Sub & Amp Pics

[Cloudsurfer]

I know many of the other members here utilize the same 8" JL 8WO install that I have in my car, and yes, it sounds very musical and offers decent output. A LOT of homework went into designing that sub, and based on my audio background, I'm at a complete loss to understand your logic on how this could work.

I have seen some 996 guys build a bandpass box into the FRONT trunk, and tune it through a port into the cabin through the right hand drive steering shaft hole in the firewall. I have heard one of these cars and it wasn't bad- punchy, but over a narrow frequency range as it to be expected of a bandpass box.

Now, with the subs in the REAR trunk of a 986, BEHIND the engine, BEHIND the SEALED firewall, how do you plan on hearing anything? Sure, you're vibrating the hell out of the metal, and yes you will feel that, and you are losing plenty of SPL to the outside environment, but since you have no channel by which to tune this into the cabin, and no, there aren't plenty of leaks in the firewall, I'm really at a loss as to how this is a good idea.

Sorry to disagree with your findings.

Patrick

[rick3000]

I agree. The back of the trunk is metal, and even if you drilled holes in it, you have about 2-3' of engine which is all metal, then the cabin firewall, that has about an 1' of padding to muffle the engine noise.
I don't doubt that your hearing something, but I don't think you're hearing the speakers. Maybe the vibration are moving some thing in the cabin and that is amplifying the sound, or something.
Also, where you driving with the top up or down? Slow or fast? When you managed to smell the burgers in your trunk, and when you hear the subs.

[edevlin]

I think the top was down when I smelled the burgers in my Boxster. Parts of this discussion are interesting and remind me of some of my colleagues at work that have said they thought something is not possible without having any direct experience with the process they are discussing.

Now, it may be that there is no bass comming out of those two big subs in the rear trunk, or it may be very tight, clean bass, we do not know, as we do not have any direct experience. Based on our understanding of the construction of our cars, we can make educated guesses on how it sounds, but until we sit in the car, those opinions are just guesses.

I have often suprised myself when I have played the "it-just-cannt-be-so" game based on my understaning on the theory involved. Only to find out that in fact, in practice it was so..... fun stuff,


Ed

[boxster7614]

Sorry to break the bad news to you guys but your trunk LEAKS!

Take a closer look at your boxsters. Does your engine cover sits flush with the top of your car? Mine has a rear storage compartment on top of it and enough room for the convertible top to retract into. Almost half of the wall in the rear trunk goes right OVER the engine into the area ABOVE the engine....this is where the sound is passed not into the engine. This set up is not going through the fire wall but over it. The fire wall seals the engine off completly but not the trunk. If that trunk was completly sealed, it would never close because of the traped air.

Trust me there are plenty enough factory air leaks to allow sound to pass into the cabin to hear the bass.

However I did drill a few holes that pass through into the top, right Above the engine. To maximize sound.


The bass is louder when the top is up then when down, but that is completly normal with a convertible.

I did consider using a bandpass box and venting it into the cabin the same place I drilled the smaller holes. However bandpass boxes are very complicated and have a narrow frequency range. They are difficult to tune and end up sounding boomy. That is why I used the sealed box because it provides a tighter bass sound, isn't a narrow range, and requires less air space. That said with the sealed box inside the trunk it almost acts like a box within a box... the trunk acts as a box itself and the small air leaks would be the ports. All the leaks/ports allow for sound to pass through into the cabin....not through the fire wall!

Quote
"I have often suprised myself when I have played the "it-just-cannt-be-so" game based on my understaning on the theory involved. Only to find out that in fact, in practice it was so..... fun stuff,"

I wonder how hard it was to convince people the world was round?

[RandallNeighbour]

What's the long-term effect of the bass speakers rattling car parts loose?

I always wonder this when home boys drive their Buick Roadmasters with 22 inch chrome wheels and the hip hop a-pumpin' around my neighborhood. <-- yeah, I know my neighborhood ain't the best, but the house is paid for and it's worth $400k, so I'm staying put!

[dcporsche99]

Wow! That's something else! I hardly use my radio (re: usually only when I hear rattling and I'm trying to mask it). I just enjoy the sound of my car.

Love your rims!

[pteam]

Guys this isnt much different than a regular car, with a trunk and subs in the trunk. The trunk is separated from the driver in the same ways as a boxster.