FLAME SUIT ON. The better G.A.S. Lukebox.

[Mr. Burns]

Folks,

this is simply a post indicating my personal experience with the G.A.S. Lukebox install and performance in my 1989 BMW 325ic convertible non-powered top.

In no way am I discounting the labour, trials and R&D that G.A.S. have set out to do. For our cars, and above else love of music.

I sourced out the G.A.S v2 non-powered vert dual 8" subwoofer box.

I happen to be good friends with one of Canada's top ten Mobile Audio installers, and voted number 8 in North America's 2013 Mobile Electronics Industry Awards. Look him up, name is Shon Besharah, offers courses at Sonus in Tennessee, when he's not traveling throughout Canada/US doing highdollar celebrity installs.

Shon studied the G.A.S. install proceedures, and followed it to a "T", with the exception of some cleaner port tube install solutions.

Install was complete and I was super happy with the result as-is.
My car went in for some audio balancing at his shop afterwards, and I was over the moon with the results.

Couple of days later, he calls me up saying "I'm not completely satisfied with the end result, I want your car back in"

He's certain he can get more gains outta the box.

He contacted the engineers at Rockford Fosgate (I used 2 ohm stable Punch P2's 8") and RF said the box is too big for these subs essentially.

So, with that said, a port hole was cut along the drivers side.
9 7/8 x 1.25 x 12.25.

now the sounds is just unreal.
Clean, tight, crisp bass that hits on cue.

Also gained 14DB output on gain, and that's NOT taking into account the gains WITHIN the cabin.

I can cruise with the top/windows down and it slams.
slow cruising, I put the kids in their rice boom systems to shame.

anyhow, this is my subjective opinion and my experience.

cheers,
ryan

[DRTSRFR]

Interesting...

Do you have any pics? Or, can you explain in more depth where the port was cut?

[StereoInstaller1]

Ryan, no need for a flame suit.

First, you have got to get some pics up. I really do want to see just what he did, I am always curious what other gains could be found. Of course we always are looking to improve, but not at the expense of flexibility or sound quality, so I would like to see some pics!

Second, I would like to know what he used for modeling, as the numbers don't add up.

I called Fosgate myself, spoke with a nice young man named Forrest, he is one of the tech staff. I walked him through the tutorial and the design step by step, then explained what you said Shon did. The tuning you spec shows a tuned frequency of 28Hz on the side he added the port to (the previously sealed side), which would absolutely ruin any chance of good power handling or clarity. It brought PMax down to 30 watts, obviously not going to ruin any ricers day, so that is why I am so curious as to exactly what was done and how it was done. Clearly, if it were a complete failure, you wouldn't be so happy with it, right? All I can say is clearly there is part of the story I am not getting, because according to Fosgate, your man ruined the design and that is obviously not the case, or at least it isn't for you.

Lets see some pics!

Luke

[rcsoundn1]

In for pics, and detail of the install. I have a vert and never planned to run a system of any caliber because, well its a vert, and I assumed it would take a bit of $ to get mediocre results. I see all over R3V the GAS boxes get great reviews and thought maybe one day when I sort the rest of the car I would do a stereo.

[Mr. Burns]

I completely understand.

Once I get home I'll toss up some pictures.

Like I said it sounded great with the instruction provides by G.A.S. And I was happy with it.

When I was told he could get more, I was skeptical and it took me some convincing, considering the efforts you've allready put in.

It's a very small port, and you'll see for yourself.

When out up with a db meter, same settings, same track, same everything the box was more efficient and offered a louder output gain.

This does NOT say it was "bad" before, I'm just saying that what sounded awesome before only got better, and felt this was worthy of sharing.

YMMV, and keep in mind this is in a vert too.

[StereoInstaller1]

In for pics, and detail of the install. I have a vert and never planned to run a system of any caliber because, well its a vert, and I assumed it would take a bit of $ to get mediocre results. I see all over R3V the GAS boxes get great reviews and thought maybe one day when I sort the rest of the car I would do a stereo.

We actually have the 'vert boxes in stock and on sale right now...

The best results we have heard yet are using the Infinity Reference 860W woofers and our very own speaker system. I am trying to find time to write up the install story, the car sounds absolutely amazing.

Anyone who thinks a 'vert can't sound good should hear "Caress Me Down" on that system...just stunning for a vehicle with no roof! Very loud, very low, great detail and excellent definition, even in the bass.

We listened to it for a good 4 hours, playing everything from rap and reggae to blues and jazz to EDM. We never heard any issues at all, it played whatever we threw at it. The owner says it is the best sounding car he has ever heard, period.

