< NOOB

[whatismouse]

if subs can be bought for well under $300 that have an amp, why cant a sub be built for under $300?

whats the best/largest sub you can build without it needing an amp?

any way to do a low cost <$100 build just to learn?

how much does a "real" build cost? as in a reasonable minimum to make a really sick sub. and how much would you need to spend on a built sub to achieve the same quality/power/etc.

thanks ;x(

[Dennis H]

if subs can be bought for well under $300 that have an amp, why cant a sub be built for under $300?

Chinese parts and labor mean they pretty much own the low end and it's hardly worth trying to compete with a DIY. But a $300 retail sub won't be very good. Even at the cheaper SVS level, say $600, it's hard for a DIY to really save much money. Competing with the high-end stuff is where DIY really pays off. The higher the performance, the more you save. A $1-2K DIY can equal a $10K store-bought.

[WillyD]

Its not just about saving money, but getting the most for it.

You can certainly build a sub for less than $300, though.

[whatismouse]

Its not just about saving money, but getting the most for it.

You can certainly build a sub for less than $300, though.

well assuming no cost for labor, at what cost will a DIY match retail?

and at what cost does it exceed it by, say, $100 of value?

besides subs, what about other cheap DIY speakers?

[Hdale85]

Match retail? I think its more the other way around At what cost will retail match DIY :B

[BobEllis]

All subwoofers need an amp - although some receivers have subwoofer amps built into them. A typical receiver does not have a subwoofer amp, so you'll need a driver, amp and enclosure.

Like anything else, the "equivalent value" is going to depend on your priorities. Do you want to play loud, dance party music, classical, jazz or have a rumbling home theater? Designs optimized for each of those could be quite different. that is one advantage of DIY - you fit the design to your room and application rather than using a generic design. My bedroom system's sub is quite different from my main system's subs which in turn are nothing like my son's bass guitar rig's sub.

Finishing your enclosure could add nothing or a lot to the cost of DIY, depending on your taste. For next to nothing you could use parts express' vinyl and get a decent, although "inexpensive commercial looking" sub. If you paint the sub with automotive paint you can go through quite a few spray cans for your first attempt. If your taste runs to exotic veneers, some can run over $15 per square foot, and you'll probably waste 30% of it going for the best grain match.

Do you want to count your investment in tools in your cost? If you are only building a single speaker, it becomes quite expensive. Plan at least $100 for a router, $70 for a few bits and budget in some sandpaper and glue. A circular saw or jigsaw would be handy (don't forget blades), as would a couple of sawhorses. Want to spray finish your project, now you need a decent gun ($125), a filter and hoses ($60) and rent a compressor for a couple days. Don't forget the soldering iron, wire cutter, stripper/crimper. Sure you'll have the tools afterwards, but you've blown your $300 budget before even thinking about buying materials.

If you are just after a working sub, in the $300 range, look into the 10" Parts Express subwoofer kit. It should be quite a bit better than what you'd get for the same money at a big box store. If you can stretch your budget a bit more consider the 12' or 15" kits. I'd consider the 12" a minimum for "serious" HT in a room larger than a typical bedroom. My HT has a pair of 18" subs in a 20' x 25' x 8' space. A single didn't cut it for me.

[whatismouse]

well okay ill give you guys a little bit more information.

i already have all the tools and glue/sandpaper supplies necessary to do this.

the sub need not be a big booming sub or achieve high volume levels. it will be played at low volume 95% of the time for tv, movies, and rock music. the room is 12x20x9.

the 10" parts express seems like a good optin but at $360 + shipping really stretches my budget. ill see what i can do though.

what about other speakers: rear sats, centers, fronts. how do they compare for cost of parts, building difficulty, etc.?

thanks.

[kingpin]

12" Dayton RS on sale at PE for $100.
Maybe this will help.

Mike

[derekbannatyne]

Here's a 150w amp for $60: http://www.mcminone.com/product.asp?...Fid=50%2D6266A

[yousuredo2]

you think that amp is enough to push the dayton 12"
the reason I ask, is because i have that plate amp...
and was thinking about the dayton 12"...Hmmmmm

[whatismouse]

hmm... does anyone have a detailed guide to make a sub using any 12" driver? or even better, a ready made speaker cabinet suitable for that size drive. PE has cabinets but only for 8" or smaller drivers.

[ThomasW]

PE has cabinets but only for 8" or smaller drivers.

Look for subwoofer cabinets not speaker cabinets

[BobEllis]

PE also has their 2 cubic foot subwoofer cabinet on sale for $115. http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshow...02-810&scqty=1 Stuff it with the RSS315HF and the MCM amp and for $275 + shipping you're good to go. With 3 db boost at 25 Hz, you should get down around 22 Hz. in room at 98 dB or so. Too bad the MCM amp doesn't appear to have the EQ built in, but it's not hard to build the filter.

[AJINFLA]

I prefer the mad cabinet http://www.madisound.com/cgi-bin/ind..._id%%&pid=1441 to the PE. Available in something other than black too .
The RS12 and that MCM amp should give you plenty of bang for the buck. Cut the holes, connect the wires...enjoy. Unless you use it way high, it should not need any stuffing.

cheers,

AJ

[whatismouse]

oh the mad cabinet is hot.

this cant be the same components i am using:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C9NV78/ref=nosim/002-8924959-9582412?n=172282

okay so $260 for amp/driver/cabinet

i suppose theres alot of little things i need now?

also what kinda performance can be expected from these components? what price point will it match as to retail subs?