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Best Subwoofer Box Design for Deep Bass 2023

When building a powerful sound system, it’s normal for most people to get the best woofer to enjoy an envious bass.

However, the amount of bass the subwoofer component can yield does not solely depend on the woofer.

subwoofer box design for deep bass

You will need a robust, tightly-constructed enclosure to maximize the subwoofer’s performance and provide the utmost power.

Let’s Explain:

While any speaker will give out a certain amount of sound, speakers without a well-constructed enclosure can’t deliver an admirable bass.

That’s because the sound coming from the speaker’s backside will cancel out the low-frequency signals emanating from the front.

Moreover, a properly-designed subwoofer box will improve the sound quality and protect the sound drivers from damage. 

(If you are looking for the loudest subwoofer box designs, check out this guide)

Here are different types of subwoofer box designs:

  • Sealed Box Enclosures: For Deep, Accurate Bass

A sealed enclosure is a compact, airtight box housing your subwoofer. It is surely one of the best subwoofer box designs for deep bass.

It works best with any music that requires tight and precise bass.

You can expect excellent power handling, flat response, and a deep bass extension, but not excessively boomy.

It’s important to use an amplifier with enough power wattage for maximum performance since this enclosure demands more power than a ported box. However, you can take other steps to make your sealed subwoofer box or speaker box louder. Check out our article on how to make a sealed speaker or subwoofer box louder to learn more. 

If you are looking for a well-sealed box enclosure, here is a well-built yet simple option: Bbox E12ST Single 12″ Sealed Carpeted Truck Subwoofer Enclosure

Bbox E12SVPro-Series 12” Single Vented Subwoofer...
  • SINGLE 12 INCH VENTED SUBWOOFER ENCLOSURE: The Bbox 12 inch single vented subwoofer box enclosure is designed...
  • SPECIAL FORMULA: We use Aliphatic wood glue on our 12" subwoofer enclosures to ensure an airtight seal between...
  • HIGH GRADE MDF: Our subwoofer box enclosures are built with a durable MDF that is 5/8" thick for solid...

  • Ported Box: For Deep and Forceful Bass

With a vent (port) to reinforce low bass frequencies, ported boxes give you more output than a sealed box.

For most people, this design works well with heavy metal, rock, and hard-driving music.

These ported boxes are especially great if you are looking for a subwoofer box design for 12-inch subwoofers.

These boxes deliver heart-thumping bass but need a much bigger space than sealed enclosures.

If a ported box enclosure suits your needs, here is a good option: BBox E12SV Single 12″ Vented Carpeted Subwoofer Enclosure.

Bbox E12SVPro-Series 12” Single Vented Subwoofer...
  • SINGLE 12 INCH VENTED SUBWOOFER ENCLOSURE: The Bbox 12 inch single vented subwoofer box enclosure is designed...
  • SPECIAL FORMULA: We use Aliphatic wood glue on our 12" subwoofer enclosures to ensure an airtight seal between...
  • HIGH GRADE MDF: Our subwoofer box enclosures are built with a durable MDF that is 5/8" thick for solid...

 

  • Bandpass Boxes: For Super Efficiency and Maximum Slam

A bandpass box or bandpass enclosure features a special ported box design for an optimum slam. It’s basically a dual-chambered box (with one ported chamber and the other sealed) that allows sound waves to emerge from the ported side.

The sound from the ported side is extra-loud and clear within a narrow frequency range.

Since bandpass boxes are highly efficient within a narrow frequency range, they tend to deliver deep bass with a boom.

Their strong sound is great for various music genres like hard rock, rap, and reggae. However, not all woofers are compatible with bandpass boxes.

A great bandpass choice is the PYLE PLQB10 10-Inch 500 Watt Bandpass.

Pyle Bandpass Enclosure Car Subwoofer Speaker -...
  • One 10'' High Power 4 Ohm Subwoofer - Plexiglass Front Window
  • Blue Polypropylene Cone - 500 Watts Max Power Handling
  • Specially Treated Black Rubber Edge Suspension - Frequency Response: 30Hz-700k Hz

Best Subwoofer Boxes On Amazon


  • Free-Air Subwoofers

Free-air subwoofers are mainly built to give you a deep bass with your car’s stereo. The woofers are mounted to a board on the rear deck or placed against the rear seat in your car trunk.

That means the trunk acts as the enclosure housing the subwoofer and isolates the sound emanating from the backside.

The trunk solves the sound cancellation issue that subwoofers without an enclosure have.

