Please help me choose components for my sub (1 Viewer)

[Mike_Dikun]

I am seriously considering just buying the Adire Audio Rava 12" sub. But it costs $400 dollars and i've read about so many people who build there own sub and it outperforms retail subs at more than twice the price. So I am toying with the idea of building my own sub. I dont want a huge box in my room. Something around the size of the Rava or a little bigger would be acceptable. The Rava is 18" x 18" x 18" (3 cu feet). I would consider going up to 18" x 24" x 24". So that would give me approximately 5.6 cu feet, if my calculations are correct However, the smaller the better.
I have all the tools that I would need to build the box so that will not factor into the price. And I am pretty good at carpentry work. I have built boxes for my car subs before so I know I can handle this.
Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I have looked on PartsExpress.com and have seen their plate amp for $135, however i could have sworn I read that somebody got an amp from them for $99. Anyway I'm open to buying online so if you know of any other sites, that have what I need, please let me know.
I also saw the Dayton 12" sub for $150 dont know if it is any good or if I can get something of equal quality for less $$.
I'm only looking to match the performance of the Rava, it doesn't have to beat it. Just looking to save a little $$ and have fun building something

 

[Patrick Sun]

Check out my thread for one such project.
I can even provide the 3 main pieces (the SVS driver, the plate amp, and the port kit) since I'm having second thoughts on starting another one of these subs at this time.

 

[Joe Meissner]

Look at the new sub i just finished for another idea of what you can do. I also used the SVS driver. http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...threadid=68450
hey pat If you dont want that amp i would possibly be willing to take it off your hands. if you take paypal.? I just need to switch e-mail first so the wife doesnt see it

 

[Mike_Dikun]

Patrick, YGM

Also what is the minimum cu feet you would recommend for that sub?

Thanks Mike

 

[Patrick Sun]

Joe, Mike has first dibs on the plate amp if he elected to accept my offer on the parts. But I'll keep you in mind.

Mike, I'd go with 3.5 ft^3 (tuned to 25Hz), or 4ft^3-4.25ft^3 (tuned to 20hz) or 4.75ft^3-5ft^3 (tuned to 16-18Hz).

 

[Joe Meissner]

thanks Patrick
mike,
I went with a 3.20^3 encloser tuned to 22hz. I am very impressed with how it sounds.

 

[Joe Meissner]

Patrick,
I have been wanting to know how you ever got your sub done with one hand.? seems like you always have the camera in the other? J/K I am always impressed with how you document every step. I was to caught up in making the sub to grab my camera.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Practice.

 

[Mike_Dikun]

Joe, that wasn't in a sealed enclosure correct?

 

[Mike_Dikun]

sorry, it's obviously not sealed, my bad thanks

 

[Joe Meissner]

this is how i had to get the port long enough in my box

 

[Patrick Sun]

This is how I put a bunch of port length in my box around the existing box bracing (not my box design/construction - a retrofit):
Photo 1
with a couple of 90 degree PVC pipe bends.
This is what the sub looks like from the outside:
Photo 2

 

[Mike_Dikun]

I purchased the sub, amp and port from Patrick. However I dont think i'm gonna use the port at first. I'm going to try a sealed enclosure at first. What kind of low end response can I hope for in a 3, 4, and 5 cu foot boxes respectively?? Will this sub perform just as well as the Shiva in the Rava, in the same size box??

 

[Mike_Dikun]

Joe, what length and size port did you use in your box? That size box is right up my alley? I can probably come up with a bent PVC combination that would fit into that size box. That is exactly the size I would like to build it to.

 

[Joe Meissner]

my port is 4" pvc 19.5" long. you just have to keep the port far enough from the back wall so you dont have interferance with the amp. the front flare is done using a round-over router bit. you could also do this size box the same way patrick did his. with the driver on the bottom. that way the port will not need the bend it.

 

[Mike_Dikun]

Thanks for all the info and help. I dont think i'm going to build the box exactly like Patrick did. I really dont want anything that high. One of the other guys on the forum has already built exactly what i'm looking to build. It is a sub enclosure that looks like a coffee table, it even has glass on top That's more of what i'm looking for, something not too far off the ground but a little wider. I also want the port opening and the sub on the bottom so it doesnt show. So due to the fact that the box wont be too tall and the port on the vertical axis I will have to bend the port, I dont see it being too big of a deal, just a 90 degree PVC piece. And i'll remember to keep it as far away from the amp as I can. One more question, for now , how did you (Joe) connect your port to the box and make it air tight? I can see how Patrick did it but it looks like you just butted the tube against the box, just wondering how you sealed it.

 

[Joe Meissner]

I took a 6x6 peice of MDF and cut a hole big enough for the pvc to slide into then i cut the hole in the box just a little smaller than the inside of the pvc.then i glued the 6x6 peice on the inside of the box so that the pvc would have a place to slide into. then i used a scrap peice of pvc to finish sanding the hole to the correct size. then i used the roundover bit to get the flare. when it was time to put the port in i just used liquid nails on the inside shelf of the 6x6 piece. the glue just oozed out around the pvc and i smoothed it out like caulk. the whole idea is to make a lip that the pvc will butt to. pvc pipe has 1/4" walls.

if anyone can explain what im talking about better than me, please chime in.



that is from a reply that Patrick made in one of my threads maybe that is a better explanation

 

[Joe Meissner]

or if you go with a double layer of MDF for the baffle you could use a router to make a hole big enough for the pvc to slide into. just make sure you leave enough material to use the round-over bit. that would be the same thing as i did but i didnt use double mdf for the whole front baffle.

 

[Mike_Dikun]

I see, i'll give that a shot, not too interested in the finish of the hole, as it will be on the bottom of teh box and will not show, just worried about sealing it correclty. Thanks a lot