung 967]

Option 2. It will save you room and if you need to remove it, it is smaller and less weight. In the tech section on this website there are box designs for every SSA subwoofer. Just follow that one for the dual 12" Dcon enclosure. No need for seperate boxes.

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Did not notice the Tech Section. Thanks!

[S.DeYoung 967]

Did not notice the Tech Section. Thanks!

Let us know which way you go and make sure to take pictures when you start the build.

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I am amazed at how this consumes me..... On the dual 12's what hz is the box tuned to? I did not see anything for the Dcon 15s? Thanks.

[S.DeYoung 967]

The 15s are brand new so it will take some time to pu them up. I think it's tuned to 32hz. Hopefully Aaron will see this and chime in.

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So I think I have decided on the SSA Dcon 15s in a ported enclosure. As mentioned this is going in an expedition, so I should have plenty of room for a ported box. Any ideas when there will be recommended box specs? Out of courisity, how does the SA-15 compare? For now I only have 400W available for each speaker, but this may prompt a future amplifier upgrade....... Thanks.

[Luke.H 33]

They are two different subs for two different applications. I haven't personally dealt with either, but from what I can tell the Dcon will be easier to get a smooth response from. As for an enclosure reccomendation I could have sworn something was posted in a thread somewhere, but I can't seem to find it. I would just be patient and wait I'm sure it won't be too long.

Edited July 18, 2011 by Luke.H

[sefugi 166]

Specs posted by Denim on the DCON 15:

Finally got a chance to wrap up the box suggestions, after much going back and forth on the larger sealed design and optimal ported:

Dcon 15"

Sealed: 2.0-3.0ft^3

Sealed Optimal: 3.25-4.0ft^3

Standard Ported: 3.0-4.0ft^3 @ 28-33hz

Optimal Ported:4.0-5.0ft^3 @ 28-33hz

Hope that helps.

DCON should be a great sub with 400 watts.

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Thanks.