Subwoofer location
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Subwoofer location
I am planning to build a floor console for my '89 150 reg cab with a bench seat. Would it be a stupid move to install a small, single subwoofer inside the console pointing at the floor? This is not a high power audio system, and I doubt I'll ever 'crank it up' to the point of distortion. What about venting, what directions should the ports face?
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Thanks, I've never been one for loud music, but there was a decent stereo in a parts truck I just got rid of. Since my '89 has no place to put a cup of coffee or any place for storage, I want to build a floor console, so I figured, what the heck? Would you guess that the output for the "sub" is amplified by the stereo, or will I have to provide an additional amp for the sub? Or are there single subwoofers available that have their own amps?
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From: fremont ohio
your stereo amp isn't going to supply enough power for the sub. check your sub and see what it says for power, but id say get like a 200-400 watt amp and you'll be fine if you dont want it real loud. and yes, pointing it down will sound better i would think. when i had my subs in my car, they pointed towards the back and sounded better than when i pointed them frontwards.
also, bill: how did you make your box? i got 2 12" subs out of my now sisters car i would like to put in my truck, my original plan was behind the seats, but theres no room. did you just make a box with a board in the center to hold the sub up?
also, bill: how did you make your box? i got 2 12" subs out of my now sisters car i would like to put in my truck, my original plan was behind the seats, but theres no room. did you just make a box with a board in the center to hold the sub up?
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My plan for the console is to use cardboard sheets, cut up and taped together to create templates to match the contour of the tranny hump and underside of the dash. I plan to make the console itself from 1/2" M.D.F. board. Once complete, I plan on covering the exterior with cloth from an old seat cover thats still in good shape and matches my existing interior. Since I don't smoke, I plan to take out the ashtray and lighter and rig a bracket that will attach the console to the dash using the old ashtay supports. I've also scavanged an LED strip from an old copy machine to use for accent lighting. I doubt anyone would expect to see that really bright weird greenish yellow glow when they open the storage lid.
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Another thought. Where should the amp for the subwoofer go, inside the console near the sub, or under the dash near the radio and power source?
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From: fremont ohio
that one is up to you, most people dont like to show off the fact that they have an amp, cuz someones gonna walk by and want to steal it. unless you put it in front of the box right up by the dash so its harder to see. you could also put it inside the console, except it needs a bit of air around it to keep it from over heating.
under the seat might work if theres room
under the seat might work if theres room
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From: New Canaan, CT
Sub placement is all trial and error. I have two 10"s down firing and they slam. I've heard subs point up in trucks that sound real good too. If your making a center console just extend the front and back sidesabout 3-4"s so you'll have a gap of 3-4"s of the left and right side. Make the enclosure sealed with something like a 10". It will down fire onto the tranny hump and the bass will come out the L and R sides.
Check the volume requirements of the sub your going to use and make sure you stay with in those specs. For example say you have a 10" sub that requires .5 cubic feet of space you will need to make the enclosed potion of the box 12" high X 12" deep/long X 10 wide to give you .542ft but after putting the sub in there you'll be right at .5ft So now lets say the internal dimensions call for the box to be 12" you will need to make the front and back 15-16" high to give you the space i was talking about on the L and R side.
Check the volume requirements of the sub your going to use and make sure you stay with in those specs. For example say you have a 10" sub that requires .5 cubic feet of space you will need to make the enclosed potion of the box 12" high X 12" deep/long X 10 wide to give you .542ft but after putting the sub in there you'll be right at .5ft So now lets say the internal dimensions call for the box to be 12" you will need to make the front and back 15-16" high to give you the space i was talking about on the L and R side.
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Would I be able to find a smaller than 10" sub? I don't want the console to be huge.
PrPlayboy, when you refer to the enclosure as "sealed", do you mean that it should not have any ports or venting? I was planning to use some leftover boat fiberglas and resin to make a form fitted bottom that would help keep the console located on the tranny hump. That type of bottom would cause the enclosure to be airtight
PrPlayboy, when you refer to the enclosure as "sealed", do you mean that it should not have any ports or venting? I was planning to use some leftover boat fiberglas and resin to make a form fitted bottom that would help keep the console located on the tranny hump. That type of bottom would cause the enclosure to be airtight
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From: New Canaan, CT
Yes you can use an 8" sub. Yes a sealed enclosure should be as air tight as posible but if your going to down fire it then you need space for the sub to move. My example is like take a sealed enclosure with sub facing down and holding it up in the air a bit so the bass can hit. Thats why i said you'll need to make the front and rear longer so it will hold the sealed part higher then the floor. If your going to use fiberglass then you should be able to make and sheet of resin over the hump so the bass wont be firing into the carpet but into the resin.
Lets take this sub for instance. It requires .20-.45 cu ft for sealed. So a box with an external measurement of 10"x10"x10" will give you an internal volume measurement of .355 cu ft. Those measurements I gave are outside dimmensions of the box not the internal measurement.
You need a minimum of 1" on each side of the sub for mounting it so if your going with an 8" sub it needs minumly a 10" mounting face. i forgot to mention that in my previous measurement for the 10".
Lets take this sub for instance. It requires .20-.45 cu ft for sealed. So a box with an external measurement of 10"x10"x10" will give you an internal volume measurement of .355 cu ft. Those measurements I gave are outside dimmensions of the box not the internal measurement.
You need a minimum of 1" on each side of the sub for mounting it so if your going with an 8" sub it needs minumly a 10" mounting face. i forgot to mention that in my previous measurement for the 10".
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Thanks for the input, but the whole idea of installing a sub is shot. It turns out the the "decent" stereo from my parts truck was beyond junk. I tried powering it up from a benchtop power supply and it just clicked and popped. I opened the case and the circuit boards are completely oxidized, probably from sitting outside with no windsheild for a year or so.
I can't justify buying a new stereo for the truck, so unless there's a way to hook up a sub to a stock 1989 2 channel stereo, it looks like my console will be just that, a console. Thanks again.
I can't justify buying a new stereo for the truck, so unless there's a way to hook up a sub to a stock 1989 2 channel stereo, it looks like my console will be just that, a console. Thanks again.
Last edited by weymouth; Sep 21, 2004 at 03:44 PM. Reason: misspelling
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From: New Canaan, CT
Well for bass, it doesn't need to be directional so you can install some 6" subs in the doors or look at these specs of this enclosure to get some ideas. If you just want nice clean sound i would get and amp and 6.5 component speakers in the doors and call it a day. I sometimes turn my subs off when i have the kids in the truck and man do my front speakers sound nice by themselves......