I want to build my own

[BARRACUDA1968]

I have been thinking about building my own passive sub. I have everything I need to power it so no expense there. I currently have a 18" velodyne that I like for HT but it isn't that great for music. My thoughts are to build a tower set up with maybe 4 10"s. I have seen these on the net and like the concept. I have some wood working ability so I can build a nice cabinet. I need some help with the rest.

I want to power the 4 10"s with a D1200 proton dual mono amp. The amp will hold a 2 ohm load. I also have a Proton 6 channel amp also if you think this would be better to run each sub on it's own channel.

What kind of drivers would you reccomend?

How would you wire the drivers depending on which amp I use?

How would you set up a crossover for this set up?

Is there a website that can help me design the box?

Am I crazy for trying this?

 

[zumbo]

You could parallel two 4ohm subs = 2ohm to one channel, then parallel the other two 4ohm subs= 2ohm to the other channel.

http://www.svsound.com/products-parts.cfm

EDIT. OOPS

Example: Three 12 Ohm Subs Wired in Parallel

Rt = 1/ (1/12 + 1/12 + 1/12)
Rt = 1/ (0.083333 + 0.083333 + 0.083333)
Rt = 1/ (0.249999)
Rt = 4.0000016
Rt = 4 Ohms

I know three subs is the hot topic in car audio. You can get the most out of an amp this way. Bridge that 4ohm load for all your amp can do.

DVC wiring.
http://www.audio-n-more.com/subwoofers_wiring_information.shtml

 

[marrypoppins]

I would look to the Dayton woofers on PE. While I agree the SVS woofers are fantastic, the Dayton's are known for being more musical, in particular the Titanic line.

 

[mulester7]

I have been thinking about building my own passive sub. I have everything I need to power it so no expense there. I currently have a 18" velodyne that I like for HT but it isn't that great for music. My thoughts are to build a tower set up with maybe 4 10"s. I have seen these on the net and like the concept. I have some wood working ability so I can build a nice cabinet. I need some help with the rest.

I want to power the 4 10"s with a D1200 proton dual mono amp. The amp will hold a 2 ohm load. I also have a Proton 6 channel amp also if you think this would be better to run each sub on it's own channel.

What kind of drivers would you reccomend?

How would you wire the drivers depending on which amp I use?

How would you set up a crossover for this set up?

Is there a website that can help me design the box?

Am I crazy for trying this?

.....BARRACUDA, with a passive sub that has one lone 4 ohm speaker element, I personally want to hit the element with a strapped amp....but, you are wanting 4 speaker elements....if you are going to be hitting the four 4 ohm elements with one amp section, you would need to wire the four elements in a combination of parallel and series wiring and would end up with an ohmage load "seen" by the lone amp section of 4 ohms....a strapped amp would then see the four speaker elements that are combination-wired as 2 ohms, and would fire 2 ohm watts....this quality of sound would probably please you using 4 speaker elements and one lone strapped amp....you would wire the first two elements parallel, and have one circuit of 2 ohms, and then wire the second two elements in series to average 8 ohms and have one circuit of 8 ohm....the two circuits on top of each other in your passive sub enclosure would then present one load of 4 ohms....this is the way my mini-barns are wired using 4 4-ohm elements....apply a strapped amp, and the 4 ohm load receives 2 ohm bullets from the strapped amp.....best of luck.....

 

[BARRACUDA1968]

Thanks for all the info so far! I have some studying to do now.

 

[MacManNM]

The D1200 has plenty of power to run any sub you like. I am using mine for my sub and I have no problems.



I wouldnt run it at 2 ohms though, it is a well built amp, buy that is a heck of a load.

 

[BARRACUDA1968]

How are you crossing over your sub? off the D1200

One more question for you guys, should I go with 10"'s or 8"'s. I want really tight base. If I go with 8"'s I could build a tower and maybe use 6 or 8 of them.

 

[MacManNM]

How are you crossing over your sub? off the D1200

One more question for you guys, should I go with 10"'s or 8"'s. I want really tight base. If I go with 8"'s I could build a tower and maybe use 6 or 8 of them.

