speakers/subwoofer

[Mookow]

Speaker question for you guys. I think I can work up about $1000 by the end of the summer that I can splurge on speakers. I have no problems with building it myself. I live in the USA, but I am fairly close to Canada, so going up there to pick up either components or a set of Canadian made speakers is no problem. I would like the ability to kick out high powered bass, but something that is adjustable so that I can play at reasonable levels matching the rest of the components, too. As it stands, I am planning to pick up/make a sub, a pair of speakers (maybe a center, too), and a reciever for the $1,000 and later pick up a center (if I cant put one in now w/o sacrificing quality) and rear speakers for surround sound. As I'm living in the dorms now and will be doing so again next year, I dont have room to put rears in, or a center (they really pack us in here).

Note: The sub I plan on building myself, prossibly from the parts seen here and here. I have a little plan for the sub (those of you who know what happens at 6 Hz will understand ). I plan to make two enclosures for the sub, one tuned to 6 Hz, and then a regular one. What should I tune the regular one to? And what sizes will they be? I think the one tuned to 6Hz should be about coffee table sized. It should also get my RA next year to crap himself when he asks what it is and I tell him its my sub

EDIT: the second link isnt working too well, despite a direct copy/paste. Its supposed to be the 250W big brother to this guy

 

[Mookow]

bump

 

[Mookow]

anyone home?

 

[tweakmm]

just wait around for viperoni!
If you spend $1000 on a pair of DIY speakers you will be getting some NICE speakers

 

[Mookow]

<< just wait around for viperoni!
If you spend $1000 on a pair of DIY speakers you will be getting some NICE speakers >>



Well, I also will need a reciever and a subwoofer, and the sub will take out, if built with what I'm looking at, quite a bit. However, I want exactly what you said, some very nice speakers. My grandpa will build the enclosures for me, possibly for free, possibly for the cost of materials. That depends on how much work I do within the 2-3 months prior to me asking him to build the enclosures (last summer I did at least 100 hours of work at his house, plus my regular job). He does exceptional work (he considers measuring to the 1/16" to be "cutting corners"), so both strength and finish should be no problem. I include finish since if I am plunking down $1,000, my speakers had better look good on the outside.

 

[tweakmm]

why not get some good speakers now and then get a sub later on? If you get nice speakers, then you might not even need a sub

 

[Mookow]

<< why not get some good speakers now and then get a sub later on? If you get nice speakers, then you might not even need a sub >>



I want a sub. I like my bass. Besides, there is the 6Hz prank I have planned in case neighbors ever annoy me... and I know I could not get the bass I need out of a set of speakers.

 

[Viperoni]

Sorry for not showing up earlier

Anyhoo, nice to see someone with a HUGE budget

Sub: The 15inch DVC is a nice driver. Do you want to go vented or sealed?
Vented....say around 7cf tuned to 18hz, with a 6inch port almost 30inches long. Shouldn't have any port noise worries. Don't try any 6hz stuff with this box though, you will bottom the driver like there's no tommorrow. But stuff like U571 will give your place a serious shaking.
Sealed, you could go as small as 3cf, but if you want truly nice, quick, deep bass, go for 4-5cf.
I'd also go with the 250watt plate amp. Power is always a nice thing to have!

Speakers: Some kinda Seas, Eton, Morel or Scan Speak kit would be approapriate.
Do you want a floor stander, or a smaller speaker that needs a stand?

North Creek Music kits are sweet. They hand test each driver and match pairs/quads for you, so the 2 speakers will sound VERY similar.

Look at the Borealis 9500 Unlimited (10g inductors...yes 10g. That's bigger than most peoples speaker wires!), the Rhythm 9500, if you wanna spend a bit less, the Okara 2 upgraded's are nice as well.

Too bad zalytron.com is down, they have a ton more kits.

The Speakerbuilder.net Veritas's are also an awesome speaker, and should handle power well. You do need a pretty decently sized room; they should be at least a foot and a half from any nearby wall.

