1st Time Sub Project Help (1 Viewer)

[MikeGee]

Hey guys.. Just need advice with a DIY sub to finish off my system.

Current setup

Receiver - Pioneer 1014tx
Center - Athena AS-C1
Front/Surrounds - Athena AS-B2
Rear Surrounds - Athena AS-R1

I'd like to say my budget is high but its only about say 300-400$ canadian.
What would be the best bet for a speaker you'd reccomend?
The enclosure is between a sonotube and a cube and i'm trying to figure out how to find out how long the port would have to be and how big the enclosure should be in order to get the most impressive results.
So far i'm leaning more towards doing a sonotube just as i said before unsure on dimenions and port location/length.
Basically a very good design for an enclosure is what i'm looking for.

 

[Eric Ha]

I'm building a sealed cube with a Dayton DVC 12" driver from www.partsexpress.com and a Rythmik 250 watt amp from www.rythmikaudio.com. The driver can be had for about $110 U.S. and is an excellent driver. Basically identical to an Adire Shiva, but can be used in a smaller enclosure. The amp is about $120 U.S. and is a fine amp.

Here are links to be able to calculate internal volume, and port size/length. Good luck...........

http://www.linearteam.dk/default.aspx?pageid=newdriver

http://www.psp-inc.com/

 

[MarkRoberts]

I would recommend the atlas 12" over the DVC. I have both and there is really no comparison. If they are still availible. The rythnmik is a nice amp. I am driving my 12" atlas with it. I used it with the DVC until the atlas' went on sale, just couldn't pass it up. Check out the atlas here

 

[Eric Ha]

I had heard that the Atlas's are gone. Being as he's on a tight budget, an Atlas that is not on sale may be too pricey.

 

[MikeGee]

thanks for the links and the input so far guys.
Does anyone have any good designs for enclosures? (i'm not limited to the enclosure size big or small, just looking for the design that'd give me the most punch for movies)
Do you think that the sonotube design is superior to that of a box style enclosure?
I'm kinda confused when i'm reading up on how to tune it to 20hz and stuff since i have never done this kinda setup at all before. I never knew port design/setup was so crucial ..
The WinISD to a newbie like myself seems like i need a freakin PHD to understand it. Any tricks? thanks

 

[Stephen Hopkins]

If there are any Atlas 12s left then that an a Rythmik 250 or 350 should stay under budget if you go w/ an inexpensive finish and don't have to buy any tools. I'd go that route in their refernce 3cuft or 4.5cuft enclosure. I prefer a box sub more for asthetics than anything and if you have the tools it's pretty easy to put one together. As for WinISD just type in the specs for the driver you're using and the volume of the box you're wanting to use. Then vary the tuning point until you get a response curve you like and it will calculate (somewhat accurately) the port length you'll need for a given diamater and number of ports.

 

[MikeGee]

I found a 2 speakers at a local DIY store. The more expensive one looks looks pretty hefty but the specs show it isnt as powerful. The specs are as follows for both.
Sub #1
4ohm
2" voicecoil
56 Oz
27 Hz
0.440 Qts
56 Vas L
85.5 dB
280 RMS
Price = 130 Canadian

Sub #2
4 Ohm
2" Voice Coil
45 Oz
22 Hz
0.443 Qts
142 Vas L
86.9 dB
220 RMS
Price: 80$ Canadian

Do any of these speakers seem like a decent buy to you?

Cosmetics of my sub for me won't matter, it can be the ugliest looking thing, just looking for the performance really.

 

[Zachery-C]

The magnets sound really weak.
Try this one. Very good for the price. No bad things about it.
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=295-560
Its a 15in. Its the Quattro 15in. Better in all aspecs than the ones you listed, and I think its cheaper. Not sure in CAN money.

 

[MikeGee]

Ok cool, that 15" Quatro looks pretty sweet to me and i'll prolly order that. Any canadian buyers use Partsexpress? just wondering if i order my speaker off there if i have to worry about crazy customs/duties when ordering.
Also do you think a 280rms plate-amp would be sufficient for the 15" Quattro?
Just need to have a little help for designing the box now.

 

[Zachery-C]

Yes, 280 will be PLENTY. Ask some more questions on the partsexpress board. Do a search on there too for the Quattro. There are a million threads on it, at that board. Go to www.partsexpress.com and go down, and click on tech talk. Then go down a little more, and you will see a board, and you can post, without registering.

 

[MarkRoberts]

Check this out link

This is a 15" quattro made for around $250.00. it gives the box dimensions you should be able to figure out a cut list from that. You may want to email him to get the port length though.

