Starting a DIY sub.

[Sheep]

I've had an old sealed sub lying around my room for quite some time now. The driver is blown, but the amp is still in good shape. It's Identical to a Dayton model on Parts Express, with 240watts RMS at 4ohms.

The enclosure this amp is in currently is too small to have any hope in low end performance (11 3/4 inch cube). So with the help of a trusted Forum member, I will select a driver, and then build a nice, vented enclosure with a goal of a 20hz or so tune. I want this sub to dig deep, and the amp doesn't have enough power to reach low in a sealed design.

Nothing has been selected as of yet, I'm just announcing the project.

Here is a couple pictures of the current sub.

SheepStar

 

[Swerd]

Two Parts Express sub drivers...

...have been used by quite a few DIY builders with great success.

RSS315HF-4 Reference Series 12" costs $130 US. This aluminum 12" has low distortion for a subwoofer, can handle as much as 500 watts power, but does fine with 240 watts. I bought one last summer when Parts Express offered it at $30 off one weekend in August. Keep an eye out for special offers on this popular driver this summer. I have it in a 2 ft³ sealed box and use the PE 500 watt plate amp. If you want plans for that box, PM me with your email address.

QT305-4 Quatro 12" costs less at $75 US. This driver is $55 less than the RS 12", but still is an excellent performer, and it is ideal for your 240 watt amp. Parts Express has online plans for a 1 ft³ sealed box, or a 2 ft³ vented box, using a 3" diameter vent tube that is about 9" long.

There are quite a few other sub drivers around, and I know little about them. TC Sounds has a very good reputation and generally offers cabinet plans for their wide variety of drivers.

 

[Seth=L]

You will have to measure the forum factor to make sure those woofers will fit, if you haven't already.

 

[annunaki]

Here are some drivers I would look into:


http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=290-570&CFID=1246541&CFTOKEN=64756293

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=295-464&CFID=1246541&CFTOKEN=64756293

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=295-404&CFID=1246541&CFTOKEN=64756293

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=297-608&CFID=1246541&CFTOKEN=64756293

15" http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=295-468&CFID=1246541&CFTOKEN=64756293

The Peerless or the 15" would probably be my choices at this point.

 

[darien87]

Here are some drivers I would look into:

The Peerless or the 15" would probably be my choices at this point.

How is he gonna fit a 15" driver into a 12" cube?


EDIT: Sorry, I just re-read that he plans to build a new box. I thought he was re-using the existing one.

 

[Seth=L]

Here are some drivers I would look into:


http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=290-570

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=295-464

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=295-404

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=297-608

15" http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=295-468

The Peerless or the 15" would probably be my choices at this point.

I am having some trouble with the links you posted.

 

[Sheep]

I might pick up a Kappa Perfect off Ebay.

SheepStar

 

[Matt34]

I might pick up a Kappa Perfect off Ebay.

SheepStar

Those Infinities are nice, I might be going that route with my car subs.

I have that Alpine 12" Type R sitting in my garage along with enough MDF that I may slap a DIY sub together for the bedroom.

Only obstacles in my way is getting an amp and the 100+ degree days we are having here.

 

[jake5717]

I had a 10" Infinity Kappa Reference in my car and it sounded amazing. Didn’t last long though maybe 2 years. I prefer Crossfire now for mobile audio.

 

[Sheep]

I had a 10" Infinity Kappa Reference in my car and it sounded amazing. Didn’t last long though maybe 2 years. I prefer Crossfire now for mobile audio.

These are Kappa Perfects, the 10.1 and 12.1 They're very old now, so ebay is the only way to get one.

SheepStar

 

[Sheep]

Progress so far in WinISD.

With a 10inch Kappa Perfect 10.1 in a 2.0 cu.ft. box, with a tuning of 25Hz I was given this plot. It's flat enough for me and room gain will boost it enough for 20hz at -3dB.

I originally tried 2.5 cu.ft with a 22hz tune using a 3inch port, but the vent mach was 0.17, and a 4inch port was going to be over 20inches long.

This is the box I am planning to build. Now I need port tubing, the driver, and some MDF.

SheepStar

 

[annunaki]

What about making a square/rectangular port? I almost never use tubes any more simply because it is a pain to try an fit them in. As long as you take time to round off edges with a sander or router they work really well. It also helps to brace/strengthen the enclosure. A 1" x 12.59" opening is equal to a 4" port.

