Wetsounds XS-XXX Ported Box Help

Getting ready to build a sub box for the above speaker for my Avalanche. I need a little help on some questions.

Should I use 3/4" or 1" MDF board?
Should I use bracing inside the box?
I want to use a plexiglass front. How do I seal the plexiglass to the MDF?
What thickness of plexi should I use?
What do I need to seal the sub to the plexi?

Box Size Questions:

I know the dimensions are on the Wetsounds site, however it is a box design. (almost square) Mine will have to be wider at the top and narrow at the bottom to compensate for the sidewall at an angle.

With that said, I need to know if ported or sealed is the best option. Tim you can answer that. Since my enclosure is odd angle, what would the new dimensions be?
What size should the port be?
Should the port be just a cut out or what?
Is the back of the box the best location? (I was thinking that it might be to help keep water out.)

Any help with this at all would be greatly appreciated.

Tim can better answer for what the driver was designed for .

when building a vented enclosure, it is always more important to load the driver rather than the port, both is best providing that pressure and acoustics still come out the same direction. if not you might suffer from phase issues(standing waves). If you cannot achieve 1.7 cf^3 net,which will be closer to 2.0 -2.15 (depending on vent construction material and size)than you probably will be better with the sealed enclosure.

the formula remains the same except the side with the two different lengths (add the top internal dimension and the bottom internal dimension and divide by 2 for the internal average )then multiply by depth and height.

Yeah, Tim would be the best. I'd give them a call.....

Pootie,

The XS-XXX will work in either sealed or ported but is really designed and comes alive in the ported enclosure.

Are you building this yourself or just getting ideas for your installer?

1 inch mdf is harder to come by. As most lowes and home depots only carry 3/4. 3/4 is fine but since we are talking about ported and marine. I recommend you fiberglas resin the box. This will also help make it more rigid with the 3/4.

I don't recommend plexi in a marine application when using ported boxes. Too many insects like crickets will get into the box. To be seen through the plexi window. Also, the XXX is a spl woofer. I have a friend that had 2 in his boat with plexi panels and the XXX's cracked the plexi. He re built them with mdf.

Plexi can be used but to really do it right with no fear of cracking them, you need to use thick plexi. Counter sink the holes. And be very careful when tightening the holes.

I just don't feel you get much return on the amount of work that goes into a solid box with plexi if you are building this yourself. If a shop is doing it. They probably work with plexi all the time and it is no problem for them. But remember about the bugs.

A ported box takes some knowledge to build. The slot loaded ported box I designed in the manual is the easiest way to get a ported box. It is a triangle port.

You can e mail me direct if you have the measurements as I would need the measurements to see what would be the best.

Also, another idea. My boat has a slot loaded box. Rectangle. With a trim panel.

This is also easier than trying to build the box to fit the shape your area has. Build the box to spec and build the trim panel.

Tim
Wet Sounds

Tim, I will call you. Are you going to be around tonight?

thanks to all the input from everyone else out there. And yes, this will be a DIY box.