# L.A.B. SlapBox with dual Morel Ultimo 8's



## CrossFired (Jan 24, 2008)

Hi all, I’m doing a small review on the L.A.B. Slapbox enclosure. I’ll start by saying a few weeks ago I asked around in a few forums about LAB, and got ZERO response. I decided to take a chance on this somewhat unheard of company. Some may ask, why not build your own? Well not all of us live in a home with a garage & table saw. Over the years I’ve made dozens of boxes, but it was on the job and a after work thing.

So back to a few weeks ago, My friend that owns a car audio store asked me to try to sell some (use for one hour) Morel Ultimo 8’s. I told him sure, and how much? He replied I’ll take $600. for the pair, as he just wanted them gone. I posted them, and it would seem that no one wants 8”s! at least not for $600. So after a week, My buddy tells me to lower the price, I replied, any lower and I’ll buy them! So I bought them, as $500. is too stupid cheap to let such high-end woofers get away.

Now I have the the cats meow of SQ woofers! Yeepee! I install them in a dual chamber .5 per side sealed box. And they sound like poop! Coming from a Primo 10” that respond very well to a ported box. I thought just maybe I can get some Deep SQ bass from two 8’s with a ported box. So I did a little reading about ported designs, and came across the LAB website. I thought COOL! Someone makes a ported box just for a pair of Ultimo 8’s. It turns out that Joe(owner) had a little help from RAM designs. But thats cool, as RAM has a good rep for making SQL designs. So I called Joe and ordered the box! It cost around $150. with UPS two day ground, but given the fact that I was soooo far ahead on my Ultimo deal, I thought WTF, I’ll be into the Ultimo’s and box for <$700. (Can you tell I don’t like to spend money?)

Build quality on the box is solid and good. It comes in at 40lb, with the Ultimo’s it’s a hair under 70lb. Yes it did improve the handling of my Yaris!

I’m not real good at doing touchy feely reviews, listing dozens of album tracks. I will say this, I’ve heard some of the best SQ systems over the last 40 years, and the bass I get from Joe’s box is flat out Fantastic! ZZ Top, Yello, AC/DC, Metallica, Billy Joel, ABBA, Steely Dan, Johnny Cash, Busta Rhymes, Cake, Carla Bruni, B-52”s, Benny Goodman, Adrian Belew, DEVO, Boston, Ken Burns, Oingo Boingo, Van Halen, XTC, RUSH, Judas Priest, Monk, Fleetwood Mac, And a few others is what I listen to with the LAB box. 

I tried just about every song I know to try and trip up the bass, and it never did lose control or miss a note. In fact I’m hearing things I can’t even remember hearing in the past, like a Tom drum that sounds like a Tom. Something I was a bit worried about with a ported design, was losing the image or stage, as the Ultimo do that so well. Did not lose it! Still hear the bass coming right out of the dash. In fact I can not find any negatives about the effects the SlapBox has on the Ultimo’s.The SlapBox transformed the Ultimo’s into the speakers they were designed to be(imo). If your limited on workshop space, and would like to get the most out of your woofer, a box from Joe will get you there on the cheap. I can only guess that all of his RAM designs are as good. If you live within 100 miles of LA, Cal. It would be worth the drive to go see Joe and see what he can do for you.

LAB SlapBox™ 1.10 ft^3 Ported MDF Enclosure - 2 x Morel Ultimo 8 Subwoofers


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## Ultimateherts (Nov 13, 2006)

Frequency the box is tuned to? Frequency the subs are set at (low pass/subsonic)?


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## CrossFired (Jan 24, 2008)

Ultimateherts said:


> Frequency the box is tuned to? Frequency the subs are set at (low pass/subsonic)?


box is 34hz. woofers are crossed at 80hz. Tried 100hz, but I could start to hear some of the bass behind me, so I went with 80, and that gets all of the bass coming from the dash. Unfortunately my amp does not have a subsonic filter.


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

just grabbed an enclosure that meets my oz matrix elite 10 to give it a go

theyre all tuned to between 32-34hz


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## CrossFired (Jan 24, 2008)

Did you get a SlapBox? or are you just saying, you got a box?




tyroneshoes said:


> just grabbed an enclosure that meets my oz matrix elite 10 to give it a go
> 
> theyre all tuned to between 32-34hz


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

I got a slapbox from LAB 1.3 tuned to 33.

Oz recs 1.25 and 34 hz. So its right on the money


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## CrossFired (Jan 24, 2008)

tyroneshoes said:


> I got a slapbox from LAB 1.3 tuned to 33.
> 
> Oz recs 1.25 and 34 hz. So its right on the money


Please let us know how you like it.


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

Sure when it arrives Ill post up pics and a review in this thread.


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

Just installed and listened to it for a while. Wow. I have been missing this bass with a single 8 sealed badly. It gets rediculously loud and I swapped back to the zapco 500.1 since the oz was 2 ohm. I figured 500 watts should be enough (though they want 700-1000) and I was right. 500 watts, this box and Matrix elite sub and Im in happy bassland.

However I need to give it some time, I need to retune. I am used to trying to get by with an 8 and now I have way more bass than I need. Also seemed a little less accurate than the Oz in the sealed enclosure but this box is so smooth at times and hit you in the chest once you dial it in a bit. But a tad less composure. This may lessen in time.

I recommend. They have so many custom models that you can use something Alpine type x which is 1.3 cuft tuned to 33hz. The oz recommended enclosure = 1.25 tuned to 34hz. Perfect.

Best box you can get for the money. Build quality was great. Nice carpeting. Really high quality custom box tuned to 33 hz for $120 is a great deal (theyre mostly all tuned between 32-34). This is my summer turnt up enclosure and Im not taking it out untill I need the trunk. Then I still have the hidden 8". Then its going back in.


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## CrossFired (Jan 24, 2008)

Looks nice! I'm glad you found the results similar to mine. And the price is not too bad. I looked into the cost, and the MDF alone would run near $50. plus the time and design.





tyroneshoes said:


> Just installed and listened to it for a while. Wow. I have been missing this bass with a single 8 sealed badly. It gets rediculously loud and I swapped back to the zapco 500.1 since the oz was 2 ohm. I figured 500 watts should be enough (though they want 700-1000) and I was right. 500 watts, this box and Matrix elite sub and Im in happy bassland.
> 
> However I need to give it some time, I need to retune. I am used to trying to get by with an 8 and now I have way more bass than I need. Also seemed a little less accurate than the Oz in the sealed enclosure but this box is so smooth at times and hit you in the chest once you dial it in a bit. But a tad less composure. This may lessen in time.
> 
> ...


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## Canada1869 (May 23, 2014)

I have nothing but great things to say about the LAB Slapbox. I ordered one for 2 8" Alpine Type R's and I am amazed by the build quality of the box.

Unfortunately, when I first recived the box UPS had beaten the crap out of it. The port side of the box was partially caved in and all of the corners of the box were completely mangled. I got in touch with Joe at LAB and he immediately sent out a new box that was really carefully packaged. I was super impressed with how quickly he got the new box out to me and the customer service overall. I would definitely buy another box from these guys.


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