Smallest size box for a 15"?

[gloryaccordy]

I want to ditch my 2 10s and go with a 15 in a sealed box. What is a decent cheap 500W RMS 15"? And would a 15" be more efficient + have better low end extension than a comparable 12"?

[qbodsyt]

would a 15" be more efficient + have better low end extension than a comparable 12"?

That's really going to depend on the sub. A cheaper 15 will not be better than a better quality 12.

IMHO, 15s are rarely good for SQ....I'm running a Kaption SPL 1200 in a sealed 1.2 cubic foot box. Tight and clean, but it handles 7-800 watts RMS without issue. When I first fired it up, it would make my CD player skip, had to turn it down. If you're looking for the smallest sized box a 15 can perform in, you should just go with a 12 in a medium sized box.

Anyways, it's all going to depend on what's important to you, SQ or SPL

[gloryaccordy]

SQ is definitely the priority, but more so low Qtc (as much low frequency reproduction as possible + flat response). If I could get a somewhat light ~2cf sealed box for a 12 I'd probably just do that. But most 15" sealed boxes are that size standard, and even if it's a little small for the 15" it would still be much better than a 12" (twice the cone area!). Not to mention 15s in general are just more efficient than 12s, etc.

[qbodsyt]

Well it sounds like you know what you want. I'm just not a big fan of 15s. Most of the time they just end up sounding muddy. I listen to a lot of different types of music so I guess I find a powerful 12 to be the best compromise. Plus it takes up a lot less room in the trunk!

Have you checked out something like the Image Dynamics IDMAX 12? Very good low frequency response......

[sonikaccord]

keep the 2 10's unless they are cheap. They have more displacement than a 12 and can be put in the correct sized box and still be small instead of choking a 15 in a too small box.

Go ported, tune low.

PS 15s don't have twice the cone area of a 12.

[gloryaccordy]

keep the 2 10's unless they are cheap. They have more displacement than a 12 and can be put in the correct sized box and still be small instead of choking a 15 in a too small box.

Go ported, tune low.

PS 15s don't have twice the cone area of a 12.

Ok 15s have like 1.5x the area of a 12 (225 vs 144 sq in very very roughly)

And going ported is out of the question. I want a setup with a small footprint (which my 10s now definitely don't have. The box doesn't even fit between the shock towers; but I can't say shit; it was free!) but nice quick response and a flat rolloff... a 12 *might* do that, but a 15 definitely will do that. A sealed box for a 15 will be smaller than my 2 10s or a decently ported 12; and I had a sealed 12" Type-R which was actually great till it got stolen but it still didn't go low enough for me.

I have even found a sub... MB Quart RWE-352... a 2.0 cf would be somewhat oversized compared to manuf recommendations. Sorry, this was more me just thinking out loud; I think I've made a decision.

[sonikaccord]

You can port a box for 2 10's and have it about 2 cu. ft.

[gloryaccordy]

You can port a box for 2 10's and have it about 2 cu. ft.

Plus the volume of the port....

This could possibly work though. I will do some calculations

[visualpoet]

Ok 15s have like 1.5x the area of a 12 (225 vs 144 sq in very very roughly)

12 = 113.097 sq in
15 = 176.715 sq in

There's a big difference in a square area and a circular area.

[gloryaccordy]

1 ur sig is killing me hahaha

2, the ratios of the areas are the same (225/1.27 = 176, 144/1.27 = 113)...

However I did some searching... there is a pair of JL Audi 10W6s for sale for $50 locally, and I found a dual 10" box tuned to about 30Hz w/2.7 cf internal volume that will fit perfectly. $150 minus whatever I get for the box I have now should be good; my only fear (from past experiences with boxes that were tuned too high) is that it will be boomy....

I will hold off on the 15" though.

[J3wman]

give me specs about the sub and ill tell you everything you need to know for making a box, hell if you want PM me and i can get a box made for you, my buddy makes them theyre hand built and i dropped mine down a flight of stairs without even a problem on accident once. he glues, nails, dowels, then bondos them shut.

[sonikaccord]

1 ur sig is killing me hahaha

2, the ratios of the areas are the same (225/1.27 = 176, 144/1.27 = 113)...

However I did some searching... there is a pair of JL Audi 10W6s for sale for $50 locally, and I found a dual 10" box tuned to about 30Hz w/2.7 cf internal volume that will fit perfectly. $150 minus whatever I get for the box I have now should be good; my only fear (from past experiences with boxes that were tuned too high) is that it will be boomy....

I will hold off on the 15" though.

30hz is pretty low. It should have a pretty flat response with the w6's.

[gloryaccordy]

Anyone know how efficiency is affected when you double up on subs? Ie are 2 of the same sub more efficient than 1 of that sub? This is getting too complicated.

[sonikaccord]

its 3db more efficient when both subs get equal power.

[gloryaccordy]

its 3db more efficient when both subs get equal power.

Meaning, if I give 2 of the same subs 150W RMS, together they will make 3db more sound than one of them getting 300W RMS?