Gauging interest: SmokinVR4 replica boxes BUILT BEFORE SOLD

**Blue91SL** · 03-30-2014, 12:49 AM

I know a lot of people loved the smokinvr4 boxes back in the day, and dude got too excited and started pre-selling before he actually had them ready, and ended up screwing a lot of people. I currently have in my possession a low-profile 10" box, that I plan to use to replicate and improve the previous design. Price point is TBD, but depending on cost of supplies (It's been a while since I've done woodwork) I'd ballpark around the same/less than they used to be. Still made out of 3/4 MDF like the original, with the snug fit over the rear frame rail and against the spare tire. However mine will have a protective pad on the side where the spare tire rubs, to keep it from damaging the carpeting (if this is feasible). I've also got the mind to build a matching passenger side compartment, and spare tire cover, with an option for a shallow cover for a full size spare.

I would offer multiple options:
10" and 12" high profile ported and non ported boxes, with or without carpet.
8", 10", and 12" low profile non ported boxes (low enough to clear sunroof holders) with or without carpet.
Build your own box kits, so you could put it together yourself and save a little on cost and shipping (kit will be smaller to ship).

I know a lot of people had interest in custom variants of the boxes he sold, and I could offer these as well. I plan to make templates to be able to custom-cut boxes from standard dimensions on the fly, eliminating need for "pre-pay" or two-three week turnaround on a box. I will be building sides and leaving the tops off until the last minute, to fulfill every order quickly without delay. Depending on demand a group-buy could be arranged for the first so many boxes. But if a few of you want them, I'd still be happy to make them. If nothing else, I'll be making them for my other cars. Feel free to ask any questions.

**2fnloud** · 03-30-2014, 07:49 AM

I love you approach that you are taking, but I have three comments to make.

1. Get verified
2. Have you talked to Alan about selling on the site?

As a member here selling parts time to time, is permitted, however when you are selling a service / product there is guidlines that Alan has set.

3. Are you going to take into consideration that EVERY sub is different and require different volumes? You can take a 12 and the optimum enclosure size will very from sub to sub.

**familyMAN** · 03-30-2014, 08:38 AM

Air volume of high and low profile options?

**Blue91SL** · 04-01-2014, 01:39 AM

Originally Posted by 2fnloud

I love you approach that you are taking, but I have three comments to make.

1. Get verified
2. Have you talked to Alan about selling on the site?

As a member here selling parts time to time, is permitted, however when you are selling a service / product there is guidlines that Alan has set.

3. Are you going to take into consideration that EVERY sub is different and require different volumes? You can take a 12 and the optimum enclosure size will very from sub to sub.

1. If there is enough interest, I will get verified and go through all of the proper channels. At the current time, I only plan to make a few for myself, but that could change if enough people want them.
2. See above: That would also include becoming a vendor if necessary, but I really am just one guy, so I can't really say I'll pump a billion of these out. I read the rules, and it didn't specifically state that I needed to be special to gauge interest. Like mentioned above, if people want them, I'll do the necessary work.
3. As with the originals, there is a limit to the subs you can actually run based on the volume requirements of your sub. These are not huge boxes, and the low-profile box only actually has ~.60 cubic feet of volume, so they're definitely not going to be able to take just any sub. Some modifications can be made for certain subs, but you can only run subs that work appropriately with your box, when you have low-volume boxes. If it weren't for that pesky spare tire, there would be no issue about volume. But the very nature of these boxes is that they are small, allowing you to boost your system while still having cargo space.

Originally Posted by familyMAN

Air volume of high and low profile options?

The standard box is ~.75 cubic feet, with a 6.5" max mount depth.
The low profile box is ~.6 cubic feet, with a 5.5" max mount depth.

**Blue91SL** · 04-01-2014, 02:12 AM

After re-reading my reply, I realize that I kind of sounded like a jerk in the first part. So, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. But as of right now, this is all hypothetical, so I don't really see the need to bother anyone just yet. I know for a fact that I'm building 4 boxes for myself and my friends, and I figured I might as well offer them to others if they wanted them as well. If nothing else, I might just make my templates and build one every so often and pop it up for sale.
I've also been thinking about an option for a sub box that actually goes OVER the spare tire, but doesn't actually cover it. Assuming, of course, that you run a factory spare, and not a full-size replacement. Alternately, I could actually make one that covers the spare entirely.... Oh, options. How I despise thee.

