I have to agree with this person above. From my professional opinion, a box like this would not last very long. I would recommend this enclosure for lower power/low output sub woofer systems only. Installing a high output sub woofer with lots of power behind it will definitely break apart this box and a simple leak in a sealed box can damage your sub woofer or amp.
On another note: the seller is saying you can simply cut a port into the box and you will have a ported box. This is the worse advice I have seen in this thread so far. It is a scientific fact that ported boxes are generally larger in volume than their sealed counter parts. Taking a small sealed box (these boxes do seem like small sealed boxes, even though the volume is not shown. You can calculate the internal volume by using the given dimensions) and cutting a hole and installing a port would not only hinder the performance of the sub woofer, it can easily damage the woofer and cause the voice coil to short out, which can also damage the amplifier.
If you guys are looking for a cheap, temporary box solution, then these are great. But they are no substitute for a spec tuned, hand build box. Do not waste your time with a box like this if you are looking for lots of bass or high output sub woofers. I would not recommend a woofer that can handle more than 600 watts to be put into this box and even 600 watts is really pushing it.
Sorry to bash on your product seller, but its only fair that potential buyers are also informed of the cons of such a product from industry professionals.
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What makes you so sure about that? It's 3/4" MDF with proper assembly techniques. I don't see that at all/ What makes an enclosure that you would build, of the same dimensions, any better?
Tell that to Richard Clark then
Is there anywhere where he stated to port this enclosure? If I missed that, then ok, fair game.
Anybody who knows anything about audio is not going to purchase a pre-fab'd enclosure anyways, so there's really no point to bash this enclosure. It's well designed, well built, and very, very affordable.
Last edited by kendogg; 10-24-2008 at 06:57 PM.
As I stated in my posts, a high output sub woofer system with high output amp would easily break that box apart. My Digital Designs 12 inch woofer with 1500 watts behind it would easily destroy those boxes.
Why my box would be able to withstand such brutal pressure is because I would make the front face of the box 1.5 inches thick and install internal bracing, which I do on the boxes I build.
My point is these boxes are great for people who want entry level sub woofer systems and who are on a budget. But more than half of the audio systems that I used to put in were people who really wanted lots of high output bass in their car. I would sell them a box like this ever. What about human error? What if they do not thread the screws tight enough? What if they strip the screws before they are all the way in?
The seller mentioned twice about ported the sealed box to make it ported a ported box. Those comments alone are why I felt I should contribute to this thread.
But this box is not any better than any other pre-fab box that you buy at the store. If you want your car to hit hard and be hard down the block, then you will require the right box, built to the specs of the sub woofer.
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Well designed? For what woofer? Every woofer?
Well built? Who is building it? A first time box builder? Master carpenter? I'm sure I can take this enclosure and make it stronger than someone who has never built a box before, its all relative.
Affordable I have to agree with, Its a great price.
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Well designed, as in, how it's put together. PLEASE explain how this encosure isn't well built. I beg to differ. You complain about the screw holes stripping?? Like I said to the jagoff from Maxxsonics, apparently you don't understand what holds an enclosure together either??
I'm sure you can make this enclosure stronger as well. I never said you cannot. For 75% of the buying public buying 'average' or even 'good' woofers, this enclosure might be fine (so long as airspace requirements are met, obviously), nobody ever said you should be using this enclosure to burp at an SPL comp.
You can actually destroy 3/4 mdf with a 12" woofer? This I gotta see.
Correct, I was asked twice if it could be ported and I said yes. I do not see a problem with that. Nowhere did I say just cut a hole and thow a tube in there. Porting requires specific size ports to tune the enclosure.The seller mentioned twice about ported the sealed box to make it ported a ported box. Those comments alone are why I felt I should contribute to this thread.
As far as the rest of your earlier statement about porting I disagree with most of what you said, but I am not going to argue it here.
That blanket statement is incorrect. Most of the pre-fab boxes are not made anywhere near as good as this one.But this box is not any better than any other pre-fab box that you buy at the store.
Please start a new thread and I will be glad to argue all of these points with you. This thread shows how to build a sub box in 5 minutes for $30 (hence the title). Somewhere this concept was lost along the way.
Very disappointing to see these enclosures touted on a BMW forum. If you want to push these as cheap enclosures, then, yes, that would be an accurate assessment. If you start suggesting they be vented, etc., you definitely are crossing into dangerous waters. There is just enough airspace for most woofers in that enclosure sealed. Not only would you need more airspace for the enclosure to be vented, but an additional amount of volume would be needed to compensate for the displacement of the port.
