Need help with first DIY sub. (1 Viewer)

[Matt Engelhardt]

First off, I am do not have a lot of woodworking experience (or tools for that matter...) and I live in an apartment. Yet I still would like to try to build my own sub. I am looking for either pre-built cabinets, or pre-cut cabinet kits. Are there any decent cabinet/kits available on the net? I would also like any specific driver/amp recommendations for the cabinet/kit. Will I get good results with these pre-built or pre-cut kits, or am I better off designing a cabinet myself, and having someone cut it for me? Any specific kit and driver combos are appreciated. thanks,
Matt

 

[Patrick Sun]

You will need to first specify some design goals:
1. How low do you want to go?
2. How loud do you want to go?
3. How large of a box can you go?
4. How much can you spend?
5. How much will be HT, how much will be music?
6. How "quick" do you want the sub to be (transient response)?
7. How much power will you be able to use to power it?
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PatCave ; HT Pix ; Gear ; Sunosub I + III ; DVDs ; Link Removed

 

[Matt Engelhardt]

1. How low do you want to go?
maybe 18Hz (+/-)3
2. How loud do you want to go?
Not concert levels, but loud enough for HT, and the ocational jam fest.
3. How large of a box can you go?
as long as it can fit through a door...
4. How much can you spend?
preferrable under $500, for box,driver, and plate amp.
5. How much will be HT, how much will be music?
50/50
6. How "quick" do you want the sub to be (transient response)?
quick enough to be musical..
7. How much power will you be able to use to power it?
Depends on recommended plate amps available (while still being under the $500 budget)
thanks,
Matt

 

[Hank Frankenberg]

Matt, Parts Express, for one, has sub cabinets in kit form. http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshow...=300-729&DID=7

 

[Patrick Sun]

For your budget and lack of tools, I'm going to suggest the Adire Rava . Here's a pretty nice review of it by one of our forum members. It won't go super low (sealed design), but I think it might fit the bill for $400 plus shipping. Plus once you move out of your apartment and get some space and tools, it'd be easier to get going on some DIY subs.
Plus, if you have to go with a box design, you'd have to go with Passive Radiators (PRs) to get the low tuning you want, and good PRs are $80-$100 each, and to get a good design, you'll need probably 2 of them. So, with driver (either 12" or 15") plus 2 PRs, you're already looking at $350 with $150 left over for amp and enclosure. Certainly doable, but you'd be cutting corners.
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PatCave ; HT Pix ; Gear ; Sunosub I + III ; DVDs ; Link Removed

 

[Dean Cooper]

You could always ask around your friends if any of them know someone in to wood working, I'm sure you would find someone, Wood working is as addictive as HT . Anyway what I did, was I bought the wood and a couple new tools for a guy at my work and he cut all the pieces for me. I was happy because I had the pieces and just had to glue them together (and still saved money over buying a prebuilt cab) and he was happy because a little bit of labor got him the new tool he wanted ($20 circle jig for his router).
Dean

 

[Kyle Richardson]

Check out theTitanic Kit or the 15" DVC Kit from Parts Express.
The Adire Audio Sub-V with a AMP250 would be a great combination and would allow enough money left over for somebody to make your enclosure for you if you didnt want to tackle it yourself.
Just some suggestions.
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[Matt Stryker]

I am in a nearly identical situation, but I have slightly different expectations of the sub. Hope you guys can help me too.
1. How low do you want to go?
18-20Hz. Anything below that is gravy.
2. How loud do you want to go?
I'd love up to 100 db, but I'm realistic. Perhaps 90 or lower.
3. How large of a box can you go?
The wife has approved. Even for a sonosub, provided she gets to decorate it.
4. How much can you spend?
I won't need to pay for the amp, and I already have all of the required tools except a plunge router. my budget is around $400.
5. How much will be HT, how much will be music?
over 90% HT, hardly any music other than the scores in movies.
6. How "quick" do you want the sub to be (transient response)?
Quick enough to do some music but mostly for HT.
7. How much power will you be able to use to power it?
This was a question I was going to ask you guys. I have a 150 and a 200 watt sub amp available, but I can procure something stronger if I think I need it later. I am in an apartment, so I may want to upgrade later?
I'm thinking something single-driver, and since size is not an issue, i'd like to build a tube design. I have moderate woodworking experience, and my stepfather-in-law is a master woodworker; I'm going to build it in his shop.
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[Patrick Sun]

Well, seeing that you're local to Trenton and I, I think Trenton still has about 6 feet of 24" wide Sonotube that he would sell to you for a good price (under $40-$50), and if you went with the Tempest ($140 plus shipping), I can set you up with some 6" PVC pipe (bought more than I'll ever use) and it's less work using one 6" pipe over 2 or 3 4" pipes. This will allow you to port from the bottom endcap (I prefer not to port from the top because stuff would fall into the port even with a vented cover on it).
If you could go for a 12ft^3 of internal volume, here's what you could get:
48" section 24" wide sonotube (internal height, add endcap thicknesses that will reside inside tube for final length of sonotube). Adding for legs and endcaps, you're looking at a 4.5 foot tall sub.
20" of 6" wide PVC pipe (or two 14.5" of 4" wide PVC pipe and shave off 0.5" off internal sonotube height)
Tune of 16Hz, F3 would be just under 17Hz
The group delay would be: 22ms at 20Hz, 12ms at 25Hz, 7ms at 30Hz, 5ms at 35Hz, and 4ms at 40Hz. That should be tight enough for HT.
With a 200W amp, your max excursion is under the Xmax for the Tempest. And you should hit 105dB at 1m.
The airspeed in the port is under 12m/s at 20Hz and and at tuning it's around 18m/s (you'll never hear it at the seats).
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PatCave ; HT Pix ; Gear ; Sunosub I + III ; DVDs ; Link Removed

 

[Matt Stryker]

Thanks for all your help guys. I'll be doing this slowly over about 2 months, but I'll post pictures when I get them...
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