DIY Music (non-HT) subwoofer conundrum

[TLS Guy]

Thank you! This will be even better than before! I'll re-write up the new information sometime early this week as soon as I have time to work on it.

This weekend I spoke with my relative who is a cabinet maker, and we talked the plans over. We came into a question --

What kind/brand of sealant would be best for sealing the inside of the box (since it is made out of MDF)

Use generous amounts of Titebond glue. Make sure you use lots of cabinet clamps while it sets up.

 

[Headfoot]

This may sound like a totally ridiculous question, but in the plans you gave me I am unsure which volume to aim for. The V(total) or Vb.

What I mean is do I want my box's internal volume to be V(total) or Vb after I have subtracted the volume of the driver, port, bracing, and plate amp?

Also, I have been swamped with other work for the beginning of the summer here and have only just found time to finalize and make the sub. That's life for ya!

 

[TLS Guy]

This may sound like a totally ridiculous question, but in the plans you gave me I am unsure which volume to aim for. The V(total) or Vb.

What I mean is do I want my box's internal volume to be V(total) or Vb after I have subtracted the volume of the driver, port, bracing, and plate amp?

Also, I have been swamped with other work for the beginning of the summer here and have only just found time to finalize and make the sub. That's life for ya!

Vb is the actual volume of air you need in the box. So start with Vb and add everything that displaces air to Vb to get Vt. So Vt is Vb plus driver, port, brace and amp volumes. Vt is you final box volume and it usually ends up being Vb plus about 15 to 20% of Vb.

 

[Headfoot]

Back from the dead!


The sub is physically finished, I forgot to bring my camera and take assembly photos (no nudies sorry).

All that remains is to sand the whole thing down and finish it so it looks pretty. I'll post pictures when I get them. Its covered in a patterned cherry veneer, I am pleased. I have not yet listened to it but that will come soon.

 

[TLS Guy]

Back from the dead!


The sub is physically finished, I forgot to bring my camera and take assembly photos (no nudies sorry).

All that remains is to sand the whole thing down and finish it so it looks pretty. I'll post pictures when I get them. Its covered in a patterned cherry veneer, I am pleased. I have not yet listened to it but that will come soon.

Nice to hear of a project coming along nicely.

It's high time you made it to Benedict. I had an audio enthusiast up from the Twin Cities today, and he had a ball here.

 

[Headfoot]

I have a buddy whose cabin is about 3/4 of the way to Benedict. I'll email you next time I head up that way.

Disaster! The veneer on the front of the box has failed! We simply put a caul (Im not sure if that is how you spell it) on the top and clamped it hard, but that was not enough. Luckily we have access now to a vacuum bag to redo it.

 

[Headfoot]

It is done! Here are pictures!

It is finished!!

First and foremost I want to send out my massive (read HUGE) thanks to all the members that have helped me, with mega-kudos out to TLS_Guy who provided me so kindly with accurate "paper" to work with and great tweaks that really made the whole project possible. Thank you!!!

Man this thing rocks hard. I push my stereo to the max that my weak amplifier will go on the mains (Harman Kardon Pa2100 which is 65 wpc but it actually is 65 wpc not "fake" watts, 89db @ 1 sensitivity) and the Sub is probably only pushing about half of what it can do, and it is clean, loud and balanced. I cross it over at about 65-75hz depending on the album I am listening to. Some albums just aren't mixed correctly.

Let me tell you though, even though it can go ridiculously loud, I am listening to Dream Theater and this sub is damn accurate. It's punchy and has absolutely no bloat to it. Even when I turn the sub up way out of balance with the mains it still never sounds bloaty. It will just sound too loud. It has quite the snap to it. John Myung and Mike Portnoy have never sounded better.

(Well their last concert was pretty good I guess )

As you can see my setup has terrible placement in regards of the walls around it, but as I am in a dorm I am limited. I have a foam pad behind one of my speakers at least.... Im going to buy some eggcrate foam for the walls soon.

This thing is giant, 31"x31"x14" LxWxDepth

When the boys on my floor try to have a pissing match playing Rap, I just pop in an album with some Double Bass drums and rock their world. Needless to say, I win.

Edit: Sorry for the shinyness in the first photo, the flash caused the edge of the driver to look funny, especially after I had to lower quality in Photoshop to not hog too much bandwidth.

 

[Haoleb]

Very nice, What did you end up powering the sub with?

 

[adwilk]

WOW!.. that thing is massive but looks great... nice work. Congrats on the build.. just read through the thread and it looks like you learned a lot (i did too) and ended up with what i'm sure is an awesome finished product. Congrats again.

 

[Headfoot]

Thanks!

Thanks!! It was a lot of fun all the way through, and the finished product is awesome.

I ended up using a O-Audio Bash 500w plate amplifier, it works really well. Its got a fully adjustable crossover, a Parametric EQ for cancelling room gain, phase change, subsonic filters... its loaded. Here's a link
Bash 500 watt plate amplifier

 

[jamesnicholes]

thanx for the info buddyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

 

[TLS Guy]

It is finished!!

First and foremost I want to send out my massive (read HUGE) thanks to all the members that have helped me, with mega-kudos out to TLS_Guy who provided me so kindly with accurate "paper" to work with and great tweaks that really made the whole project possible. Thank you!!!

Man this thing rocks hard. I push my stereo to the max that my weak amplifier will go on the mains (Harman Kardon Pa2100 which is 65 wpc but it actually is 65 wpc not "fake" watts, 89db @ 1 sensitivity) and the Sub is probably only pushing about half of what it can do, and it is clean, loud and balanced. I cross it over at about 65-75hz depending on the album I am listening to. Some albums just aren't mixed correctly.

Let me tell you though, even though it can go ridiculously loud, I am listening to Dream Theater and this sub is damn accurate. It's punchy and has absolutely no bloat to it. Even when I turn the sub up way out of balance with the mains it still never sounds bloaty. It will just sound too loud. It has quite the snap to it. John Myung and Mike Portnoy have never sounded better.

(Well their last concert was pretty good I guess )

As you can see my setup has terrible placement in regards of the walls around it, but as I am in a dorm I am limited. I have a foam pad behind one of my speakers at least.... Im going to buy some eggcrate foam for the walls soon.

This thing is giant, 31"x31"x14" LxWxDepth

When the boys on my floor try to have a pissing match playing Rap, I just pop in an album with some Double Bass drums and rock their world. Needless to say, I win.

Edit: Sorry for the shinyness in the first photo, the flash caused the edge of the driver to look funny, especially after I had to lower quality in Photoshop to not hog too much bandwidth.

Greetings from England. I had a nice week last week at Southwold Suffolk on the East Anglian coast. I have now returned to Frindsbury Rochester.

I'm glad you enjoyed your project and are happy with the results. It looks as if you have done a really nice job!

 

[Headfoot]

England has always looked to be a great place to visit. Very picturesque countryside.

I want to thank you for the help, I couldn't have enjoyed the project without your guidance.

Enjoy England!