'Verts can sound great, its just more difficult.

Luke

[Mr. Burns]

FLAME SUIT ON. The better G.A.S. Lukebox.

Here are the pics.

Please don't mind the messy carpet, I has some loose broken styrofoam that I haven't bothered to vacuum up yet.

[Mr. Burns]

my personal theory, granted I'm not a sound engineer, or mobile installation pro is as follow, I do DJ professionally, and do consider myself a bit of an audiophile...I DO know good QUALITY BALANCED sound when it's presented.

Perhaps there was not enough real world testing with the RF's, and as Luke suggested the Infinity's have been the best in terms of results with these boxes thus far.

Regardless, as I've mentioned the new port in which I mention the specs in an above post really bring the entire vehicle alive.

I am running very good components up front, and even in the rears too.

Headunit is a run o' the mill Kenwood.

[Silver Wagon]

just a FYI, generally a ported box is larger than a sealed box. was the box sealed from the start? if it was and was found to be larger than the ideal size for a sealed box, without rebuilding the box, porting was the logical solution.

as a general rule of thumb an 8" woofer needs .5 cubic feet of airspace, a 10" is 1 cf, 12" 1.5 cf. this is the internal volume taking in account what the woofer its self displaces. again this is rather generic but a very good starting point.

[rcsoundn1]

We actually have the 'vert boxes in stock and on sale right now ..

The best results we have heard yet are using the Infinity Reference 860W woofers and our very own speaker system. I am trying to find time to write up the install story, the car sounds absolutely amazing.

Anyone who thinks a 'vert can't sound good should hear "Caress Me Down" on that system...just stunning for a vehicle with no roof! Very loud, very low, great detail and excellent definition, even in the bass.

We listened to it for a good 4 hours, playing everything from rap and reggae to blues and jazz to EDM. We never heard any issues at all, it played whatever we threw at it. The owner says it is the best sounding car he has ever heard, period.

'Verts can sound great, its just more difficult.

Luke

I watch your threads all the time and read your write ups because I am very into car and home audio. I think my reply may have come off as,"not worth it or not doable" in a vert. I agree with you 100%, it can be done but does require more detail and desire to do it right, hence why I do some research on what others do. If my car had all the general maintance done I'd buy your box to try it out and work more on my audio. But right now I need to get it up to par. I don't doubt you will one day get a PM from me even though I have built every box I have used. Seems you do make good stuff and I can't wait to see if this is an improvment to what exists. Def no disrespect, more respect for what you do and the fact your open to modifications on your design

[reelizmpro]

The box had two ports originally correct? So does this mean the existing ports are too small for the rf driver that was used? Sounds like the box was sealed but I thought all gas vert boxes were ported.

[StereoInstaller1]

Barry, the 'vert design is a true 4th Order "Single reflex" bandpass, meaning the two woofers are in a sealed box that plays into a second box that vents the bass into the cabin.




The sealed part is the box we build, while the chamber between the seats and the trunk become the vented side when you dynamat the crap out of the inside of that chamber and add the 2 4" ports we supply. Its a pain in the butt, but it works really well.

[Mr. Burns]

Any thought/opinions on what was done to mine?

I guess it's really a "you gotta hear it to believe" it sorta thing.

I wouldn't be ranting about it if there was that much of a difference.

[Silver Wagon]

Any thought/opinions on what was done to mine?

I guess it's really a "you gotta hear it to believe" it sorta thing.

I wouldn't be ranting about it if there was that much of a difference.

it was tuned for your woofer in that specific box. the box was originally built for an infinity woofer IIRC. when it comes to ported boxes they are very specific to the woofer being used and what frequency the box needs to be tuned to to get the best out of that specific woofer. hence the very specific port dimensions.

[Mr. Burns]

this is where I get confused tho.

I had texted G.A.S. at length asking for advice and recommendations on which subs to select for this build.

It was either the Kickers, Infinities, or RF's.

I was told that the Fosgates where one of the main reasons they changed the vert box, in order to make the RF subs fit.
So I went with Fosgates...from my understanding they were tested with these subs and yielded good results.

Had I of known the Infinities where tried tested and true, I would of opted for those instead of having to cut up the box.

I'm curious to know how the RF's in the ported box stand up to the Infinites in the sealed box now...

there's nobody in town, let alone likely in my province that have a vert G.A.S. box (yay for being unique!)
Either way, i'm still very happy with the end result.