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ScotnEmily

Need a little help finalizing my sub & box choice

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Hi, I am trying to decide between 2 icon 12"s or 1 icon 15" I will be powering with a taramp HD3000.1 around 1500RMS. I am trying to keep my box size down.  On the 15" it gives a 3 cu ft ported box, and a 4 cu ft ported box.

How much difference in SQ and performance would I see if I used the 3 cu ft vs the 4? also Could I maybe split the difference? 3.5 cu ft? I can do 4, just was hoping I could make it a little smaller.

I don't know if I am going to have the room for 2 12"s so that's why I was thinking of one 15" but would I be better off SQ wise to do 2 12"s?

Thanks!

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I am also confused on the box size requirement for the 15" Icon. one place it says 15" OPTIMAL PORTED 4.0 ft^3 

yet another place it says OPTIMAL PORTED 3.5 ft^3 @ 29-34hz. If I look at the box drawing for it it shows 17x35x20.625 which would be 7.101 cu ft minus the port of .847 cu ft minus the speaker displacement of .19 cu ft giving a net of 6.064 cu ft. this is on the 4.0 cu ft optimal ported drawing. I did not take out for the 45 degree corners but that should not add up to anywhere close to the 2 cu ft over. what am I missing? I am trying to figure out if a Icon 15" will even fit in the space I have to put it in my trunk. if it needs 3-4 cu ft then I should be able to fit it in fine. if it need 7, then it isn't going to happen. Thanks 

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I do not own this sub, so I am unable to comment on which box is "optimal", but looking at the SSA product page for it I would say the 3.5 ft^3 @ 29-34hz is what appears reasonably "optimal".

Onto the drawing you are referring to. Those are outer dimensions of the box which does have a gross box volume of 7.101 ft^3.  The 4.0 ft^3 is in reference to the "net" volume (volume after all displacements).  It appears your calculations started out with the wrong beginning dimensions because the side walls do not make up the internal volume and you did not subtract for them.  The dimensions appear to be 15.5x33.5x18.375 giving you a beginning internal volume of 5.53 ft^3.  Less your calculations for the port and displacement it appears to be roughly 4.5ft^3.  I do think your port calculation is incorrect and I would suggest it needs to reduce the volume closer to 1.2 ft^3.  If that is used instead of your port calculation then I believe that puts the volume right around 4.15 ft^3 before taking into consideration the corner supports.  I believe it would be right around 4 ft^3 according to the quick calculations I did.

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Thanks, I believe you are correct. I realized my mistake as soon as you said outer dimensions. I forgot I was staring out with the external volume. I also did not account for the .75 thickness of the port wall. Thanks!

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Boxes are always bigger than they seem they should be.  What fits your space the best is what you should use.

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My problem I found out is going to be squeezing that box in there height wise. I think I only have 15" max height. that would mean putting the baffle on an angle, not going with a 15", or getting tricky with the box. I wanted the sub and port facing the front, but the trunk gets taller than 15" towards the back of the car. I could face the sub towards the back and if would fit. I am going to have to take some more measurements and model this up. I did not want to go with a single 12", but I may need to do that or a pair of 10"s. Originally I was thinking a pair of 10" for this reason, then thought I could get 2 12"s or 1 15" instead. 

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Sounds like me, get a decent plan together then start thinking i can get a bigger speaker in, that turns to shoehorning 15's lol.

I personally like the idea of a nice set of 10s with a healthy port and some good power, just my 2 cents tho. And welcome to SSA.

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Thanks! I will play with a few designs. Also thinking about just doing a sealed for the SSA Icon 15". It should still get plenty loud for what I am doing with it.

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I have ran my xcons ported and sealed and have been mind blown by how loud they are sealed. I think you would be impressed with a single 15 ICON, I hear they are as amazing and the xcons and I cant say enough about them. Super loud and super accurate. SSA makes amazing shit.

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That's good to hear. I was all set for a pair of 10" soundqubed HDC3.110, then too many people said they are loud but don't sound good at all. My spl days are behind me. I just want something that sounds clean and can get loud if I want. I am also wondering if I am doing 1 sub if I should be running 1 xcon vs 1 icon. I will be using the Taramp hd 3000. I think it is going to be between 1200 and 1500 rms.

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For the money, I'd roll ICON. ICON/XCON have excellent thermal design, so as long as your box is on point that power would be right in the wheelhouse.

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Anytime friend. Good luck and enjoy!

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Our big subs are coming back, (Icon/Xcon/Zcon/Evil/????) but I believe the Icon is going to be delayed slightly.  So if you can swing it in the allotted budget, the Xcon, as soon as it returns, is an extremely capable all around sub.

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Ok thanks. I was planning on 2 10"s before so 1 15" is not an issue. 

Here is a quick mock-up of a box. it has about 3.64 cuft net. That will shrink a little more, as the pvc elbow will be bigger than what is shown here. also this does not have any braces in it yet. just playing with an idea. I think it will fit in the car. I am using an 8" port 40" long.

top.jpg.e7a51873e97be961b5133e3b7713fc8d.jpg

iso.jpg

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Never mind. I think I am going to just do a sealed box. that won't fit height wise. if I do a 15" it is going to have to be on an angled baffle. 

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Ok max height is 16" max width is 33 inches I would like to do a ported 15" ICON. I am trying to figure out my port. I was thinking of tuning at 30HZ. I would have a port height of 14.5 width I was thinking 3.5, but can change that to what is needed. What length port would I need? I am trying to stay close to the 3.5cuft box Would a 3cuft box for or is 3.5 the smallest I should be considering? thanks 

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This Box has a net of 3.2, so I might need to make it a little deeper. Should I also use 45 degree braces in the corners and in the ports? is the 3.2 going to be too small? Thanks  Oh and the port inside the box has the same angle as the outside so the top and bottom have the same length.

ICON-TOP.jpg

ICON-ISO.jpg

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3.2 after displacement is good. :)

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Why not sub up? Thats how iv usually fit 15s in trunks with still being able to take the enclosure in and out

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Guess I missed it, but what vehicle are we working with here ??? I would assume a hatch back ... ???

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Here is the updated version of the one shown above. I am still not sure what port length I should be going for.

 

BOX.pdf

iso box.jpg

top box.jpg

box-drawing.jpg

Edited by ScotnEmily
added .jpg of the pdf

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Iv always had the worse luck with subs firing towards the front . What is making you want to do that?

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A few reasons. One the car is sealed very good from the trunk to the interior of the car. I only have a 12x9" ski passthrough for the sound to come through. If the box was a lot smaller this would not be a problem if the sub was facing to the back. as it is the box will pretty much seal off the trunk might have an inch on each side since there is a curve to the trunk and not the box. with the sub facing back it would have to work a lot harder to get the sound into the car. It would obviously get there, but I would lose a lot of sound out of the trunk. I also do not plan on always cranking this, and don't want the trunk to just be rattling and sounding like crap outside. Likewise I don't want to hear that on the inside either, which I think I would tend to if it were facing the rear. Now in my Blazer I had and other cars rear or facing up was what I normally did. I though sound quality wise this would be better facing the front. I might be wrong thought.

Edited by ScotnEmily

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