2000 Honda Civic

One I like (in the event that you will not be using the console as a subwoofer cabinet) is to mold a couple of cup holders into the top of the console. By making the cup holders removable, you can install hardware that allows you to screw the cabinet to the floor and then slip the cup holders back in place to conceal the screws. If you choose this option, make sure that any screws that penetrate the floor are not going to hit some important vehicle system, like wiring, cables or the transmission, for instance. Also, use a rust-proofing material to ensure that the integrity of the vehicle is maintained and the mount remains secure.

I have a 2000 Civic 4-door and I plan to put my old audio equipment in it. I saw this MTX sub box enclosure for two 12" subs on sale in this big retail store. The dimensions are 32"x 14"x 14". I plan to put in my pair of 12" Orion Cobalt DVC subs. Will the box be all right for my subs? I also noticed that there's no subdivision within the box to divide the internal space of the box for each sub to be sealed individually. Will this cause any problems?Thanks so much for your time.An avid CA&E fan:Dennis Y.

Generally, the type of cabinet, its size and the subwoofer used all combine to form a "system". Depending on the type of cabinet (e.g. sealed, ported, band pass, transmission line) each has its own requirements in order to function correctly. By choosing an MTX cabinet for Orion subs, you risk having a system that doesn't match. Fortunately, you have chosen to go with a sealed design, which is the most forgiving when it comes to mismatching.

You can expect to have a gross volume of somewhere around 1.8 cubic feet per driver. Since you didn't specify which model or version of Cobalt 12" subs you have, I can't tell you if the subwoofer is intended to work in 1.8 cubic feet. Check the owner's manual for the recommended sealed cabinet volume, or have an installer run the Theile Small parameters on the computer to determine the optimum cabinet volume.

In many cases a sealed cabinet will allow you to be off by a factor of two before the cabinet is just plain wrong for the sub. Even though the volume can be varied, you may find a noticeable difference in performance.

Having a septum, or dividing wall between the two subs can offer a benefit in a cabinet with the dimensions you have, as it will stiffen the cabinet, enabling it to produce tighter bass. Another benefit occurs when one sub happens to quit working. In that situation, the remaining sub is protected from becoming unloaded and possibly becoming damaged.

Dear Mr. Lee,I just bought a Pioneer 12-inch free-air sub and I was wondering if placing it in a ported enclosure would be better than just mounting it in a wood baffle. Would it sound better if I used a ported box? If so, what could be the best size of the box?

And another thing, could you please explain what Impedance means and how it affects the sound quality of my speakers?Thanks in advance!

P.S. Since I started reading your columns, I have gathered a lot of quality advice and it has helped me build my system. I'll let you know when I finish, but I think I could say even now that I would not succeed without your valuable adviceRoy Menorca Philippines

A speaker is meant to be used in the cabinet for which it is designed. Installers who have computer software for calculating the correct cabinet for a particular speaker will often key in the Thiele Small parameters for a free air sub, thinking that they can cabinet-mount the sub. They often find that the optimum cabinet size is usually over 12 cubic feet - roughly the size of a trunk. The conclusion they reach is that they would need to build a cabinet of that volume to have the subwoofer perform well, which kind of defeats the purpose!