You tout these as a cheap alternative, but how cheap, really. If you could get a professionally built vented enclosure for around $150-$180, would that be a good deal? You will pick up about a 3db gain from a vented enclosure over a sealed. So, by spending an additional $110.00ish dollars, you have effectively added another sub for that price. PLUS, you would (hopefully, if you went to a good independent dealer) have a better constructed, better sounding enclosure, that is built to your car. It would be covered in a carpet that could match your trunk, and even built to fit a specific area of the trunk if you wanted. More bass, better looks, better functionality. All of that for a little over 100 bucks. That sounds like a deal to me!
I would expect that owning a BMW would at least mean the person understood VALUE to some degree. You guys chose a finely crafted German machine. You had the choice to buy a Toyota, or a Honda, or a Geo Metro, but you didn't chose those. You demand more that an A to B ride. Why compromise on your audio to save a few dollars (if you can even call it saving, after my points were made..)?
I hope that I have shed a little more light on the additional benefits of having an enclosure custom built.
If you have a $40 dollar sub, and just need an enclosure for it, these might be the way to go... If you want to maximize the investment you made in your subwoofer purchase, consider having an enclosure built.
Oh, I know that wood glue holds enclosures together, screws and brad nails are temporary to hold it together while the glue sets. That foam tape that comes with the box is not sufficient for a long life box., wood glue should be required.
Again, my point is that these boxes are great for entry level sub woofer systems but they are not recommended for high output sub systems. How many times have I said that already?
When I read the original post, I felt the vendor did not specify if this and people who are looking to drop in their JL audio w7's, RE woofers, Digital Design woofers, and other high end woofers will not benefit from a box like this. High output woofer's magnet displacement alone will drop the internal volume too much to have a efficient enclosure.
Vendor, take a digital designs 9512 12 inch woofer, feed it 4000 watts and I'm sure you will see how a box can break apart.
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I could not agree more. Would you put your under $200 sub system in your BMW? I wouldn't and I'm sure the majority of the BMW owners would not either. I'm sure these enclosures would sell much better in a Honda forum. But dont let that discourage you from selling them here and to the guys who are defending this box, please buy one for yourself and sport it at your next BMW meet.
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I respect that you're here trying to earn a living. I have been building custom cars for a decade, leaning heavy on the audio side, and I am generally disgusted by this product. Obviously it fits a niche, Bosch is a smart company making everything from relays to washing machines, so they know these things are gonna sell. From an installer's perspective, I cannot be made to believe that double sided tape can hold a pourous surface to another pourous surface for a long period of time.
In most cases, double sided tape can't hold a Sirius radio to the dash of your car for 2 weeks. I have built sub boxes for every model of BMW (expcept the Isotta and 2002, but someday...) from $80 up to $1500 enclosures, and its rare to find a BMW owner that would be satisfied with a product like this. The color won't match the trunk, the angle doesn't match the back of the seat, and I don't see "blue dot" embroidery as a bonus, even if it is in German.
Aside from my work at one of the US' premiere car builders, I have my own manufacturing business, where I sell... speaker enclosures. When the BMW designs are ready for sale, I will get into it more, but you won't see any of my designs held together with tape. So before you take the offensive on me, remember that you don't build these, you sell them. And there is nothing wrong with selling them, but I think that the BMW community as a whole is the wrong outlet. This is product best targeted toward entry level vehicles and their owners.
I have been inactive on this site for over a year, but when I saw a picture of this box on another forum I frequent, I had to chime in on it. As I said on the other forum, this is probably the worst thing to happen to the 12v industry since the LED winshield washers.
Ryan Pepsin
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This is awesome. I never knew we had so many important people in this forum. We have a V.P. of Product Development, Industry professional and a U.S. Premiere car builder here, all missing the point.
Welcome!!
No, you didn't. You just told people to spend a few hundred dollars and that is what they SHOULD have, and basically told people that because they drive BMW's that they need to spend more money.
Not enough. I didn't know that 3/4 mdf was not suitable for high output subs.
Ok ....Vendor, take a digital designs 9512 12 inch woofer, feed it 4000 watts and I'm sure you will see how a box can break apart.
Thanks for confirming
Yeah, inactive. Inactive implies once active. Thanks for your input and I'm glad you made your first post here today.I have been inactive on this site for over a year, but when I saw a picture of this box on another forum I frequent, I had to chime in on it. As I said on the other forum, this is probably the worst thing to happen to the 12v industry since the LED winshield washers.
Last edited by 12v Electronics; 10-25-2008 at 12:18 AM.
