Building a sub (1 Viewer)

[Andrew Harvey]

Ive been reading posts about people building their own subs lately and was hoping to learn more.
I have rigged a few things in my time, such as running my car subs in house powered by a computer power supply. But I don't understand how to do that correctly. obviously each woofer has different requirements, such as ported, non ported, the amount of cubic feet it needs etc.. but I want to know where you buy the power supplys for them, i can simply use any car sub woofer right? (for example the type R by alpine). I would figure designing your own would be better cost wise, but is it worth it?
Anyone who can fill me in on anything would be great! i just want to know more
Thanks in advance.
Andrew

 

[Robert_J]

but I want to know where you buy the power supplys for them

Are you asking about a true AC to DC power supply so you can use a 12v car audio amp? Or are you asking where you can get a true sub amp like this - http://www.parts-express.com/wizards/searchResults.cfm?srchExt=CAT&srchCat=505

i can simply use any car sub woofer right? (for example the type R by alpine)

First, car audio sub vs. home audio sub is just marketing crap. Subs are subs. They have different Theile/Small parameters which sometimes lend them to working specific environments. A lot of people are using Fi Car Audio subs for their home theater now. TC Sounds doesn't market to any specific market. They just sell subs with different parameters. You just pick the one that works for your situation.
You mention Alpine. The latest Type R is getting great reviews from the home theater crowd. Very low distortion, small enclosure requirements and it plays deep.

I would figure designing your own would be better cost wise, but is it worth it?

It depends on your price point. You can't compete with the $100 Dayton sub. It's very difficult to match the BIC subs. At about the $400 price point, you can easily beat a brick and mortar sub and usually beat an internet direct sub. At $700 or so, you can match an SVS Ultra in output and sound quality. At $2,000 you can beat the crap out of a Wilson "Thor's Hammer" which retails for $20,000.
All of this assumes you have some woodworking tools and enough power tool knowledge that you don't cut your finger off.

 

[Andrew Harvey]

Ha!!! Yes, i have enough knowledge to not cut my finger off.
Yes! thats what i was looking for! the plate amplifiers.. jeez! Not as cheap as i was hoping! (College student) 250$ for the 500watt range, then a couple hundo more for the sub and box.
Hmm! well one more quick question for you.. my current sub is a cheapo for sure.. it SAAAYS 250w on the sub itself.. but it doesnt feel like it. Brand is Phillips. (yuck!) to top it all off the sub (4inch?) is blown and anything above 50% starts to sound like crap. The sub is downward driven, but there's a fake sub (just a plastic plate with rubber around it) that moves from the air presser of the actual sub moving. Make sence?
Anyway. can i replace that sub or instead use the amp and install it into a dif sub unit?? just to save money until I'm out of college and actually need a bigger sub to fill the room.

 

[Robert_J]

Then go with a pro amp. More power for less money. But they don't have a subsonic filter so that limits you to sealed subs.
That's a passive radiator system. That flat "plate" is a the radiator. It works like a ported sub. Parts Express carries many if you want to try your hand at one - http://www.parts-express.com/wizards/searchResults.cfm?searchFilter=passive%20radiator
So you want to use parts from your existing 4" sub to build a new one? Why not use the amp and replace the 4" driver if it is really blown. You will have to build a new enclosure. But a "cheap" 8" should be a huge improvement. http://www.edesignaudio.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_21&products_id=785 I'd use this as an example - Finally, I'd use the Quik-Crete tube ($10 - $15) from Lowes or Home Depot.

 

[Andrew Harvey]

i really really like that video! Have you ever built one of these or have any clue how they sound? do you recommend building a ported box?
I laugh every time i read ANYONES forum posts, because it seems that you have tips and tricks for everyone.
thanks man
Andrew

 

[Robert_J]

Yes, I have built a sonosub. I followed these directions - http://home.comcast.net/~audio-worx/page88Tube-Zilla1.html Here are the 3 base plates for the 3 subs I was building.

They sound no different from a conventional box sub.
I don't recommend a ported box if you are re-using your amp. I don't recommend reusing the amp but I'm trying to save you some money. Unless you can test the output of the amp and determine if it has any built-in EQ, you are working with an unknown variable. Sealed subs are more forgiving.

 

[Andrew Harvey]

oooh! i like that a lot!!! be sure to post finished pics! how much power are you sending it?

 

[Robert_J]

I have a few finished pics somewhere. But they look like SVS subs. They are extremely easy to build.
One used a Dayton 12" DVC driver and Dayton 275w amp. I recessed the amp into the side of the cylinder like SVS does - http://www.svsound.com/subwoofers/cylinder/pc12-nsd This one went to a family member.
The other two were passive subs designed like the SVS Plus series (3 ports on top). In fact, they used the old Plus driver when they sourced it from TC Sounds. I traded them for this 18" sub. Who can pass up an 18" sub with a TC Sounds 3HP motor and soft parts from PSI? (I'm sure you don't have a clue about what I just said)
[VIDEO]http-~~-//youtu.be/O7OR8YB9nzQ[/VIDEO]
I'm sort of a sub collector. At last count I had 25 or 30 sub ranging from 10" to 21". Cheap ones that cost less than $20 to one of a kind subs that you can't get anywhere else. Like this one: