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What effect does location of a subwoofer on the baffle have in a car?


BassDoctor

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Hey guys. Quick question.

What effect, if any, does the location of a subwoofer on the baffle have in a car audio application?

Since I've never been the best with explaining questions, I'll do a quick drawing. I am asking this for a ported enclosure particularly, but I'd love to hear about other enclosures as well. Port is not included in the drawing because I did not want to introduce another variable.

l----------l is our baffle before subwoofer placement.

Placement1= l-----x-----l Center

Placement2= l----x------l

Placement3= l---x-------l

Placement4= l--x--------l

Placement5= l-x---------l

Placement6= lx----------l Far left

I've skimmed through the Loudspeaker Cookbook, where Vance touches up on this, but I'm not sure if things are different when considering the smaller environment and higher power usage in car audio.

I'd assume that the sub being closer to the outer wall would have some loading effect, but I do not know enough about loading to be certain.

I hope that this question is clear and someone can help :drink40:

04 Honda Accord LX Sedan

Kenwood Excelon X998

XS Power D3400

XS Power D1200

Singer 275A alternator with factory bypass

64 sqft SecondSkin Damplifier

Build to be decided

:peepwall:

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Where is your port at in above diagram? Or is it sealed? Or is a bandpass? All of these play different roles. Cone control and sub placement is very important.

TEAM SOUNDQUBED -- TEAM SOUTH

TEAM S.O.B. - Founder & Captain

3x Streetbeat World Record Holder

2017 MWSPL 1st place Mayhem & 4th Xtreme 4 
2016 MWSPL 1st place Mayhem/2nd Adv 4/2nd Xtreme 4
2015 MWSPL 2nd place Mayhem & 4th Xtreme 4
2014 USACI 2nd place Streetbeat 5 - 162.6 db
2014 MWSPL 2nd place Xtreme 4 - 144.9 db
2013 USACI 1st place Streetbeat 4 - 161.9 db
2013 USACI 1st place Street Q+ - 162.8 db
2013 MWSPL 3rd Kaos2 & 4th Xtreme 4
2011 USACI 2nd place MOD 1001-2k - 160.0 db
2011 MWSPL 4th place: Adv3 - 157.8 db, Kaos2 - 150s db, Xtreme4 - 140s db
2010 ARSPL 1st place 501-750 - 160.3 db Arkansas loudest

Best score to date 164.4 db - Termlab Outlaw

Streetbeat 4 - 161.9 db

Streetbeat 5 - 162.6 db

MWSPL on Dash Legal door open (Music) - 162.5 db

Sealed on dash Legal (Music) - 161.1 db - Termlab

THE BLACK NASTY CURRENT BUILD & FAB

The Black Nasty (6) 15 Rebuild Log 2012

(4) 15 Walled Sierra Build Log

Evo X build log

Facebook page The Black Nasty

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Where is your port at in above diagram? Or is it sealed? Or is a bandpass? All of these play different roles. Cone control and sub placement is very important.

I am asking this for a ported enclosure in particular, I hadn't thought to include the port because I didn't want to introduce another variable. My assumption was that you'd move the port as you moved the woofer, but if that is wrong please let me know.

04 Honda Accord LX Sedan

Kenwood Excelon X998

XS Power D3400

XS Power D1200

Singer 275A alternator with factory bypass

64 sqft SecondSkin Damplifier

Build to be decided

:peepwall:

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Need to know more information to accurately answer your questions, cuz my response and the answer would change based on vehicle, your goals, and number of woofers, and power. Also tuning plays a part too.

