victimizati0n

iTrader: (1)

hey guys, does a sub have to be in a box? What if i used the T-top storage thing as my box???

93ChevExt5.7

Most subwoofers need to have some kind of enclosure. There are subs which are called "free-air" - or at least there use to be. I worked on car stereos back in the late 80s/early 90s.

Subs need a box because they actually have to air to "bounce" against. Think of them like a spring almost. If a spring has nothing below it, you press on it an the whole thing is just going to move.

Be careful. Some subs need to have or perform better in sealed or ported enclosures. Ported enclosures actually have a (usually fiberglass) tube inside the box that the woofer actually uses to breath and resonate through. You can tune a subwoofer to some degree. Ported enclosures are typically better.

Sub boxes vary greatly in sizes necessary and it depends upon the type and size of sub you are trying to install. JL Audio is known for being very "needy" when it comes to box dimensions.

There are also bandpass boxes and isobaric boxes....we'll save all of that for another day.....

victimizati0n

iTrader: (1)

so you dont think just laying a board across there and using that little storage space as its "box" will work?

I mean, everything will be carpeted, and sould have a seal around it.

Thanks for all of your info though

95formulalt1

iTrader: (13)

unless ur subs are design to work that way..i am building a steeth box that goes where the cd changer would!!! good luck

93ChevExt5.7

I'm not saying this won't work, in fact, I had a 1976 Malibu Classic coupe which had a large trunk and a large deck behind the back seats. I placed two 4 1/2" plate speakers back there and they used the trunk area as the enclosure, much like your stating. These 4 1/2" needed a lot of airspace and actually had a friend with 2 15" woofers compliment me. He said it sounded like I had a couple of 10" in the back.

The seal is what is important. You might want to consider some heavier board - maybe 1" vs 3/4". This will weigh more, but help with seals. Another idea is to carpet it, and then buy some of the cheap 'ol weatherstripping and go around the edges so it can help to "seal" better.

Nothing beats a good box, but your idea is okay - if the woofers were made to work in that kind of enclosure. They might not last very long or sound like crap if you they are not.

Best wishes on the effort!!

Sunset'01Z

iTrader: (10)

to do that you would have to buy an open air sub which wont sound nearly as good as an enclosed sub. just buy a cheap sub box or hell make one out of a 4x8 sheet of 3/4" mdf. you can make it yourself with a 25 dollar sheet of mdf if you know somebody with some kind of saw.

CamaroSS615

Free air subs are the only ones you can run without an enclouser, They make a custom enclouser that holds 2-10's or 2'12's that will fit nicely in your T-top loctaion. But beware you will have to remove the t-top holders in the back and you will have to put the tops in the backseat.

TA guy

iTrader: (1)

You may be able to do something like that, it was common in third gen F-bodies to use a baffle board/slam board, which was just a board that fit in the cargo hole on top of the little ledges with a tight fit. They worked great, a real box was better of course, but they were good for lower power applications, do some searching on what guys did with their third gens and you should be able to come up with something that will work. These do not necessarily require free air subs. It depends on how much air is trapped behind the board, if you want more details let me know.

FireSilverLullaby

iTrader: (5)

Check my cardomain, i put mine where the t-top holders are.

b's90cam

iTrader: (1)

I had a thirdgen f body with a "plate". It sounded like a midget farting. DONT DO A PLATE! No matter what sub you use. And plus, an expensive box is like 100 bucks. Do that or buy a sheet of mdf and save 75.

FireSilverLullaby

iTrader: (5)

well I guess I have a plate and I think it sounds awseome, and I use to have a box, but it seems to sounds about the same.

MikeFbody

iTrader: (2)

guys, a free air sub will not sound right like this anyway.. alot of people confuse the correct way to install a free air sub.

a free air sub does not need a box, but it needs it's back wave completely isolcated from the front. So picture your plate idea if you will. IF you would get a 100% air tight seal with the rear well and your baffle plate, in essence, you created a box, or about 2 or so cu ft. Any subs that work in that air space should work fine. But if you just lay a board across the back, and have any gaps that air could leak though, then even if you use a free air sub, it will not sound as good, because you will have the sound from the back wave of the sub comming throught into the car.

the proper way to use a free-air sub is in a trunk car, where you install a board behind the back seats, and completely seal off any and all openings into the cabin of the car. That way, the back wave of the speaker cannot enter the car and interfere with the sound. Most people don't bother to go through all of this trouble, and hence, free-air subs get a bad rep as sounding bad.

what I would do in this case, is to revome the carpet in the rear, and silicon your board right to the sheet metal... I would put some sound dampening in the rear first though. Get a completely tight seal, and just use a regular sealed box sub.

mike

FireSilverLullaby

iTrader: (5)

Yeah I have gaps in betweem my board and have though about filling them up sometime, but it still sounds alright with gaps. But hopefully it will sounds alot better if I ever seal them up.