HOW TO BUILD A SUBWOOFER BOX TO SPECIFICATIONS?
It can be installed quickly and easily with some basic tools that are available at any hardware store. This blog post will cover How to build a subwoofer box to specifications that fit your specifications perfectly!
What will we learn here?
1. What is a subwoofer box?
2. How does the subwoofer box work?
3. What is the purpose of a subwoofer box enclosure?
4. Can I Buy or Build a car Subwoofer Box myself?
5. Types of Subwoofer Enclosures
6. What is the material cost to make a car subwoofer box?
7. What is the spent time for making a car subwoofer box?
8. What type of material is best to use to build a Subwoofer Box?
9. How to Calculate Subwoofer Box?
10. What are the Materials and Tools for building a car subwoofer box?
11. How to build a subwoofer box to specifications?
12. How to Carpet car Subwoofer Box?
13. How to build a dual subwoofer box to specifications?
14. How to build a 12 in subwoofer box to specifications?
15. Where to place the subwoofer in your vehicle?
WHAT IS A SUBWOOFER BOX?
A subwoofer box is an enclosure designed for subwoofers. They are used to make up the difference between the woofer and the car’s interior (cabin gain). Sub boxes help you get more bass out of your system without having to upgrade your entire setup.
HOW DOES THE SUBWOOFER BOX WORK?
A subwoofer box works in a similar way to how your car stereo works. The main difference is that instead of using electricity, the subwoofer box used sound waves to produce bass-filled music.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A SUBWOOFER BOX ENCLOSURE?
A subwoofer box enclosure sometimes called simply a “box,” is a custom-made, hollow structure built specifically to house your car speaker. Built by hand from wood or MDF (medium-density fiberboard), the purpose of this box is to provide an acoustically isolated chamber for your sound system’s subwoofer driver.
This in turn allows the subwoofer to “breathe” properly, enabling it to move smoothly in and out without excessive resistance. This makes the subwoofer improve bass response. It also prevents your bass notes from bouncing off other interior components (dashboard, floorboards) or passing through the car’s sheet metal.
CAN I BUY OR BUILD A CAR SUBWOOFER BOX MYSELF?
First of all, I would like to clarify that a subwoofer box is usually not included as part of the purchase of a car or vehicle’s audio system.
Purchasing of car subwoofer box is easy nowadays. You can find it online from home and can get it on your door. It is possible to find cheap car subwoofer boxes as well as high-end sound systems with great bass responses.
The options are virtually endless for those who want to explore the possibilities of building or purchasing their own car subwoofer box. It is important for individuals to take their time exploring the possibilities before choosing a subwoofer box that is best suited for their vehicle.
Before going to buy you should simply need to explore our latest articles on this topic. Because the Car subwoofer enclosures are usually available in different price ranges, qualities, and types of finishes, shapes, sizes, and colors.
The next step is to decide whether you will be building your own enclosure. It is a mentally comfortable method to avoid a lot of things that rise to mind, like delivery time, material quality, refunding issues, and online support of retailers. It is a good way to make your own subwoofer. You will feel satisfied.
The price range for both types of car subwoofer boxes can vary greatly, depending on the type and brand that you choose.
WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF SUBWOOFER ENCLOSURES?
1. Sealed box
2. Ported box
3. Bandpass Box
4. Passive Radiator Enclosure
5. Isobaric subwoofer enclosure
1. Sealed box
The simplest type of subwoofer enclosure is the sealed box that has no back ventilation. It needs to be airtight, which requires good building skills and special tools.
The benefits and drawbacks of a sealed subwoofer box
Sealed boxes provide a very tight enclosure and can be tuned to specific frequencies for sound quality and loudness. The drawback of sealed is the lack of low-end extension because it uses internal air pressure to achieve maximum output, which oftentimes will not extend below what the driver was designed for.
2. Ported box
The other option is the ported box, which lets air escape through a vent in the front or side of the box by way of a port tube.
Benefits and drawbacks of Ported box
A ported box has many benefits in comparison to a sealed box, and in some ways is more like a bandpass box in terms of the low end extension. A sealed box provides clean accurate bass; however usually at lower SPL levels. Ported boxes provide more efficient use of enclosure space and allow for greater low end extension but tend to be woofers more inaccuracies.
