$500 diy sub that will allow me to feel the bass?

Jason Garver · 12-10-2003, 08:44 AM

First of all let me say hi everybody, Im new to this forum.

OK, so here is what I want out of the sub that Im going to build. The sub will be in a 12' x 20' room. Its use will be HT 90% / Music 10%. I have around $500 to spend on the woofer and plate amp. Box and finishing materials do not count towards the budget. WAF is not important. The only factor that limits how big it can be is the width of our front door. So given the fact that I am willing to build an 8 cubic foot enclosure are there any options that will allow me to feel the bass while watching movies? Basically I just want to be impressed by the bass when the movie calls for it.

I have been lurking around the forum for a while and have seen a few popular combos.
Shiva or Tempest + 250w PE amp
Titanic Mk3 + 250w PE amp
AV12 + 350w Rhytmic amp

All can be gotten for well within my budget. Are any of them going to be enough to fill a 12' x 20' room? If not what will? Thanks in advance guys.

Aaron Howell · 12-10-2003, 09:21 AM

With the shiva's and tempest's being on sale right now they are definitly the best bargain.

Also, the MCM 350watt amp with IR remote is on sale for $140. MCM just keeps making these amps less and less expensive.

But if you WANT to spend $500, a 15" mkIII and 500watt plate amp from PE fill out that bill. But with tempests at $125 shipped, and the MCM amp at $140 shipped you could almost built TWO of them for the same price...excluding 2x the building materials. Dual tempests sure sounds like fun!

Jason Garver · 12-10-2003, 10:22 AM

I would love to get off cheaper than $500, but I dont want to be disappointed. Would a tempest and the MCM 350 watt amp be enough for my room if I put it in a large ported enclosure?

MattD · 12-10-2003, 11:24 AM

Quote:

I would love to get off cheaper than $500, but I dont want to be disappointed. Would a tempest and the MCM 350 watt amp be enough for my room if I put it in a large ported enclosure?

Yep.

Jason Garver · 12-10-2003, 12:00 PM

Alright, I have decided to go with the Tempest in the Adire Alignment enclosure with the MCM 350w amp. Thanks for the help guys.

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Frank Carter · 12-10-2003, 12:10 PM

For $450 shipped you can also go with dual Tempests from www.acoustic-visions.com and dual MCM 250 watt plate amps(50-6281A).

Joe L. · 12-10-2003, 12:32 PM

Jason,

You will not have any problems "feeling" the bass with a Tempest and a 350 watt amplifier.

I built a 260L sonosub using a 15 inch Adire Tempest driver and a 250 watt amplifier from Parts Express.

You know that scene in Jurassic Park where you can see ripples in a glass of water when the T-Rex walks nearby? I'll bet I can duplicate it for real when playing that movie. The whole room shakes, and my theater is in my basement with a (carpeted) concrete floor.

Good luck with your project.

Joe L.

260L, 18 inch diameter, Adire Tempest Sonosub. About 6 1/2 feet tall

JarrettVance · 12-10-2003, 12:42 PM

that looks like an SE-2 on the left... is that so?

Jason Garver · 12-10-2003, 01:42 PM

For now it seems as though one Tempest will satisfy me. If neccesary I will build another one sometime in the future, if for no other reason than to have the wow factor of two giant subs.

Aaron Howell · 12-10-2003, 03:30 PM

I built two shiva ebs's and love them. I didn't make them giants though, just two of the recommended 142L enclosures. They have only been operational for about a month my better half is already commenting that one is enough and that I am crazy. This last sunday one of the fish turned to a floater and she is convinced the hulk (saturday night) did it.