**2fnloud** · 04-01-2014, 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by Blue91SL

After re-reading my reply, I realize that I kind of sounded like a jerk in the first part. So, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. But as of right now, this is all hypothetical, so I don't really see the need to bother anyone just yet. I know for a fact that I'm building 4 boxes for myself and my friends, and I figured I might as well offer them to others if they wanted them as well. If nothing else, I might just make my templates and build one every so often and pop it up for sale.
I've also been thinking about an option for a sub box that actually goes OVER the spare tire, but doesn't actually cover it. Assuming, of course, that you run a factory spare, and not a full-size replacement. Alternately, I could actually make one that covers the spare entirely.... Oh, options. How I despise thee.

Nah, I never got a "jerk" vibe your good. There are a few tricks to putting a sub in an undersized box, one is poly fill, the other is more wattage and EQing. The problem is you need to keep the wattage under the limits of the Voice Coil to prevent it from burning out. Many many moons ago, I remember reading a car audio mag about a civic hatch that had 8 15" sub in a clam shell wall behind the seats. the volume was ridiculously small, that article explained that they got bass to sound good by EQ'ing the sound curve and more wattage.

You could also build the boxes to go around that half of the spare tire, that would gain you some space too, if you can get that volume to 1FT3, you will have all 10 over covered, and open up into some 12's that work just fine with 1 Ft3 volume.

OR just use this 12" subwoofer:
These love a box ranging from .5Ft3 to 1.0 Ft3 with .75Ft3 being ideal. These are what the original Kicker solobaric subwoofer where, because Credence made the original subs for Kicker back in the 90's.

**Blue91SL** · 04-01-2014, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by 2fnloud

Nah, I never got a "jerk" vibe your good. There are a few tricks to putting a sub in an undersized box, one is poly fill, the other is more wattage and EQing. The problem is you need to keep the wattage under the limits of the Voice Coil to prevent it from burning out. Many many moons ago, I remember reading a car audio mag about a civic hatch that had 8 15" sub in a clam shell wall behind the seats. the volume was ridiculously small, that article explained that they got bass to sound good by EQ'ing the sound curve and more wattage.

You could also build the boxes to go around that half of the spare tire, that would gain you some space too, if you can get that volume to 1FT3, you will have all 10 over covered, and open up into some 12's that work just fine with 1 Ft3 volume.

OR just use this 12" subwoofer:
These love a box ranging from .5Ft3 to 1.0 Ft3 with .75Ft3 being ideal. These are what the original Kicker solobaric subwoofer where, because Credence made the original subs for Kicker back in the 90's.

Poly fill is one option, yes. I figured I would leave it to the buyer to decide what kind of setup they wanted to run, but at least attempt to offer assistance with it. I was actually considering including it if people wanted it, but I haven't used it before so pricing is something I'd have to look at. As it stands now, I don't think I'll be cheaper than the originals, which is what I'd wanted in the first place, but I'm still determined to build them better than he did.
I might actually be curving around the spare, it depends on how much room there is to be gained.
I've also really thought about having 2-4" of space where the box sits on top of the spare. You know, for volume. But with that you'd have to cut the spare cover even more.

**spaceace60** · 05-30-2015, 04:01 PM

So the internal volume(airspace) would be about .75 on standard? keep in mind when most speakers recommend a .75(which very very few 12's do?(and a few 10's)unless they are a really shallow mount subs! This usually doesn't include speaker displacement either!!(the amount of space the speaker itself takes up in the box!!)which is usually atleast .50/.75 on normal 10's/12's but even more on heavy duty subs such as Jl w7's ect and bigger subs yet! I think these boxes would shine a lot more using 8's(which believe it or not the right ones could really slam!) rule of thumb: a cheap sub in the correct size box will usually sound better than a $1000 sub in the wrong size box!!(probably the number one mistake of newbies!) I would be glad to help anyone needing it as I've been working/tweaking a long time to get the most outta this platform car!(several yrs actually lol!!) these cars have a small trunk area(tough to mount subs in usual manners)and the acoustics inside aren't exactly optimum either!(not so much about being quite ect!,but more about shape of car, lack of carpet/soft materials to absorb sound from bouncing all over ect!)Not to mention all that leather doesn't help the TT models either!!too many reflective surfaces in TT's)(Glass/plastic trim/hard dash/leather seats ect)Trust me it pays to really sound proof these cars!!(remember for every 3db quieter you can make your car is equal to about 50% less power needed to achieve same apparent listening levels!)sound deadners are usually a lot cheaper than more amps and speakers! sorry for being so long winded lol!,just doesn't seem to be a lot of 3si owners into car audio??