Design questions for 15" or 18" SSA Xcon

[Omega_Ace 5]

I am looking to get a 15"or 18" to go into a sealed box for sq. Leaning towards the 15" at the moment.

Car: 98 Mustang

Location: Trunk

Amp: MTX te1501d (birthsheet @ 1 ohm is 1556 rms @ 13.8 volts)

Wires: 0 gauge on big 3, main battery to second battery in trunk, & from second battery to sub amp. 4 gauge to highs/mid amp from second battery.

Stock 130a alt. but I'm getting a 270 Mechman and xs 3100d( will be under rear seat) when i order the sub or shortly after.

If i go with the 15 the box will be 26.5L x 26.5D x 11H about 3.5 cubes before displacement. Sub will be upward firing. I'm tossing up the idea of the 18" but don't have experience with 18's. Any idea's if the 18 would be with the trouble?

Thanks in advance

Also the reason for upgrade is because my 12" mtx thunder 9500 @2 ohm just isn't enough anymore

[ricksi30 923]

Get the 15.

[Quentin Jarrell 671]

Get a 12 and put it in a ported enclosure.

[ricksi30 923]

Get a 12 and put it in a ported enclosure.

Or that^^

[1two3 16]

liked my xcon 15 in a sealed, sounded great. never ported it so i cant say whats better.   now i got 2 of em and will be porting soon.  

[Omega_Ace 5]

I could port the 15 but i want the best sq i can. I hope it will be loud enough for a while.

1two3,

What size was the box with your 15 and what po

wer did you have to it?

Edited August 1, 2013 by Omega_Ace

[Quentin Jarrell 671]

What is your definition on SQ.  We want to make sue you go the best possible route for what you are trying to achieve.

[1two3 16]

I could port the 15 but i want the best sq i can. I hope it will be loud enough for a while.

1two3,

What size was the box with your 15 and what po

wer did you have to it?

 

i bolded what i didnt understand ^

 

for my box i downloaded the predesigned enclosure on the website. it was the optimal box, 3.2sqf if i remmber corectly

 

keep in mind this was my first real sub/set up. guys on this forum like quentin have been in the game alot longer than i have and have more experience. that being said i still think it sounded great and still does.

[Tirefryr 1,742]

I highly suggest against upfiring in an SN95. You're going to get nothing but rattles and cancellation.  I would do as Quentin suggested and go with a vented 12. 

[Omega_Ace 5]

What is your definition on SQ. We want to make sue you go the best possible route for what you are trying to achieve.

I want the bass to be accurate. I listen to a lot of rock but love the bass from rap/hip hop, bass music. My sealed 12 now has deep good sounding bass and I'm still looking for that but just ok a higher lvl.

Edited August 1, 2013 by Omega_Ace

[Omega_Ace 5]

I highly suggest against upfiring in an SN95. You're going to get nothing but rattles and cancellation. I would do as Quentin suggested and go with a vented 12.

On the trunk rattles i have zero as of now. I have foamed the trunk lid and used mdf on the sides and back all sealed on the sides with onl back seat area and rear deck open. About the cancellation, I could do a stepped up design on the box so I could mount the sub rear firing and just change the dimension to accommodate. Sub would be closer to the rear of the trunk. Think there would be ant issue with that. I have never done ported. I've always had sealed.

[Omega_Ace 5]

I could port the 15 but i want the best sq i can. I hope it will be loud enough for a while.

1two3,

What size was the box with your 15 and what po

wer did you have to it?

i bolded what i didnt understand ^

for my box i downloaded the predesigned enclosure on the website. it was the optimal box, 3.2sqf if i remmber corectly

keep in mind this was my first real sub/set up. guys on this forum like quentin have been in the game alot longer than i have and have more experience. that being said i still think it sounded great and still does.

What rms were you giving your single 15?

[Omega_Ace 5]

If i do go ported i would most likely get the zcon. I was goin with the xcon due to the sealed option.

[smashedz28 110]

I'm sure the xcon ported wouldn't disappoint

[Quentin Jarrell 671]

What is your definition on SQ. We want to make sue you go the best possible route for what you are trying to achieve.

I want the bass to be accurate. I listen to a lot of rock but love the bass from rap/hip hop, bass music. My sealed 12 now has deep good sounding bass and I'm still looking for that but just ok a higher lvl.

Due to the qualities of a ported enclosure, when designed so it will always produced more pronounced lower deeper bass.

