need help with two type R 12's - '98 Mounty

[jimmy_98_mounty]

I currently have two 12s (SWR-1242D) in the back of my '98 Mountaineer. The box that I have now is roughly 2.25 ft^3 ber speaker with a port tuning around 34hz. The box did not sound good so i stuffed it with fiber fill (pillow guts) and got better results. However, the box still sounds too big and the subs are not clean sounding. What should i do for a slot ported enclosure? Basically I need a reccomendation for volume and port tuning. Or does anyone have a reccomendation for a different type of box excluding a bandpass? I have heard that the type R's sound the best with a ported box though. Anyway, any help is much appreciated thanks guys.

 

[jluv]

That isn't too big. 34 hz is fine, too. It should pound and sound pretty dang good doing it. They are good subs and it's true that they do best in a ported enclosure. Who designed/built your box? Are you sure it was done properly? Could it be your source or amplifier(s)? Are the subs new and/or in perfect condition?

I've never used polyfill in a ported box. I've always used and seen it used in sealed enclosures to actually make the subs operate as if they were in a larger enclosure. Sounds backwards, but that's what polyfill does.

 

[sjr033]

Based on Alpine's recommendations in the manual, that box is big. They give a gross range of .75-1.75.
http://vault.alpine-usa.com/products/documents/OM_SWR-1242D.PDF

 

[jluv]

Based on Alpine's recommendations in the manual, that box is big. They give a gross range of .75-1.75.
http://vault.alpine-usa.com/products/documents/OM_SWR-1242D.PDF

True, but 2.25 still shouldn't be too big. Type Rs are put in much larger than "optimum" size all the time, and they perform very well. If anything, they just get boomier as you go bigger (within reason).

Maybe it's time to try a smaller box, but I have a hunch there is something else wrong.

 

[sjr033]

True, but 2.25 still shouldn't be too big. Type Rs are put in much larger than "optimum" size all the time, and they perform very well. If anything, they just get boomier as you go bigger (within reason).

Maybe it's time to try a smaller box, but I have a hunch there is something else wrong.

That is exactly what the OP was complaining about. The subs sounded "not clean sounding" = boomy

I would definitely build a smaller box.

 

[jluv]

That is exactly what the OP was complaining about. The subs sounded "not clean sounding" = boomy

I would definitely build a smaller box.

I don't think boomy = bad quality, personally, but maybe that's what he meant. I figured he meant that they sounded distorted.

Most folks I know of out there with Type Rs are running them in ported enclosures that are significantly larger than the Alpine recommendations. This is because someone discovered that these subs hit a lot harder this way, and still sound great. Same goes for power. They really shine with a lot more than the recommended wattage. That's why I'd be surprised if it was the size of the box causing a bad sound. But without hearing it first hand, I don't know what he means by sounding bad.

 

[boominXplorer]

I think you just need more power. What amp are you running?

 

[jimmy_98_mounty]

I am running an Alpine MRP-M1000. It has 1000 watts rms at 2 ohms. i have the subs wired at 4 ohms, (2 ohms each speaker). I got both speakers in the box for $100 from someone i know. I know they are only being powered at 600 watts, but I would not think underpowering them would make them sound like they are maxing even at low volumes. I used poly fill and it did help and made it sound about 3 times better than before, but they should not have sounded like they were maxing out in the first place with a 2.25 ft^3 box and a port tuned to 34 hz. I mean isn't that what most people think sound best?