All,
Whose advice would you trust? The sales guy or the technician?
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How about both?
And with the innacurate comments you made I definately would not listen to you.
Last edited by 12v Electronics; 10-25-2008 at 12:23 AM.
haha, inaccurate? How many boxes have you designed and built? I bet less than 5. I've designed and built several hundred boxes, both ported, sealed, band pass, and isobaric. I made them with wood, fiberglass, and metal. None of what I have said in this entire thread is inaccurate.
How long have you been in the car industry? Not long it sounds, I can tell because you are disagreeing with time tested industry knowledge.
Lets make a bet, I'll buy 100 of your boxes if you post that same thread at Termpro.com and if you get a good response, I'll pay you the money and you can keep the boxes cause i dont know what to do with them. I can burn them in my fireplace because of the chemicals in MDF.
If the majority of the responses are negative then you have to retire selling here at BF.com. That sounds more than fair for your wonderfully designed and built boxes.
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Looking at the pic in your avatar, I was building boxes when you were getting your diapers changed.
Well, I think Tom has every right to sell his wares here. He is a supporting vendor, so I am guessing he helps keep this place up and running. I don't think this warrants any sort of competition. He showed a new product and his views. I wanted to share my views based on my experiences. Now the consumer can make an educated decision on what they will purchase. It is as simple as that.
Thank you!
The premise of this thread was to build a box in 5 minutes for $30. It has been established in the original post that glue can be used on the joints, which will stop most of this rambling.
I am not diasgreeing that custom boxes can be and are better. What I am arguing is that you cannot get one for $30.
So wait, let me get this straight.
I just went to your website. The only manufacturers you picked up through your business since 1989 is Blaupukt and Hybrid Audio? C'mon man, you gotta be kidding me.
Do you really expect us to believe that Blaupunkt boxes are good enough for the majority of the woofers out there? And if you want a ported box you can cut a hole and mount a specific length tube?
I'm really sorry to bag on your boxes and your company but you accuse me of being inaccurate and that really hurt me haha.
To sum these boxes up, if you have flea market subs, entry level subs, old used subs, these boxes are great because they are cheap and easy to assemble.
If you just spend over $700 on that new sub woofer and amp and want a box for you BMW, would you really spend $30 on a budget box? C'mon
SO vendor and the rest who support these boxes, please go and buy these boxes, install one into your car and marvel at how good it sounds, how accurate it sounds, and how loud it is. I'm sure the $30 box will satisfy your every bass need.
Amateur car audio enthusiasts, use your resources and build your box. It will be a great experience. There are tons of box builders, including myself, who are more than willing to share our techniques, methods, and designs so you can build your own.
All you need is a sheet of wood, screws, wood glue, drill, and jig saw. A circular saw would also be nice and you can custom build a box that is tuned to that manufacturers recommend specs.
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In this case - the salesmans!!
Exactly. I'm building a slot-ported enclosure for my Acoustic Elegance AV15 that I'm getting. I don't think one of these enclosures will work for my needs
And look at all the newbies claiming to be this or that pitching an absolute FIT over this, . Tom, you sure seemed to have ruffled some feathers here, hahahaha. Apparently $30 for an enclosure is not only unheard of, but unsafe as well???
Last edited by kendogg; 10-25-2008 at 02:13 AM.
a sheet of MDF is about 25 dollars, and it is enough to make just about any box. Might be a little more for carpet and plugs though.
This is a great box for some one lacking woodworking skills!!
School me Tom. Show everyone that I don't know what I'm talking about when it comes to enclosure design and fabrication. You not the only one who has owned car audio shops and has sold to thousands of customers. Please read my writings and pick out how inaccurate I am but don't pull anything out of context, cause that would be cheating.
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Did you really expect on gain some respect in this thread by claiming that you are getting an Acoustic Elegance AV15?
Just because we're not cool and don't have 5000 posts to our screen name it doesn't make us newbies. Life does exist outside of internet forums.
I linked this thread to one of the top 12V forums and the "box" got laughed at quite a bit.
JoeyK, Pepsi870, gmannino, and John have already said, these boxes are great for someone with no money to spend. Is this the typical BMW owner? I don't think so. Instead of pitching this cheap, quick and easy box on a BMW forum, encourage custom boxes that are going to last longer, sound better, and look better inside of a BMW owner's trunk.
Look in the trunk of a $30000 BMW and see a $30 sub enclosure. What does that say about the owner? Broke? Uninformed? Fell for the hype?
As a BMW owner AND a professional installer for 11 years, I would never install this kind of rubbish in my car or a customer's car. Period.
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