Quick Qs about box construction

[GhettoSQ]

Hey all,
Thanks to all who helped me build my first sub! I have 2 remaining questions.

1) When I first sealed up the box I ran out of silicone before I could seal the back panel. The sub was pretty earthshattering - amazing low extension from 8" drivers. When I did finally seal it, the sound got much smoother but I lost that low low slam. Was what I was hearing just boominess?

2) I bought one of those precision port kits that came with an inner flange. Without the flange it was just the right length and sounds great, no chuffing. Is there any benefit to cutting it down and adding the inner flange?

if it matters, it's 2 8" woofers, Fs around 30Hz, isobaric (clamshell), in a ported box.

thanks!

[lndm]

Originally posted by GhettoSQ
The sub was pretty earthshattering - amazing low extension from 8" drivers. When I did finally seal it, the sound got much smoother but I lost that low low slam. Was what I was hearing just boominess?

Ah. The great dilemma of logic versus nature. I recall being strangely disappointed when I first discovered the effect of lead lining a cabinet. It makes the cabinet sound dead. Though logic tells us and many people say that the cabinet should be dead.

I think you'll find that a little tweaking will bring life and tone back to your sub. Try playing with stuffing and with the response shape. Try room placement options too.

I have heard of many that like a cabinet that resonates. Some traditional HiFi buffs, and some car audio enthusiasts for example. I think that if you wanted that in a cabinet you'd need to design it that way from the start. For example, I don't think MDF is good for it's 'sound', but is good and practical for a dead cabinet.

I think you'll be happy in the end, it's all a part of the process

[GhettoSQ]

It brings up the debate over "musical" and "accurate", too I'm not sure they are mutually exclusive -- I think that the "inaudible" stuff that gets lost on CD or with totally dead boxes is still part of the recording and gives it its flavor.

I lined the box with some fiberglass insulation which really did help. The low lows are still there, just not as up front as they were -- much more natural. Were you talking about stuffing with polyfil too?

[lndm]

I find the effects of polyfill and fibreglass are very similar, they are both good choices. I prefer fibreglass myself.

[richie00boy]

Maybe the drivers just ran in by the time you sealed it up properly?

[GhettoSQ]

It was a pretty sharp difference immediately. Oddly enough the sub was almost inaudible until I put on the John Legend records and ran something in