No crossover, just using the receiver LFE out

Go with 10's, 8's arent going to go low enough, or give you enough SPL

 

[mulester7]

How are you crossing over your sub? off the D1200

One more question for you guys, should I go with 10"'s or 8"'s. I want really tight base. If I go with 8"'s I could build a tower and maybe use 6 or 8 of them.

.....you would simply use the LFE out of your receiver and top-cut it where you wish with no crossover inside the sub enclosure....LFE to the amp by rca's and you would be home.....I would personally go with 4 tens, combination-wired with two circuits, but you could combination-wire 40 elements in an enclosure if you wished, and would be working with intermitent parallel and series wiring in circuits stacked on each other to not offend the ohmage-range of your amp.....

 

[BARRACUDA1968]

sounds like a plan. This will be a good winter project for me.

 

[mulester7]

No crossover, just using the receiver LFE out

Go with 10's, 8's arent going to go low enough, or give you enough SPL

.....Mac, I should have known you'd get it said with fewer words, haha....

 

[zumbo]

10's. I honestly think three would be more than enough. No need for four. Plus, you would have the amp bridged with this set-up, or I think the Mule uses the term strapped. Sounds like a term used by the ladies in the closet.

 

[Sheep]

Hold on, you want to build a subwoofer thats more musical then an 18inch Velo? Is that Velo a servo design? If it is, crazy just came out of your finger tips.

SheepStar

 

[MacManNM]

You can't bridge a proton D1200 amp. it is a dual mono design. In reality you don't need to. And hell yes go with 4, 2 seperate cabinets with 2 10" drivers in a vented enclosure. The dayton titanic 10" or the DAYTON RSS265HO-4 is also a good choice.

I personally like the MTX MZS1204's they are cheap, and work really well in a sealed enclosure, the 3db point is ~35Hz and they work great with music. I used these in my home project and it really sounds awesome.

 

[mulester7]

I think the Mule uses the term strapped. Sounds like a term used by the ladies in the closet.

.....precisely where I got it from, Zumbo, how'd you know?....Mac, you certainly know how to spoil an amp-strapping party but good.....

 

[MacManNM]

.....precisely where I got it from, Zumbo, how'd you know?....Mac, you certainly know how to spoil an amp-strapping party but good.....

Sorry mule.

The earlier D-1200s were bridgeable, but they found out with the dual mono design it was not a good thing to do. So on all the models after 1984 the switch for strapping was removed.

 

[zumbo]

In this case, go with four 4ohm subs. Two parallel on each channel.

 

[mulester7]

In this case, go with four 4ohm subs. Two parallel on each channel.

.....yes, Zumbo, if, as Mac said, the amp is solidly 2 ohm stable....you would get punch and accent and pop with the 2 ohm wiring demanding 2 ohm bullets....or....you could wire two speaker elements in each box of two, for two subs in the front, in series, and get a smoother, sweeter, more legato response which is very good also....but....BARRACUDA1968, I graduated high school in 1967, and I'm tellin' ya', you would probably want parallel wiring for both sub enclosures, two elements each, for a total of four in the act up front....if your amp won't handle 2 ohm stable, put a small plastic fan from Wal-Mart on the amp on low, just blowing over the top, you won't hear it....if that don't work, either move up with another amp, or pull a woofer out of both cabinets and rewire the two in each box in series......

.....to wire the two elements in series inside the enclosure....a seperate, short, speaker wire, probably about two feet long for hooking-up length, might as well use 12 ga., stripped on both ends a half inch, is needed....hook up the short wire from element "1's" minus (-), to element "2's" plus (+)....you're done....then, the "incoming" plus (+) wire, goes to element "1's" plus (+), and the "incoming" minus (-) wire, goes to element "2's" minus (-).....

.....to wire the two elements in parallel inside the enclosure....twooooo, short sections of speaker wire a couple of feet long, stripped at both ends, start the show....hook up one of the two wires connecting the pluses of the two speaker elements, and the other one connecting the minuses....bring the incoming plus and minus wires to either speaker element, and hook up as normal, plus-to-plus, minus-to-minus, thank you....bow....(exit stage left).....

 

[BARRACUDA1968]

Thanks for the info, that really helps.