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DIY Subwoofers - UPDATED

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Oh and do you want a sealed (completely enclosed) or ported (has a tube going inside) subwoofer?
 
I'm thinking sealed for simplicity. I am not an audiophile by any means, I'm just looking to get some sorely missed bass into my HT, which has been bass-less for 5 years.
 
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I'm thinking sealed for simplicity. I am not an audiophile by any means, I'm just looking to get some sorely missed bass into my HT, which has been bass-less for 5 years.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean. I have a 5-piece system with no sub right now, but then again, I'm moving into an apartment in a couple weeks for the next year or two so it would be pointless to have one anyways, which is why I'm building a set of stereo speakers rather than a sub right now.

I think you only have to use one RCA connection, but I'm googling to confirm.
 
Originally posted by: Kaido
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I'm thinking sealed for simplicity. I am not an audiophile by any means, I'm just looking to get some sorely missed bass into my HT, which has been bass-less for 5 years.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean. I have a 5-piece system with no sub right now, but then again, I'm moving into an apartment in a couple weeks for the next year or two so it would be pointless to have one anyways, which is why I'm building a set of stereo speakers rather than a sub right now.

I think you only have to use one RCA connection, but I'm googling to confirm.
Click to expand...

The amp from partsexpress said that the signally is internally summed mono, so I don't think it matters.
 
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Originally posted by: Kaido
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I'm thinking sealed for simplicity. I am not an audiophile by any means, I'm just looking to get some sorely missed bass into my HT, which has been bass-less for 5 years.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean. I have a 5-piece system with no sub right now, but then again, I'm moving into an apartment in a couple weeks for the next year or two so it would be pointless to have one anyways, which is why I'm building a set of stereo speakers rather than a sub right now.

I think you only have to use one RCA connection, but I'm googling to confirm.
Click to expand...

The amp from partsexpress said that the signally is internally summed mono, so I don't think it matters.
Click to expand...

I *think* the dual rcas are for running the source through the subs to speakers which are hooked through the sub. Most people's setups have a receiver with the speakers and sub hooked up to the receiver, rather than the speakers running through the sub.
 
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I noticed that the palte amp has two RCA Inputs. Does it matter which one the Sub-Out runs into?
Click to expand...

No, shouldn't matter. If you run to both you'll just need to calibrate it again for the increased signal strength. I think the only reason to do both is if the sub has a "wake on" feature, it will detect it at a lower level with two inputs.
 
o boy here we go.

dont listen to socrates, the knowledge needed is actually minimal, and the benefits far exceed the slightly higher cost.

upper end cost suggestion:
http://www.acousticvisions.com
find the tempest, purchase that, and add it to a 6 cubic foot sealed box.
throw on a 250 watt plate amp

get rca's from PE too, along with a short amount of 14 ga spk wire to wire the sub up to the plate amp.

bam, you have a more powerful system than most will have heard before.

low end:
dayton sub, stamped basket
get a 125 watt amp from PE
throw it in a 3 cubic foot box
bam you have a decent sounding sub.

(note, the 3 cubic foot box is not reccomended by PE, however with RMS of the sub being 250, and you only going 125 watts, the sub will easily be able to withstand the larger volume)

MIKE
 
I think you need to reconsider your budget, $100 will barely cover a decent driver.

DIY is great, but at $100 you are better off with one of the bargain subs that pop up every now & then.

A sheet of MDF alone will blow 1/3 of your budget.

Viper GTS
 
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
I think you need to reconsider your budget, $100 will barely cover a decent driver.

DIY is great, but at $100 you are better off with one of the bargain subs that pop up every now & then.

A sheet of MDF alone will blow 1/3 of your budget.

Viper GTS
Click to expand...

That's why I keep mentioning the dayton 😀
 
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
I think you need to reconsider your budget, $100 will barely cover a decent driver.

DIY is great, but at $100 you are better off with one of the bargain subs that pop up every now & then.

A sheet of MDF alone will blow 1/3 of your budget.

Viper GTS
Click to expand...

a third? more like 1/4th but maybe thats just where i get it from.

MIKE
 
Originally posted by: nourdmrolNMT1
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
I think you need to reconsider your budget, $100 will barely cover a decent driver.

DIY is great, but at $100 you are better off with one of the bargain subs that pop up every now & then.

A sheet of MDF alone will blow 1/3 of your budget.

Viper GTS
Click to expand...

a third? more like 1/4th but maybe thats just where i get it from.

MIKE
Click to expand...

Lowes has a 4'x8' 3/4" sheet for $18, last I checked. I have pretty much everything else, so that no big deal.
 
I used to have software (back in the 3.1 days) that would compute box dimensions given your subs specifications. You could choose ported or sealed, it would produce some sort of EQ response curve, etc. I'd imagine there is a java web applet out there that would do the same thing.
 
Originally posted by: nourdmrolNMT1
o boy here we go.

dont listen to socrates, the knowledge needed is actually minimal, and the benefits far exceed the slightly higher cost.
Click to expand...

hey now, i'm talking about truly building an amp from scratch out of parts, not about just buying a plate amp and gluing it to an MDF box
 
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
I think you need to reconsider your budget, $100 will barely cover a decent driver.

DIY is great, but at $100 you are better off with one of the bargain subs that pop up every now & then.

A sheet of MDF alone will blow 1/3 of your budget.

Viper GTS
Click to expand...

Very well said and I completely agree.

Although DIY is fun, it's not worth it for lower end stuff.
You might as well get an Adire Tempest and a 250w plate amp for ~$250 and get a very nice sub... instead of really cutting costs and not getting a whole lot for $100.
 
yes, however i have heard that winISD is not the most accurate software, so i recommended what i have heard to be an accurate piece of software from a reputable source.

MIKE
 
You're forgetting LEAP, LMS, MLSSA, Calsod, CLIO, and others. If you want accurate you need to run your own DUMAX tests with a calibrated mic in an anechoic chamber and take a CLIO/MLSSA model.
 
I swear by these. Sadly, when Tang Band was bought by Speaker City, the price of these shot up by about $10 but they're still a ridiculous bargain at $40
 
WinISD, UniBox, all those are very accurate.

What they dont take into account is non-linearities, such as voice coil heating, suspension stiffness changes, inductance changes, etc.

When you get DUMAX or other results and put them into a program like LEAP, SoundEasy, LspCAD, etc, which can model for these non-linearities, you get a much more accurate representation of the driver while at higher excursion levels.
 
Originally posted by: b0mbrman
I swear by these. Sadly, when Tang Band was bought by Speaker City, the price of these shot up by about $10 but they're still a ridiculous bargain at $40
Click to expand...

TB was bought out by SpeakerCity, or just chose to make SC their primary distributor?
 
Originally posted by: Viperoni
Originally posted by: b0mbrman
I swear by these. Sadly, when Tang Band was bought by Speaker City, the price of these shot up by about $10 but they're still a ridiculous bargain at $40
Click to expand...

TB was bought out by SpeakerCity, or just chose to make SC their primary distributor?
Click to expand...

PE sells em
 
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