Can you still feel bass in a convertiblle

[AJE]

I've only had hardtops until now, does the sound differ from convertibles and hardtops? I am sure it definitly does when the top is down, but I'm not real sure.

Thanks

[Jay Arno]

Depends on the location of the sub, and wheter its facing the front of rear of the trunk. That shouldn't matter if the sub hits hard like mine. You still feel it in your body but it's not as loud as in an enclosed car.

[AJE]

So you're saying the sub needs to face the front of the car and not the rear? I've heard that when they face the rear of the car, it hits harder... but I dunno. I need to find some new subs though, because Ford didn't pay attention to trunk space when they designed the Mustang and my 2 12's won't fit unless I spend some 700 bucks for a custom box.

[Jay Arno]

No, if they're facing the rear it has more air to move and so you have a harder impact, resulting in louder bass.

Get 2 12" W6v2s and the JL box, run a 1000/1 and your set.

[carstereopro]

Originally Posted by Jay Arno

No, if they're facing the rear it has more air to move and so you have a harder impact, resulting in louder bass.

Get 2 12" W6v2s and the JL box, run a 1000/1 and your set.

Jay, its not quite that simple. Here's an explaination that I posted in another thread. (not trying to flame you)

A vehicle has a natural resonance of 70-80hz, and this is where the bass in a vehicle seems loudest.

A 70-80 hz bass note requires 8-10 feet to reach its first harmonic peak

In english: you need to move air in order to produce sound. A front facing sub that fires into a seat does not move enough air without proper setup or design. (it is possible to make an extremely loud sub system firing forward, but you need power, displacement, proper enclosure size and type, and you need to figure for cancellation and harmonics, but some people get lucky)

So in simpler terms, a rear firing sub can move more air, without "fighting" against a close by surface, and there is a smaller likelyhood of creating cancellation, causing a decrease in output.

The importance of the resonance of a vehicle and the distance a wavelength takes to reach a harmonic (ripple peak) is that if a 70hz note needs 10 feet to hit a peak harmonic in volume (a "loud spot") and the interior of your car is only 7 feet long, it will never be as loud in the car as it is outside. So by facing the sub at the trunklid, you will take the reflected bass wave's distance from the sub surface to the trunk lid then to your head in the front seat, you have approximately 10 feet, roughly where the first harmonic peak is produced.

Also, I believe the Dual JL 12w6v2 enclosure is too large to fit into the trunk of a convertable, But Jay you are correct about using a big amp like the JL 1000/1, he will need all the power he can afford to get really good bass in his convertable.

[AJE]

Wow, I didn't know there was that much technical stuff when it comes to sound systems. I usually just throw some stuff in with a few amps and that's it. But that's all good information, I appreciate it.

[Jay Arno]

Ha thanks for clearing it up, no flaming, very good explaination. How long have you been in car audio?

[carstereopro]

Originally Posted by Jay Arno

Ha thanks for clearing it up, no flaming, very good explaination. How long have you been in car audio?

14 years now.

I spent over 10 years as the manager of a very successful car stereo shop, I have been a professional installer for 14 years, and the last 2 years I've been a Manufacturer's Representative for Sony Mobile, Xtant, Coustic, Autopage, Soundgate, MTX and a few other companies.

[Cackknack]

hey man...lemme know if you're ever out in vegas area, we can have a git together...i finally fixed my subs...lol stupid mistake...i flipped it to high pass frequency on accident >_<.....carstereopro know his shit...id listen up

[carstereopro]

Originally Posted by Cackknack

hey man...lemme know if you're ever out in vegas area, we can have a git together...i finally fixed my subs...lol stupid mistake...i flipped it to high pass frequency on accident >_<.....carstereopro know his shit...id listen up

Thanks!

I'm usually out in Vegas for the SEMA Show in November (4 years now)and the CES Show in January (every year for the last 8 years)

[solo/Mroadster]

I have put 3 10" subs in my m roadster and i had to port them from the back. there is two holes cut out from the sub ported right under where my rag top lies. the only thing that sucks about it is when i put the top down it looses some bass becuase like he said there is not enough room for air.