Free-Air Subwoofers

Unlike other subwoofer box designs, free-air systems save space without sacrificing the bass response.

This subwoofer system is more convenient due to the lack of a box, but it has a lower power handling capability than its boxed counterparts.

Furthermore, the woofer should be designed for free-air systems.


  • T-Line Subwoofer Boxes

T-Line subwoofer boxes use an acoustic transmission line design within the cabinet enclosure.

With this design, sound waves emit from behind the driver and disperse into a maze of materials that increase the system’s bass response by looking at great control of energy within the enclosure. To learn more, you can find out about the uses and advantages of a T-Line subwoofer box

Tuning Your Subwoofer Box

Regarding the subwoofer box design, your subwoofer box must be tuned properly. Please check out our article on how to tune a subwoofer box to learn more.

Best Subwoofer Boxes

Maybe you can’t be bothered with designing a subwoofer box and choose to buy one instead. Below we feature the best subwoofer boxes of different sizes:

8 Inch Subwoofer Enclosure

8-inch subwoofers are excellent for any small or medium cars. This is why 8-inch subwoofer boxes are so common.

Yet, you will find one of the best 8-inch subwoofer boxes to be the ASC Dual 8″ Subwoofer Universal Slot Vented Port Sub Box Speaker Enclosure.

Car Audio Single 8" SPL Bass Subwoofer Labyrinth...
  • DURABLE CONSTRUCTION: The ASC 1X8VMBASS Sub Box Enclosure is built to last. Constructed with rugged and...
  • SPL BASS PERFORMANCE: This enclosure is all about delivering remarkable SPL (Sound Pressure Level) bass...
  • LABYRINTH VENT DESIGN: The unique labyrinth vent design of this enclosure is engineered to enhance bass output...

10 Inch Subwoofer Enclosure

10-inch subwoofer boxes are for medium-sized subwoofers. These are, therefore, a bit too large for tiny cars but excellent for family vehicles.

An excellent 10 inch subwoofer box is the BBox E10SV Single 10″ Vented Carpeted Subwoofer Enclosure

SALE!!
Bbox Pro-Tuned 10” Single Vented Subwoofer...
  • SINGLE 10 INCH VENTED SUBWOOFER ENCLOSURE: The Bbox 10 inch single vented Pro-Tuned subwoofer box enclosure is...
  • SPECIAL FORMULA: We use Aliphatic wood glue on our 10" subwoofer enclosures to ensure an airtight seal between...
  • HIGH GRADE MDF: Our subwoofer box enclosures are built with a durable & thick MDF for solid frequency response...

12 Inch Subwoofer Enclosures

12-inch subwoofer boxes are on the larger side and are for larger subwoofers. They are, therefore, great for larger vehicles.

A good 12 inch subwoofer box is the Bbox E12DSV Dual 12″ Shared Vented Carpeted Subwoofer Enclosure

Bbox Dual Vented 12 Inch Subwoofer Enclosure - Pro...
  • DUAL 12 INCH VENTED SUBWOOFER ENCLOSURE: The Bbox 12 inch dual vented Pro Audio Tuned subwoofer box enclosure...
  • SPECIAL FORMULA: We use Aliphatic wood glue on our 12" subwoofer enclosures to ensure an airtight seal between...
  • HIGH GRADE MDF: Our subwoofer box enclosures are built with a durable MDF that is 3/4" thick for solid...

12 Inch Subwoofer Box Dimensions

Below are the typical dimensions for a 12-inch subwoofer box:

  • Height = 14 and 1/4 inches
  • Width = 48 and 3/4 inches
  • Depth 1 = 5 and 1/2 inches, Depth 2 = 7 and 3/4 inches
  • Mounting = 5 and 1/4 inches
  • Volume (internal) = 1.25 cubic feet

15 Inch Subwoofer Enclosure

Not clearly, at 15 inches, these boxes are for large subwoofers. Before purchasing a 15-inch subwoofer, assess the space in your car first.

A great 15 inch subwoofer is the Q Power QBOMB15VL SINGLE Single 15-Inch Side Vented Speaker Box.

