First subwoofer build please help!

ChrisLazarko · 10-12-2003, 10:04 PM

This is going to be my first subwoofer and I want it to look nice but I don't want to spend $500 on it, I don't mind perhaps $200-250 though but it will take some time on the money part so I am very open to ideas and what should be changed. I have been thinking, everyone builds either a cyclinder or a box sub, so why not try something different?

Perhaps a box sub connected to a cyclinder? I have a design on my webpage along with my home theater pictures so maybe someone could give an approx size on the cyclinder and box, as well as how big of a driver, and what kind of amp or whatever I might need. Thank you for any help you could provide anyone. Also websites and places to find the parts I need would be great.

The website is here:

http://www.angelfire.com/nj4/tvpics/index.html

ChrisLazarko · 10-12-2003, 10:25 PM

Two drivers I looked at by a company called "Ultimate Sound" from Parts Express, is this company any good? Here are the links, but the drivers are somewhat pricey? Good freq. responce though, thanks for any suggestions you guys can tell, remember my budget cannot really exceed $250 or so.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...ID=16056&DID=7

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...ID=16058&DID=7

As well as this one from Eminesence:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshow...=290-570&DID=7

Also, why does it say that most of the 12" woofers will get to a lower freq. than a 15" woofer will??? What's up with that? Thanks for the help guys!

Dan Hine · 10-12-2003, 11:25 PM

I'd say skip all your driver ideas and go with a Dayton DVC 12". Also, unless you have a spare receiver laying around you'll need to get an amp of some sort. Dayton's 120 Watt amp would do the trick and would give you a great sub...trust me, I've I've built one just like it. It hits hard, quick and just damn impressive.

Unless you decide to go sealed though you'll also need to factor in a port which would be around $15-20 I think, and materials...that will put you close to your $250 budget. In which case opt for one of the Dayton Quatro Series drivers.

- Dan Hine

ChrisLazarko · 10-13-2003, 11:25 AM

Well looks good so far. So how about the design I layed out? Boxed connected with a cyclinder? Bad idea or good? I am curious about this because I am thinking that if say I create a small box perhaps 2 feet long and 2 feet wide, then a cyclinder connected to it, wouldn't that create more bass? Your spreading it out into an area and causing it to bounce around more, would that just add more distortion or would it deliver tighter cleaner bass?

I'm asking because I have seen nobody with this design.

Dan Hine · 10-13-2003, 11:44 AM

Quote:

I'm asking because I have seen nobody with this design.

Looky here! It's not exactly what you propose but VERY similar. But I would suggest that you download something like WinISD Pro (or Unibox if you have patience) and model the drivers I mentioned to get an idea on how response changes with cabinet volume. Adding a cylinder to a box is no different than just building a bigger box to begin with. A subwoofer doesn't see both a cylinder and a box and give a damn. It reacts to the volume of air behind it. And there is definitely a point at which you are making a box that is too big for the driver and you end up with a poor sounding sub. For the 12" DVC I suggested I'd stay somewhere between 3-5ft^3 for a vented enclosure or 1-2.5ft^3 for a sealed design.

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ChrisLazarko · 10-13-2003, 04:32 PM

Thank you Dan... but could recommend a place where I might be able to get cyclinders and a box to do this project? I am wanting to make the finished product black probably or perhaps a nice wood finish. The driver and amplifier that you suggested do give me very little budget left on my options.

As for the 12" DVC, why is the Freq. responce so much more than the 15" subs I see? This sub seems to be able to hit the 20Hz which is what I want, and you say it sounds very nice as well.

Anthony_I · 10-13-2003, 04:48 PM

Do a search on google for El-Pipe-O
That dude has 2 15" subs in a square box with a mass stack on top reaching his 14' ceiling.... i read what he wrote about it and apaprently he had to tighten all of the stuff in his room because things were falling off the walls and what not.

DaveKahler · 10-13-2003, 09:08 PM

Hey Chris.. how are your woodworking skills? This seems like a pretty ambitious project if you're just getting into things.

Not trying to discourage an imaginative mind, but just putting together and finishing a normal box sub can be quite the undertaking for those of us without a dedicated wood shop!

ChrisLazarko · 10-15-2003, 11:44 AM

I've been hearing alot about Shiva subwoofers? Should I be looking towards on of them instead of this Dayton sub?

DaveKahler · 10-15-2003, 03:35 PM

I have a Shiva and it rocks, $125 shipped.

Troy R · 10-15-2003, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Do a search on google for El-Pipe-O That dude has 2 15" subs in a square box with a mass stack on top reaching his 14' ceiling.... i read what he wrote about it and apaprently he had to tighten all of the stuff in his room because things were falling off the walls and what not.

That "dude" is Nelson Pass (as in Pass Labs) those subs do look sweet and he also had the luxury of powering them with Pass Lab amlifiers. Most of us dream of owning those to power our mains and he's using them to power subs. lucky guy!

El Pipo (PDF File