Building a sub, suggestions on driver/enclosure? (1 Viewer)

[Matt:Brunmeier]

I have about a $600 budget, and I was really really interested in the Drake project from Parts Express:
http://www.partsexpress.com/projects...ake/index.html

I have a similar budget, and am looking towards the same amp, but his priority was to keep the enclosure small, and space is not really an issue for me. I'm looking for a sub to cover between 20 and 50 hz (my speakers have great response down to 50hz, but that extra 30hz is really noticable on a lot of music). It's going in a college house as our HT sub and as a music/dance sub, so my priority is strength in that low frequency range.

So, here's what I'm thinking:
15" Titanic MKIII
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshow...20&ctab=4#Tabs

Dayton HPSA 1000W Amp
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=300-808

I guess it's almost identical to this:
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=300-764

meh.. input?

 

[Travis_G]

You might also consider the Acoustic Elegance AV 15. It's about the same as the driver you are looking at in terms of displacement (slightly more actually) and it's a little less expensive. Thermal power rating is a little lower but not significantly IMHO (less than 3 dB difference).

I would not recommend exceeding the manufacturers thermal power rating. That speaker is rated for 800 watts @ 4 ohms and the amp supplies 1024 watts @ 4 ohms. Depending on the enclosure you may not even be able to take advantage of 800 watts of power.

Travis

 

[Travis_G]

By the way, did you want to build a sealed or vented enclosure?

I usually design the enclosure before I pick an amp. That way I know how much power it will take to drive the subwoofer to it's mechanical limit.

Travis

 

[Chuck Bogie]

Go multiples... More SPL, more chest-hitting "thump."

A single Titanic will work fine for HT, but for music, it'll be sorta iffster... I'd think Dayton Quatro 15, two of 'em, in about 7 cubes each, with the 240 watt plate amps (nicer crossover than the 250). Tune 'em to about 21hz, you've got protection against stupidity, and they will give you 119db, with an f3 of about 24hz. And with the higher tuning, 240 watts (per) is not enough to overexcurse until you hit 17hz or so... Add in a first order down around 13hz or so, and you've got no worries that some beered up "dj" is going to launch the drivers...

Other thought would be something like some of Bill Fitzmaurice's horn-loaded designs - you can do your own search. I don't know if they'll play as low, but they will play LOUD.

 

[ThomasW]

Probably a little more appropriate to the college environment than the Titanic III is the SS RL-p 15" They have a double spider with woven leads, so they're designed to take a pounding.

The F3 is a bit high if put in a box like the PE kit (3 cu ft). But a dab of EQ will take care of that (Behringer BFD). If you want lets say 160L or larger ported box tuned to 18Hz it, will play really loud.... :wink:

 

[Matt:Brunmeier]

gettin kinda pricey on the driver selection, I thought $200 for one driver was a lot.

I'm interested in the idea of using two cheaper subs instead of one. I had never really thought of that. I know for music it can be much better, but I'm a bit concerned that it won't be nearly as crisp or clean as a single great sub for HT. I'm trying to find something here that will satisfy both ends of the spectrum.

I haven't decided yet whether I want sealed or vented. I've seen both and there are plans for both available. What do you guys suggest?

also, what about this sub instead:
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=299-665
it seems a better match for that amplifier.

 

[ThomasW]

Here's how to do this on your budget
Driver SS RL-p 15" $245 + shipping
Amp Nady XA1100 $146+ shipping
Behringer BFD $99+ shipping

Figure $50 for shipping and you hit your budget with a high power amp, a very high quality speaker, a full blown parametric EQ, and money left over for lumber and hardware for the box.

Note that the 24.6mm Xmax on the RL-p 15" is such that it's output will equal almost 2.5 Quatro 15"s

The driver you linked to on PE has a Fs of 37Hz = car audio boom box

 

[Matt:Brunmeier]

the xmax on that RL sub are impressive, no doubt. But my original plan was to use a plate amp. I'm not entirely set on that - if people say a separate amp with an EQ is the way to go then I'll do that. Certainly it's a cheaper way to get a 1000 watt amp.

Good call on the DVC driver from PE. It's definitely not what I'm looking for.

 

[Travis_G]

A ported box will give you the most bang for the buck. I tend to favor them for HT. A sealed will give you 'tighter' bass but with tunings in the teens I wonder if it's even audible with most program material. In my experience, ported boxes behave like sealed boxes ~ 1 octave above tuning and above. Kick drum fundamentals are at ~ 35 Hz. With the same driver, a vented enclosure will give you less harmonic distortion, and often less compression. You need bost the bottom end with an EQ to get the most from a sealed enclosure. Every 3 dB of boost cuts the effective amplifier power in half.

Also, don't shop for watts. Find a driver with a high effiecency. It will require a larger box then a less efficient driver, but you said that space isn't a concern. If you download Win ISD, it will help you decide how much power you will need to get the most from your driver.

Travis

 

[Matt:Brunmeier]

I'm liking that RL-P 15" driver. It's a monster and the numbers are looking good. Obviously I'm open for more suggestions though. I'm also a huge fan of drivers that lean towards efficiency instead of raw wattage consumption. They last longer and sound better on less of an amplification investment. Is this RL-P one a good option in this department or is it a power hog?

I think because I'm using such a large driver a sealed box might be the best option just to make sure it doesn't get poofy. I know the driver is excellent but just the sheer size of it makes me lean towards a sealed box.

 

[Travis_G]

89.7 dB SPL is good Matt.
You can use any size woofer in a vented box. Typically you want a speaker with an Fs/Qes ratio (efficiency bandwith product) of ~ 40 or more for a vented enclosure. For this speaker EBP is 54 making it fine for both vented and sealed enclosures.

If I might ask, why are you worried about using a large diameter driver in a vented enclosure?

Travis

 

[Ben Ch]

I'm now using an RL-p driver in my AS-15 (Aeriel-Stryke 15" Klone) subwoofer that was known to some as the Heretic Subwoofer.
It requires some boost in the bottom end, but it seems to be a very refined driver. I'm liking it very much.

Mine is a dual 4 ohm driver with coils wired in series and powered by an Adire Audio ADA-1200, which is capable of 600 watts into that load.

 

[Travis_G]

Loudspeaker Recipes Book One

I tend to believe my own ears on the matter of subwoofers and localization, however I make room for the possibility that it is a room effect, as is suggested in the article. But I'm not sure who to believe on the issue of FR. Maybe someone else has some more reference(s) on multiple subwoofer configurations.

Travis

 

[Al Garay]

I would recommend following ThomasW's advice. Focus on a quality driver like the RL-P 15" that he recommends.

If the Nady amp scares you, you can still use the a plate amp like the PE 500Watt, HPSA500, for about $300.
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=300-806


Other options on used drivers:
FS 15" avalanche for about $300
http://forum.soundillusions.net/showthread.php?t=56543

FS 15" Adire Tempest for about $99 (can reach down low in large vented or sealed box)
http://forum.soundillusions.net/showthread.php?t=56569

FS PE 500 plate amp $225
http://forum.soundillusions.net/showthread.php?t=56552

So, you could do a 15" Avalanche driver plus the PE 500 watt amp for $525. That's tough to beat.