DIY JBL Speaker Cabinets and Components Question

[Verdinut]

Mr Boat,
I have downloaded the specs of the RSS315HF-4 sub to the BassBox Pro software to find out how it would perform in a 3.25 cf cabinet.
According to the software, with the box tuned at 24 Hz, you would get an F3 at 23 Hz. That's amazing for an enclosure size which is not very big for a ported sub indeed.
I'm assured that you would obtain a very smooth sub-bass response with that configuration.

 

[shadyJ]

Get two of those RSS HF 8 ohm drivers, and string them in a parallel circuit. It only adds up to a 4 ohm load, very easy for any amplifier to drive. Better yet, buy four of those drivers, get the discount for a quantity purchase, get a two channel amp, and have a four driver sub, or two 2-driver subs.

 

[Verdinut]

You are right. It does occur to me that I am not missing anything with the setup I have. Still doesn't keep us from fiddling with things though. The other side of this hobby, I suppose. Especially once invested in the DIY aspect. Sometimes, one may find that they don't want it to be over just yet.

I am still working on a system for my bedroom. Contemplating the Fusion-8 Alchemy speakers with a sub as a scaled down version of what I have managed to accomplish with the Tempests. Half of why I keep tapping you folks for information in the mean time.

Here is the frequency response curve that I got from the BassBox 6 Pro software which I used for the RSS315HF-4 sub in a 3.25 cf cabinet:

 

[Verdinut]

Get two of those RSS HF 8 ohm drivers, and string them in a parallel circuit. It only adds up to a 4 ohm load, very easy for any amplifier to drive. Better yet, buy four of those drivers, get the discount for a quantity purchase, get a two channel amp, and have a four driver sub, or two 2-driver subs.

Don't you think that it would be too much in a bedroom?

 

[shadyJ]

No such thing as too much sub!

 

[MrBoat]

Mr Boat,
I have downloaded the specs of the RSS315HF-4 sub to the BassBox Pro software to find out how it would perform in a 3.25 cf cabinet.
According to the software, with the box tuned at 24 Hz, you would get an F3 at 23 Hz. That's amazing for an enclosure size which is not very big for a ported sub indeed.
I'm assured that you would obtain a very smooth sub-bass response with that configuration.

I don't need anything below mid 30's. I have the 12" ultimax in a 2 cu ft cabinet that is rated to 36 (IIRC) and I had to put weather stripping on my interior doors and reseal half the glass in my windows. The attic access cover was actually dancing in it's opening so had to strip that as well and screw off the drywall in the hallway between the nails. Anything less than mid 30's I would not recognize tonally anyway. If with the music I listen to, lower frequencies are added for effect, I would not care.

What I do care about is, cleanest bass from say 40 on up and low distortion, or that the lowest frequencies don't step on the best of the audible, upper sub, or mid bass frequencies.

The JBL S312 speakers I own have a 12" subwoofer in them, or what looks like a subwoofer by the style of the surround. And those speakers have no problem with bass. And when a bass player goes off on a fretless bass guitar, there is no mystery as to what it is.

 

[MrBoat]

Mr Boat,
I have downloaded the specs of the RSS315HF-4 sub to the BassBox Pro software to find out how it would perform in a 3.25 cf cabinet.
According to the software, with the box tuned at 24 Hz, you would get an F3 at 23 Hz. That's amazing for an enclosure size which is not very big for a ported sub indeed.
I'm assured that you would obtain a very smooth sub-bass response with that configuration.

Thank you for taking the time to look that up. I appreciate it.

 

[MrBoat]

Get two of those RSS HF 8 ohm drivers, and string them in a parallel circuit. It only adds up to a 4 ohm load, very easy for any amplifier to drive. Better yet, buy four of those drivers, get the discount for a quantity purchase, get a two channel amp, and have a four driver sub, or two 2-driver subs.

My room is only 12'x12', of which 6'x7' of it is gobbled up by a Cali-king waterbed that I may downsize a little in the future. I had two 3 way speakers in there with 15" woofers for the longest time, one on each side of the bed.

 

[MrBoat]

I ordered the RSS315HF-4. Was on notification for when it came back in stock and there is a $10 off coupon this weekend on orders over $125 at PE so. . . .

On another thread in the DIY section, I had ordered the Infinity 1260 on amazon, only to find it was not to be, so this is a little thumbing of the nose to the price gougers on amazon.

 

[MrBoat]

I ordered the RSS315HF-4. Was on notification for when it came back in stock and there is a $10 off coupon this weekend on orders over $125 at PE so. . . .

On another thread in the DIY section, I had ordered the Infinity 1260 on amazon, only to find it was not to be, so this is a little thumbing of the nose to the price gougers on amazon.

Yes, Keith, it's "old" but it contained the driver model # that was brought forth after this discussion was seemingly abandoned so, perhaps a better word would be; "recycled."

Hope you've made progress with your JBL speakers, being that my last reply has managed to dredge you back up.

 

[Verdinut]

I ordered the RSS315HF-4. Was on notification for when it came back in stock and there is a $10 off coupon this weekend on orders over $125 at PE so. . . .

On another thread in the DIY section, I had ordered the Infinity 1260 on amazon, only to find it was not to be, so this is a little thumbing of the nose to the price gougers on amazon.

Mr Boat,

Don't forget to let us know the developments with this Dayton sub. I am sure that you will love its performance and you might want to get a second one for even better overall results.

