Good or bad placement of subwoofer. Port Side behind Rear Seat.

[brettmcox]

I am thinking about making a box that will fit in Port Side Storage bay that will rest behind the rear seat leaving space for rear bags. Does anyone for see an issue with this? I am also thinking about making will be mounting the amp on the other side storage area. The box will have the sub fire into the seat back. And should be kind of a wedge box that will be on the its’ side running. I am guessing that I should be ok get a 1.5 CF box back there in some space that is not used much.

[MuskokaCanada]

What about making a self contained sub box that resides behind the driver's seat at the right height to make another seat cushion in the future? Make it look like factory wrap around seating while still keeping your storage space maxed out. Some day you might want to add more ballast in the rear. Just a thought.

[scottb7]

See attached pictures. Sounds like where you are talking about putting your sub is exactly where i relocated mine after we started surfing (it used to be where the blue bag is shown). And I have to be completely honest with you: It sounded completely awesome (amazing even) when under the love seat, even with the cooler door closed. And believe or not even better when you opened the cooler door. Now in back it sounds just plain old good. Not bad, not great. Just good. I don't know why, nothing else changed. Just the acoustics of the location i guess.

[brettmcox]

See attached pictures. Sounds like where you are talking about putting your sub is exactly where i relocated mine after we started surfing (it used to be where the blue bag is shown). And I have to be completely honest with you: It sounded completely awesome (amazing even) when under the love seat, even with the cooler door closed. And believe or not even better when you opened the cooler door. Now in back it sounds just plain old good. Not bad, not great. Just good. I don't know why, nothing else changed. Just the acoustics of the location i guess.

if you snap a few more pics that would be great!

[EarmarkMarine]

brett,
I assume you are describing the location of a subwoofer in the rear storage compartment next to the engine compartment. If so, you will be met with some challenges. The rear seats, rear bulkhead, and rear sunpads over the engine compartment and rear most storage compartments are designed and constructed to attenuate engine noise. They will attenuate the bass output in the identical manner. So the woofer will have to deliver far more excursion and the amplifier will have to work much harder also just to generate less bass output. Much of the bass hit, boom, shake, rumble, etc., will survive this location. But the upper bass that provides the tonal construction, pitch accuracy and articulation will be heavily filtered. So the bass will be rather indiscriminant. In other words, all the bass will sound more or less the same. Hit, boom, shake, rumble, etc. Not at all musical.
Having said the above, I have on many systems been forced to take what the boat gave me and taken the available compromise.
Also, a lot depends on your musical taste and the kind of music you listen to the most. If you listen to a lot of rap and electronic techno, that has bass created on a keyboard, synthesizer, laptop, then that bass isn't particularly articulate to begin with. If you listen to a lot of music recorded by a real bass artist on a string bass then you might be more of a critical listener.
So just a little forecast.

David

[brettmcox]

That seams logical...

[scottb7]

Logical yes, english maybe. just kidding. "I have on many systems been forced to take what the boat gave me and taken the available compromise." So true, if I did not want to deal with the water bag on the seat, and in the way, the sub had to move! It is super cool to have no bags out at all when surfing an awesome wave.

Sorry to say I have come to realize the only time the stereo is really used is when I am alone on the boat wiping it down. And even with sub in a sub-optimized spot it is the 2nd best stereo i have ever had. Just have to crank up both the sub and base settings to get to good performance. I would say that my bass is not as bad as "all the bass will sound more or less the same."
comment.

PS The best system i ever had was pretty darn simple...kenwood 60w per channel amp and 2 cerwin vega floor speakers. Crystal clear awesome sound all volumes, all music types.