Project #2: Help me with "re-speakerizing" my pretty enclosures. Suggestions welcome!

[Raptor550]

The Problem:
When I move back to Seattle I have some very nice looking custom built cabinets they look like This:



They contain some drivers of questionable quality, and I would like to renovate them. Preferably with a Dayton RS255 or RS180 and a Seas silk tweeter so I could have them voiced to the previous pair I built that I would use as back surrounds. My problem is that I have NO IDEA about designing my own crossovers, nor do I have any measurement equipment. I am still a novice, I can solder, read, and that's about it.

I was thinking about modifying the enclosure like so:



Internal Options?
Basically I would be gutting all the current speakers and selling them to get cash for better drivers.
I'm not yet able to design my own crossover and expect good results. So I wanted to use either a Modula MT, M8ta, or Jay's Raptors design in it. As you can see, my baffle and speaker placement would be different than all three, with the M8ta being closest in angels and vertical driver center to center distance. -but could I get away with such a change like above? Its a totally different shape and speaker layout than the modula, and a different volume than the M8ta, and its too big for the Jay_WJ "raptors" crossover.

Airspace Options:
the two large chambers of the enclosures are 1.4 cubic feet for the bottom and 1.7 cubic feet on top. If the 7" or 8" driver needs a ton of airspace I could combine them by drilling a hole and sealing up the 10" hole.

Sub options:
This could be its own thread all together but Right now I have 2 so-so JBL's. If I keep the bottom 1.4 sealed chamber I was wondering If the RS270's would work pulling sub duity 80hz and under. That to small for them? I know the RSS265's would be perfect, but I just cant afford them.

Any suggestions are more than welcome. I need to figure out a complete solution by the 14th of July so I can buy everything on sale as thats my only hope of affording this

[ThomasW]

The M8ta plans are not made available to people unwilling to built the exact box design and crossover created for them.

RS270's are not appropriate to be used as subwoofers, they'll be destroyed when the first high amplitude low bass transient hits them.

[---k---]

I think reading Loudspeaker Cookbook would help you understand how changing the baffle layout will affect the speaker design. Might be a good place to start. The drivers will go onsale again in the future.

[cobbpa]

Hey Scott, what are the dimensions of the cabinets? Top & bottom width & total height, mainly. In your rendering it looks like the lighter contrasting wood on the sides near the bottom is flush with the darker wood face...is that right?

[Raptor550]

Thats a good thing to know Thomas.
I am a little confused however because I was reading Zaphs "low x-max drivers sound better" article: http://www.zaphaudio.com/lowxmax.html I realize he is doing some speculating in the article, but for clarity's sake, How is he using the rs270's where they wouldn't be destroyed?

Ryan - maybe i'll have to take a trip to the library

Cobba, correct, the lighter wood is simply a different colored veneer. The dimensions are 14x14" at the base 6x6" at the top and 36" tall (pretty sure thats the hight). At very least I have 2 cubic feet to work with. -ohh,

ps. cobba, I'll be able to do some work on your project over the weekend

[ThomasW]

Zaph posts his opinion, I post mine, you decide.

IMO, if you want to use low displacement drivers for a sub do so, just be sure to buy and use them by the dozen, if you want any real low frequency output at higher SPL.

I've been around the block enough times to know one truly gets what one pays for. There are some VERY good sub drivers with higher Xmax. The thing is they aren't cheap.

With properly chosen components and given a good design, a speaker system can easily last a decade and provide increasingly better sound quality as the electronics driving them is upgraded. This isn't the situation when the loudspeaker design is 'low-balled'....