Infinitebaffle (IB) Setup

[Blackedout]

Anybody have any experience with infinite baffle enclosures? I keep getting mixed opinions on them, but I'm figuring with the equipment I've got, the install space I have, and the goal I'm going for, infinite baffle may be the setup for me.

As of now, I have too little power to reach high SPL numbers, and too little time to be messing around with my system all the time. I'm in college, and I have a ton of stuff waiting back at home for me to install, including 100 sq feet of sound deadening, as well as 100 sq feet of closed cell foam padding, which will set me up for an IB setup... If it will work out with what I have. I have less than 7 days to install everything before I go back to school, but I'm in no rush at all. I want to get it done right.

I have about 1000 RMS going to 2 15'' memphis M3 subwoofers (MC-1000D) and ~300 RMS going to a set, or two if I have time, of 6.5'' zapco component speakers.

Is there such thing as an 'infinite baffle' sub woofer, because many people tend to think so, while some don't.

What I'm looking to do for now is just run what I've got. In short, something low maintenance and efficient, as far as performance goes.

This setup will be sealed off deck, subs forward with the seat down.

Any opinions are greatly appreciated!

[fritosaregood]

Might be hard in a car.

What i know about them is:

mechanical power handling is decreased

not really for spl

the box its in(meaning each side of the wall) needs to be atleast 10x the VAS of the subwoofer

I put some E8's in the center of my back seat for a IB setup a while back. I could barely get 100 watts before mechanical limits at low frequecies.

It did sound very good though, but it was only 2 8's so it wasnt super loud

[Blackedout]

Might be hard in a car.

What i know about them is:

mechanical power handling is decreased

not really for spl

the box its in(meaning each side of the wall) needs to be atleast 10x the VAS of the subwoofer

I put some E8's in the center of my back seat for a IB setup a while back. I could barely get 100 watts before mechanical limits at low frequecies.

It did sound very good though, but it was only 2 8's so it wasnt super loud

It won't be easy, but I'm really looking for something that sounds fairly good, and to be honest IB seems like an awesome way to keep everything really functional in my car. I'll still have back seats and a trunk and everything.

If I can only send 600-800 watts to them, I will be happy. Less load on the electrical of my car. This is a setup I will only be able to listen to once every two months or so. I don't want to touch it. I want to be able to hop in my car, take a road trip and just enjoy the stereo. I've never been able to do that, because I've always been worried about getting louder and louder. I'm hoping it will be louder and more responsive than 2 12s of course, and I'm especially hoping it will still bump at low volumes, but I'm going to try it either way now. The way I want to do it, I'm thinking I'll be able to take out the IB 'wall' from the trunk and throw a box in. If the box doesn't work out, back to IB.

As far as VAS, I can only hope that the 100 SQ feet of mat and 100 sq feet of ensolite can help that. There will definitely still be flex, but I'm going to fill the void spaces and everything... Needs to be done either way.

Edited November 19, 2009 by JDirty96

[BulletInjection]

made just for IB

https://ssl.perfora.net/www.ficaraudio.com/...view.shopscript

[Sp33dyG]

x2 Fi IB3's FTW!

[Blackedout]

made just for IB

https://ssl.perfora.net/www.ficaraudio.com/...view.shopscript

I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the link. Only difference is the suspension stiffness really, kind of to be expected. Nobody has done an IB with 2 15's in my car, only 2 12s... and it wasn't even a coupe, it was a sedan. But he seems to be very happy with the results.

EDIT: Keep in mind -

What I'm looking to do for now is just run what I've got.

I'll worry about throwing down on new equipment once I'm over the M3s... I wanna play with them though.

Edited November 19, 2009 by JDirty96

[Boon]

They do sound really good but forget about efficiency or it being easy... if you don't actually have an INFINITE baffle (i.e. NONE of the rear wave can meet the front wave) then they tend to be pretty weaksauce. And it really, really helps if the baffle is as dead as possible or you'll still get transmission through the panels. So you probably want to line the entire baffle with at least 3/4" MDF, use a HEAP of expanding foam, then layer it up with sound deadening then the closed cell stuff on the cabin side. You don't want any voids between the closed cell foam and the trunk. Best way I have found to do that kind of thing is spread a thin layer of expanding foam over a sheet of MDF then shove it up hard against the back side of the back seat metal (deaden the trunk side if you like but don't put closed cell foam on it). Stick a bunch of self tapping screws through the whole damn lot while it sets then cut back the excess foam that will inevitably pour out the sides.

[Rogers]

a guy on here tried an IB wall with 2 15's... needless to say it sounded like a bunch of 6x9's flapping around....

my advice... just get a sealed enclosure untill you have time to do things right...

[Boon]

a guy on here tried an IB wall with 2 15's... needless to say it sounded like a bunch of 6x9's flapping around....

my advice... just get a sealed enclosure untill you have time to do things right...

LoL... people calling that 'an IB wall' was just a joke at how fail it was

[Neel]

Alright, well if you would have searched for infinite baffle, you would have found a similar thread to this in which i spent some time and replied....

Infinite baffle is an incorrect term commonly used in car stereo applications, an infinite baffle would be a driver installed on a baffle that was infinitely wide and tall, so that the rear wave and the front wave of the speaker never meet. In a car, you can maybe come close by working very very hard to seal off the cabin from the trunk. Also if you get the cabin sealed, you also have to ensure that the total airspace in the trunk will be equal to or greater then the Vas of all the drivers you are using combined, otherwise they will load off the space in the trunk. I am currently in the process of building a 3/8" thick fiberglass baffle that bolts into the frame of my car to hold a pair of 15" IDQv2s so believe me it is not easy. The rear deck must be completely sealed from the cabin , and also the C pillars need to be sealed. For the most part an true infinite baffle configuration is extremely difficult to achieve, the best we can do is try to slow down the rear waves of the drivers from entering the cabin.. which for the most part is acceptable. So the term infinite baffle is incorrect in this situation , it would be more appropriate to call it a trunk baffle (first heard it called this from the guys at ID). Drivers with a high Qts and low Fs are usually considered to be ideal for IB installs. It is not easy to do and is not going to be amazingly loud like a big ported box which is why most guys on this SPL oriented forum are not going to recommend it, but if done correctly it will sound amazing!

Now that we have that out of the way, I don't understand how your saying due to your lack of time you are going to attempt this difficult configuration? Is it easier building a big ported or sealed box that takes a couple hours to design, build and slap in your trunk like most of the guys on this forum....or fabricate a custom baffle that will secure to the frame of your car and will need to be as close to perfectly sealed from the cabin as possible? Oh and there is no way you are going to have 10x the Vas of both 15" drivers in the back of your trunk, you will be lucky to even exceed or meet the Vas of the drivers combined.

I would recommend the AE IB 15s

http://www.aespeakers.com/drivers.php?driver_id=8