Fiberglass enclosures question
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Bronze Member Username: SglasgowazPost Number: 19 Registered: Dec-08 | Can fiberglass enclosures work as well as sealed MDF enclosures? Sound is more important but also want to know of any heat issues to be careful of. |
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Gold Member Username: Hittin1Lake Charles, La. United States Post Number: 1947 Registered: May-07 | yes, if done properly, Berny can better help ya on this subject.. not my forte'. might be able to squeeze in ported box with polyfill. |
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Bronze Member Username: SglasgowazPost Number: 20 Registered: Dec-08 | We are talking non-ported. Everyone recommended sealed due to my son talking me into 2 15" woofers for his car which leaves no room for a ported box. So figured if we have to go sealed, and he would also like it to look good, then maybe a fiberglass enclosure would be the way to go rather than a canned sealed box. Just wondering what you give up in sound and heat build up (if it's a factor?) |
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Gold Member Username: Hittin1Lake Charles, La. United States Post Number: 1948 Registered: May-07 | heat will not be a problem.. as for sound. there are different ways to do the FG enclosures... FG over MDF or FG only.. either way will cost a pretty penny unless you can do it youself.. btw this is Mark Brockman, so I know why the sealed is likely. But giving it some thought a slightly smaller the recommended ported enclosure with polyfill might be an option. would likely be louder than sealed. |
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Gold Member Username: Talon01Team Revolution , Pa Usa Post Number: 1878 Registered: Jun-07 | if built properly nothing will change. |
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Bronze Member Username: SglasgowazPost Number: 21 Registered: Dec-08 | I was thinking over MDF. FG would be for looks/front or just looks with the entire enclosure MDF. And yes, I understand the cost (both hiring someone and doing it outselves)...especially since I require some additional tools, and yes, planning on doing it ourselves if we go this route. Figure it would be a nice project for my son and I, and yes, I realize we could mess up and spend even more.  |
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Gold Member Username: Hittin1Lake Charles, La. United States Post Number: 1949 Registered: May-07 | you sound like a smart and caring father. I wish you the best of luck.. Let us know if you have moe questions. |
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Bronze Member Username: SglasgowazPost Number: 22 Registered: Dec-08 | Actually I do, and yes, I have probably over-extended my question asking over the last week. Is it better to go with all MDF enclosure with a FG overlay for looks? Or can it be FG for the "show" parts only without losing sound quality? And how thick should the FG be for optimum sound for 15" woofers? I understand that fiberglass can provide the "reflex" needed for good sound, but most of my research so far shows 12" FG enclosures, and while none of them specify thickness, they appear to be 3mm thick? |
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Bronze Member Username: SglasgowazPost Number: 23 Registered: Dec-08 | Sorry, another question. For optimum sound, it seems there is a certain amount of "air space" required...but nothing I have read really tells me if that is for the enclosure or the space around the enclosure. I am guessing it is the space around, but the actual enclosure space affects sound quality as well not to mention what the life expectancy could be if the air is too tight in the enclosure. Is my understanding that the enclosure is meant to separate/redirect the boom (air movement) from the front from the back, which is why there is the separation? Which makes sense...so if that is true, you want ample room but not too much, to capture that reverse air movement as well? How much room should be between the back part of the sub and the enclosure, assuming a normal install vs reverse install? |
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Bronze Member Username: SglasgowazPost Number: 24 Registered: Dec-08 | oops...not millimeters..but appear to be thinner than a 1/4". |
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Gold Member Username: Hittin1Lake Charles, La. United States Post Number: 1950 Registered: May-07 | optimum airspace is refering to the internal mass of the enclosure. If FG over MDF, is what you deside on the MDF will do the job of the encllosure so the FG will pretty much be for show. |
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Bronze Member Username: SglasgowazPost Number: 25 Registered: Dec-08 | Thanks. So, for internal mass, what would be ideal for an enclosure for a 15"? I only see external cubic feet, nothing that specifies what the size of the enclosure should be, every calculator I found asks for the enclosure size. And I saw some pics of a Lancer with 2 15's in separate enclosures, but they looked small compared to what I would think they would need? One of my home systems has Pro Studio II speakers which are 15" x 2 and equivilent to ported sub's and even if they were sealed, look bigger than the enclosure for that one dude's sub enclosure. |
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Gold Member Username: BernymacPhnom PenhCambodia Post Number: 4504 Registered: Sep-04 | If you are serious about fiberglassing visit this forum http://www.fiberglassforums.com/index.php All they do is fiberglass. I only know the process it takes to fiberglass and how to do it. The way it affects sound is another thing. I haven't gotten that far as of yet. |
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Bronze Member Username: SglasgowazPost Number: 26 Registered: Dec-08 | Thank you BernyMac! |
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Gold Member Username: JakeyplaysbassSt. Louis, MO / ASU Post Number: 3474 Registered: Jul-05 | What subs are you using? Also HT subwoofer systems use huge boxes (upwards of 8-10cuft per sub) and in no way are similar to car audio boxes. The only way you will lose SQ or output in a fiberglass box is if you dont know the exact specs of the box. You might believe you are making a 3cuft box but in reality it could be much smaller, making a difference in sound. Wood boxes are MUCH easier but dont look near as custom. If i was you i would make the box out of wood and then do fiberglass inserts or panels to make it look custom. But you CAN do the whole thing in glass if your up for it. Get ready to be high as a kite. |
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Bronze Member Username: SglasgowazPost Number: 27 Registered: Dec-08 | 15" Alpine Type-R x 2. Lancer trunk...so more than likely separated on each side, but not sure yet. Just trying to come up with something for my son who picked the 15" woofers who probably should have stuck with 12s. |
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Gold Member Username: JakeyplaysbassSt. Louis, MO / ASU Post Number: 3478 Registered: Jul-05 | I would do 2 boxes that are at 1.75cuft sealed before displacement on each side of the trunk. Stuff each with polyfil and run the amps/batteries in between the boxes. |
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Gold Member Username: BernymacPhnom PenhCambodia Post Number: 4507 Registered: Sep-04 | I don't know the size opening of the trunk but Jake has a good idea. Instead of making 1 big box which would be hard to get inside, I would do 2 separate box's. I would use mdf as the base for the bottom, rear, and possibly sides. Then attach the speaker ring, wrap it up in polyester material, and glass. Let me find you a good example which may take awhile. So you can get an overall idea of what I'm talking about. |
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Bronze Member Username: SglasgowazPost Number: 28 Registered: Dec-08 | Great! Thanks...we were thinking something like that, but were not sure of the cuft...and saw a lancer with the same setup and woofer size, but the enclosures looked small. |
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Gold Member Username: BernymacPhnom PenhCambodia Post Number: 4508 Registered: Sep-04 | This is what I'm talking about. http://www.fiberglassforums.com/showthread.php?t=6001&highlight=chrysler See how the guy uses mdf for the botton, back, and sides. |
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Gold Member Username: Nd4spd18Philadelphia, PA Post Number: 9202 Registered: Jul-06 | Good luck with your project if you do the glass..... it has the potential to look good but is not easy at all. Just make sure the internal cu.ft. of the enclosure mateches the subs specs. |
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