Ported enclosures are usually tuned around 30-35hz, which is where the subwoofer will have its deepest bass response.
3. Bandpass Box
The third type of subwoofer box is called a transmission line enclosure that allows for deep bass reproduction with low distortion.
Benefits and drawbacks of Bandpass Box
Bandpass enclosures are probably the trickiest type of enclosure to understand. And if you’re not careful, they will get you into more trouble than any other type of speaker enclosure can.
The reason for this is because they act like a band-rejection filter for your subwoofer. This means that certain frequencies (the ones the enclosure is tuned to) will be greatly enhanced at the cost of other frequencies.
So what you’ll end up with is a speaker that has good output in only one small frequency band (which may or not be where you want it). The trick here is to make sure your enclosure works well at the frequencies you care about most while rejecting everything else. You can do this by either choosing a very low Q, or a very high Q.
Which one you want to go with will depend on the subwoofer you’re using. If it’s capable of producing low frequencies AND has good electrical damping (cones that stop moving quickly) then you’ll probably be able to get away with using a low Q enclosure (one that’s more “boomy”).
If your subwoofer does not have good damping, then you’ll end up with some undefined muddy bass. If this is the case, use a high Q box which will reject unwanted frequencies quite well at the expense of having less output everywhere else.
One of the main benefits of a bandpass enclosure is that you can gain output in one specific frequency by losing it everywhere else (this is due to the Q). So if you see someone advertising their bandpass box to play “flat to 25hz”, then they’re lying.
In fact, the only way you’d get flat output from 20-30hz would be if your box had a high Q and was tuned to 30hz. So in effect, it’s really a band-reject enclosure in disguise.
The drawback to bandpass boxes is that they are much more difficult to build than regular ported enclosures (for the same performance) and make your electrical amplification requirements go up. You will need twice as much power for a bandpass enclosure because you’ll be doubling the Q of the box by turning it to one frequency.
So if you see someone advertising bandpass enclosures for sale that are 500w RMS, they’re either delusional or not very bright.
4. Passive Radiator Enclosure
The fourth type of subwoofer box is called the passive radiator enclosure. It gives the woofer more air movement for better bass reproduction without distortion.
Benefits and drawbacks of Passive Radiator Enclosure
A Passive Radiator subwoofer box works exactly like a conventional ported box except it has the addition of an active driver called a Radiator. The use of passive radiators is becoming increasingly popular in current designs, but this solution has been around for some time.
There are benefits and drawbacks to Passive Radiator subwoofer boxes, however in general they are less common in the industry because of some significant drawbacks that need to be overcome with advanced technology.
There is not much wrong with conventional ported boxes when they are tuned properly however if the box becomes too large, (i.e., greater than 1/2 cubic foot) or if it is tuned lower than about 25Hz, the result is usually excessive “group delay”, or ringing which can affect the sound quality.
The use of a Passive Radiator subwoofer box greatly improves both the low-frequency extension and transient response due to 100% coupling between the driver and air in the enclosure, however, there are some other potential problems associated with this design.
One drawback to consider is that Passive Radiator subwoofer boxes are more sensitive to driver selection and placement which requires a bit more experimentation with the box volume, shape, location of port(s), Passive Radiator mass, and mounting of this unit.
In addition, Passive Radiator subwoofer boxes do not provide as much acoustic isolation from the outside world as a conventional ported subwoofer box. So, if you’re looking for the most efficient subwoofer possible with the best sound quality at all volumes (i.e., music or movies) then Passive Radiator subwoofers may not be your best choice.
Another drawback is that because of its long excursion capabilities, this design requires a high mass driver with a correspondingly powerful magnet structure, and due to design requirements, this unit is only available from a few manufacturers.
Nowadays, few widely available commercial subwoofer manufacturers use this design, but there are some exceptions which include REL Acoustics and HSU Research with their STF series of subwoofers.
The main benefit in our opinion is that when the box is tuned properly, this design yields very low group delay which is noticeably improved over ported boxes. Due to the 100% air-coupling of the Passive Radiator subwoofer box, transient response improves significantly compared to ported designs where port air “chuffs” during bass notes and causes a large amount of group delay.
One drawback is that if you listen to music, you may notice some “overhang” in the bass region with this design, and it takes a lot of fine-tuning and power from the amplifier to manage the excursion capabilities of the Passive Radiator subwoofer box.
