[86slowsierra]

Hey
Making some camping speakers, would chipbord be ok? or does it need to be out of marine ply / something stronger?

its to fit 2 10" subs

[89_tintop]

mdf is the best..

but the others would do the job.

[whincup]

89_tintop wrote:

mdf is the best...

in what way? strength? sound quality?
sorry, i know bugger all about sound systems and i too am looking into putting in a sub...

[jomclean]

hay 86slowsierra my name is jo iam a carpenter by trade if you wont to paint them just use normal 12mm ply if your not going to paint use marine ply dont use 9 mm . chipboad wont last long.

[jomclean]

dont use mdf swells more than chipboad.

[89_tintop]

it is to do with sound quality.

every sub box i have built has been made out of 12mm mdf.
then all joints were fibreglassed on the inside to make a proper sealed box.

[89_tintop]

jomclean wrote:

dont use mdf swells more than chipboad.

true

but particly board or ply doesnt sound good as a sub box.

mdf can be fibreglassed to make it water proof.

[jomclean]

i wood use ply and use sound deadner inside last a lot longer

[86slowsierra]

Thanks guys.
Ok. chipbord is out.
i was thinking that if i seal edges of marine ply then i could stop the warping?
it would only be the water warping it, stop that and im set, right?
would bondcrete work as a sealer? ive got a big tub just sitting here.

[86slowsierra]

what would you use as a sound deadner?

[86slowsierra]

would a lylo work? just trying to be cheap here

[jomclean]

yes bondcreat will work and you can get brush on sound deadner.

[jomclean]

what is lylo?

[86slowsierra]

cheers. thanks jomclean.

[86slowsierra]

its a real cheap camping/hiking mattress
http://www.aussiedisposals.com.au/catal ... 1ffd551350

[mnemonix]

From an acoustic perspective, marine ply is a complete no-no due to the reverberence of the timber.

It causes acoustic resonance that results in a droning of bass notes.
MDF is the most common material used due to it's resistance to flexing under normal pressure levels.
With sufficient bracing and fibreglass finishing, MDF can be strong, stiff and waterproof.

[DarkHorse]

Truck blanket works OK as a deadener, good coat of paint will waterproof it. Even if you carpet over the top of that.

[lukes_89]

also when i done a massive install on my old car i got an old pillow ripped all fluff up and threw it in the box made a big difference in sound now im looking at doing a jnstall in my zook

[neofitou]

Ive built quite a few sub boxes too (and a couple of sound studios!)

use a calculator like http://www.the12volt.com/caraudio/boxcalcs.asp as well as the manufacturers recomendations for volume.

Use mdf 12mm for 10" or smaller, 18mm for 12" or larger.
Build the box with glue and screws, PRE DRILL all the holes.

Spray a deadner on the inside, use cominations of diferent density insulation, blanket, foam, rubber. I wouldnt use a lylo.

Using diferent densitys absorbs a wider range of frequencies so you dont absorb one range and its unballanced. Test it alot with diferent fillings.
on the outside spray or spread a neoprene or urathane glue to seal it up waterproof and to stick on your cover of marine carpet or a padded vinal.

my 2c.

[dano_mung]

I can say that I have made quite a few large sub boxees in my younger days with a GTi and Skylines and I have never used any sort of packing or sound deadener inside any of the boxes I made.

The most important thing is to have the right volume of air inside the box and for it to be sealed well. Check the instructions you received with the sub. if it is any good it should mention somewhere an enclosure volume for both a sealed or ported enclosure.

All of this seems a little weird in a Sierra though, especially if its a soft top (worrying about waterproofing and such). All of the sound is going to just escape straight away into the sky.

Build your box from 1/2 inch MDF (12mm) glue and screw it shut seal all the joins well internally with silicone or something similar, then paint with whatever paint your have to seal it up from the elements if that is an issue for you. Then you can carpet over it and it should last forever.

[neofitou]

The deadener in the box stops standing waves resonating within the box.
SQ improves when you stop this from happening, you can hear the diference when experimenting.

[anDy86]

Hi All,

I've built up a few sub boxes myself aswell and a member of MEA forums.
Was umm'ing and argh'ing on whether to sound deaden the inside of the sub box. on the MEA forums there quite a few mixed responses on whether or not to sound deaden inside or not. I can see peoples point of view on sound deadening the inside of a box but in all honesty i rekkon it does not make much difference. Just make sure the volume spec of the box is correct according to the sub and some waterproofing on the outside and bobs your uncle.

Have fun building your box! makes you appreciate your stereo that much more

Regards,
Andy

[86slowsierra]

if you put pillow stuffing in the box wouldnt that decease the air volume?
im not sure how that would work

[suzibob]

Pillows in the box will change the volume, but personally (& professionaly) I probably won't worry about it. As Wat others have said, make sure your volume is correct for the speaker your using. Mdf with a coat of resin inside and out is a frequent way I/we tend to build for marine systems. So it will obviously be ok here. Then lay carpet over that or sand and paint. If you take on others sugestions with using glue and pre drilling, you can't go wrong.

Cheers.

[shabz]

I've always used 18mm mdf - even for smaller boxes. Apparently it doesn't warp or vibrate like ply. Like others mentioned, pre-drill holes, and use glue. Enough glue should make it air tight. i like liquid nails!

Sound deadening materials such as foam etc inside the box "trick" the sound wave into thinking that the box is much bigger than it actually is. Reason being the movement of air inside the box slows down and takes longer to hit the back of the box as it travels through the foam. Usually used when you dont have the physical space for a larger enclosure.

I've built dozens of sub boxes for custom installs for shows etc........yer i was once a ricer

thankfully AZ has shown me the light! lol peaceout

[lukes_89]

i just was told by amte at wow to do it so gave it a shot sounded heaps better in saying that i entered my car into a sound comp and came 8th out of like 60 cars im so still no pro thats just what i found worked for me i was running a massive box which a mate made for me and ran from wheel arch to wheel arch in the back of my 87 accord and also was running a 15" jbl comp sub. ill try find a pic

[ck13488]

MDF is used as less air can travel through it compared to chipboard and ply

when i made mine i:
1)made the box the correct volume suited to the sub (remember the volume of the sub in the box reduces the box's volume)
2)used 16mm mdf, pre-drill holes, glue and screw every ~100mm
3)use a proper terminal plate to seal box
4)coat inside joins with sealant to make them airtight
5) put some wool stuffing in to loosely line the box

got all that of caraudioaustralia forum..now know as mobile electronics australia forum






PS: if the person camped next to me had a sub i would not be a happy camper at all!!!!

[86slowsierra]

Nah where i go is fairly remote.
I doubt any one could hear you scream.

As a mate said ' This is the place where you take cheap hookers'