what happens if the box i mount my sub in does not have the "sugessted" air space volume (cubic feet?) that the sub "needs"?

 

interesting question... the box i built for my sub is slightly smaller than the minimum that the manufacture recommends. at certain lower frequencies, i get a slight rattle from the subwoofer itself. I may rebuild my box so it is slightly larger, but I havent had time to mess with it.

I dont know enough about subwoofers to give a definative answer, but that has been my experience with a slightly small enclosure.

 

Too little airspace can cause the sub to not hit lower frequencies correctly. Some builders can "trick" the sub into thinking it's in a larger enclosure bu adding Poly-Fill which help slow down the soundwaves inside the box.

To be sure, Poly-fill can't make up for 1/2 a cubic foot of airspace, but it might be enought to help bring out certain frequencies that are bein attenuated by your current enclosure. You might consider trying the Poly-Fill if you already have the an enclosure built- the stuff is cheap to experiment with. Pick it up at Wal-Mart in the Arts/Crafts/Sewing section. It'll look impressive in the buggy next to your motor oil and shaving cream.