What are some do's and don'ts for building my own speaker cabinet?

Z

zastin17

Audiophyte
So I'm currently using some old advent speakers from the 70's, There is a large 11 paper sub. A small 4-5 inch stiff diaphragm paper speaker connected to a cap and coil. And really small paper tweeters that have bean replaced with silk dome tweeters. The tweeter and sub are connected to a 2 way crossover. The mid size speaker is connected to a CAP and Coil. Which connect to the + input in the speaker.

These sound great. Especially connected to my Realistic STA-84 receiver. However, I still feel like something is missing. I don't know what it is but I keep have this feeling. I am crafty and have a pretty good understanding on speaker wiring. The one thing I have a hard time understanding is how the speakers work together to produce the best possible sound. Using my logic, (Which may be wrong) I am thinking of making a cabin ate out of mdf. Then wrapping with some wood grain vinyl wrap. I am wan'ting to have a speaker for sub,mid,and high, So a sub at the bottom,A midsize woofer in the middle and a tweeter at the top. I am wanting to also buy a 3 way crossover for each speaker.

I don't want to spend this money and it end up sounding bad. Would these parts be compatible or work properly with each other? Anything I should try to avoid. Would ribbon tweeters be better than the silk dome tweeters I already have?

I am thinking this for a mid: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/NEW-MODEL-Audio-Labs-Top-end-4-Full-Range-Speaker-unit-sets-Aluminum-Bullet-2-Layer/32619233343.html?spm=2114.01010208.8.40.AnLiaS

This for a tweeter: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2PCS-lot-High-Power-HiFi-defniition-Speaker-ribbon-tweeter-AMT-transformer-voice-coil/32688322038.html?spm=2114.01010208.3.11.XbVtdk&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_1_10152_10065_10151_10068_10130_10136_10137_10060_10138_10155_10062_10156_10154_10056_10055_10054_10059_10099_10103_10102_10096_10148_10147_10052_10053_10142_10107_10050_10143_10051_9986_10084_10083_10080_10082_10081_10178_10110_10111_10112_10113_10114_10078_10079_10073_10070_10123_10124-9986,searchweb201603_2,afswitch_1,ppcSwitch_7&btsid=c14aed8d-03f9-426c-a305-d2f62c768af2&algo_expid=09b86be2-09bb-4b49-9301-e730647b2687-1&algo_pvid=09b86be2-09bb-4b49-9301-e730647b2687

This for a sub: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-12-Woofer-Speaker-Bass-Driver-Home-Audio-8-ohm-replacement-subwoofer-twelve-/160740925735?hash=item256ce7e127:g:G-gAAOSw9r1WAECh

This for crossovers: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2pcs-New-Multi-Speaker-3-Unit-Audio-Frequency-Divider-4-Way-Crossover-Filters-free-ship/32572738237.html?spm=2114.01010208.3.55.Vm9llY&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_1_10152_10065_10151_10068_10130_10136_10137_10060_10138_10155_10062_10156_10154_10056_10055_10054_10059_10099_10103_10102_10096_10148_10147_10052_10053_10142_10107_10050_10143_10051_9986_10084_10083_10080_10082_10081_10178_10110_10111_10112_10113_10114_10078_10079_10073_10070_10123_10124-9986,searchweb201603_2,afswitch_1,ppcSwitch_7&btsid=d7e9d263-9b0a-4d63-af7b-d0de50d41b1d&algo_expid=50a9d137-7432-4677-8ea9-1e555e30ff8c-6&algo_pvid=50a9d137-7432-4677-8ea9-1e555e30ff8c
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
Designing a speaker is not this simple. The x-over needs to be designed specifically to match the drivers and driver selection is normally done based on their actual response, how the x-over will accommodate how they blend together and the impedance and sensitivity of each.