A properly designed Passive Radiator subwoofer box is very heavy due to its large mass which requires a powerful, rugged woofer capable of handling large amounts of power. As you can see there are benefits and drawbacks to Passive Radiator subwoofer boxes depending on your needs, but overall it is an excellent choice for home theater systems when used properly.
5. Isobaric subwoofer enclosure
The isobaric subwoofer enclosure is also known as a stacked subwoofer box. These are some of the most demanding enclosure designs. Because they require precise driver placement and even response in both drivers, it’s not unusual for them to cost more than your amplifier or subwoofers do!
It uses two woofers in one enclosure to increase the air pressure for an efficient sound system with low power consumption. The benefit of using the isobaric subwoofer speaker box is that it saves energy and boosts performance.
On the other hand, if you design an Isobaric Sub box correctly, you will be well rewarded by a natural smooth sounding bass that is punchy and tight, especially in the smaller sizes.
WHAT IS THE MATERIAL COST TO MAKE A CAR SUBWOOFER BOX?
I have been looking at a lot of the places that mass produce car subwoofer boxes and they average about $30-$40 per box. But it also depends on the types of subwoofer box, material type, and if you have already some things in your base, etc.
What is the spent time for making a car subwoofer box?
For professionals or experts normally it takes one or two hours to make a box for your car’s speakers. It depends on the shape of the box and what tools you have.
(But for a new technical mind) Making a subwoofer box can take more time as compared to experts, depending on the number of times you have done it.
Making a nice and effective box takes time and forethought, making each side fit nicely with each other and having no air leaks makes for a more productive sound system. But before going to start some considerations that are given below should follow.
WHAT TYPE OF MATERIAL IS BEST TO USE TO BUILD A SUBWOOFER BOX?
A car subwoofer box is an enclosure that houses a subwoofer and protects it from damage, as well as prevents any sound waves the woofer might produce from coming into contact with your vehicle’s internal components. There are many materials you can choose to construct your own custom-fit subwoofer box.
The simple answer is, MDF material is best to use to build a car Subwoofer Box.
What is MDF? – One of the more popular materials used to build subwoofer enclosures; Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) is an engineered wood product that’s essentially made from sawdust and resin. It’s stronger than plywood but isn’t as expensive or prone to deforming as solid wood. MDF is also very easy to work with, making it perfect for beginners.
What Is Plywood? – Plywood is basically what it sounds like; sheets of wood that are glued together with the grain direction running along the ply (hence the name). It’s not as strong as fiberboard, but it’s much more durable than solid wood. Because of how it’s constructed, plywood is also less likely to warp or deform over time.
What Is Fiberglass? – The last material that we’ll take a look at in this article is fiberglass. It’s not too different from MDF, other than the fact that it has a higher density. Fiberglass is essentially layers of glass cloth soaked in resin, which makes it even stronger than MDF. Like plywood, fiberglass is also more resistant to damage caused by moisture, humidity, and temperature changes.
Also Read: The Complete Guide of Best Subwoofer Box For SUV in 2023
HOW TO CALCULATE SUBWOOFER BOX?
Here are two ways to calculate:
- Manually Calculation
- Using online Calculator
Manually Calculation
Calculating a Subwoofer Box is not an easy task if you are new to the audio world. There are many things that you need to keep in mind while designing your own subwoofer enclosure. If done properly, A good quality built box will give better output and also reduce power enclosure.
The main reason for building your own subwoofer box is that it’s cheaper than buying pre-made ones. You will save some extra bucks by doing it yourself and moreover, you can customize it according to your taste. Building a subwoofer box takes time and patience but the result is excellent if done correctly.
Here are some key aspects that you need to remember before designing your subwoofer box. They will help you to design an efficient enclosure that can produce excellent output.
- Subwoofer Size
The size of the speaker is one of the most important things to consider when building a subwoofer box. The larger the speaker is, the lower its sound frequency will be. If you are choosing a 12" subwoofer, you can design an enclosure for 15", if you are choosing a 10" subwoofer then 8" would be just fine. Always remember that 0.1 cu ft to 0.4 cu ft greater than your actual subwoofer should be sufficient to design a good enclosure.