 

[Sheep]

What about making a square/rectangular port? I almost never use tubes any more simply because it is a pain to try an fit them in. As long as you take time to round off edges with a sander or router they work really well. It also helps to brace/strengthen the enclosure. A 1" x 12.59" opening is equal to a 4" port.

Rounded ports are easier to work with. The less cuts, the better.

It's going to a while before this monster is done. I still need to order the driver, order the port, and buy the MDF. I may need to run a new wire from the amp, as it is pretty short.

SheepStar

 

[Sheep]

Some slight progress...

Ok,

Today my brother and I sat down and started drawing out the box. I know it needs 2.0cuft net volume, so first we calculated what extra space we will need for the driver, amp and bracing. The final size will be 2.4 cuft.

Then we started talking about the shape. I knew it had to be a rectangular, and I wanted the driver on the front, amp on the back. I initially wanted the port on the back, but it needs space from the amp and walls (at least the dia. of the port) and this meant a bigger box. So I went back into Win ISD and came up with instead of 1 long 3inch port, 2 12inch long 2inch ports. Same tuning, even better Mach rating, and less space. For simplicity, we are putting them on the front (as of now). They might go to the back if the driver takes up to much space. The over all size of the cabinet walls are at 15 wide, 17 high, and 17 deep.

We managed to reuse much of the old sub, including the feet and grill. Although, we needed to go to some drastic lengths to attain the dowels for the feet..

In the end, this sub should turn out fairly well. I've ordered my ports from a local car audio shop (flared on both ends). They should be in on tuesday.

More as it develops,
SheepStar

 

[Dolby CP-200]

“I have become death the destroyer of subs.” Yeah just keep away from my sub with that sledgehammer or I’ll have to use excessive force to disarm you.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I am having some trouble with the links you posted.

Me too. None opened up but a different, new 404 error page came up.

 

[Dolby CP-200]

Me too. None opened up but a different, new 404 error page came up.

Same here as well I just tried some of those links on the first page.

 

[annunaki]

So all are aware, my links on the first page have all been updated and now work. Here they are again:



http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshow...TOKEN=64756293

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshow...TOKEN=64756293

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshow...TOKEN=64756293

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshow...TOKEN=64756293

15" http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshow...TOKEN=64756293

 

[billnchristy]

I built a small bandpass back in my car audio days with a 10" Infinity reference.

This was 1995ish

It was tuned to 33hz and was powered by a soundstream ref 300.

It was a pretty good sounding little box, maybe 2 cu ft overall, I cannot remember but it easily fit in the trunk of my fellow installers cavalier and left plenty of room for other junk.

The best part was when our "show car" was in for work, a Beretta GT with 6 kicker 15", 6 kicker 6.5" and 6 kicker soft domes with 3 ref 300s and 3 ref 500s for power...I asked him if I could test the sub in his car.

So I put it in the back floorboard in front of his wall of subs and hooked it up to one of the ref 500s, after it played for about 30 seconds he turned to me and asked "Why do I have all this crap in the back of my car again?"

Sorry for the off topic rant...just the mention of infinity drivers sparked it...

 

[Sheep]

I built a small bandpass back in my car audio days with a 10" Infinity reference.

This was 1995ish

It was tuned to 33hz and was powered by a soundstream ref 300.

It was a pretty good sounding little box, maybe 2 cu ft overall, I cannot remember but it easily fit in the trunk of my fellow installers cavalier and left plenty of room for other junk.

The best part was when our "show car" was in for work, a Beretta GT with 6 kicker 15", 6 kicker 6.5" and 6 kicker soft domes with 3 ref 300s and 3 ref 500s for power...I asked him if I could test the sub in his car.

So I put it in the back floorboard in front of his wall of subs and hooked it up to one of the ref 500s, after it played for about 30 seconds he turned to me and asked "Why do I have all this crap in the back of my car again?"

Sorry for the off topic rant...just the mention of infinity drivers sparked it...

I personally stay away from square woofers.

The ports are in, now I need to go pick them up. I'm having a hard time locating a driver. I want to use that one, but they're hard to find, and they need power. I might be up a creek with my amp. I know Energy makes a car driver, I'll see if I can attain the T/S parameters.

SheepStar