illusion

Hmmm you mean a ported box using kickers ported box specs is a bad idea(well close, I changed the tuning a bit)? You mean the fact I picked up almost 13db over the sealed box with the same exact amp, and same exact subs is bad? Sure you can argue that ported isn't as good on the suspension, but they've been pounding for over a year with no signs of weakness.

Have you ever seen a stroker 18" with 20kw making a window blow in and out of the tracks? Have you ever had a chance to see a single shocker extreme pull over 170db???? The dbDrag 2003 extreme 1 Certified SPL leader just happens to have a single shocker extreme that burped an OFFICIAL 174.4dB, the #2 certified max SPL in extreme 1 was a single DD9915, The extreme 2 driver highest spl was a pair of DD9915s, the extreme 3-4 was using custom spl dynamics drivers, the extreme 5-8 highest db is using 6 juggernaught 18"s(with a 1500w amp per coil, 6000w per driver), the funny thing is the single shocker was the highest certified burp of the 2003 season. Did you notice any drivers missing from the extreme ladder? A real funy one, the extreme 9+ max certified spl was pioneer lol.

And what do you mean "the best box would have be the smallest box with the most volume" that's contridictory. The best box for the life of a speaker would be a point where the cone is reaching xmax it's can't overcome the volume of the box, meaning that the volume of the box is small enough to impede the driver from reaching xmax and bottoming out. This wouldn't sound too great but the driver would last a while.

The "best" box for solobarics is yet another subjective topic. It depends on what you're going for. The flattest curve and cleanest sound is a big sealed box, ~2ft^3 for a 12" solobaric. The curve is soooo flat and the driver is very warm and responsive. Putting a solo in a small enclosure it accentuates midbass too much, it really falls on it's face for the real low stuff. Putting any speaker in a ported enclosure will gain dB, and if tuned absolutely perfect you'll get a nice sound as well. I'm not talking ghetto flea market bandpass enclosures, I'm talking sit down with a pad of paper a calculator and a few formulas. Look for a power mouse folded horn enclosure. He has that thing tuned soooo beautifully, I've seen a pair of 10"s(custom 10"s that the designer of the power mouse also designed) that would give you and instant hardon because it sounded so clean, but at the same time was a monster. a pair of 10"s with barely 500w that pulled 147.2dB, oh and they were round. If you're really down and dirty about SQ your materials play a key point in how the drivers respons as well. Take my first setup in my car with the solos in 1.5ft^3 boxes using baltic birch ply. They were very warm, and still knocked out a decent burp. Yet the exact same driver in the same volume box in an MDF box doesn't sound remotely close.


When I see a statement of "SQUARE SUBS POUND HARDER THAN ANY ROUND SUB ANYDAY!!!" it just makes me chuckle. how about a solobaric 12" versus a JLW713? just about the same cone area, the W7 would eat the solobaric alive. How about a solobaric 15" versus a DD9500, 9915, or maybe a juggernaught? outclassed again. I know how about a soloX versus a stroker 18? hmmm. To you they very well may be the proverbial shiznit, but not everone will agree. Best bang for the buck in the SPL end of things I might concede though.

With all that being said, a sub is best for what you want it for. When I'm in the mood to actually listen to music I'd take the IDQ 10"s in my wife's car over my solobarics ANY DAY. Solobarics are great drivers, don't get me wrong, but they aren't the epitomy of perfection. They are FAR from the best SQ drivers around, and they aren't the best SPL drivers around either, they are just OK. I've had my 1st gen L7s in several different enclosures, and they've never comletely satisfied me. If they die they will be replaced with something different.