I am wanting to get some 12s.Im wondering though, if I just bought the subs, do I need to have a box made specificly for those 12s?
I don't know if this question is in a sticky, I looked but didn't see it. - am on my Blackberry again, so the internet looks different and is slower.

 

Nah, any 12in box is the same diameter. As long as the depth is deep enough for your sub, then you're fine.

 

Thebox plays a huge role in how it sounds. I'd check in the sub owners manual and check the specifications for which it calls for. When you go to purchase a box make sure it's within those specifications.

or build your own using this site... very easy to use and a great informational site for future questions.
http://bcae1.com/ scroll down on the right hand side to "110. Basic Enclosure Calculations"

 

well sealed boxes are alot more forgiving than ported boxes but for most 12s they use about the same size box. when you look at the sub check out its recomended box airspace.... and try to match a box close to that size... a quick link to the box calculator is....
http://www.bcae1.com/spboxnew2.htm
cause i know that site can be alittle hard to a new comer.....

 

Haha, I bet yours sound great.

 

Thanks for the help guys. When ever I buy some 12s I'm going to buy a box that suits it. Eventually I am wanting to make my own box. I have an idea in my head that I think would look cool. When I can ill try and sketch a pic and post it.

Once again, thank you all for the help.

 

Step 1: I made a thread topic on this that for some reason was not stickied, find it and read the box section :P
step 2: The box is not the only crucial thing to sound, the trunk itself will also affect greatly how the sub performs

Many people believe you get the best by facing your subs toward the trunk
not at all always the case
mine sounds best facing perpendicular the length of the car at a 30 degree angle upwards
Why? physics, although it's very hard to calculate such a thing
what you need to do is not only match the box to the suggested size for the sub (as well as ported vs sealed vs bandpass vs dimension) you also need to take into consideration how it will sound in your trunk. Depending on this you may or may not have to even further modify your box to accomodate your car
Civics are small and the most aggravating acoustics dilemmas I have ever had to deal with, common in smaller cars where waves bounce all over the place etc >.<
To stick to your original question think about this
Not only is box size important, but in some theories (although some will disagree) the more square the box the better, therefore all the air in the box will have equal force back on the sub.
For example, lets say you have a 12 inch sub, your box height and width is 13 but the length is 30 to accomodate for lack of volume suggested for the sub
air in the back of the chamber won't have as much effect as air in the front (yet all air acts on each other?)
the reason this is highly argued is because you'd need to have a sub with incredibly demanding large box sizes before this becomes an issue, which is probably true, but if it's the case for a really large box, it MUST have SOME affect in a smaller box
Although this is nearly not at all something to worry about, just take into consideration that on your strive for perfect sound comes a lot of issues ~:|

I do say though, make the attempt at your own box
it's really fun, just be incredibly accurate with your measurements, a quarter inch here and there will become a half inch gap when you're trying to seal

 

well i wouldnt say making a box is fun.LOL it can be a PITA at times.... best thing to do is build it piece buy piece put a few pieces together and then test fit it in the car! and then continue to measure and cut and keep piecing it together while still every few pieces to test fit it in the car..... cause sometimes just because the measurements SAY it will fit into the trunk doesnt mean it will fit in the trunk. LMFAO
ive learned that the hard way! and had to bust the box apart and make it smaller..... and ya it sucked royal @ss!!!!!!

lesson learned thats for sure! now i test fit every box every other piece i put together.
just remember to put the box together the right way as well ive also put boxes together wrong and you find out realy quick after trying to put the rest of the box together.
if ya got a good box building program and it calculates wood pieces for the box be sure to look at the picture and see how those pieces screw together and stack, otherwise youll have to pull the box apart and put it together the right way.LOL again lesson learned the hard way in my case!
but at least after building quite a few boxes im preaty good at it now..... but still i do alot of thinking about the box when building! sometimes ya just got to sit back and think about it for a min....

 

If you're planning to make your own box... Use a table saw, and only a table saw to cut your pieces. anything other than a table saw or a saw that is extremely accurate will end in turmoil. If you're planning to use high powered 12's in these boxes, I'd not only use countersunk screws, but also woodglue. Then if its still not sealed or you want to ensure a good seal you can use caulk. (this is mostly for a sealed enclosure) My opinion of course.

 

wood glue is the most important thing!!!

and if ya use screws..... you need to predrill the holes!
lately i just use a air nail gun. works great and ALOT faster than predrilling holes over and over and over!