The Install

VR3 · May 2005

Ascendant Audio is coming out with one. Not XBL^2 though, they are washing their hands of any connection with Adire and coming out with their own technology.

In the mean while, they are blowing out their drivers at massive rebates to make way for new ones.

MacLeod · May 2005

Originally posted by Vr3MxStyler2k3

Down-firing is the best design, as it lets your sub do the most it can, you gain output that way to, which is nice. You lose like 3db with a forward mount.

Yeah, downfiring does add output but you lose a little clarity as a tradeoff. Especially with my truck. Its not firing down into the floor its firing into a hole. Right now my bass sounds really choked off. Im not sure if its due to the downfiring or the way too small box (.29 where the MTX is spec'd at .38).

Another reason is that I can get more interior volume if I dont downfire it.

I dunno. I go back and forth. If I can get the .33 ft3 and still downfire I may go that way. I really dont like a sub that fires into nothing. The bottom of the seat isnt firm enough to do anything so itll be as tho the sub is firing straight up into the thin air which sounds really weak.

exalted512 · May 2005

thats subjective to the vehicle, in a suv, upfiring subs, rear facing ports is the best way to go for spl. and even in trucks, some may sound louder down firing than forward, but be louder on a mic going forward and vice versa. its all dependent on the vehicle
-Cody

MacLeod · May 2005

Well when I take my box out and sit in the floorboard firing up at the roof it sounds ok but its very weak. Nearly twice as low in volume.

Same thing when I take my JL Audio box with dual 8's and put it in the truck. With the box facing up it is very weak. With the box firing down its much louder and deeper sounding.

Hmmmm, thinking about all this I may very well do another downfiring box.

I dont want to spend all this time building an upfiring box then find it sound like ****!

exalted512 · May 2005

id rather down fire than upfire, but forward fire over both b/c of the advantage is SQ
-Cody

MacLeod · May 2005

Well youve got enough grunt going to your subs that you dont need to worry about coming up with extra db's.

I have decided to upfire. Im building my box now and am going to stick with the upfiring L5. Im gonna get around .33-.35 ft3 out of it so thatll be the one for me.

Im bulding it over at my dads whenever I can get over there. Im making it out of 1/2" birch plywood.

This is the most complicated box Ive ever built solely because of the back side of it has to slant back at around a 60 degree angle. This is making the whole thing a huge pain in the **** to get everything to line up right. Im sure if I had some actual talent this wouldnt be a problem but oh well. Its good experience tho.

neomagus00 · May 2005

table saws with angle markings are your friend

.

MacLeod · May 2005

I have a jigsaw and a circular saw but neither will go beyond a 45 degree angle.

The angling isnt as much of a problem as the figuring out how long that piece needed to be to stretch from the bottom to the top.

Again, Im sure a lot of people could have had this thing built in less than an hour but Im not very good at visualizing things and going with them. I work best by trial and error. Trial and a LOT of error.

audiobliss · May 2005

lol

Well, keep up with it, Mac; you'll get it.

AustinKP · May 2005

Originally posted by MacLeod
The angling isnt as much of a problem as the figuring out how long that piece needed to be to stretch from the bottom to the top.

Tape measure?

exalted512 · May 2005

maybe you should try it with 1/2" mdf first as its a tad less expensive than birch...
-Cody

MacLeod · May 2005

Originally posted by AustinKP
Tape measure?

Gee whiz, I never thought of that.

Originally quoted by exalted512
maybe you should try it with 1/2" mdf first as its a tad less expensive than birch

When I bought my first pieces, you could get a 2x2 for $5 and a 4X4 for $12 (dont know why it wasnt $10) and this last weekend I went to get some extra and a 2x2 is now $8! :mad:

Ive just about got it figured out now. Ive only got the side pieces left to cut.

Its taking longer than usual cause I live in an apartment and have no place to work so I am building it over at my dads. I work long hours and my gym time takes precedence over the box so Im only working on it a couple of hours once or twice a week.

AustinKP · May 2005

Originally posted by MacLeod
Gee whiz, I never thought of that.

That's exactly why I mentioned it. Sometimes you just forget the small things...

exalted512 · May 2005

you might also want to mention theres 6 sides;)
-Cody

MacLeod · May 2005

Actually, this box will have 7 sides!

MacLeod · June 2005

Well Ive nearly got this box finished (which takes forever when you only work on it a couple hours a month) and according to my figures, its going to have .46 ft3 volume.

This pisses me off. I was wanting to use a MM2104 but knew I couldnt get anywhere near .66 ft3 in the space I was willing to give up so Id accepted that Id be using an 8. Well with it being so close to .66 Im gonna have to figure out how to squeeze another .14 out of it. If I can get .55 or better Ill settle for that. With a little polyfill it should be just right.

