The ideal dimensions for an enclosure

[SICKSPD]

Okay so I've been looking high and low for a source to answer this but with no luck so here it goes: when designing an enclosure (assuming you have the recommended specs for volume and tuning) and you have some leeway with the maximum possible dimensions that would fit, how do you determine which is ideal. For example you want to build a box with a given volume and you could go about achieving that volume with a number of different combinations of dimensions but is there an ideal ratio between dimensions for the best output? Lets say you could build a box thats narrower in width but deeper in length or you could shorter in length and narrower in width but taller in height, how would these various dimensions (all coming out to be the same volume) affect the output of the box? Is it trial and error? Or no ideal ratio for dimensions?

[hazestorm23]

It could all depend also on the subs your running. I'm interested on info from the more exp guys also .

[SICKSPD]

Well Im going to be running 2 SA-8 v2s, but I have leeway as to whether I want the box to be taller but not as deep or wider and not as tall and Id like to know what difference these possibilities could have on the output of the box if there is any.

[B-Large]

I have a single sa8-v2 and this thread helped me decide on my enclosure.

http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/142880-sa-8-v2-enclosure-help/

i actually used the second single design by john 253a. Never gave him the cred either and love the enclosures sound. If your reading this thanks john!

[Junior Russell]

tuned for an answer as this sounds very insteresting

[SICKSPD]

There has to be some sort of rule of thumb that dictates the dimensional ratio of a box design in order to be as efficient as possible given a specific volume and tune

I suppose this assumption also applies to designing a port

[B-Large]

Don't remember if it was from thread posted but remember reading that sa8's like having room behind the woofer so maybe deeper on the enclosure would be better then tall.

[SICKSPD]

Don't remember if it was from thread posted but remember reading that sa8's like having room behind the woofer so maybe deeper on the enclosure would be better then tall.

Well thats good to know, but bad news for me lol I planned on invert mounting them but that would mean moving the box further back with a trunk sealed enclosure so this tiny box would still take up a lot of room in the trunk. dammit lol

[Triticum Agricolam]

In the home audio world folks like to build boxes based on the "golden ratio" which is 1:1.618. So how this works in practice is say you have a box that 24" tall, you would then make it 24/1.618 = ~14-7/8 deep and 24*1.618=~38-7/8" wide. So you end up with a box 14.875" x 24" x 38.875"

Using the golden rule is supposed to help reduce standing waves within the enclosure. I'm pretty sure you will never hear the difference in car audio (and I kinda doubt it in home audio either) but that's the "best" way to do it.

If you google "golden ratio speaker design" you will find a bunch of info on it.

[Triticum Agricolam]

One thing that I try to keep in mind when when designing is to make sure you never have any dimension of the box or your port length be greater than a half-wave length of a frequency the enclosurw will play, So for 100 Hz that is about 70". Its a pretty rare problem to run into, but you can get up close to that length with your ports if you are like me and like lots of port area, low tuning, and small internal volume.

The reason you want to stay under a half-wave length is you can get some nasty harmonics if you crossover your subs that high and have something that long. Obviously if you crossover lower the number gets larger and is almost never going to be a problem.