André

 

[MrBoat]

Mr Boat,

Don't forget to let us know the developments with this Dayton sub. I am sure that you will love its performance and you might want to get a second one for even better overall results.

André

I am finding some greatness in the UM12-22 the more I mess with it, and especially at louder volume levels. I wonder what the audible differences will be with music.

Another local friend of mine, who owns a rather well respected, high end (Ferrari, Lambo, Mercedes etc) car audio shop, says that the RSS315HF-4 would be excellent in my new-to-me truck, due to the sensitivity of it with regard to not having to go too crazy with amplification etc. He'd like to have a hand at blending some mids and tweets to it at any rate, just for the heck of it. A quality music setup, not a bump-bump-mobile.

I'm just running out of room in my home listening area so I'd most definitely have to hide this thing into a functional piece of furniture if I go that route.

Instead of derailing this thread further (sorry about that, Keith Roberts), I may start a new one maybe in the DIY section and maybe try a table with the cabinet dimensions offered in this thread once I decide which way I want to go after I get (Friday) it. The car setup is tempting.

 

["Uncle" Bill]

Building a speaker is easy.

Building a good speaker is a different story

So on the premise of building a good speaker (I'll spare you my back story)... I have what I believe are authentic JBL C34 Corner Enclosure blueprints. A complete set (4 of 4 sheets), dated 2.28.57 with approval signed off the very next day. They are blue and measure approx. 34" x 22". Some info on the sheets....... Materials/Finish/Scale/Woods/Part #s/Req 'D/Descriptions/Size/Angles.
I can't find anything like them online. The lansingheritage site doesn't have anything like them. I closest I've seen is a copy for sale from a blueprint (1 of 4 sheets) for a different JBL speaker.
I'm hoping to get thoughts on a value for these blueprints.
Thank you.

 

[j_garcia]

So on the premise of building a good speaker (I'll spare you my back story)... I have what I believe are authentic JBL C34 Corner Enclosure blueprints. A complete set (4 of 4 sheets),dated 2.28.57 with approval signed off the very next day. They are blue and measure approx. 34" x 22". Some info on the sheets....... Materials/Finish/Scale/Woods/Part #s/Req 'D/Descriptions/Size/Angles.
I can't find anything like them online. The lansingheritage site doesn't have anything like them. I closest I've seen is a copy for sale from a blueprint (1 of 4 sheets) for a different JBL speaker.
I'm hoping to get thoughts on a value for these blueprints.
Thank you.

Don't know about a value, but there are not many corner enclosure speakers. Only ones I recall seeing that were commercially successful were the KlipschHorn speakers

 

[TLS Guy]

Don't know about a value, but there are not many corner enclosure speakers. Only ones I recall seeing that were commercially successful were the KlipschHorn speakers

The C 34s were a solid corner horn loaded speaker of the fifties.

I really can't place a value on the plans, you would have to see.

This is the speaker. These are on eBay now for $4500.00 which sounds a fair price. A builder would have to find a pair of the woofers and good ones commend about $1000 per pair. You would have to find the correct compression driver and horn. That might be difficult. You would need the crossovers, although I suspect the circuit for that could be found.

Lastly the plans are available on line.

So that would be a very expensive construction project, but you might find someone who would like those plans. I doubt you will get a bidding frenzy. Put them up on eBay for $10 to $20 and see what happens. You could get everything from a pleasant surprise to zero interest.
http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/jbl/plans/C34.htm

 

[sterling shoote]

Reading these posts made me think if it is so important to match speaker to box volume how do in-wall speakers defy the physics of it?

 

[Verdinut]

Apart from Klipsch, there were other corner enclosures on the market in the 50/60's:

Altec 606 Bass Reflex Cabinet which usually enclosed a 604 Duplex Coaxial speaker:

Altec 820C Corner Horn Cabinet which contained two 803 Woofers and a 802C Compression Driver with a 811 Horn:

The Electro-Voice Patrician Folded Horn Cabinet which was a 4-way system originally using an 18 inch woofer, a 12 inch mid-bass driver, a mid-range horn and a horn-loaded tweeter:

The Jensen Corner Bass Ultraflex cabinet of different sizes for various drivers:

 

[TLS Guy]

Reading these posts made me think if it is so important to match speaker to box volume how do in-wall speakers defy the physics of it?

The answer is that they are not very good. I have done the design for in wall system shortly to be built. The speakers are enclosed. It models well, but I suspect that the crossover will need tweaking based on measurements and listening once installed. As usual I can never resist he temptation to be novel and wander off the well trodden path.

 

[Bucknekked]

Reading these posts made me think if it is so important to match speaker to box volume how do in-wall speakers defy the physics of it?

I suspect, as TLS GUY notes, in wall speakers don't get a pass to defy physics. At the risk of raising the ire of in wall speaker fans, I haven't heard any that sound anything more than functional. Many times, its the WAF factor that drives the choice for in wall, other times its just the layout of the room or some other restriction. I can't think of a reason to choose in wall over traditional speakers if sound is the top requirement.

No actual in wall speakers were damaged by the expression of this humble opinion.

 

[Bucknekked]

Don't know about a value, but there are not many corner enclosure speakers. Only ones I recall seeing that were commercially successful were the KlipschHorn speakers

The Klipschorns are probably my all time favorite nostalgic choice for a speaker. I recognize they are unique, and huge, and don't fit hardly in anyones home. My goodness though, they could play music and make an impression that's hard to forget. I probably will never have the opportunity to own a set, but, that's what musing and dreaming are all about.