# Ideal 6.5 inch woofer enclosure



## Stewart (Jul 14, 2006)

I have searched and can't find any definite information on what size enclosure a 6.5 inch woofer should be set up in. My doors have .41 cu/ft. plastic enclosures built into the doors that I have them in right now but I can't help but feel like I'm just not getting the bass my speakers are capable of. Should I try baffles behind them? Is the enclosure too big or too small? I really just don't have a point of reference for what to aim for. 

I'm using the Polk sr 6500 woofers by the way.


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## npdang (Jul 29, 2005)

The polk's should ideally be used free-air, with no enclosure. I think you maybe expecting too much from those drivers however... they are very limited in bass output.


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## bobditts (Jul 19, 2006)

if you want, you can try using the foam baffles that parts express sells. Thats what I have around my 6.5" subs in my doors. If you still dont like how they sound, you can coat the foam with a resin/bondo mix and try it that way. If you still dont like it, fill it with polyfill. heres a link. 

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=260-788


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## Stewart (Jul 14, 2006)

npdang said:


> The polk's should ideally be used free-air, with no enclosure. I think you maybe expecting too much from those drivers however... they are very limited in bass output.


Free air is what I was thinking, but as far as bass I heard them in a demo a few times w/o a sub and the bass was better than any 6.5 inch I've heard before. Definitely more than what I'm getting in my car, and nearly every review I've read applauds their low end.


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## icemancm (Aug 9, 2006)

Maybe a heavily deadened door would do...


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## Infinity (Jun 28, 2005)

The Kicker RMB6's sounded VERY good in .5 cubes ported, but lacked a bit of lowend as I had them tuned for midbass. I haven't tried them in the Mustang yet. That is my next project, as I haven't found an 8 that will fit besides the Kicker SS or RMB 8. I'm pretty sure the Orion XTR MB8 would fit, but it is well out of production, same with the DEI Studio Neo8. All midbasses, though. The car truly needs a subwoofer in the front as the factory spots allow for a large midrange, and tweets can go virtually anywhere.


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## kiranjoseph (Jan 2, 2009)

Stewart said:


> Free air is what I was thinking, but as far as bass I heard them in a demo a few times w/o a sub and the bass was better than any 6.5 inch I've heard before. Definitely more than what I'm getting in my car, and nearly every review I've read applauds their low end.


Free air is the way to go, but if your using an enclosure (like I am) then the minimum size should be 0.4 cuft. This is what Polk recomends. U can check this in the manual. Are u simply not hearing much low end or are u hearing it but its sounds muffled?? since u mentioned that ur enclosure is .41, u should get pretty good low end extension, but dont expect anything close to what an SR sub will deliver. I think u should try and deaden ur enclosure with silicone / dynamat and clay if u have to, and try again. I have 2 sets of 6500's and theyre fantastic, but wont deliver much below 63Hz - Ive read that u can cut them off at 40Hz but they wont play very loud at that freq. Infact I have my fronts cut off a bit higher than 80 Hz cus my enclosure is only .233 Cuft. I can max out the volume my alpine 9887 without any hint of distortion!!! My sub takes care of the low end, but I do have a slight gap in the frequencies that I need to fix. I have lost a lot of up-front bass, and I'm trying to figure out how to bring it back in - the main problem i have is that my enclosure is too small for these speakers. U shouldn't have that problem. I feel u should just sound deaden the crap out of ur enclosure without reducing the inner volume(size) below ).4...... anyways thats my 2 cents... U could call a polk engineer and speak to them - theyre pretty helpful and know these speakers really well. Or you could log onto the polk website and search for 'MacLeod' in the bolgs - he's a SQ champ and uses these speakers extensively - but I can guarantee he is gonna tell u to run these puppies in an infinite baffle...


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## kiranjoseph (Jan 2, 2009)

Also the way they sound has a lot to do with how u've tuned them in with ur equalizer, ur amp gains and crossovers, and also dont forget to turn down the tweeters!!!theyre really loud! if ur going passive, then put them on the -3db setting, but ideally u should turn them down further...


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