first dyi sub need help!!

[torontoml]

hey guys

i have just read back 15 pages but i am still lost.

today i went to my local HT store and i watched some matrix 2 with some def tech main speakers that had a 14"driver in it and OMG the bass was so loud but not too much. i could feel the impact of every punch. oh and there was also a 10" supercube going. now I dont have the budget to go out and buy a pair of $8000 def tech mains and a supercube. so i have thought about making a sub...or 2....or 3. I have never built a speaker and have a $1500CND budget. so something simple to build that sounds good and has good output

what do you guys suggest?

right now i have an
energy s10.2(crap) sub
energy c-5 mains
energy cc-1 center
boes 616 rears

PLEASE HELP!!! i just want the impact i heard today at the HT store but without the price tag

thanks very much in advance

[ThomasW]

It's easy to get as good if not better performance with a DIY sub. Now for a few questions.........

What is your skill level?
Is box building and assembly a problem or not?
What's the budget?
What size 'box' do you want?
Do you want a box or is a tube sub ok?
What size is the room?
How loud do you want the sub to play?

[torontoml]

hey

1)skill level never built a sub
2)building a box easy(i am a carpenter)
3)budget anout $1500CND to spend any way eg. one $1500 sub two $750 or three $500 ?
4) i can make it any size(i am very flexable i just want that impact i heard today)
5) box or tube doesnt matter whatever works
6)room is 20x12x7
7)i would like the sub to play very loud but what made me love the sound i heard today was that it was loud and very strong but didnt over play the rest of the soundtrack

thanks for the help

cant wait to hear my options

as far as options i think i could put together a sub but i know i cant build XOvers it seems like alot of you guys do that

[awm]

I'm also in the process of building my own sub. I went with the JBL 1500 driver, onsale for US$250 at Parts Express, and will go with the PE 1000watt plate amp, that includes a low pass filter and three bands of parametric eq. The amp goes for around US$400. With your $1500cdn budget, this still leaves plenty left over for a really nice box. The end result of this sub will likely be very impressive, and should easily compete with what you heard in the store. It's the same driver used in the US$4000 Revel sub... The driver is incredibly refined and built like a tank. The internal volume of the sealed alignment box, excluding driver and bracing, will top out at about 2.5 cf, very small for a driver this size.

For less $$, you could also go with the TC2+, a 12" that, by msot accounts, would also work well, or even a pair of them; or, the Peerless XLS 12", though that woofer would definitely require some eq down low.

Like ThomasW asked, can you build a box? Is the room large enough? The 15" sub I described above that I'm building would likely overwhelm a smallish room and be needless overkill...

Good luck,
Andy

[awm]

Torontomi, didn't see your answer to ThomasW before I posted the above. The room is big enough to support the sub I described, and would be what I'd go with with your budget. I'm still in the planning stage myself, though, and will be building mine slowly over the next few months.

Others more experienced than I will I'm sure have far more useful info to offer re other important considerations.

Andy

[robertwb70]

IB sub-IB sub-IB sub...did I mention an IB subwoofer is what I'd recommend?

COIB forum

[ThomasW]

You don't need to build a crossover. If you're using a receiver or pre/pro, the crossover is built-in.

First yes if you can install an IB sub you'll have the best sound available at any price. But if you need something that can be moved, then obviously an IB isn't a good choice.

Tube subs are a great idea usually built by noobies that have limited woodworking skills. The wonderful thing about them is that since they are a cylinder no internal bracing or thick walls are needed.

What kind if output are you looking for? High output? If so then you need a high excursion driver.

One option is to use the Adire Tumult. This is one of the finest woofers on the planet. Combined with a good power amp and some EQ you'll have a DIY sub that easily rivals retail units costing $5000.

This can be built as a sealed, ported or with passive radiators. Sealed or PR's can work in relatively small boxes. If you go with PR's you'll want to get a pair of 18" units from Stryke Audio.

Here's an example of a sealed design. Here's an example of a PR design

This is just one example of what can be done. These would be at the high-end of your budget. Obviously there are lower cost options

[torontoml]

hey thanks for the feed back guys

i cant do the IB sub but i do like the 2 drivers in one box idea

does anyone know of a web site that will take me through the process of building a sub step by step

so for $1500CND for 2 drivers and an amp whats the best i can get

is there anything else i need?

also where would i find reading material for speaker building basics

thanks again

[torontoml]

ok forget my last post

i wanna do a single Adire Tumult
what size amp?
what size box?
ports?
so i need to buy a serate eq?(i dont want to if i dont have to are they built into the sub amps?)
where do i find info on step by step building?

thank you all very much for your help i dont want to have crap bass just cause i dont have a fat wallet.

[ThomasW]

i wanna do a single Adire Tumult
what size amp?
what size box?

Did you notice there were box dimensions and an amp mentioned on the Acoustic-Visions links?

The EQ built-in to the plate amps are basically worthless. You'll want to buy a Behringer DSP1124P parametric equalizer

[torontoml]

hey

is there any good reading material on speaker building basics on the web?

or anywere that will tell me step by step how to put it together

[ThomasW]

My ISP is changing hosts so my DIY page is offline for a few days.

Start by looking at the Adire plans for their Tempest subwoofer. Box builting techniques are the same regardless of the driver used.

We prefer to use doubled up 3/4" material for the cabinet walls.

Something else, you might want to cut your teeth on something a little less expensive for your first project. THIS is a good deal on a modestly priced high performance driver.