I can't decide exactly how I want to design my subwoofer system in my 2010 Challenger SE. My two choices are:
1) Make 2 custom shaped fiberglass enslosures that fit in the corner of each side of the trunk (similar to a JL Audio Stealthbox). This would give me the most custom look as well as keep most of my trunk free.
2) Make a "normal" type speaker box that houses two subs and sits in the middle of the trunk. I would still fiberglass this one so I could make it custom and paint it, it would be much easier to make and install but would also take away most of my trunk space.
The two questions I have are related to sound quality and overall system loudness:
1) Does the shape of the box matter? Am I going to get better or worse performance out of a box that has odd shapes (to fit in the corner) versus a square box?
2) Does speaker location matter? Is it better to have the two subs next to each other in the center of the trunk versus one on each side firing towards each other?
1) The shape of the enclosure does not make a huge difference. You will generally want to stay away from perfect cubes as you can have a standing wave in the enclosure. Other than that the shape will not make much of a difference given the internal volume is the same.
2) The location does make some difference. The biggest problem you will likely have with the location is cancellation. You can have more cancellation in a certain position in your trunk than another. If you were to face two subs at each other cancellation would be the thing I would worry about over having them mounted on the same surface. I'm not saying that you will have cancellation but it is a possibility if they are firing at each other.
Okay, thanks.
Going back to the location - if I have a sub that is basically tucked into each corner, they will end up being about 5 feet apart. Is cancellation stil a concern? If so, should I design the enclosure so that each sub points up slightly, toward the trunk?
Standing waves in a sub enclosure is not something to really even worry about. The length of subsonic waves are very long. Cancellation is a very big concern facing the two subs at each other. As you mentioned a slight angle or off set so the subs are not directly facing each other can help to reduce or completely eliminate this possibility.
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