acoustical stuffing / sound dampening subwoofer cabinet REL BRITANNIA B1 subwoofer


Hello,

 

Quick question on acoustical stuffing / sound dampening in a subwoofer cabinet.

I am the 2nd owner of a REL Brittania B1 subwoofer.

Opened it up, and NO stuffing. A bit surprising. My guess is the original who was a dumb &*(&#$   removed it.

I am guessing there should be some stuffing in the cabinet.

 

IF SO, I am looking for recommendations as to how much to put in the cabinet and where.

THANKS for the help!

Please see pictures for view of interior of cabinet. Bottom-Middle- Top pictures

 

FYI--- Interior of cabinet is approximately 13” x 15” x 19”

 

 https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B01U3HhYR3nZZUJ6U0lzZVNMYkE

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B01U3HhYR3nZbGZNR1ktRHBOMmM

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B01U3HhYR3nZS3kzSWpOaF9ySmM

REL BRITANNIA B1


stevethe4th

There could be several subwoofer drivers that may work well in this cabinet.  The most important T/S parameter to look at is VAS.  I would avoid car subwoofers because they are designed to operate in a smaller box than normal subs.  Your box is 4+ cubic feet (or about 120-130 liters).  So look for a subwoofer that has a VAS larger than 4 cu.ft or 130 liters.

The other part is the port tuning.  It's a 4.75" port and not that long.  Depending on the subwoofer, it could cause a slight peak just before the frequency response rolls off (probably in the 25-35hz area).  It really depends on how the driver rolls off the lower frequencies and how the port comes in to compensate for those rolled-off frequencies.  It may be difficult to get something exactly, but you could get a very good performer.  Madisound has Morel and Scan-Speak subs that are nice.  I wouldn't worry about trying to get the super expensive massive subs, like RE Audio or Stereo Integrity.  Those are for the nutsos.  JL Audio makes a very nice product, but watch for the VAS being too small.

Take out your current subwoofer and make sure of the exact diameter of the hole.  Subwoofer sizes can vary slightly, even though they are marketed at 12".

Madisound has dimension drawing on all drivers.  You could also check out Parts Express.

Totally agreed on the VAS importance, I have a decent working knowledge of sub building, no expert by any means, and that is the most important. I am not the most critical listener, and as long as something is reasonably close, I am okay with that.

Just to clarify-- the port actually is quite long. the port begins at the top of the internal chamber and runs out the bottom. I would estimate 17-19" long (see pictures for reference)

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1FQ-rxf-sWajA2tD1gS5XOpz4cMjEEte1

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1KdVinNuzyvs0c-BNJD36bS3vSShmqRbO

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1PLkmGxLq5MZfn8MhOb7py6Al0KUrfPiO

Depending on cabinet volume and tuning frequency, some drivers may want a port that is 25-35" long (based on 4-3/4 diameter).  That's what I really mean.  A shorter port means the tuning will be at a higher frequency, which could mean a bump/increase at something like 35hz where the port and the driver are working together.  This may not be really bad at all.  It's up to you, but the goal would normally be to engineer a flat response with a controlled roll-of.

Do you have a copy of Bass Box Pro?

https://www.parts-express.com/bassbox-6-pro-software-cd-rom--500-923

It might be good just to buy at $129.  Then try to measure/calculate the actual interior volume of your cabinet.  Then select a driver at random (say ScanSpeak 30W/4558T) and then play with the Fb port tuning frequency until you get a 4.75" port close to the 17-18" length.  Then do a frequency response graph to see how it looks.  I did a few, and some may have a very slight bump at about 40hz.

Great advice, that was actually going to be my next step down the rabbit hole!! LOL

I that worth $129 versus some of the free software out there?
My experience with any type of stuffing on a ported or vented box is closer to Dukes.  It isn't always about the slight changes in effective cabinet volume as much as it is the dampening effect and the amount of output or cancellation because of wave front cancellation inside the box. On a ported box,  I personally like 1.5 to 2 inches of unfaced fiberglass glued to the paralleled walls.  It does a great job.  Some of the foam type products mentioned do a very good job for dampening also, but be aware the more dense or hard the surface is, things start to change from effectively enlarging the box to effectively making the volume less.  
Good luck with all of this. 
Tim