Are 8 Inch Subs Any Good?

Ok i have a question on your Explorer. I've never seen the inside of the newer models like you have. Do they not have the pocket in the side panel by the back door?? Up til the 01 models, crutchfield offers enclosures that fit that pocket, was just wondering what had changed. Any idea on how much space is in the spot you are talking about in the floor??

Either way, i think one good 8" will give you the low end that you are looking for, won't be anything spectacular but you will know it is there and probably still rattle your mirrors. But always the possibility to get one 10" in there if space allows. If wanting to put some money into this project, could always cut out part of the floor and have part of the enclosure on the underside of the vehicle. Have heard of that being done before, just a thought. Have also seen where they removed one side panel in the back and made a complete fiberglass enclosure to replace it with and had 3 10's in it. Was costly though to have done.

There isn't an MTX Thunderfrom or any other pre-fab box available for 02+ Explorers yet as there is for the -01's.  There is a little storage pocket on one side that I am thinking of making my own fiberglass enclosure for, so basically custom make my own thunderform.  I think at most it would fit two 8's.

Ideally I would like to put four 8's across the floor, but I don't think I'll have enough volume.  I'm still exploring this new vehicle.

What are some good 8 inch subs that can play deep?  I'm sure if I go with 3-4 it will be plenty loud for me, but since they will only be 8's, it probaby won't be super deep.  Are there any 8's that can accurately get down into the 20hz range?  How about the Kicker Comp VR's?

Thanks for all the info!!

Are 8" subs any good?  Yes.  They can be the most musical and most accurate of any woofer.  8" subs are faster than 10's or 12's and can respond to musical demands better.  But, because of the lower cone area, they cannot produce as low a frequency as a 10 or a 12 with the same SPL.  I have used 8" and even 6.5" subs with great effect, but usually in small cars.

Can 8" subs play at 20Hz?  Depending on the enclosure, maybe yes some can, but probably not at a volume level you would appreciate.  Realize that many 12's actually have a hard time getting much below 25Hz with any kind of SPL behind it..

An 8" sub is best suited for a vehicle with a small cabin, as the coupling to the cabin air space will enable higher SPL at lower frequencies.  For a 4-door Explorer, I would suggest you may need a sub with a larger cone area, such as a 12", to hear lower than 30Hz with appreciable volume.  A pair of 10's might work well, too, depending on the enclosure and how they are positioned in the vehicle.

you could do 4 solo baric 8's get the dual 4ohm and wire it up to be 2ohm

or the dual 2 ohm and drop it to 1 ohm.

This is a tough decision.  It seems like 8's can be good subs, but may not be the best choice for a large cabin.  I'm sure with enough of them they could produce the sound I'm looking for, but if I try to squeeze in four 8's then I might as well just install some 10's or 12's.  A pair of 8's looked good to me because I could make a fiberglass box and they would be flush with the floor, hence losing zero cargo capacity.  Anything more, be it more 8's or larger subs, would mean I would lose cargo space.  I think I need to do some more exploring of the interior before I buy anything.  I've only had the truck for about a week so I'm sure I can figure something out.

well...if you had the pockets in the sides...two there...then two on the floor.

that i think would looks pretty kool.