Newbie Tower Build

[SoundManiac]

I'm fairly new to speaker building and I need some pointers. I'm trying to build 3 way towers with 12" subs, 6.5" mids, and 1 1/2" tweeters. What I need to know is how do I route the different speaker connections to the speaker box input(power from the amp). Will a crossover make sure each speaker receives the needed amount of wattage, or does it just separate the different frequencies? In short, how do I make sure each speaker gets enough power?

 

[lsiberian]

I'm fairly new to speaker building and I need some pointers. I'm trying to build 3 way towers with 12" subs, 6.5" mids, and 1 1/2" tweeters. What I need to know is how do I route the different speaker connections to the speaker box input(power from the amp). Will a crossover make sure each speaker receives the needed amount of wattage, or does it just separate the different frequencies? In short, how do I make sure each speaker gets enough power?

I'd suggest you start slow. A new speaker builder should always start with something simple. You don't build a suspension bridge as your first project. You build a simple one first.

Experience is a requirement in being a great engineer. I suggest the Recession Buster kit to get your feet wet with.

 

[pressa]

I would have to agree with starting slow. I started on a complex one and ended up wasting a whole lot O money..

 

[Guiria]

Do you have a box design using the drivers' TS parameters? What models of drivers are you working with?

Are you building the box ported or sealed? What is the F3 of the tower?

What is the volume of each enclosure for your 12" and 6.5" drivers?

Do you have a designed crossover? If so what are the crossover frequencies and slopes of each crossover?

Are you bi-amping the tower, running seperate amplification to your 12" drivers and your 6.5/Tweet drivers?

If your answer to any of these questions is then I also suggest slowing down a bit and trying something like a 2-way design already documented and proven for your first build.

Your welcome to answer all the above questions but that was not my intent, they are questions you can ask yourself when you are trying to fall asleep at night

 

[SoundManiac]

It's going to be a 36*16*12 bass reflex box with a 12" 120w RMS Dayton DVC shielded subwoofer(25-1,000 Hz), a 6.5" 50w RMS Dayton midrange(30-4,000 Hz), and a 1" 50w RMS Dayton titanium dome tweeter(3,000hz-20,000khz). With 3-way Cerwin Vega passive crossovers.

 

[Swerd]

I'm fairly new to speaker building and I need some pointers. I'm trying to build 3 way towers with 12" subs, 6.5" mids, and 1 1/2" tweeters. What I need to know is how do I route the different speaker connections to the speaker box input(power from the amp). Will a crossover make sure each speaker receives the needed amount of wattage, or does it just separate the different frequencies? In short, how do I make sure each speaker gets enough power?

It's going to be a 36*16*12 bass reflex box with a 12" 120w RMS Dayton DVC shielded subwoofer(25-1,000 Hz), a 6.5" 50w RMS Dayton midrange(30-4,000 Hz), and a 1" 50w RMS Dayton titanium dome tweeter(3,000hz-20,000khz). With 3-way Cerwin Vega passive crossovers.

SoundManiac - Now I understand your question from the Loudspeaker thread. You want to design a 3-way speaker and so far you have a Parts Express catalog, and some leftover CV crossovers and your imagination. I do want to encourage you in DIY speaker building, it's a lot of fun, but your 3-way plan will probably cause you frustration and disappointment. There is a lot more to designing a speaker correctly. I suggest you learn by borrowing or buying a book called Speaker Building 201 by Ray Alden. It will get you started.

The short answer to your question of how to balance woofers, mids and/or tweeters with different sensitivities is a simple crossover circuit called an L-pad. It consists of two resistors, one in series with a driver and one in parallel. In a schematic diagram, these resistors appear at right angles to each other, in the shape of the letter L - hence the name L-pad. I could tell you more, but I think you need to understand the basics first.

lsiberian, pressa & Guiria, you have learned well young grasshoppers…

Thanks guys.

 

[lsiberian]

lsiberian, pressa & Guiria, you have learned well young grasshoppers…

That quote made my day.