Hi all, I’m doing a small review on the L.A.B. Slapbox enclosure. I’ll start by saying a few weeks ago I asked around in a few forums about LAB, and got ZERO response. I decided to take a chance on this somewhat unheard of company. Some may ask, why not build your own? Well not all of us live in a home with a garage & table saw. Over the years I’ve made dozens of boxes, but it was on the job and a after work thing.
So back to a few weeks ago, My friend that owns a car audio store asked me to try to sell some (use for one hour) Morel Ultimo 8’s. I told him sure, and how much? He replied I’ll take $600. for the pair, as he just wanted them gone. I posted them, and it would seem that no one wants 8”s! at least not for $600. So after a week, My buddy tells me to lower the price, I replied, any lower and I’ll buy them! So I bought them, as $500. is too stupid cheap to let such high-end woofers get away.
Now I have the the cats meow of SQ woofers! Yeepee! I install them in a dual chamber .5 per side sealed box. And they sound like poop! Coming from a Primo 10” that respond very well to a ported box. I thought just maybe I can get some Deep SQ bass from two 8’s with a ported box. So I did a little reading about ported designs, and came across the LAB website. I thought COOL! Someone makes a ported box just for a pair of Ultimo 8’s. It turns out that Joe(owner) had a little help from RAM designs. But thats cool, as RAM has a good rep for making SQL designs. So I called Joe and ordered the box! It cost around $150. with UPS two day ground, but given the fact that I was soooo far ahead on my Ultimo deal, I thought WTF, I’ll be into the Ultimo’s and box for <$700. (Can you tell I don’t like to spend money?)
Build quality on the box is solid and good. It comes in at 40lb, with the Ultimo’s it’s a hair under 70lb. Yes it did improve the handling of my Yaris!
I’m not real good at doing touchy feely reviews, listing dozens of album tracks. I will say this, I’ve heard some of the best SQ systems over the last 40 years, and the bass I get from Joe’s box is flat out Fantastic! ZZ Top, Yello, AC/DC, Metallica, Billy Joel, ABBA, Steely Dan, Johnny Cash, Busta Rhymes, Cake, Carla Bruni, B-52”s, Benny Goodman, Adrian Belew, DEVO, Boston, Ken Burns, Oingo Boingo, Van Halen, XTC, RUSH, Judas Priest, Monk, Fleetwood Mac, And a few others is what I listen to with the LAB box.
I tried just about every song I know to try and trip up the bass, and it never did lose control or miss a note. In fact I’m hearing things I can’t even remember hearing in the past, like a Tom drum that sounds like a Tom. Something I was a bit worried about with a ported design, was losing the image or stage, as the Ultimo do that so well. Did not lose it! Still hear the bass coming right out of the dash. In fact I can not find any negatives about the effects the SlapBox has on the Ultimo’s.The SlapBox transformed the Ultimo’s into the speakers they were designed to be(imo). If your limited on workshop space, and would like to get the most out of your woofer, a box from Joe will get you there on the cheap. I can only guess that all of his RAM designs are as good. If you live within 100 miles of LA, Cal. It would be worth the drive to go see Joe and see what he can do for you.
LAB SlapBox™ 1.10 ft^3 Ported MDF Enclosure - 2 x Morel Ultimo 8 Subwoofers
So back to a few weeks ago, My friend that owns a car audio store asked me to try to sell some (use for one hour) Morel Ultimo 8’s. I told him sure, and how much? He replied I’ll take $600. for the pair, as he just wanted them gone. I posted them, and it would seem that no one wants 8”s! at least not for $600. So after a week, My buddy tells me to lower the price, I replied, any lower and I’ll buy them! So I bought them, as $500. is too stupid cheap to let such high-end woofers get away.
Now I have the the cats meow of SQ woofers! Yeepee! I install them in a dual chamber .5 per side sealed box. And they sound like poop! Coming from a Primo 10” that respond very well to a ported box. I thought just maybe I can get some Deep SQ bass from two 8’s with a ported box. So I did a little reading about ported designs, and came across the LAB website. I thought COOL! Someone makes a ported box just for a pair of Ultimo 8’s. It turns out that Joe(owner) had a little help from RAM designs. But thats cool, as RAM has a good rep for making SQL designs. So I called Joe and ordered the box! It cost around $150. with UPS two day ground, but given the fact that I was soooo far ahead on my Ultimo deal, I thought WTF, I’ll be into the Ultimo’s and box for <$700. (Can you tell I don’t like to spend money?)
Build quality on the box is solid and good. It comes in at 40lb, with the Ultimo’s it’s a hair under 70lb. Yes it did improve the handling of my Yaris!
I’m not real good at doing touchy feely reviews, listing dozens of album tracks. I will say this, I’ve heard some of the best SQ systems over the last 40 years, and the bass I get from Joe’s box is flat out Fantastic! ZZ Top, Yello, AC/DC, Metallica, Billy Joel, ABBA, Steely Dan, Johnny Cash, Busta Rhymes, Cake, Carla Bruni, B-52”s, Benny Goodman, Adrian Belew, DEVO, Boston, Ken Burns, Oingo Boingo, Van Halen, XTC, RUSH, Judas Priest, Monk, Fleetwood Mac, And a few others is what I listen to with the LAB box.
I tried just about every song I know to try and trip up the bass, and it never did lose control or miss a note. In fact I’m hearing things I can’t even remember hearing in the past, like a Tom drum that sounds like a Tom. Something I was a bit worried about with a ported design, was losing the image or stage, as the Ultimo do that so well. Did not lose it! Still hear the bass coming right out of the dash. In fact I can not find any negatives about the effects the SlapBox has on the Ultimo’s.The SlapBox transformed the Ultimo’s into the speakers they were designed to be(imo). If your limited on workshop space, and would like to get the most out of your woofer, a box from Joe will get you there on the cheap. I can only guess that all of his RAM designs are as good. If you live within 100 miles of LA, Cal. It would be worth the drive to go see Joe and see what he can do for you.
LAB SlapBox™ 1.10 ft^3 Ported MDF Enclosure - 2 x Morel Ultimo 8 Subwoofers