TEAM SOUNDQUBED -- TEAM SOUTH

TEAM S.O.B. - Founder & Captain

3x Streetbeat World Record Holder

2017 MWSPL 1st place Mayhem & 4th Xtreme 4 
2016 MWSPL 1st place Mayhem/2nd Adv 4/2nd Xtreme 4
2015 MWSPL 2nd place Mayhem & 4th Xtreme 4
2014 USACI 2nd place Streetbeat 5 - 162.6 db
2014 MWSPL 2nd place Xtreme 4 - 144.9 db
2013 USACI 1st place Streetbeat 4 - 161.9 db
2013 USACI 1st place Street Q+ - 162.8 db
2013 MWSPL 3rd Kaos2 & 4th Xtreme 4
2011 USACI 2nd place MOD 1001-2k - 160.0 db
2011 MWSPL 4th place: Adv3 - 157.8 db, Kaos2 - 150s db, Xtreme4 - 140s db
2010 ARSPL 1st place 501-750 - 160.3 db Arkansas loudest

Best score to date 164.4 db - Termlab Outlaw

Streetbeat 4 - 161.9 db

Streetbeat 5 - 162.6 db

MWSPL on Dash Legal door open (Music) - 162.5 db

Sealed on dash Legal (Music) - 161.1 db - Termlab

THE BLACK NASTY CURRENT BUILD & FAB

The Black Nasty (6) 15 Rebuild Log 2012

(4) 15 Walled Sierra Build Log

Evo X build log

Facebook page The Black Nasty

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I was hoping there would be a general answer so that I can apply the knowledge for future builds, but nothing is that simple with car audio.

I don't have anything set in stone yet, so this is more hypothetical than anything. Let's say that the vehicle is an 04 Honda Accord sedan, the power is 3-4kw, the goal is SPL for one enclosure and musicality with a preference for low notes as the goal for another. Two 10" woofers.

04 Honda Accord LX Sedan

Kenwood Excelon X998

XS Power D3400

XS Power D1200

Singer 275A alternator with factory bypass

64 sqft SecondSkin Damplifier

Build to be decided

:peepwall:

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Share on other sites

SO in general as I can put this since it is a hypothetical, you want the woofer as far away from the port, and by doing so you help control loading, woofer and port placement will depend on org you are competing in and lots of vehicle testing. For daily, subs up port up seems to get a great response. For trunk car, subs forward, port in the middle forward. Just my opinion and what I found from testing.

TEAM SOUNDQUBED -- TEAM SOUTH

TEAM S.O.B. - Founder & Captain

3x Streetbeat World Record Holder

2017 MWSPL 1st place Mayhem & 4th Xtreme 4 
2016 MWSPL 1st place Mayhem/2nd Adv 4/2nd Xtreme 4
2015 MWSPL 2nd place Mayhem & 4th Xtreme 4
2014 USACI 2nd place Streetbeat 5 - 162.6 db
2014 MWSPL 2nd place Xtreme 4 - 144.9 db
2013 USACI 1st place Streetbeat 4 - 161.9 db
2013 USACI 1st place Street Q+ - 162.8 db
2013 MWSPL 3rd Kaos2 & 4th Xtreme 4
2011 USACI 2nd place MOD 1001-2k - 160.0 db
2011 MWSPL 4th place: Adv3 - 157.8 db, Kaos2 - 150s db, Xtreme4 - 140s db
2010 ARSPL 1st place 501-750 - 160.3 db Arkansas loudest

Best score to date 164.4 db - Termlab Outlaw

Streetbeat 4 - 161.9 db

Streetbeat 5 - 162.6 db

MWSPL on Dash Legal door open (Music) - 162.5 db

Sealed on dash Legal (Music) - 161.1 db - Termlab

THE BLACK NASTY CURRENT BUILD & FAB

The Black Nasty (6) 15 Rebuild Log 2012

(4) 15 Walled Sierra Build Log

Evo X build log

Facebook page The Black Nasty

16163044_large.gif

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Great man, thank you for taking the time to respond. I'll keep all of this in mind when designing my next enclosures. :drink40:

04 Honda Accord LX Sedan

Kenwood Excelon X998

XS Power D3400

XS Power D1200

Singer 275A alternator with factory bypass

64 sqft SecondSkin Damplifier

Build to be decided

:peepwall:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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