- Port size
If you are making a ported subwoofer box, you need to calculate the port size first. This can be done by dividing the speaker’s diameter by 800. For example, if your speaker is 10" then its port will have a diameter of 125.7. It’s important to make the port at least 22" long, otherwise it will fail to give you desired result.
Also keep in mind that, if it’s too small then the sound won’t come out and the speaker will produce a lot of pressure and may cause damage.
- Box Size
For designing a good subwoofer enclosure, the box should have a volume of 1.75 cu ft to 3 cu ft. This is ideal for both sealed and ported subwoofer boxes. If you are designing a ported enclosure then it’s better to keep an extra space for the port so that sound can pass through smoothly without any issues.
- Port Location
It is one of the most important things to consider while designing a subwoofer box. If you are designing a ported enclosure, make sure that port is not placed right next to sealed walls or speakers because it will cause pressure issues and may damage your valuable equipment. If possible, keep 4" gap between port and wall to make it sound smooth.
- Subwoofer Angle
It’s always recommended to apply a subwoofer angle for sound dispersion. We are talking about sub angles of 15°, 30° and 45° are ideal for different subwoofers. First, you need to determine which subwoofer angle works best for your subwoofer. Generally, if your speaker is 12" then 15° angle will work just fine. For 10" speakers 30° and for 8" speakers 45° is perfect.
- Overall Size
Make sure that the box size you are going to design is not too big so that it covers up a large area of your car’s trunk. Make it compact and place the subwoofer in such a way that enclosure doesn’t add extra weight to your vehicle.
- Port area
If the port area is too low then the sound won’t come out properly and if its too high, you will get a lot of pressure on your equipment. For 10" speakers, its always recommended to have a port area of 2.6" x 0.2", for 12" speakers 1.4" x 0.08" and for 15" speakers 3.3" x 0.27".
- Sealed or Ported
Sealed enclosures are very popular these days because they produce an accurate and clean sound that we always look for. However, ported enclosures are more powerful than sealed ones because they generate more air movement which improves bass levels and boosts overall performance.
Both of them have their own advantages and disadvantages so choose accordingly to get the desired results. As we have discussed.
- Subwoofer positioning
This is another important thing to consider while designing a subwoofer box. If the speaker has an RMS of 300 then keeping it below 1 cu ft is ideal for proper performance. For more powerful speakers, bigger enclosures are always recommended.
Even if you design an enclosure according to all mentioned parameters, still it’s very important to test your subwoofer in different places. Keep in mind that your vehicle’s trunk is a big area and different positions can produce a lot of differences in sound quality.
HOW TO CALCULATE SUBWOOFER BOX WITH ONLINE CALCULATOR?
Using online Calculator
The subwoofer enclosure calculator calculates dimensions for sealed or vented boxes. It will take into account all mechanical specs so you don’t have to worry about leaving something out. It can calculate almost anything about the enclosure and will give you a good understanding of what you need and also of how your components work with each other.
Step 1:
The first step is to determine if your car can even house a subwoofer box and what type of box you want. A sealed enclosure will produce very tight and accurate bass reproduction while an open one will give you maximum boom at the cost of accurate bass response.
Step 2:
Once you know what you want, determine if there is room to put it in. You will have to choose between lining up your box with the back seat based on how much room that leaves for passengers or putting it in a place where it doesn’t interfere with anyone but has a more difficult time providing accurate or loud bass.
Step 3:
From here it is just a matter of plugging some simple measurements into the online calculatorand finding out how big of a box you need. It will give you all the dimensions that you need as well as the space your subwoofer needs to fit into your chosen location wound have enough air pressure to function properly.
WHAT ARE THE MATERIALS AND TOOLS FOR BUILDING A CAR SUBWOOFER BOX?
Here we will discuss materials and tools for MDF.
1. Good quality Electric drill
2. MDF(medium density fiberboard) for the cabinet or enclosure
3. Table saw
4. 2-inch drywall screws
5. Caulk
6. Carpenters glue
7. Terminal cup
8. Circular saw
The most important material for the box building is MDF (medium density fiberboard). Basically is a composite wood sheet. You can make it easily from home depot or lowes for a couple of bucks, people pay more than 10 times this price for it so you should buy your own to save money and be proud of making something on your own.
