Car Stereos: sony sub enclosure size, ported boxes, s parameters

Question
I have a sony 12" sub model # xs-L120P5W  what is the recomended enclosure for this both vented and sealed.  we are using 8 of these for our low-end in a band.  I want to build 2 enclosures with 4 sub per enclosure.  have any idea on some dimensions for this!?

Answer
Hi Jeremy,

Unfortunately, Sony doesn't publish their subwoofer parameters in the owner's manual or anywhere on their web site that I could find.  Without this information, I wouldn't consider using ported boxes (especially if your amplifiers don't have sub-sonic filters.  

Based on my (limited) personal experience with these subs, I'd suggest using sealed enclosures with around 1 cubic foot of air space for each sub.  Using smaller boxes tends to cause the low frequencies to start rolling off at a higher frequency point, while enlarging the box results in deeper bass, but might reduce the power handling of the subwoofer.  In your case, I'd think power handling would be the more important consideration (depending somewhat on the type of music you play).

It might be worthwhile to contact Sony directly, and see if they can provide you with T/S parameters for the sub, or sealed/vented box recommendations.

Hope this helps!

Brian