Recently ordered a RF p3s 10" sub, it's 300w and I'm planning on building a ported box.

Mainly I'm wondering since I'm going ported, can I get away with 1/2" or 5/8" MDF for more airspace? Needs .75 cubic feet, and I pretty much came to these numbers-

3/4" - .70 ft
1/2" - .83 ft

I'm thinking that after displacement the 1/2" would get somewhat close to where I need to be. I could do some bracing inside to help stiffen it up, but is it really needed? Ported boxes don't see the kind of internal pressure that sealed boxes do correct?

I'm hoping to tune this thing decently low, maybe around 35 hz, and having extra space to play with would really help.

Basically just wondering if I can get away with 1/2" or if I need to find a different way to squeeze out a little more space.

 

If the only difference with 3/4'' mdf is .05 square inches you'll be fine. The box will be sturdier and overall flex less than the smaller sizes would, not saying that sub will flex a well built box with smaller mdf, but it doesn't hurt to have that extra strength. How much room do you have to work with and where's the box going?

 

Box is going underneath the back seat (middle and driver side), I went with one sub because I didn't want to move my jack. I'm hoping to downfire so that will lose me another inch or so of depth. I really want to get this thing close to the recommended airspace.

Like I said those numbers are conservative, but still.. figure in displacement from the sub and my usable airspace with 3/4 is probably around .65, a little on the small side and would probably take a pretty big port to prevent noise..

The main thing I was wondering, is that technically since a ported box doesn't have the "spring" effect on the inside, that it wouldn't need to be as strong as a sealed box, correct? Not to mention, this is just a 10" getting 300 watts... not exactly a brain shaking setup (which is why I'm going ported)