MDF has a high level of consistency and flatness, so it can be cut precisely by using a table saw or circular saw to make the box with its specific dimensions.
For making the holes in the MDF sheet use a Hole Saw drill bit set for woodworking with a 5/8-inch shank.
Don’t forget, for accurate holes you should clamp your workpiece to the right place.
After the cutting, you should sand it with sandpaper. For doing this job i prefer a belt sander over a circular one because of its efficiency and also the price is reasonable. I recommend hand sanding because that’s a faster way and makes your working time more productive.
For connecting MDF sheets, you need a high-quality Carpenter’s Glue. Also, i recommend using Table Saw 2-inch drywall screws because they are rust-free and provide good finishing to your project or workpiece.
The last required tool is a terminal cup for wiring up your Subwoofer speaker. People make their own subwoofer enclosure boxes but you can save time by buying this one.
For better sound quality, you should buy a subwoofer speaker with a fiber paper cone that is more durable and has a higher capacity to carry low-frequency sounds.
Now let’s dive in to know about how to build a subwoofer box for deep bass…
HOW TO BUILD A SUBWOOFER BOX TO SPECIFICATIONS? STEP BY STEP GUIDE
Step 1: Subwoofer Measurements
The first step in building a car subwoofer box is to measure your chosen woofer. Some of the most common types of subwoofers include 8, 10, 12, and 15 inches. Even though manufacturers generally provide these dimensions on their sites, it’s important that you double-check this information.
Subwoofers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, which means that you have to verify that the subwoofer you’ve chosen will fit into the available space within your car.
Once you have your woofer’s measurements it’s time to draw up a design with those dimensions on paper. This is where the fun begins. The sketch process is a good excuse to get out your pencil and create an artistic representation of your design concept. You can even measure the other components that you plan to add into your car subwoofer boxes, such as amplifiers or equalizers.
Step 2: Make a Sketch Using the Final Measuring Data
Drawing up a design is a great first step, but it’s time to make the magic happen. Use that paper sketch as a blueprint for your subwoofer box. Once you have that template, you can move on to measuring and cutting pieces of wood. In order to build a subwoofer box with sturdy sides, you need either 3/4-inch plywood or MDF (medium density fiberboard).
Keep in mind that using thicker pieces of wood results in a more durable box. Cut out the pieces you need with either a jigsaw, circular saw or table saw. After you have your pieces cut it’s time to start gluing everything together into the right shape.
Step 3: Wood Demarcation Pieces
Before you start gluing, layout the pieces on your workbench and label them according to your sketch. You might also want to attach longer pieces together with screws at this point. For example, use 3-inch wood screws when joining two 2 x 4s together.
Step 4: Drill the Holes
Now it’s time to drill the holes for the speakers. Use a hole saw or drill bit that is slightly larger than your speaker. If you’re using multiple subwoofers, space the speakers out according to your design sketch. Try not to leave too much empty space between them.
Step 5: Using glue to connect wood pieces together
For this step, you’ll need wood glue and a clamp. To begin, simply spread the wood glue over the surface of one piece of wood and attach it to another piece. Use a clamp to hold everything in place while the glue dries. Let it dry overnight before moving on to the next step.
Step 6: Make a surface that is free of lumps and ridges
A well-built subwoofer box should be as smooth as glass. Start with coarse to medium grit sandpaper and finish it off by rubbing the surface down with a fine grit sandpaper. If you want, you can also round over the edges to make them more comfortable during everyday use.
Step 7: Finish With Paint or Stain
If you plan to paint your subwoofer box, you’ll need to make it smooth with sandpaper first. Then simply paint your box in any color of choice and let it dry for a few hours before putting the last touches on the surface by throwing some decals or writing on it with sharpie.
If you prefer the staining option, simply apply the stain of your choice to all sides of your box and let it dry overnight before attaching any hardware to it.
Step 8: Install Your Car Subwoofer Box
Now that everything is done, simply screw in all of your hardware. You can secure your subwoofer box with screws, but only if the wood is thick enough. Otherwise, it’s better to use metal or plastic clips to attach your subwoofer box to the car.
Step 9: Mount Your Crossover and Power Amplifier
Now that you have your new subwoofer enclosure in place, it’s time to mount your power amplifier and crossover. Think of the crossover as an audio filter that separates the frequencies going to your subwoofer and your car speakers.