Don't #1 would be using an off the shelf x-over.
Don't #2 would be choosing drivers without knowing how they will sound together.
 
ski2xblack

ski2xblack

Audioholic Field Marshall
There are plenty of well thought out diy kits you should consider as an alternative, modern designs with all the details already worked out, and whose performance would embarrass the Advents. Also, consider keeping it simpler, e.g. two-way monitors and a sub, rather than more complex and expensive three ways (which, unless they're herculean in size and capability would still require a sub).

What's your budget for this project?
 
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Z

zastin17

Audiophyte
So after a few days of thinking and researching I forgot that I have 4x phoenix gold ati 8 woofers with matching silk dome Ferrofluid cooled tweeters with matching crossovers. They came from some in wall mounted speakers that where never used.
Since all of these where built to work together would these work as drivers? They came from these. http://www.federalstereo.com/phoenix-gold-ati-8.html I am thinking of getting a smaller 5inch woofer for the mid range. Unless this is unnecessary?
Would a cabinet with the 2x 8inch woofer near the bottom, The mid and tweeter at the top. And a port near the bottom work? Or should I use a closed/sealed cabinet

I also have 2x large 12inch paper cone subwoofers I could use from my advent speakers.

Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Dayton-Audio-DS135-8-Designer-Speaker/dp/B007K8M7HO/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1492629966&sr=1-3&keywords=5+inch+woofer

What I am thinking is. The 2x 8inch woofers connected in parallel into the crossover. The tweeter to the tweeter output. The mid woofer to a custom circuit I will figure out later.

Which would be the best option or combination of speakers and how should I have then orientated?
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Just a comment on the Advent "subwoofers"....they aren't, woofers maybe. Were those the old 6003 speakers? My first good pair of speakers many many years ago were the Original Advent 2-way, loved those speakers. If you want subs get appropriate drivers and build separate boxes.

In-wall speaker design isn't the same as for a box, try this article http://www.salksound.com/wp/?p=42
 
lsiberian

lsiberian

Audioholic Overlord
A speaker has 3 basic parts.

1. The Enclosure
2. The Drivers
3. The Crossover

As a designer I always begin with the end in mind.

Let's say I want to design an active 3-way speaker. I'd start by selecting a suitable midrange. Then I'd determine a suitable woofer and tweeter to match them.

If it's a 2-way speaker I'd start with the woofer or tweeter and then find a suitable match.

Determining a good match first involves determining the range of each driver by looking at a response chart. Ideally you want as much overlap as you can get so you have wiggle room for the crossover. If you are using a passive design you'll need to consider ohm and level matching as well. These can of course be corrected by more components, but you want to avoid as much of it as you can.

If your goal is simply to build the best sounding speaker possible then I suggest you copy an existing design like the Thor TL or others.

For me designing a speaker is fun, but I think most folks aren't willing to go through the challenges and failures required to get something amazing. It took me around 5 years to design and build my current speakers. I could have saved a lot of money and time by buying some really nice speakers instead. But for me it's a hobby I enjoy. If you find yourself drawn to reading speaker design books and learning everything you can about it. Doing a custom build can be a lot of fun.

FWIW I still think you should build a cheap kit first. Don't cut your teeth on a complicated build either. A simple 2-way kit is the best place to start IMO.

I could go on about how to build an enclosure, but you can also look up my posts and see for yourself how I did it.
 
ski2xblack

ski2xblack

Audioholic Field Marshall
You could use those Phoenix Gold speakers for this. You would need to contact the manufacturer and get the T/S parameters for the woof so you can design the cab appropriately (or ask one of us to model one for you).

One thing, however, is that with the larger woof and a flush mounted tweet I expect there to be a directivity mis-match between the drivers, which would give less than optimal off axis response.

Also, you don't want to add an intermediate size midrange to them, as that would necessitate an entirely new crossover.

I think you may be underistimating the complexity of speaker design a bit, but we all started somewhere. Stay curious, consider a copy of Vance Dickason's book on speaker design. Or just go with a kit (such as the Mini Statements you linked)
 
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