Subwoofer Boxes

Frequently Asked Subwoofer Box Questions

What is a sub box?

A sub box is the sealed or ported enclosure a car audio subwoofer mounts into. It is not a housing, it is an acoustic component: the internal volume, the port tuning and the panel stiffness together determine how low the system plays, how loud it gets and how much power the driver can take. The same subwoofer in two different boxes measures differently.

Is it cheaper to build a sub box?

In raw material, yes. A sheet of MDF and a router bit costs less than a finished enclosure. In practice the gap closes fast: you need accurate volume calculation for your specific driver, a way to cut square panels repeatably, mechanical joinery rather than butt joints, bracing, sealing, and a finish that survives a car. Audio Intensity cuts on a CNC to the driver's published parameters, which is the part that is hard to reproduce with a circular saw.

How much does a sub box cost?

Audio Intensity enclosures start at $129.99 for a universal single 8 inch or 12 inch sealed box. Enclosures cut to a specific driver start around $199.99, and loaded systems cost more because the subwoofers are included and wired, so the price follows the driver inside.

Is a sealed or ported sub box better?

Neither, they do different jobs. Sealed boxes are smaller, roll off gently, and give the tightest transient response, which is why sound quality builds run sealed. Ported boxes are larger and produce more output at and above the tuning frequency, trading some control for volume. Choose sealed for accuracy and ported for output.

What subwoofer box hits the hardest?

A ported enclosure tuned near the driver's resonance will produce the highest output for a given amount of power, which is what most people mean by hitting hard. That output comes with a steeper rolloff below tuning and less control on transients. A larger ported box tuned lower will play deeper but feel less aggressive in the midbass.

Do I need a box cut for my specific subwoofer?

Not always. If you swap subwoofers often, or have not chosen one yet, a universal P-series box is the right answer. If you already own the driver and want everything it is capable of, an enclosure cut to its published parameters will outperform a nominal box of the same external size on extension, power handling and cone control.