I've finished my first DIY sub, a Shiva 142.5L EBS design. I went with this design because it offered a lot of performance for home theater applications. Thanks to all of you who offered suggestions and advice during the construction process. I followed the design from the Adire website exactly because I didn't want to mess the whole thing up. After a lot of cutting, drilling, and over 100 screws, almost a tube of caulk later, plus a lot of glue, I am very pleased with the results! This sub blows away my old D Box 302 (which was a good sub, given its performance and price point). I just recalibrated my system because the sub takes up a huge amount of space and I had to move my speakers farther apart. With the volume set at 1/3, I got strong response down to 20hz in my large and semi-open room (14w x 30L). I chose the 300-794 amp from Parts express (250 watts) and the FP-4 flared port kit. To help me move this beast around, I decided to add a base plate, and I think it looks better and adds only 3/4" to the overall height. Due to my lack of skills with finish surfaces, and my impatience to get the sub up and running, I used a textured spray paint and sealed it with 3 coats of clear coat spray. I think it looks really nice and I have the pride in doing all the project myself!
It reminds me of an SVS boxed sub. To anyone looking to take on a project like this, I can say that it is very important to make sure your cuts are straight, predrill (I was very fortunate not to get any splits) and use glue. I took pictures of the building and finished product, which hopefully I will post this week.
