servo sub for small sealed box?

[autopi]

Hello,
I'm looking to build a sub for my music only system, and have pretty much decided on a Rythmik 12" servo system, based on favorable comments here and elsewhere. I'm trying to keep the enclosure as small as possible, as in preferably not more than ~1.5 cu. ft.. The Rythmik 12" standard takes 2.0 cu. ft; Brian at Rythmik says they no longer produce the compact version, and pointed me to the GR Research 12" servo sub which apparently fits the bill.

http://www.gr-research.com/index.asp...ROD&ProdID=139

However, that sub has a foam surround, which I'd like to avoid b/c of foam rot. (I didn't know they still made drivers with foam surrounds!)

So here's my question: what would happen if I take a Rythmik 12" standard and put it into a ~1.5 cu. ft. box? Is it just a matter of losing SPL (not particularly important to me; I don't listen to music at party volumes)? Or will it be terrible and should I just get the GR Research sub?

I can model these things with the spreadsheets for sealed boxes, but since this is a servo design, and one where the Qts is controlled by the amp rather than by the enclosure, I'm not sure how to model it.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[richie00boy]

Modern foams are much better than they used to be for life. Also if you mount the driver downfiring so it's never in direct sunlight I bet you will never need to replace it.

[woody]

I don't doubt that light may make the foam deteriate faster
but. Back 20 years ago I bought a pair of Morel drivers and
after playing with them for an hour or so repacked them in
the cardboard boxes and put them in a dark closit. Ten years
later I pulled them out to find the foam was compleatly shot.

[richie00boy]

That's galling, but that was also 20 year old foam technology. Modern foams have considerably better lifespan.