Joined
·
5,685 Posts
So I see a lot of boats with subs mounted on panels or under seats without boxes.. What kind of subs are these? Are they any good?
Subs that don't need boxes?!?!
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
Joined
·
11,635 Posts
x2Dont do it. Running subs with no boxes is like trying to run your engine with no cylinders.
devil, get some solobaric kickers, they don't require much of a box to speak of and will jam like you gave them a huge boxdevildevil
Joined
·
232 Posts
I have some JL Audio Marine version 10's that are running free air and sound great. They are under my back seat so they are inclosed a little.
Joined
·
5,685 Posts
x2
I was thinking of doing 8" solobarics as Im limited to room for a big box. Or some shallow mount 10" kickers. I heard the shallow mount subs kinda suck though??
Joined
·
1,387 Posts
Agreed, free air speakers work for certain purposes.
I just had Memphis Audio marine speakers put in, 2x8's and 2 6x9's, and a single free air ten mounted under the rear seat (all run with a JL 4 chan amp). There's definitely enough punch for the rock I listen too, and really enough bass for occaisonal rap. it won't pound hard like some of the sealed box subs I had in cars as "a kid", but works great for me and was easy (for the guy that installed it anyways
). Only problem now is my new deep cycle seems to suck and can't power the amp without the alternator going, or it cuts out.
Joined
·
1,680 Posts
Again, don't do it. Mine (JL Audio 12W6V2's) were mounted in the void space in the sponsons and to me they sound like crap. I'm working on building boxes to manufacturers specs.
I've been doing a lot of research and am amazed at how inexpensive stereo equipment is compared to the old days. Check out some forums and research some of the smaller manufacturers. Check out....FI Audio (BTL subs) and Audioque.com. They are highly recommended by the professionals. You can also check out Youtube and get a feel for how hard some speakers hit. It's ridiculous how hard subs hit these days.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa4Mo_O6Bf8
I've been doing a lot of research and am amazed at how inexpensive stereo equipment is compared to the old days. Check out some forums and research some of the smaller manufacturers. Check out....FI Audio (BTL subs) and Audioque.com. They are highly recommended by the professionals. You can also check out Youtube and get a feel for how hard some speakers hit. It's ridiculous how hard subs hit these days.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa4Mo_O6Bf8
Joined
·
1,387 Posts
Were those free-air subs, or just mounted without a box? That would make a huge difference. Infinite baffle subs are designed differently. They aren't ideal, but can do OK if you aren't looking for pounding, real deep bass.
Joined
·
1,680 Posts
Negative, They are not free air subs. They were mounted on MDF, mounted into the freespace of my sponsons creating an enclosure. Not a 100% sealed airspace, and it was smaller than the recommended air space for the speakers. I'm not the biggest fan of open air subs, but I am a very picky person when it comes to stereos.
I have heard the Kickers in smaller enclosures and was more impressed than other manufacturers in small enclosures
Joined
·
1,983 Posts
I would try these if you want. http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=20858
Joined
·
427 Posts
Amen! I originally started looking at infinite baffle subs with no box and have now decided on Kicker Solobaric L7 in a hidden sealed box.x2
Joined
·
5,685 Posts
Where did you end up hidding the box? Under that hatch? How'd it sound?
Joined
·
3,173 Posts
cant really go wrong with the solobaric's dont take up much space and they take a beating and keep going! i have 2 L7 12's on ours rock,reggae,oldies, rap all sound gooddevil
note: it also depends what kind of power and wiring configuration you are putting to thembulb
devilnote: it also depends what kind of power and wiring configuration you are putting to them
bulb
Joined
·
11,635 Posts
i had a set of the 12's in my taylor sc daycruiser and a punch 800 4 channel. bridged 2 channels to 1 speaker, the other 2 to the other speaker and while sitting in the water in a calm cove, it'd make ripples on water all the way around the boatcant really go wrong with the solobaric's dont take up much space and they take a beating and keep going! i have 2 L7 12's on ours rock,reggae,oldies, rap all sound good
note: it also depends what kind of power and wiring configuration you are putting to them
you could turn it up alil and it'd put cig lighters out within 5ft of the boat, sound waves would phuck up the flame or something, regardless i never could lite a cig near the boat when we were jamming and drunk
Joined
·
5,685 Posts
Have any of you guys tried poly-fill? Its supposed to make the sub think its in a bigger box? Cheap stuff, like 5 bucks a bag.
Joined
·
2,813 Posts
slows down the sound waves thus giving the impression of a larger box.......Old installers trick and might help a tad. (I use it in all my boxes that I build and you can buy it at Michaels)
Check out the new shallow mount pioneers....We threw a 12" sub in a buddies truck with a .80 box and it pounds pretty good.
Joined
·
11,635 Posts
yep works great! just fill half the box though. what did you decide on?
Joined
·
5,685 Posts
Joined
·
11,635 Posts
that'll jam on the water
devildevildevil put a big 2ohm stable amp on em, they can handle itgrn make sure to give it at least a 2farad cap as well, keep yo batteries living alil longerbulb
Joined
·
1,387 Posts
Than that is a totally different story, and they won't work right of course.
Ones designed to be free air work a bit better.
I'm pretty pleased with my Memphis set up and the price was pretty good.
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
