I'm in the process of designing/building my new sub box and haven't yet decided whether to face the subs back (rear load) or up (bootlid load). This is in my Lancer sedan for 2 Hertz HS250's. Please help me decide...

I hope this was not ment to help you decide....
50/50
Which has done you best so far....up or back?

Well, I was kinda hoping it would help me decide...

But I haven't really tried both ways on the same meter, so I'm not sure which way works best for me.

At the test and tune, I tried both ways, but the sub was bottoming out big time and I kept adjusting to volume to save the sub. Also, it read pretty much the same db both ways.

Mate ive found when i faced mine back wards in to the boot lid i did better numbers than facing up, but keep in mind the accoustics of each car are different what i mean is my car went crap with them pointing up but, richard (basshead) found his was better facing up.

But your car is a hatch, and the loading is different than for a sedan.

I am still not sure, but I think I will face them up because in theory that should be better...

i did some testing in my car which is a 1984 supra hatch using a sealed box. i found that for best SQ, facing the subs forward did teh trick. but the for the deep low bass, face them back.

i changed them to all different other angles also. and my conclusion. either straight forward or straight back.. no angles.

hope this helps and hasn't confused you more.

Supra, thanks for the advice, but since this is the SPL forum, I am looking for the setup which gives me the most SPL. I'm not interested in how it sounds

i say subs and ports up... make sure you have enough space between the top of the box and the closed boot lid so it has space to breath... the incar 150db sedan does it this way... maybe you should fiberglass the boot lid to stregthen it and stop it from flexing as much... hmm, two 10's, na forget the flexing lol

it's irrelevent what people think...

It's what works in your car...

Example. my car.
Subs back/port back. 145.1dB
Flip the box. (No changes to anything else) 146.6dB.
BigW can confirm. But that's not to say that forward could be better, or subs back port up.

It's all trial and error. What gains dB in 1 car, loses dB in another. It's all about finding the sweet spot for your vehicle... That's what takes the effort... What set up works just right for your equipment, and at the same time works just right with your cars acoustincs.

Get that right and you could go from a 145 to a 150+ just by being in the "Zone" so to speak.

So many cars out there should be pushing higher than they are, but not everyone can spend 100+ Hours tuning and rebuilding trying to get it right. And then take into consideration how hard it is for so many to get their car remotely near an RTA for testing...

Good Luck

Not neccesarily..

For SPL, a lot of small hatches seem to work better with the subs+ports facing up, rather than rear loading (with big ported boxes)..

With a street setup in a hatch, facing both forward will loose you SPL and I wouldn't even bother with subs back, ports up..

[ December 01, 2002, 17:32: Message edited by: Bassaholic ]

he has a bloody sedan...

have you tried the half wall yet? subs/ports forward...

I think mini wall is a little too hardcore for my daily driver. I will stick to removable only mods.