TC-2000 underway

[Brendan_L]

Hey all,

Just thought I'd post my project as it relies on many folks opinions here.

For my birthday, my wife bought me (2) tc-2000 15 svc and a buttkicker amp.

I'm going with roughly 320 L (net) in a box and a 6"x27" port.

build photos - with trusty assistant....

http://picasaweb.google.com/brendan.lewis/TC2000

Dimensions (internal) are 38x24x24" minus bracing, ports and woofer displacement.

No glue has been applied yet, this is just a test fit.

Front baffle is 2 layers 3/4" MDF, the rest is 1 layer with window pane bracing.

Port is 6" pvc to be cut and applied once the bracing is hollowed out.

[WillyD]

Everything sounds/looks good to me. Cool puppy.

[parboy]

cute pooch! Nice looking sub too

[rumatt]

Cute puppy! But get his paws away from that TC-2000!

[JoshK]

Love labs and love Jeeps more. :T

[SteveCallas]

Just to clarify, is that 320 liters and 900 watts for one driver or both?

[Brendan_L]

Steve,

One driver. The other sub is going to be powered by a crown ce-2000 and live in the other HT setup.

I may do a smaller enclosure for the other one, not decided yet. Something more living room friendly. Or not, we'll see how it looks in the living room.

[Brendan_L]

Made lots of progress today, put the entire box together.
Photos are in top link, just the 3rd row is new.

'Laminated' the front two sheets with poly glue and all the clamps I own.

Everything but the driver and terminals is done, well, that and finishing it.
I used a roundover bit for the first time on the front edge, it came out nicely.

What terminals is everyone using? I didn't see any I liked on P.E.

Also, are people using the rubber trim ring around the woofer when mounting it?

[rumatt]

What terminals is everyone using? I didn't see any I liked on P.E.

Ditto. Any good suggestions?

[WillyD]

What terminals is everyone using? I didn't see any I liked on P.E.

Also, are people using the rubber trim ring around the woofer when mounting it?

These are popular. I am using these cause I am not a big fan of the gold look. As if they'll be visible... :rofl:

Yes. Brian (Parboy) and me are both using the gasket that comes with the sub. If your driver will be visible (I didn't catch the orientation) then I'd definitely leave it on.

It isn't absolutely necessary though. I know that some folks always take the gasket off...its just a personal thing I suppose.

[wkhanna]

What terminals is everyone using? I didn't see any I liked on P.E.

Let's see if we can get opt-e to tell us where he got , these.
I think I would like to use them on the Nat P's I'm making.

[WillyD]

Let's see if we can get opt-e to tell us where he got , these.
I think I would like to use them on the Nat P's I'm making.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=260-314

[Brendan_L]

Wow, those are massive. I may get them.

If you click on my original link again, it's made it to the living room.

[wkhanna]

I tried for 20 minutes to find those on the PE site!
My 'search' skills suck!

Thanks WillyD!

[jonathanb3478]

I would use one of these, each, in the right color.

Not bad for $3.50 a pair.

Says it has a "30mm shaft length". Shouldn't need to drill much of a recessed hole for them in your enclosure.

While you're at it, why not pick up some of these, or these?

[wkhanna]

Definitely easier, as you said, just drill a hole and you’re done. No routing, no fuss.

[steve nn]

Dimensions (internal) are 38x24x24" minus bracing, ports and woofer displacement.

Nice looking sub and I like the proportions along with the rounded over edges.

Definitely easier, as you said, just drill a hole and you’re done. No routing, no fuss.

Drilling is much more preferable than routering in my case. If the wall (box) or baffle (sono) is to thick, a nice 1.5" Speedbor bit gets the job done pronto. There is the added benefit of going flush with your terminals on the box style though. I guess terminals are rather personal thinking about it.

[wildfire99]

The last time I built a set of cabinets I tried something different, and I rather liked it. I simply routed out a circle on the back, as one would do for a normal terminal cup. I then glued a piece of 3/4" MDF behind that circle, and drilled in two small holes for those 1 1/2" gold posts. It allowed me to use the (IMO) higher quality posts, but have them recessed, as previously I had them just sticking out the back of boxes and they would always catch on something, or just plain be irritating.

Giving the circle a 1/4" roundover completed the "wood terminal cup" idea, and several people seemed to appreciate the final look over the usual plastic cup. The binding posts still stuck out a bit, but not nearly as much, and the back wall was still solid. I wish I had pictures, but those boxes are now in a galaxy far, far away.

