Sub Driver ideas (outdoor) (1 Viewer)

[Geoff L]

My parents new home,
Well now that we got the wood shop and garage done, (speakers Receiver & Cable TV) looking to move to the outdoors.
Other post about Kmart polyfill finished this part off. This area is done...
They have a walk out main floor, to a large deck for summer grilling, relaxing, ect.
This home is under construction and they (my father and mother) wanted to have music outside. They have a small H/K two channel stereo set up in the kitchen and the front set of speaks are thier along with the reciever. The rears, speakers B are going to be conected to the outside deck! The mid bass and high end is covered allready, with a set of out door speakers that are mouted up under the Eves and angled down to the deck. Dont remember what brand they are, but down 3db at 50 hz....
I came up with the idea of mounting one of my left over sub amps 150 watts 8-ohm 200watt 4-ohm, in the wall in side the house and running the subwoofer wires up threw the wall and to the out side overhang. The roof line allows for a large overhang, which I have complete access to right now.
Here is where some suggestions are wanted. Could you guys recomend a driver that would work ~{free air preferabley}~ or closed boxed and or ported under the over hang. It would be protected from rain and direct water contact, but would be outside and see large temp changes through out the year. (Live in central Michigan) There is room for any size driver up to 15" and big volume is not a issue at all.
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(They are not party people, so major boom is not a requirment.
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We have also put a fold up shelf out thier for his 19" portable TV, a power and Cable TV connection, so in the summer he /they can sit out side, grill, ect and watch the game with the sound comeing threw the outdoor speakers.
Well you have the picture now, so got any Subdrivers that might work well in this type set up? I, would prefer a free-air Driver as opposed to haveing to buid any type encloser under thier. A good front to back seal and call it good. Hook it up, set the Plate Amp crossover and volume inside, and all done.
Oh, vibrations causeing ratteling of sofit is not an issue, as they are useing cedar across the over hangs.
No metal or vinal sofit to make noise.
Any suggestions?
If you need more info, please ask... Right now, I have access to everything, walls, over hang, ect, so wireing and placement are easy at this time.
Driver Budget ~ $100.00 give or take a few bucks!
He says 25.00 but I will add 75.00 to it!
He's thrifty, he says, ya right!
Thanks
Geoff

 

[Dave Poehlman]

Interesting project... I actually was looking at mounting an outdoor sub under my deck to avoid the heat/cold as much as possible. I was looking at cheap drivers (MCM electronics) just in case they don't hold up well with the temperature extremes, I could replace it at no great cost.

I would have to say go with at least a polypropylene cone.. and a rubber surround. You live in Michigan, so I can't say what will happen when the temperature drops down to 20 below, but I'm guessing the poly/rubber will give you the most longevity.

 

[Geoff L]

Hi Dave,
Yes I was thining the same thing also. But after more thought, maybe I could build a swing down door in the eve that the driver is mounted too. Then, when it gets cold and they are not useing the deck anyway, remove the driver and plug the hole....
Problem for me is, kinda hopeing to find a Free Air driver that would work. Trying to KISS, so that building an encloser and all that is involved would be left out. Just a good front to back seal and good to go. I have never used any free air drivers, except a few for car systems. Most, well all that I have used, need the in car gain to get down. FS is to high.. Very little gain outdoors for sure.
The parents don't need 20hz responce but (I) would like to see some solid low to mid 30hz at least. Free Air, out doors, am I dreaming or what!
I think the swing down door would work great, and just make sure it has a good seal. Would'nt have to worry about the nasty sub zero elements. Driver would certainly last longer. It's been awhile sence i've used any free air car drivers, gosh (2-3 years), so maybe there is something out thier now that might work better.
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You car guys got any ideas???
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Of course home audio drivers are the most welcome.. (freeair)
Don't wana build a cabnit up in thier if I dont have too!
I'll look around a little more to see if some car drivers might work. I know the last ones i used where, Kicker, Pioneer, and Legacy. Also I have a wholesaler that I can buy threw a very much reduced cost, though they dont handel Kicker. I have'nt looked into car free air drivers for sometime, so maybe there is something worth while now.
Who knows!
So the quest continues....
Still looking,
Geoff

 

[ThomasW]

Free Air, out doors, am I dreaming or what!

Yep you're dreaming. To get significant output you'd need a dozen or more drivers, EQ and a big amp.

 

[Geoff L]

It's the thought that counts right... lol.... ya Lousy idea
Well the idea of free air is gone...
Got with a friend of mine today, and went up in the eves and took some measurements.
Mike, a good friend of mine, works for a fiberglass encloser plant here in my town. They build over a hundred and fifty different reinforced enclosers for different applications. Alot of telephone and Consumers power company boxes ect. They make small to huge stuff in all sizes includeing WEDGES...
After some coversation, he's going to get me a wedges (2.5 cbft internal vol, and free of charge) that will fit perfectly into the space that I was looking to use. He is also going to add additional braceing on the interior for me. This will be mounted in the eve with the driver faceing down of course. When we come across with the cedar sofit, will cut out allowing the driver and port show threw. Grill will mount to the cedar sofit and the port will extend out of the box about an inch or so and the port flair will also mount to the sofit. Have a 12" poly pioneer 4ohm, that models decent tuned at 30hz.
It looks like this will work at this point, but when he brings the encloser for the test fit we will see if this will work as planned. The encloser is 5/8 inch thick, and heavy duty webbed glass matt is used.
If everything fits as it supposed to, will proceed to line with rubber rolled roof and begin the porting and mounting of this whole crazy idea.
At this point, it looks as though this all should work. Where just trying to get a little bass output outside, in a clean un-obtrusive way. Big, or even moderate spl is of no concern for them, and anything is going to be better than the outdoor speakers thier running. It will cost me nothing but my time, as I allready have the driver, port, flair, and the cabnit is now being donated.
Audiophile bass, NO. Rock concert spl levels, NO. A little better bass on the deck for music, I think we can do that...
We'll see how it goes.