You then need a crossover that is capable of reaching frequencies between 100 and 300 Hz (the ideal range for a car subwoofer). Lastly, connect everything with a speaker wire.
Lastly, you can now attach your car subwoofer to the box with screws or plastic clips. Then install your amplifier and crossover boxes to make sure they function properly. This can be a little tricky since you’ll need to know how much power each component needs from the battery before connecting it all to one another. Lastly, connect your new subwoofer to the car amplifier. Congratulations! You have just built your own subwoofer enclosure.
Step 10: Test Your Work
Now that you’re done it’s time to test out your creation and see if everything works nicely together or if there are any issues that need to be addressed. To do this, simply play some music at a high volume with lots of basses and see how it sounds. If everything seems good, congratulations! You have created your very own car subwoofer box
Step 11: Enjoy Your New Speaker System
Now that you’re done it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor! You can now play your favorite tunes at exceptionally low frequencies that make the whole car vibrate. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to leave a comment below.
Step 12: Add More Subwoofers (Optional)
If you want more bass, adding another subwoofer is pretty simple. Start by building another speaker box with all the same measurements as the original one and follow the previous steps until you get to step 5.
Then simply attach your second subwoofer in an inverted fashion at the bottom of the box and repeat step 9 by running a wire from your amplifier to both speakers instead of just one. You can then enjoy even more bass than before!
Step 13: Get Custom Car Audio Speakers (Optional)
If you really want to get the most out of your sound system, upgrading your car speakers is a must. You can easily do this by buying components that are specifically designed for your car. Don’t settle for regular 4×6" speakers since they don’t work well with subwoofers.
You can upgrade your car speakers by installing a component speaker system with a bass knob that will allow you to control the amount of bass going into your speakers. Once everything is hooked up, just turn on the music and enjoy the deep thumping sound coming from your car!
HOW TO CARPET CAR SUBWOOFER BOX?
Carpet your Car Subwoofer Box with a beautiful carpet to create a much better look. Different carpets have different types of textures and colors so you can choose one as per your need. In addition, the carpet brings a new look to your car woofer box which makes it unique from other boxes. In this article, we will give you all the tips and tricks to carpet your car subwoofer box.
Prewash the Carpet – Before starting the process of carpeting, prewash your carpet to make it soft and smooth. It will make your work much easier and cleaner as well. Then dry it by hanging over a clothesline or anywhere where the air is passing.
Tracing – Now trace the outline of your with a marker pen or pencil on your carpet. Make sure that the traced outline is within the cut line of the carpet so it won’t overhang when you will cover it in your car.
Cutting the Carpet – After tracing the outline, cut the traced part with a sharp knife or any other cutting tool.
Fitting in The Subwoofer Box – Now place the cut carpet on your Subwoofer Box and see where it fits. Keep it a little inside or outside if needed to cover the entire surface of the box.
Securing it – Now you can apply some glue on all four sides and start sticking it to your car subwoofer box.
Trimming – The last step is trimming the excess part of the carpet from 4 sides to make it fully covered and fixed.
Placing – Now take your subwoofer speaker, place it on the cut area and see if everything fits correctly. Make any change if needed until it covers your subwoofer speaker properly.
Caulking – Apply some caulk over the unused spaces to prevent any sort of dirt or dust from entering inside your car subwoofer box.
Carpeting is a good option for improving the looks of your car and it will also cover up all the scratches or any damage that might be caused to the surface of your Car Subwoofer Box. Lastly, don’t forget to share with us how your experience in carpeting your Subwoofer Box was.
HOW TO BUILD A DUAL SUBWOOFER BOX TO SPECIFICATIONS?
For the enclosure, pick something with an internal volume of 0.75 cubic feet (volume will be printed on the outside of most boxes). The cutout for the woofer should be no less than 12 inches by 10 inches, and it should also have a mounting depth of at least 6.5 inches; this ensures that you get a good bass response.
The two woofers you use should be “dual 2 ohms” or “dual 4 ohms”. Dual means that when wired in parallel, they present a 2-ohm load to your amplifier (or head unit). That’s the ideal impedance for most modern amps, but in reality even if one of them is 8 ohms, you can still wire them in parallel for a 4-ohm load.