 

[PaulT]

Try Creative Sound for your drivers and parts/kits already in Canada:
http://www.creativesound.ca/index.html

A 12" Shiva can be had for 156CAD, a 15" Tempest for 199CAD
http://www.creativesound.ca/products...tegory=Drivers

Solen is another supplier in Canada:
http://www.solen.ca/

 

[Jack Keck]

"Check this out link

This is a 15" quattro made for around $250.00. it gives the box dimensions you should be able to figure out a cut list from that. You may want to email him to get the port length though."

My Quatro 15 sub was inspired by this thread. In fact, I have a couple of posts in it. I love thi sthing. I don't kow how much difference the Canadian money thing will make to you. Most builders use the PE 240 watt amp. That wasmy plan, but the 500 watt amps went on sale for a price too good to pass up.

I can provide a cut list and the program I used to arrive at the dimension that I actually used.

 

[MikeGee]

Most likely i'll just end up ordering the Quatro off of Partsexpress.com and buy my 280 watt plate amp from the place by my house.

Jack if you could perhaps give me any information /specs/sizes/ and photos of your sub that'd be very much appreciated.
I'm good with working with my hands just when i hear of people using certain programs to figure out how long the port length should be etc. . it all just kinda goes over my head which is why i am looking for a design that is proven to already sound awesome. So any info on your sub for me would be appreciated.

 

[Geoff L]

Here Mike

A simple port calculator that is easy to use and is pretty darn accurate. It is assuming NON Flared ports, so follow the PP directions for port cutting to get the proper length it shows, (if you use flared PP flared port/s)..

You can find it **HERE**..

Just fill the boxes in, in the port section a little further down, and presto port length, dose multipul ports (1-3" 2-3" 3-3" etc), also dose slot/square ports..

It is assuming that the box volume is the (total box volume) with driver, braces, and port/s installed. So if you have say a 4-ft^3 box internal volume, you then have to subtract the drivers displacement along with port/s, braces, and amp to get the real internal volume. So the 4-ft^3 box now is slightly smaller inside, like say 3.75-ft^3.
Just an example only here!!!

Cheers
Geoff ¥

 

[MikeGee]

Wow i thought that building a cubed vented box would be alot more simple that what i've been reading up on. I honestly had no idea there was that much to it.
I don't get how the bracing works either which makes things complicated.
I think if i ever get this whole idea to come along i might just end up building a sonotube. They seem pretty easy of a build.

 

[Jack Keck]

A sonotube mightbe good except that the Quatro, in theory, at least, will not work well down-firing. The box isn't that hard. Unfortunately, I don't remember exactly why the braces are so important, at least not well enough to explain it to anyone else. It has an effect on cabinet resonances or something.

 

[MikeGee]

I believe i'll just end up doing a Sonotube with a 12" woofer, ported at the top. For the amp i'll try and make an extension on the side of the box for putting the plate amp into. I'll try and figure out the ports/lengths as i go along i guess. The best resource i found and design i would probably like to follow is off the following page
http://www.quux.net/roo/diy/sonosub/
Can anyone give me a sort of decent/budget woofer good for a sonotube?
Also if i copy the design off that page i mention.. if i use the same specs with a different driver would that be a dramatic difference in sound?

 

[MarkRoberts]

There could be. Your best bet is to pick the driver you want and a proven design whether it is a box or sono doesn't matter. You can convert a box design to sonotube. All you have to do is use the tube volume calculator on the link in your last post. That will tell you how big your tube needs to be. Then just use the port dia. and length from the design you picked.
Don't be afraid of trying a box sub. It isn't as hard as it sounds. Just take your time. You know the whole measure twice and cut once thing.
I was in a hurry on my first sub and screwed up by glueing the side panel to the wrong end of the bottom panel. That threw all of my cuts of but I was able to make it work. It still sounded okay.
My biggest piece of advice is buy the best driver you can afford like I said in one of my earlier posts. I originally had a 12" Dayton DVC. When I swapped it out with the 12" atlas (in the same screwed up box) the atlas is SO much better at everything. At full retail the difference between the two drivers is like $20-25.00 USD. Well worth the money!
Now I don't think the atlas' aren't available anymore, you could always call to make sure. I don't think any of adire's drivers are available either. There is a short run of AE's AV 12 and 15 available 150 usd for the 12 and 180 usd for the 15. They are well regarded around here. I have never heard them though. They may be out of your price range but you could always save up for the amp after you snag a driver. Just a thought as I really don't know what your financial situation is.
FWIW I found that the sono tube was kinda pricey in my area and mdf only comes in 4X8 sheets in my area and you need the mdf for the end caps. It was cheaper for me to build a box than a tube.
Sorry for the long post :frowning: