Rearward vs Forward facing Subs?

[ephect]

Hi All,

Just wondering the main advantages of either having your subs facing forward or rearward? What have most ppl found to sound/punch better? Cant seam to find anything on this particular subject..

I currently have mine forward facing

Looking forward to your replies

Cheers
John.

[Sir-Psycho-Sexy]

It won't make a massive difference in a commodore, its mostly in hatch's that "rear loading" can be aplied.

If you have a hatch door in your backseat I would face the sub through there so that it is time alligned better and i found it to be louder.

[StoneX]

http://www.installer.com/tech/aiming.html

There has been lots of discussion on SC and Car Audio Australia forums about it.

[edit] It does make a huge difference in Commodores and other large sedans. You lose a fair bit of bass by facing them forwards, unless you can completely seal the front of the subs off from the boot area...

[ephect]

Thanks StoneX, thats just the info i was after

[Brycestro]

so as a GENERAL rule, you'll get higher SPL by having your subs positioned at the very back of the boot (i.e. up against the rear seats) and having your subs facing backwards in the boot also (i.e. pointing towards the taillights)?

It's just i can see different people interepreting what "the back of the boot" means. Is that in relation to the entire vehicle (i.e. would mean back of boot was near the taillights) or in relation to someone looking into the boot who would consider "the back" to be pushing something as far back in the boot as possible (i.e. up against the rear seats).

[Philthy]

I just have 1 10in sub in my vs and is makes a huge difference when I change the direction.
When I face it towards the back of the car its louder and clearer...unless the boot is open.
When its facing fowards its really quiet unless the ski port is open, and even then it isnt really as crisp and punchy as facing it backwards. Just loud and muddy
Hope it helps

[StoneX]

Back of boot is the tail light end, front of boot is ski port end.

I've always mounted subs at the front of the boot facing towards the tail lights, but this time i've temporarily mounted the subs at the rear of the boot facing forwards and they seem to sound better, I can't explain how though. But it's a stupid place to mount them as I can't get anything in my boot now.

[-UNKNOWN-]

Ive had lots of cars, from camiras to nissan exas to vc vn vr + more and lots of stereos, and always found in every car if the subs are facing toward the rear of the car its sounds alot better inside and outside the car. Rule of thumb too.. the further away you can get the sub as practical the better it will sound as bass wave length travels. Its a different range for 10" 12" and 15" but I cant remember off hand. Hope it helps.

[stocky]

i had my sub facing inwards to the cabin for a year or so. it sat in behind the centre seat, so when the seat was down you could see the sub. a few weeks ago i relocated the sub to the side of my boot, opposite my spare tyre and it made one hell of a difference. i was very impressed with the new bass sound and the sub is now staying there

[garfa]

the further away you can get the sub as practical the better it will sound as bass wave length travels.

ok thats new to me. didn't know much happened to waves as they traveled, apart from the amplitude decreasing and the period increasing.

[Tasmaniak]

Uh oh.........

Definetly readward facing for me.... Hatches tend to not make a difference...sedans are like chalk and chesse when you turn that sucker around

[bezz]

isnt it something to do with the constructive interference of the sound waves that have been reflected off the back of the boot, combining with the ones headed forward? I think i remember that from physics last year :-)

[semi]

i think its something like that, but then a small change in movemement would cause destructive interference. I dunno

[bezz]

but the wavelength of such low frequencies is so large that a small change wouldnt really effect it. However a movement from say the front of the boot to the back of the boot would definately have an effect. I'd say that a sub aiming backwards placed around the 'ski port' of the boot would get the best response in a commodore sedan

[Tasmaniak]

oh **** me....it's not that difficult.

epehct....face into the cab and drive it around for a week....then the next week and turn it around the other way facing towards the back..whichever YOU think sounds better is the way you should keep it. Not which way WE think sounds better....Personally, I don't know you and I have no intentions of getting to know you, so my opinion doesn't matter. My advice does on the other hand LOL

[ephect]

oh **** me....it's not that difficult.

epehct....face into the cab and drive it around for a week....then the next week and turn it around the other way facing towards the back..whichever YOU think sounds better is the way you should keep it. Not which way WE think sounds better....Personally, I don't know you and I have no intentions of getting to know you, so my opinion doesn't matter. My advice does on the other hand LOL

oh why, oh why cant we be friends?!?!?!?!

12Voltking, i know what i've opened up.. and yes it is up to me how i want my boot setup, doesnt mean i've done it the best way posible!

I've had it facing forward for a few years now, set it up so it shows nicely thru the back seat but never set it up for sound perfection, hence the thread; good topic for discussion


I'll flick it round sometime on the weekend n keep you all posted on how it goes, but from what StoneX had given me, it makes the reasoning rearward, sound alot clearer..

Mainly wanted to get an idea on what ppl have set up, subs facing rearward, forward, upwards, downwards n what ppl have found to be the best setup with still some functionality, ie boot space

Thanks guys for the opinions/advice so far, keep em coming..

[garfa]

isnt it something to do with the constructive interference of the sound waves that have been reflected off the back of the boot, combining with the ones headed forward? I think i remember that from physics last year :-)

yeah thats all true BUT that was not what omer said. he said the sub will sound better the further away it is, because the "bass wave length travels".
now that makes no sence.
the interferance from the sound waves in the way yo, bezz, were talking about is on a different beaten track from what i want to know.

[Tasmaniak]

Garfa......SHUT UP!!

[garfa]

so no more open can of worms?
you're no fun. i just got bored and wanted to be a picky shit to make something happen here.
back to my hole then...
just on the side, how do you feel about non-fused wires with badly cracked insulation running directly off the battery?
(why am i playing with fire?!)

[bezz]

yeah thats all true BUT that was not what omer said. he said the sub will sound better the further away it is, because the "bass wave length travels".
now that makes no sence.
the interferance from the sound waves in the way yo, bezz, were talking about is on a different beaten track from what i want to know.

you've lost me completely buddy

[Tasmaniak]

just on the side, how do you feel about non-fused wires with badly cracked insulation running directly off the battery?
(why am i playing with fire?!)

Why do you even bother? Is it in your car?

[bezz]

well this threads gown down the proverbial toilet

[quick silver]

i had my sub facing forwards and coming into the cabin. it soundded good but when audiotech changed it to facing the back of the car and it sounds great

[semi]

but the wavelength of such low frequencies is so large that a small change wouldnt really effect it. However a movement from say the front of the boot to the back of the boot would definately have an effect. I'd say that a sub aiming backwards placed around the 'ski port' of the boot would get the best response in a commodore sedan

hmm wavelegth of subbass =c/f= ~345/50= ~7

boot is probably 2m, so wavelength difference is 4m which is close to 1/2 the wavelength = destructive interference?????

dunno. BTW, im not trying to argue that it doesnt make the sound better, but just discussing

[bezz]

hmm wavelegth of subbass =c/f= ~345/50= ~7

boot is probably 2m, so wavelength difference is 4m which is close to 1/2 the wavelength = destructive interference?????

dunno. BTW, im not trying to argue that it doesnt make the sound better, but just discussing

exactly, but say a slight movement (a few cms maybe) wouldnt make much of a difference.