Downfire and upfire and box size review.....

lizardking · 12-28-2006, 06:47 PM

THIS REVIEW IN NO WAY REFLECTS THE QUALITY OF TECH12VOLTS BOXES.....THIS IS INTENDED TO SHOW THE SIZE OF A BOX REALLY MATTERS WITH EACH SUB APPLICATION. THE DLS SUBS, I HAVE, STATED THAT THE .61 CU/FT WAS THE PERFECT SIZE FOR MUSICAL APPLICATIONS WITH MINIMUM POWER. TECH12VOLT IS A GREAT BUILDER WITH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.

NOTE: BOTH BOXES WHERE FACING UP!!!!

Alright,
After a few weeks of listening to tech12volts box......I could tell on some of my music that the bass was tight but it wasn't deep as it was with the downfire box. I decided to spend few hours today going back in forth between both boxes using my DLS Nobelium subs.

With upfiring box which is roughly .61 cu/ft per chamber and built like a tank from tech12volt.....vs the pre-made box from www.subbox.net which is a downfire application with .75 cu/ft per chamber.

After going back and forth I've made my way back to the pre made box with the .75 cu/ft of space. Not do to the quality of the tech's box but do to the fact the DLS subs performed better to the point my wife even mentioned that it sounded better. What I mean by better is the bass is not only tight but its very deep. With tech's box the bass was tight but it lacked serious low end rumble and deepness.

I then decided to add pieces of MDF to the subbox.net box to get it to the .61 cu/ft like tech's box....and BAM...there it was the box is just to small for the DLS subs.....I went back and forth several times.....to make sure what I was hearing was true.

Conclusion,
The .75 cu/ft per chamber with the DLS subs performed noticeably better then the .61 cu/ft which by the way is the recommended enclosure size by DLS...for musical applications. With no doubt its musical at that volume with very minimal power. When I added the Sundown amp it really brought out the imperfection in sound reproduction. I couldn't believe it myself if I didn't play around going back and forth.

bestatchess · 12-28-2006, 06:52 PM

Did you try stuffing the .61 box?

lizardking · 12-28-2006, 06:57 PM

No sure didn't.....I thought about but got lazy.... This weekend I plan to make a trip to Wal-Mart and I can try that...

The DLS subs just perform better in the .75 cu/ft range then with the .61 cu/ft size. The sound is so much deeper and it remains tight. The low end is back with force.

Tested CD's
Incubus
Korn
Maroon 5
The Killers
Dire Straits
Pink Floyd
Metallica

lizardking · 12-28-2006, 06:58 PM

Doesn't stuffing the box fool the sub in thinking its in a bigger enclosure?

bestatchess · 12-28-2006, 07:09 PM

That's what they say. I built a sealed box for a ED 19 0V2 with a 1000W plate amp and it sounds better stuffed to me.

**tech12volt** · 12-28-2006, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lizardking

Alright,
After a few weeks of listening to tech12volts box......I could tell on some of my music that the bass was tight but it wasn't deep as it was with the downfire box. I decided to spend few hours today going back in forth between both boxes using my DLS Nobelium subs.

With upfiring box which is roughly .61 cu/ft per chamber and built like a tank from tech12volt.....vs the pre-made box from www.subbox.net which is a downfire application with .75 cu/ft per chamber.

After going back and forth I've made my way back to the pre made box with the .75 cu/ft of space. Not do to the quality of the tech's box but do to the fact the DLS subs performed better to the point my wife even mentioned that it sounded better. What I mean by better is the bass is not only tight but its very deep. With tech's box the bass was tight but it lacked serious low end rumble and deepness.

I then decided to add pieces of MDF to the subbox.net box to get it to the .61 cu/ft like tech's box....and BAM...there it was the box is just to small for the DLS subs.....I went back and forth several times.....to make sure what I was hearing was true.

Conclusion,
The .75 cu/ft per chamber with the DLS subs performed noticeably better then the .61 cu/ft which by the way is the recommended enclosure size by DLS...for musical applications. With no doubt its musical at that volume with very minimal power. When I added the Sundown amp it really brought out the imperfection in sound reproduction. I couldn't believe it myself if I didn't play around going back and forth.

so i assume we need to go bigger than .61. we can do .75 with no problem.

lizardking · 12-28-2006, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bestatchess

That's what they say. I built a sealed box for a ED 19 0V2 with a 1000W plate amp and it sounds better stuffed to me.

Hmmmmm. Did you try back and forth....or did you just stuff it from the beginning?

It seems like a band-aid to me.....but I don't know allot about enclosures and how they affect performance. When I talk with guys on ECA....I never see them mention box stuffing. Its worth exploring.

lizardking · 12-28-2006, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tech12volt

so i assume we need to go bigger than .61. we can do .75 with no problem.

Yeah, I'm thinkin thats the way to go....for sure. The impact is almost unbelieveable.....

**tech12volt** · 12-28-2006, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lizardking

Yeah, I'm thinkin thats the way to go....for sure. The impact is almost unbelieveable.....

if you remeber when i tested them at the shop i told you we stuffed with polyfill. it not only makes the woofer seem like its in a bigger enclosure , but also helps prevent standing waves in the enclosure.

bestatchess · 12-28-2006, 07:18 PM

Built it to recommended size for sealed box first (making allowance for plate amp volume), listened unstuffed, then stuffed it. Sounded better stuffed, seems lower, stronger for both music & movies.

lizardking · 12-28-2006, 07:25 PM

I remember you saying you stuffed it.......It makes since if it sounded good after you stuffed it.....now that I tried a bigger box...LOL.

Your right on......the bass extends lower with force and deep...while remaining tight. These subs just plain impress me....but they are very picky on box size...thats for sure.....reminds me of when I had the Diamond D6's a few years ago....LOL

**t22a80** · 12-28-2006, 07:29 PM

You can buy the stuffing really cheap. Its worth trying. If you were willing to spend all that time swapping subs and boxes why not!

If you cant make that .61 work for you, I'll pay the shipping for it!! haha jk.

lizardking · 12-28-2006, 07:36 PM

I think we all know I spend months tuning until the perfect sound is achieved....well perfect for me.. I spend a few minutes everyday making small adjustments....this way the sound doesn't get distorted in my mind. I learned that from an ole SQ guy.

This weekend I can make a trip to wally world and experiment some more. However, the fiberglass box we're working on needs built bigger then the .61 cu/ft we have now......this I learned.

lizardking · 12-28-2006, 07:39 PM

I'm thinking that DLS put those specs at .61 for an pure SQ install with only giving the sub a meager 200 watts RMS at most. The manual also states, after I just read it to stuff the box.......hmmmm. Me thinks the DLS techies designed and tested for a pure SQ application.

lizardking · 12-28-2006, 07:43 PM

Guys,
This has nothing to do with tech's boxes......I had him build the box to my specs that I wanted...... lesson learned on my part.

Tech12volt builds boxes that others only wish they could build!!!!