Sealed Sub for small under-seat enclosure

[RyanStroeder]

Hello,

For various reasons, I am limited on space under my truck seat. As such, I've been considering the sealed 8-12" single boxes from ground shaker. They have generic models and then 2 specific boxes for the JL TW3 and the Kicker L7T. Typically around 0.55 cu ft of volume (which is right on the lower limit of the 12" L7T, where kicker recommends this volume as the minimum size of a sealed enclosure.

Does anyone have any comments on how to look at the options here? The appeal for me is that the box is under 300$ and the 12" L7T sub is only $225 through MTI Acoustics. Going with a TW3 is about double at 500$.

Alternatively, I could use the generic enclosure and choose an entirely different sub. Ultimately, I'd like to provide it with about 500 W of RMS power and I'm trying to keep the cost down.

I appreciate any responses and commentary,

Cheers

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[amschind]

I don't think that you'll have space....I barely have space for my amp. I wasted a bunch of money and time, but I really like my current setup as a bang for your buck compromise. I started with base audio and bought the Ford/Kicker sub upgrade. The BOX from the Ford/Kicker sub is awesome, but the sub is paper mache cone bolted to a drive-through sign driver and a Lucky Dragon Best Audio-Music Company amp which doubles as a weenie/marshmallow roaster. Further, the combo package is $600 on sale and a dealer will happily charge you $1200 to install it. So for $1900, the only thing that I kept was Ford's turn on wire (which is somehow +6VDC vs the +12VDC that everyone else uses, i.e. almost useless).

Shallow 8" Sub
Front 6x9
Rear 6.5"
4+1Ch 750W Amp
High to Low RCA out converter

I did 6.5" component speakers at all 4 corners and may still go back and put in those speakers as mounting the component tweeters is a pain and I still don't have the rear ones hooked up. I bought a 3.5" speaker for the dash, but honestly I only keep it hooked up so I can get alerts if something happens to the amp. I ran a whole new power wire and speaker wire to all 4 speakers which comes out from the bottom of the driver's B pillar and runs to the amp under the driver's seat (which is a tight fit and how I know that your sub isn't likely to fit). The components listed above are $840, and you will need speaker wire as well as a power cable kit (add another $100). The wild card is finding the sub enclosure on fleabay, which should be cheap as you only want the enclosure and don't care if the garbage sub and amp work. You can also get aftermarket enclosures, but I really like the rotomolded Ford/Kicker enclosure; you could drop it out of an airplane and install it immediately thereafter.

Footnote, that amp will detect speaker signal and turn on from that, but I couldn't get that to work. I hooked Ford's 6VDC $1900 turn-on wire to the gate channel on an SSR which uses that 6V signal to close a circuit from the 12V power wire to the amp's turn on wire terminal. If I hand't already been gashed for $1900 to get that under-voltage turn on wire, I would've worked harder to make the amp's auto turn on feature work.

Anyway, learn from my waste/failure/stupidity and get yourself some nice audio without blowing too much money.

 

[RyanStroeder]

I don't think that you'll have space....I barely have space for my amp. I wasted a bunch of money and time, but I really like my current setup as a bang for your buck compromise. I started with base audio and bought the Ford/Kicker sub upgrade. The BOX from the Ford/Kicker sub is awesome, but the sub is paper mache cone bolted to a drive-through sign driver and a Lucky Dragon Best Audio-Music Company amp which doubles as a weenie/marshmallow roaster. Further, the combo package is $600 on sale and a dealer will happily charge you $1200 to install it. So for $1900, the only thing that I kept was Ford's turn on wire (which is somehow +6VDC vs the +12VDC that everyone else uses, i.e. almost useless).

Shallow 8" Sub
Front 6x9
Rear 6.5"
4+1Ch 750W Amp
High to Low RCA out converter

I did 6.5" component speakers at all 4 corners and may still go back and put in those speakers as mounting the component tweeters is a pain and I still don't have the rear ones hooked up. I bought a 3.5" speaker for the dash, but honestly I only keep it hooked up so I can get alerts if something happens to the amp. I ran a whole new power wire and speaker wire to all 4 speakers which comes out from the bottom of the driver's B pillar and runs to the amp under the driver's seat (which is a tight fit and how I know that your sub isn't likely to fit). The components listed above are $840, and you will need speaker wire as well as a power cable kit (add another $100). The wild card is finding the sub enclosure on fleabay, which should be cheap as you only want the enclosure and don't care if the garbage sub and amp work. You can also get aftermarket enclosures, but I really like the rotomolded Ford/Kicker enclosure; you could drop it out of an airplane and install it immediately thereafter.

Anyway, learn from my waste/failure/stupidity and get yourself some nice audio without blowing too much money.

Ok thanks, I'll check out those links in more detail later, but what do you mean by won't have space?

 

[amschind]

Ok thanks, I'll check out those links in more detail later, but what do you mean by won't have space?