SALE!!
QPower QBOMB15VL Single 15" Vented Ported Car...
  • Q-Power 15" QBOMB12VL Single Vented Car Audio Subwoofer Box Enclosure
  • Designed and Built for the Deepest Bass
  • Best Quality Enclosure

15-inch Subwoofer Box Dimensions

Below are the typical dimensions for a 15-inch subwoofer box:

  • Height = 18 inches
  • Width = 40 inches
  • Depth 1 = 19-1/2 inches
  • Mounting = 8 and 3/4 inches
  • Volume (internal) = 3.00 cubic feet

Isobaric Enclosures

Isobaric means the pressure stays constant. Isobaric enclosures are specially designed to get the maximum bass from a very small space. Isobaric enclosures use two woofers coupled to act as a single woofer with twice as much pushing power. 

The main advantage of isobaric subwoofers is the small space that they take up. In fact, they require half the size of the recommended sealed enclosure for the speaker. As such, if you have a small space, an isobaric enclosure is the best choice.

sealed isobaric subwoofer enclosure boxes

However, there is a downside to isobaric subwoofers. The disadvantage is that you have to buy double the number of speakers. In addition, you have to power each one as if it were playing by itself, which means double the power requirement. However, the output will be similar to a single speaker. 

How To Build A Subwoofer Box For Deep Bass

The following is a step-by-step process that you can follow to build a subwoofer box for deep bass:

  1. Size Your Subwoofer Box: The first step is to determine the size of your subwoofer box. Generally speaking, the larger the box, the deeper the bass will be. In addition, you shouldn’t make the box excessively large as, at some point, the mentioned rule no longer applies. Of course, you will need to consider things like the cost of materials and how much space you have in your car. 
  2. Determine The Design: The next step is to determine the enclosure’s design and get the blueprint. With this, you can determine how much material you will need. 
  3. Get The Materials: Once you have decided on the size of the subwoofer box, you will need to get the materials to make the enclosure. Generally, you will need the wood (MDF, plywood, pine wood, fiberglass, etc.), a ruler, screws, a pencil, a screwdriver, a drill, a saw, and glue. 
  4. Cut The Pieces and Screw It Together: Now cut the pieces of wood to size as specified by the blueprint that you have. You should also cut out the space for the enclosure port. Next, mark the screw holes and drill them. Next, screw the pieces together.
  5. Port The Box: Once the enclosure is put together, you must port the subwoofer. 
  6. Mount The Subwoofer: Next, mount the subwoofer within the enclosure. 

Why Subwoofer Box Design Is Important

Ensuring you have a proper subwoofer box design is very important as it relates to your subwoofer’s phase crossover and frequency response.

This is because subwoofers produce sound both from the front and rear. If your subwoofer doesn’t have an enclosure, the sound waves from the back and front of the sub would interfere and cancel out each other.

Why Subwoofer Box Design Is Important

A proper subwoofer enclosure prevents this interference.

You should also remember that when working with subwoofer boxes and speakers, it is important to have all the necessary tools, including a screw gun, a good quality circular saw, a jigsaw, speaker dust cap glue, and a drill. You will also need clamps.

Sealed vs. Ported Enclosures

A sealed vs. ported box is also an important consideration that determines the quality of sound you will get from your system. Sealed vs. ported boxes are designed by way of what we call acoustic suspension vs. bass reflex designs

Subwoofer Box Isolation

If you plan on using your subwoofer in your home and not a car and if you plan on placing your subwoofer box on the floor, then you will need to isolate it. To do this, you can check out our guide on isolating your subwoofer from the floor.

Best Subwoofer Box Design For Deep Bass PDF

If you would like the PDF version of this article to print and have handy, please download the best subwoofer box design for deep bass pdf.

FAQs

1. How do I make my sub-box bass deeper?

To make the sub-box bass deeper, fill it with Polyfill. It is one way to improve the sound in sealed enclosures. It is a substance that slows airflow within the subwoofer, resulting in tighter and cleaner bass output.

2. What Hz is best for a subwoofer?

The suggested setting for this is 80 Hz. However, you may adjust the channel’s crossover frequency between 40 Hz and 250 Hz to suit your system.

3. What wattage is best for a subwoofer?

Going with at least 300 watts is preferable to have enough power for your subwoofer. You may add additional speakers if necessary, but the amp must complement the speaker system.

4. What makes a subwoofer more powerful?

The wattage of the subwoofer determines its power, with a larger wattage indicating a more powerful subwoofer.

Conclusion

There you have it, the best subwoofer box design for deep bass. Of course, using the proper box-building accessories, you can choose to construct your subwoofer enclosure for deep bass.

However, you must be a talented craftsman with an in-depth understanding of enclosure volumes to complete this task. That means you are better off buying a powerful speaker with a pre-made enclosure. In addition, you can also check out our guide to the loudest subwoofer box designs.