[steve nn]

The last time I built a set of cabinets I tried something different, and I rather liked it. I simply routed out a circle on the back, as one would do for a normal terminal cup. I then glued a piece of 3/4" MDF behind that circle, and drilled in two small holes for those 1 1/2" gold posts. It allowed me to use the (IMO) higher quality posts, but have them recessed, as previously I had them just sticking out the back of boxes and they would always catch on something, or just plain be irritating.

Giving the circle a 1/4" roundover completed the "wood terminal cup" idea, and several people seemed to appreciate the final look over the usual plastic cup. The binding posts still stuck out a bit, but not nearly as much, and the back wall was still solid. I wish I had pictures, but those boxes are now in a galaxy far, far away.

mmm, that's a dang good idea, I like it!

[wkhanna]

Great tip, Wildfire99!

[Ethan]

I like these

[Amphiprion]

I always install those big posts with a spade bit in my drill. Two holes and that's it. It takes about a 1" spade bit with the holes 2-3" apart iirc.

[Brendan_L]

I finally got around to 'finishing' my sub.

I used bondo and cheap walmart spray paint. I was going to shoot for a piano gloss black, but somewhere along the way I decided I just wanted it done. I still sanded it oh, 8 times or so before giving up on the 'perfect' finish.

The veneer is PE Vinyl. And putting it on larger areas smoothly is a pain.



More photos here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/brendan.lewis/TC2000

[ThomasW]

Looks good.... :T

BTW, piano black is highly over rated IMHO....

Is there much audible difference between the 2 different box sizes?

When I started the AS-15 project the first outer shell was much bigger, and turning into a nightmare to construct and move around. As a result I chopped it down to build the design shown on the website.

[---k---]

BTW, piano black is highly over rated IMHO.... .

I agree!

Is there much audible difference between the 2 different box sizes?

When I started the AS-15 project the first outer shell was much bigger, and turning into a nightmare to construct and move around. As a result I chopped it down to build the design shown on the website.

Same Q to you! Did you hear any differance???

[ThomasW]

Ryan,

It was never completed as a bigger box. While wrestling the original shell around, it became obvious that the completed box was going to be way too heavy to be practical. So I took a saw and chopped away 1/3rd of the length, then went on to complete the assembly.

[Brendan_L]

Thomas,

I looked at the AS-15 project multiple times before and while building this sub.

The main difference is in the low tune - I can't get 15 hz audibly out of this enclosure. I think it's tuned to about 18 hz. It's 6 cu ft. internally.

The larger enclosure (320 L was the goal) really still shakes the house with 15 hz tones. I have some new test tones I found on the web, I'm going to test the larger one with 10 and 5 hz to see if it has substantial output.

I can't move the damn thing however, as it takes two people to get it up a flight of stairs. After getting it to the second floor, that is where it's staying. I hope the truck bed liner is not too awfully stinky as it's getting applied inside the house.

I've never had them right next to each other for an A/B comparison. I think I like the smaller enclosure more for music, and the larger one for movies. There seems to be a big more impact in the music range with the 6 cu ft box. I'm also still waiting for my brother to send me the bigger amp, then I will be able to give the 12 cu ft. monster 1800 watts.

[WillyD]

I'm also still waiting for my brother to send me the bigger amp, then I will be able to give the 12 cu ft. monster 1800 watts.

So which amp is it?

[Hank]

Your wife bought you that for you? Do you realize how lucky you are? Now to the real question: does she have a like-minded unmarried sister? :B

[SteveCallas]

I have some new test tones I found on the web, I'm going to test the larger one with 10 and 5 hz to see if it has substantial output

This would fall into the category of "asking for trouble". A sweep down to 5-10hz at 75-85db is one thing....playing a 5hz sine wave to try and get "substantial output" from a 15hz tuned sub is counterintuitive.

[ThomasW]

Brendan,

Don't play test tones lower than the Fb point for any ported sub. For example playing 10 or 15Hz tones from a sub tuned to 18Hz will result in the driver unloading and it's destruction.

And FYI truck bed liner is polyurethane cut with a petrochemical solvent. So it smells, and it's toxic.

[Brendan_L]

Ok, So I won't try to self destruct the sub just yet.
I will keep that in my back pocket for later when I need an upgrade.

WillyD: Crown CE2000
I may do a fan mod on it, it's got a loud fan.

I hope the movie room will air out, I still don't think I want to move that enclosure anywhere....Although you guys may have prompted me to drag it out to my back porch. That is only 3 steps up.

Hank, She got me two. As well as a Buttkicker amp to power it. And then later asked so why did we need that? :T

Incidentally, when I was later explaining IB, she said why didn't you do that?
Maybe I should get one more TC2000, and put an IB in the movie room, and donate that 12 cu ft box to science.