Need help with choosing a budget subwoofer - some used options included

Which one?


  • Total voters
    7
rojo

rojo

Audioholic Samurai
Well I trust you did that yourself already. :) If you say the miniDSP is a better purchase, then I'll get it instead.

I'm just curious, though. Why not go for the 87 litre box instead? Don't you think it would make things a bit easier for the amp, once I apply some EQing?
Or, at the very least, I'll "gain back" some (1.5db, you said) of the higher frequencies that I'll lower in volume with the parametric EQ, to flatten the freq response.

Another 11cm in height, and I think now would be a good time to use two braces, but the amp would have to go in the middle of the rear baffle so that the braces would be above it and below it, one on each side.
Well, I discouraged making the box taller mostly because this box is already larger and heavier than most commercial 12-inch subs, and is probably already of a size more appropriate for a larger living room than your 2.5 x 3.5 meter bedroom. And the gains achieved by making the box larger will be nearly inaudible. I don't think the extra 1.9dB centered at 26Hz justifies adding an additional ~5-10kg in wall height and bracing. You'd have a difficult time hearing that difference if a 71L and an 87L version of the same sub were sitting side by side. Especially when you consider you can achieve the same effect with EQ and Polyfil stuffing, and you probably won't run this sub at full volume, it's a worthwhile concession.

And a very small part because I'm quite finished with SketchUp modeling for now. :)
 
Y

yonyz

Audioholic
Well, I discouraged making the box taller mostly because this box is already larger and heavier than most commercial 12-inch subs, and is probably already of a size more appropriate for a larger living room than your 2.5 x 3.5 meter bedroom. And the gains achieved by making the box larger will be nearly inaudible. I don't think the extra 1.9dB centered at 26Hz justifies adding an additional ~5-10kg in wall height and bracing. You'd have a difficult time hearing that difference if a 71L and an 87L version of the same sub were sitting side by side. Especially when you consider you can achieve the same effect with EQ and Polyfil stuffing, and you probably won't run this sub at full volume, it's a worthwhile concession.

And a very small part because I'm quite finished with SketchUp modeling for now. :)
The idea is not to increase overall volume but to move the -3db point from 24hz to 22hz, which I assume would make EQ'ing the sub towards 19/20hz somewhat easier on the amp. Please let me know if my thinking is wrong. :)

Oh and I'll worry about the modeling. :)
 
rojo

rojo

Audioholic Samurai
The idea is not to increase overall volume but to move the -3db point from 24hz to 22hz, which I assume would make EQ'ing the sub towards 19/20hz somewhat easier on the amp. Please let me know if my thinking is wrong. :)

Oh and I'll worry about the modeling. :)
Yes, it would move the -3dB point down by 2Hz. If you want to flatten to 20Hz, you'd flatten to 105dB max with an 87L enclosure instead of 104dB max with a 71L box.

If you don't mind a tall, heavy behemoth, you could build a horn.
 
Y

yonyz

Audioholic
Yes, it would move the -3dB point down by 2Hz. If you want to flatten to 20Hz, you'd flatten to 105dB max with an 87L enclosure instead of 104dB max with a 71L box.

If you don't mind a tall, heavy behemoth, you could build a horn.
So I could flatten to 20hz with the 71L box too? OK then. That's what I wasn't sure about. 71L and miniDSP it is then.
 
Y

yonyz

Audioholic
Yes, it would move the -3dB point down by 2Hz. If you want to flatten to 20Hz, you'd flatten to 105dB max with an 87L enclosure instead of 104dB max with a 71L box.

If you don't mind a tall, heavy behemoth, you could build a horn.
OK, a little update. The amp should arrive in the coming week, and I ordered the 1260 speaker and it should be ready for pick-up on Sunday or Monday.

I'm guessing it would take a few days for the box to be made, so I intend to go to the carpenter with a final design before the amp arrives. But I couldn't resist making a new, bigger box. :D

I was searching for other designs based on the Infinity 1260 and saw this one:
http://www.avsforum.com/forum/155-diy-speakers-subs/1875953-wife-approved-infinity-1260-build-lots-pics.html

So I changed the dimensions a bit so it would fit an empty space that I have in the room. The internal volume is 129.846 litres, without taking into account bracing, port and speaker displacement.

If the internal volume will be at 120L after displacement, it should be able to reach 19hz without DSP. The tune frequency would be 20hz, and the F3 would be 19.2hz or so. I'm not sure if there's a point in getting a DSP with this box, but maybe it's needed as an high pass filter, so the speaker won't try to reproduce anything below 18hz or so.

Anyway, what's missing from the design are the 4mm thing you did for the amp to sit flush (I don't know how to do that, but I guess I'll just show the carpenter this part from your design), and bracing. I was wondering if I could just copy your bracing design? Will it work for this box, and is it OK to put it right in the middle of the box?

Thanks.
 

Attachments

Y

yonyz

Audioholic
Here's my almost final sketch:


It's pretty much what you designed, but deeper rather than taller.
I'll add the second front baffle later (need to learn how to do the flare thingy).

As it is, the driver hole is closer to the bottom panel than to the top panel, and I want it to be the opposite for aesthetic reasons. To do that, I'll need to place the brace higher, and thus the plate amp will be placed higher too.

So I was wondering, how close can the plate amp be to the top panel?
What in your opinion would be the minimum (internal) distance between them?

BTW, I got the driver already and the amp is awaiting customs clearance since yesterday, so hopefully it'll finally arrive next week.

Thanks.
 
D

Diesel57

Full Audioholic
My apologies, try this www.220-electronics.com
It's 220 instead of 200, just was excited about assisting you and hoping this would address what you are seeking, I hope they can help, I just left the site...Cheers
 
KenM10759

KenM10759

Audioholic Samurai
This website...or the 220-electronics one?

If you're building speakers or subwoofers and hiring a carpenter to build the enclosures, two things strike me.

1. The whole purpose of building your own is exactly that; the savings in building your own boxes and putting everything together.
2. Hiring a carpenter? You should be hiring a cabinetmaker. That's the right skill set.
 
Y

yonyz

Audioholic
This website...or the 220-electronics one?

If you're building speakers or subwoofers and hiring a carpenter to build the enclosures, two things strike me.

1. The whole purpose of building your own is exactly that; the savings in building your own boxes and putting everything together.
2. Hiring a carpenter? You should be hiring a cabinetmaker. That's the right skill set.
You need to take into account the cost of building equipment. I only have a jigsaw. Yesterday I finally ordered a cabinet for $160, using "green" (a more dense and water resistant type of) MDF.

I'd have loved to build it myself if I had the tools, but they're expensive.
 
Y

yonyz

Audioholic
I should be able to pick up the bolts and t-nuts tomorrow, and I'll start working on it tomorrow evening or during the weekend.

Right after I printed the sketch for the carpenter, I decided to increase the port height from 3cm to 3.5cm, to decrease port noise, however I forgot to make the port longer so it ended up being tuned to 22hz instead of 20hz. It's just a 2db difference at 18hz and I don't know if I should bother with it any longer.

I'm also wondering if there's a point to getting a miniDSP for this giant box (it's 54 x 56 x 64).
 
newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top