Doing a 12 ported would result in more volume over an xcon 15 sealed and have no audible difference in sound quality.

[Omega_Ace 5]

What is your definition on SQ. We want to make sue you go the best possible route for what you are trying to achieve.

I want the bass to be accurate. I listen to a lot of rock but love the bass from rap/hip hop, bass music. My sealed 12 now has deep good sounding bass and I'm still looking for that but just ok a higher lvl.

Due to the qualities of a ported enclosure, when designed so it will always produced more pronounced lower deeper bass.

Doing a 12 ported would result in more volume over an xcon 15 sealed and have no audible difference in sound quality.

With the ported, is there any difference between aero port or slot port? With an aero port you can change tuning frequency by changing the aero port, right? I want a good frequency range for the different types of music i listen but i really love it when it gets low. What do you suggest on tuning frequency and it should be rear firing for both the port/sub?

[Quentin Jarrell 671]

I would put the sub and the port on the same side of the box so you can face it either forward or backwards in the trunk. With that much output facing forward will more than likely be the best route.

An areo port will not work in this situation because will not be able to get enough port area.

Although I've built about 50 boxes for XCONs its been about two years so I would have to model it again. However you would want the enclosure at ~ 2 cubic feet tuned to 30-33 hertz.

I will have free time from now until midnight tonight. If you are able to measure the max deminsions that will slide in your trunk I can design an enclosure.

[Omega_Ace 5]

I would put the sub and the port on the same side of the box so you can face it either forward or backwards in the trunk. With that much output facing forward will more than likely be the best route.

An areo port will not work in this situation because will not be able to get enough port area.

Although I've built about 50 boxes for XCONs its been about two years so I would have to model it again. However you would want the enclosure at ~ 2 cubic feet tuned to 30-33 hertz.

I will have free time from now until midnight tonight. If you are able to measure the max deminsions that will slide in your trunk I can design an enclosure.

I will measure the box i got in there now because that was about all we could fit, that was with using the spare tire well to get it through the trunk opening and the bottom latch on the trunk removed. Give me about 15 min

[Omega_Ace 5]

Through trunk opening was 19W x 14.25H x 16D and through the back seats was 13H x 32W.

[Quentin Jarrell 671]

so, theses are the diminsions that will slide in from the seat?  I'll work with them.  through the back seats was 13H x 32W

[Omega_Ace 5]

Yes sir 13"h by 32"w is the opening with the back seats down

[Omega_Ace 5]

Hey Quentin I appreciate your time and expertise.. I'll probably kerf the port.

Edited August 2, 2013 by Omega_Ace

[Quentin Jarrell 671]

 

 

 

 

external box measurements:     31" wide   19" deep   12.5" high        ~2 cubic feet net tuned to 32 hertz

 

 

Top and bottom are 31"x19"

All other parts are 11" high

 

NOTE:  left and right sides are indented .25 inch in case you wanted to wrap the enclosure.

 

11 1/16 marking is subwoofer cutout.  The enclosue is small enough no bracing wont be an issue

[Omega_Ace 5]

 

 

 

 

external box measurements:     31" wide   19" deep   12.5" high        ~2 cubic feet net tuned to 32 hertz

 

 

Top and bottom are 31"x19"

All other parts are 11" high

 

NOTE:  left and right sides are indented .25 inch in case you wanted to wrap the enclosure.

 

11 1/16 marking is subwoofer cutout.  The enclosue is small enough no bracing wont be an issue

Thanks again. On the corners of the port do i sand them to a rounded edge? Will be my first ported box. Got any tips or pointers? You suggest forward firing or rear? If forward firing should i seal it off from the trunk? I know i would feel the lows on a forward firing set up but i have heard that you might not hear them as well because they are a long sound wave and need as much distance as possible before they reach your ear. Any truth to this?

[Quentin Jarrell 671]

Being the box is basically the same size as the opening of the seat I would face it forward.  You won't hear an audible difference from sealing it off.

 

That is called transfer function and it varies in every vehicle and set up.  You would have to play around with it to see the difference.

 

If you have a router you can round over the port corners or just sand them down a bit by hand.  It won't make much difference since you have adequate port area. 

 

If you are assembling with screws make sure you drill pilot holes first.

 

Use tightbond wood glue to assemble it.  If you are not using a table saw and the seams are a little jagged you can put a bit of "Liquid Nails" on the seams.