The wiring between the two woofers should be configured in series; that is, one positive terminal to another negative terminal, then both wires connected together (to form a single connection). This doubles the RMS voltage (from 12 volts), but it also doubles the power (from 6 watts).
The enclosure should be fully sealed to prevent air pressure from building up inside when you play bass. This may increase port noise, but it will also maximize your low-frequency output. Keep in mind that the larger the volume of the box, the lower its resonant frequency will be–and the lower the resonant frequency, the less’ boom’ you will get.
The woofers should be wired to their own separate amplifier channels (one for each)–ideally, an amp with at least 100 watts per channel; but make sure your head unit can bridge two channels together (like the Clarion XC1410, or a 2-channel amp bridged together for a 4-channel amp).
Before you mount the woofers, seal around all of the screw holes with silicone caulk. Make sure that no wire has any slack in it, and no wire is touching anything metal. Run your negative leads from your woofers to whatever amplifier you plan on using, and use a test CD to tune the system to get the smoothest response (by changing the phase of one channel).
A dual subwoofer box is an enclosure with two woofers inside. A good rule-of-thumb is that it should have at least 25% more internal volume than for a single woofer. The enclosure should be no more than 1 cubic foot larger than the woofers themselves; if you want to go bigger, and then use multiple woofers (or a single subwoofer with an oversized cabinet).
HOW TO BUILD A 12 IN SUBWOOFER BOX TO SPECIFICATIONS?
Hook up the amplifier to the subwoofer and check for a proper connection. This is usually done by plugging one end of a RCA cable into the back of the amp and the other end to a CD or DVD player that plays bass-heavy music.
Put on some rap or hip-hop songs with pounding bass beats to see if the subwoofer is working. If it is not, check the connections between the amplifier and subwoofer or make sure that your battery has enough power to run both devices.
If your subwoofer is working, you are now ready to build a 12-inch subwoofer box.
First, determine what kind of material you are going to use for your new subwoofer box. You can either go with a pre-made box or make one yourself with wood, MDF board, or fiberglass.
If you are going to use a pre-made box, find out what size will fit your subwoofer perfectly. Mark the outside of the box around where you want the subwoofer to be. Most pre-made boxes have a semicircular cut-out for attaching your new box to your vehicle or trunk lid, so make sure that there is enough room around where you want to mount the subwoofer using your measurements.
If you intend on making a box yourself, go ahead and measure the width, height, and depth of the subwoofer. Use these measurements to either cut a hole in or build around your car to house your subwoofer.
Once you have determined what measurement you are going to need for your new box, go ahead and pick one up at local hardware, hobby, or electronic store that has an unfinished bottom. If you’re going to make your own, you can see how in this article
Once you have your new subwoofer box, mark it around the bottom so that you know where to cut it. Do not cut the bottom off yet! Go ahead and paint or stain/varnish the inside of your new subwoofer box so it looks stylish and fits your vehicle decor.
Once you have finished painting and varnishing the inside of the box, go ahead and drill a hole for your RCA cable to run through so that it will connect to your amplifier. Make sure this is out of the way of your subwoofer since it can vibrate and snap off any cables connected to it.
Now, go ahead and cut the bottom off of your box to create a proper opening for your subwoofer. You have now built yourself a custom-sized subwoofer box that you should be proud of! Hook up all your equipment and place your subwoofer in its new home! Sit back relax and enjoy the thumping bass from your new custom-built subwoofer box!
WHERE TO PLACE THE SUBWOOFER IN YOUR VEHICLE?
We make it easy to put the subwoofer in your car. It depends on how big of a box you choose and what kind of music you like listening to. Also, we need to know if this will be a daily or competition sub enclosure. If it’s going in a trunk, well then depending on the size of your trunk dictates how big of a box to use. If you choose a 10" sub, then it will be mounted in a sealed box most likely with an optimum 3-5 cubic foot enclosure volume.
In most cases for the smaller cars, the 10" ported is going into a trunk and our recommended size is 2.8 cubic feet tuned to 29.3 Hz. We can get you larger dimensions, but for this example, let’s stick with 2.8 cubic feet
To get the optimum performance from a 10" subwoofer we need to tune it low and 1 or 1.5 cubes is not enough airspace for any car speaker enclosure. Subwoofers like airspace and unlike mid-bass speakers they rely on it for their performance.