Ill go over there tomorrow and hopefully finish it up. I really want to use the Polk so Ill have to figure something out.

exalted512 · June 2005

are you not fiberglassing it??? polyfill can make it seem up to 15% bigger, which will be at .53ft^3...If you can get it up to .56, with 15% itll be right at .66ft^3
-Cody

MacLeod · June 2005

Nah. I got skurred and decided to try it with wood first.

I want to use as little amount of pollyfill as possible. Its always best to build the proper size enclosure than to make up for it with pollyfill.

I figure if I could get .55 or even .60 then I can slip some in there and itll work fine.

It shouldnt be too hard. I have some extra space behind the box I was going to use for extra storage but I can maybe extend the box into there a bit. All I need is .10 extra and Ill be set.

Im heading over to my pa's now to work on it and watch NASCAR so we'll see how it goes.

Im actually happy cause I really wanted the MM2104 and it looks like Im gonna be able to pull it off!

God bless 1/2" birch plywood!!

MacLeod · June 2005

OK, well I did it. Its finished.

Now all I have to do is seal it well. I still have the top off cause I dont know which sub Ill be getting and its easier to seal.

I also skipped installing a terminal for a bunch of reasons. Not the least of which is its 91 degrees here with near 100% humidity and I was EFFING HOT!

Total volume comes up to .45 ft3 so I wont be able to use the Momo but it is big enough that I should be able to find a 10" thatll work. I need one thatll work in a .5 or less box and handle 300-400 watts.

MacLeod · June 2005

From the top.

That back side with the angle was the hardest part to get right. It was a **** to figure out the proper angle and then figure out how to cut it so it would fit. Im sure this would be no problem to most but its a fitting testament to my total incompetance as a craftsman.

On the upside, it fits perfectly. Leaves just enough room for the seat to clear and takes up no more space than I was willing to give up.

MacLeod · June 2005

One last thing. I was wanting to use Diamond Plate for covering. I got the idea from this MTX demo install. I think it would be kinda cool having a diamond plated sub box.

Anyone know where to buy sheets of this stuff? I looked at Lowes and couldnt find any unless I was just missing it.

swerve · June 2005

Originally posted by MacLeod
One last thing. I was wanting to use Diamond Plate for covering. I got the idea from this MTX demo install. I think it would be kinda cool having a diamond plated sub box.

Anyone know where to buy sheets of this stuff? I looked at Lowes and couldnt find any unless I was just missing it.

it it's diamond plate... then call zales they should have some!

AustinKP · June 2005

Originally posted by swerve
it it's diamond plate... then call zales they should have some!

Adam, what happened to your old "the forum idiot" signature?

Mac - looks good so far. Glad you could figure out your 7-sided box

As far as the terminals, I'd totally suggest the ones that I got from Radio Shack All you have to do it drill two 1/2" holes and fits right in place - totally airtight when you screw it down. To make sure, I just put a bead of hot glue around the holes, then bolted it down. Just don't bolt it too tight. You'll snap the dang bolt clean off and have to get a new one. (I did that :mad:) It was only like $2 or $3 though. The screw-down terminals make a nice tight fit though. I'll see if I can take a closer picture so you can see what I'm talking about.

swerve · June 2005

Yes Mac that looks beautiful... call MTX and ask them where to get that stuff...

AustinKP · June 2005

so when I went to take pictures of the terminals, the bolts were a tad shorter than I remembered. Looks like they'd only work for a material 1/4" or thinner. 1/2" is right out. They work great for fiberglass though.
You'll see that one of the bolts is broken, due to overtightening. D'oh!

[Deleted User] · June 2005

Not that I'm condoning using diamond plate:D, but you should be able to find it at mcmaster.com.

swerve · June 2005

Originally posted by Josh
Not that I'm condoning using diamond plate:D, but you should be able to find it at mcmaster.com.

i just remembered where i saw diamond plate last.

it was at a local shop in champaign, IL on the counter... it had plexi over it and featured install pictures... worst install pictures ever... wires and caps slung about... and no real flow to the whole thing. the guy kept saying, "yea that was my big project, lots of wire..." i wanted to slap him and take their cadence amps...

MacLeod · June 2005

Originally posted by Josh
Not that I'm condoning using diamond plate:D, but you should be able to find it at mcmaster.com.

Im not talking about actual diamond plated sheets of aluminium, but fake diamond plate like the stuff you find on those cheap truck tool boxes at Pep Boys.

I just wanted to do something different and something other than carpet.

[Deleted User] · June 2005

Do a paint/plexi/vinyl combo. If you look at most high-end installs, there is little to no D/P. The MTX S10 is one of the exceptions.

swerve · June 2005

Originally posted by Josh
Do a paint/plexi/vinyl combo. If you look at most high-end installs, there is little to no D/P. The MTX S10 is one of the exceptions.

mac - since he said this.. i highly suggest you use as much diamond plate as you can... everywhere...

The Install

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