I mean that the amp is maybe 6"x8"x2", but STILL scrapes the bottom of the seat as I adjust it. Even if you can find a sub enclosure smaller than that, I think you'll be underwhelmed with the performance. Added to that, we have some otherwise wasted space against the rear wall of the cab that can accommodate some decent subs. I worry that if you go the underseat route, you'll spend half of what you otherwise would've AND eventually buy the behind the seat solution. Even the 8" sub with 400W isn't gonna rattle your teeth or set off car alarms. I just use it to fill out classical, and Taylor Swift is the most bass heavy music that I listen to (go ahead, judge me you hypocrites!).

 

[RyanStroeder]

I mean that the amp is maybe 6"x8"x2", but STILL scrapes the bottom of the seat as I adjust it. Even if you can find a sub enclosure smaller than that, I think you'll be underwhelmed with the performance. Added to that, we have some otherwise wasted space against the rear wall of the cab that can accommodate some decent subs. I worry that if you go the underseat route, you'll spend half of what you otherwise would've AND eventually buy the behind the seat solution. Even the 8" sub with 400W isn't gonna rattle your teeth or set off car alarms. I just use it to fill out classical, and Taylor Swift is the most bass heavy music that I listen to (go ahead, judge me you hypocrites!).

ah ok fair enough - I understand you now. The only behind the seat option I've come across is the dual 6.5" by SGS and the other behind the seat by MTI Acoustics - have you seen others? I'd rather not grind off bolts in order to fit it back there....

 

[amschind]

ah ok fair enough - I understand you now. The only behind the seat option I've come across is the dual 6.5" by SGS and the other behind the seat by MTI Acoustics - have you seen others? I'd rather not grind off bolts in order to fit it back there....

Completely agree, that's why I like the Ford one, as it just uses bolts that are already there. The back of it is molded to fit the curves of the rear bulkhead and it's securely there with 3 total bolts. It's still a pain to find one and they are overpriced by a factor of 4 new, but ease of install is worth a lot to me.

 

[RyanStroeder]

Completely agree, that's why I like the Ford one, as it just uses bolts that are already there. The back of it is molded to fit the curves of the rear bulkhead and it's securely there with 3 total bolts. It's still a pain to find one and they are overpriced by a factor of 4 new, but ease of install is worth a lot to me.

Yes that makes sense - what about performance though? worth it?

 

[HammaMan]

Taylor Swift is the most bass heavy music that I listen to (go ahead, judge me you hypocrites!).

 

[discothan]

I mean that the amp is maybe 6"x8"x2", but STILL scrapes the bottom of the seat as I adjust it. Even if you can find a sub enclosure smaller than that, I think you'll be underwhelmed with the performance. Added to that, we have some otherwise wasted space against the rear wall of the cab that can accommodate some decent subs. I worry that if you go the underseat route, you'll spend half of what you otherwise would've AND eventually buy the behind the seat solution. Even the 8" sub with 400W isn't gonna rattle your teeth or set off car alarms. I just use it to fill out classical, and Taylor Swift is the most bass heavy music that I listen to (go ahead, judge me you hypocrites!).

So what's the bassiest/thumpy-est Taylor Swift song?

 

[amschind]

So what's the bassiest/thumpy-est Taylor Swift song?

"Blank Space" is surprisingly thumpy. One time I was in the line for a Southwest flight and unplugged my headphone jack such that my phone kept playing, just via the speakers. I believe that was "1989". After that my fellow passengers avoided eye contact with me, like I had ripped a silent fart and everyone knew that it was me.

 

[amschind]

Yes that makes sense - what about performance though? worth it?

I don't think that it can make an 8" sub notably louder than any other correctly sized and sealed box; the payout is the fitment.

 

[discothan]

"Blank Space" is surprisingly thumpy. One time I was in the line for a Southwest flight and unplugged my headphone jack such that my phone kept playing, just via the speakers. I believe that was "1989". After that my fellow passengers avoided eye contact with me, like I had ripped a silent fart and everyone knew that it was me.

hehe...so during mostly SWA taxi and take-off, I usually hang my ipad mini off the folded up tray table and put on Eras movie from where it left off last time and get through about 4 songs. I get dirty looks from my wife and daughter....creeper looks....

 

[amschind]

hehe...so during mostly SWA taxi and take-off, I usually hang my ipad mini off the folded up tray table and put on Eras movie from where it left off last time and get through about 4 songs. I get dirty looks from my wife and daughter....creeper looks....

It's okay. The first step is admitting it. There are meetings as well, if that's your thing.

Hi, my name is Adam, and I listen to Taylor Swift.

 

[Wakevictim]

I built my own box for the 12tw3 for about $60. 1/2” MDF. If you live in Williamsburg Va, I’ll build you one for 200.

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/custom-built-down-firing-sub-box.8966/

 

[RyanStroeder]

I built my own box for the 12tw3 for about $60. 1/2” MDF. If you live in Williamsburg Va, I’ll build you one for 200.

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/custom-built-down-firing-sub-box.8966/

Thanks for the offer, but I’m up here in Canada

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