Designer:
Thepensname

Project Category:
Car Audio

Project Level:
Beginner

Project Time:
20+ Hours

Project Cost:
Over $1,000

Project Description:
Love my car, despised my stock stereo.

The stock 6×8 speakers in my 2010 Ford Edge were quite possibly the worst sounding speakers I’d ever had in a vehicle. I was already missing my 3″ FaitalPro dash speakers & Pioneer tweets I’d previously purchased for my 1992 Olds Cutlas Ciera wagon from . This wasn’t an exclusively Parts Express build, but I felt PE played a big enough role to cover just a tad more than the subwoofer’s contribution to my project.

Design Goals:
To feel the sounds we can’t hear, or at least play lower than 98% of the aftermarket systems out there, with clarity throughout the 20-80hz range. To compete in Springfest (MECA Sanctioned Stereo Competition) in SQ division.

Driver Selection:
Part # 295-518 Dayton Audio UM18-22 18″ Ultimax
Part # 264-1034 Tymphany NE25VTS-04 1″ Silk Dome Tweeter
Part # 091-340 Gold Binding Post Banana Jack Pair Extra Long Shaft with Solder Tabs
Part # 260-779 Cast Frame #8-32 Speaker Mounting Kit

Enclosure Design:
PE Recommended Sealed (Home Theater):
4 cubic ft. (net internal, not including driver) for an f3 of 31 Hz, f10 of 18 Hz with a Qtc of 0.72
Being sealed, I opted for traditional fiberglass fill over poly, walls covered.

Enclosure Assembly:
3/4″ MDF – Glued & Screwed
Skim Coat of Bondo

Crossover Design:
I run a completely active set up on a Pioneer DEH80-PRS, sub is crossed at 80 HZ 18db/octave. Head unit compenates for phase/time/level, full DSP on board.

Conclusion:
This is the first 18″ I’ve owned, I didn’t expect the level of accuracy in the upper bass tones. I’d expected something that sounded like a massive 18″ in my trunk, but once the system was tuned in the transition was seamless from 6.5″ Silver Flutes to UM18-22. I also own two Rockford T1D412’s, they can get loud, but they miss everything below 28hz (at least in my head). The UM on test tracks will easily play below what I can hear, it gives me that urge to explore audio tracks on my daily drives that may have notes I hadn’t heard before. Deadmau5 track “Right this second” for example, makes for a great lower back massage. The only downfall here is that I feel compelled to remove the spare tire and build a 7-8 cu ft box to hold an additional UM18, luckily they are on backorder or I’d be back at again. There is absolutely no need for a second one, but lets face it, we don’t buy 18″ subwoofers for cars b/c we need them.

1st Place in “Street/Modified” Sound Qualtiy @ Springfest

About the Designer:
Jack of All Trades and Master of Interior Design, Dad, attended Vanderbilt for EE, worked in virtually every field known to Homer Simpson for those that keep track (minus nuclear), car audio fanatic raised on Chopin & Bach with guilty pleasures for really bad bass cd’s from the 90’s and everything in between.

Parts Used:

Project Parts List