LMK what you think

 

[glen]

I use four 15" drivers in a coat closet with a 1000+ watt Hafler.
I recomend it as a sub.

 

[Mookow]

<< Sorry for not showing up earlier >>


I was about to bump it and change the title to "**lighting the Viperoni Light** Viperoni, come quickly! The Commishoner needs you!"



<< Anyhoo, nice to see someone with a HUGE budget

Sub: The 15inch DVC is a nice driver. Do you want to go vented or sealed?
Vented....say around 7cf tuned to 18hz, with a 6inch port almost 30inches long. Shouldn't have any port noise worries. Don't try any 6hz stuff with this box though, you will bottom the driver like there's no tommorrow. But stuff like U571 will give your place a serious shaking.
Sealed, you could go as small as 3cf, but if you want truly nice, quick, deep bass, go for 4-5cf.
I'd also go with the 250watt plate amp. Power is always a nice thing to have!
>>



A while ago I asked what you would use to do the 6Hz prank, and you told me to go with the 12" Dayton DVC and the 120W amp. I want to be able to do the 6Hz trick, even if I need two seperate enclosures. Anyhow, making the enclosures bigger is no problem. I'm inclined to go with the vented, but if you can make a good case why a sealed would be better, I'm willing to hear it.



<< Speakers: Some kinda Seas, Eton, Morel or Scan Speak kit would be approapriate.
Do you want a floor stander, or a smaller speaker that needs a stand? >>



I can deal with either the floor standers or the bookshelf sized.



<< North Creek Music kits are sweet. They hand test each driver and match pairs/quads for you, so the 2 speakers will sound VERY similar.

Look at the Borealis 9500 Unlimited (10g inductors...yes 10g. That's bigger than most peoples speaker wires!), the Rhythm 9500, if you wanna spend a bit less, the Okara 2 upgraded's are nice as well. >>



I'm inclined to go with the upgraded Okara 2's, as that's about $700 (shipped) of my $1,000 budget, of which the rest would be going to the sub. It may be, as you said, a "HUGE" budget, but it's definitely not unlimited.



<< Too bad zalytron.com is down, they have a ton more kits.

The Speakerbuilder.net Veritas's are also an awesome speaker, and should handle power well. You do need a pretty decently sized room; they should be at least a foot and a half from any nearby wall.

LMK what you think >>



Seeing as I'm living in here next year with one other guy (after which I will finally be in a house, which is when I'll really be able to use these to their fullest), a foot and a half away from the wall is hard to pull off. Possible, but it'd take some creativity in the rest of the furniture. Anyway, remember that the only audio equipment that I have right now is my Klipsch 2.1's, my sound card, and my computer. The Klipsch will be getting sold to help provide that $1,000 for my budget. Is it possible to just hook these speakers to my SBLive? I had figured I'd need a reciever for this. If I dont need one and can sink more $$$ into the speakers, thats cool with me. Anyways, a list with everything I'm going to need would be appreciated (assume I have a computer).

 

[crab]

What happens at 6Hz?

 

[tweakmm]

<< What happens at 6Hz? >>


shaken walls and pissed off neighbors

 

[Mookow]

<<

<< What happens at 6Hz? >>


shaken walls and pissed off neighbors >>



Nah... well, ok, that too, but the important part is that men lose voluntary bladder control. Now, I too am a guy, but I'll be a guy with forewarning, which is rather critical.

 

[deftron]

What commercial recordings go down to 6Hz ?

 

[Mookow]

<< What commercial recordings go down to 6Hz ? >>



None that I know of. I'm just going to use one of my old high school C++ programs that generates a tone at whatever frequency you want. Besides, most speakers will not/can not create enough sound at that frequency to be effective.

 

[deftron]

Ok.. thats what I thought..

The lowest I've heard subs go at reference levels is like 15-20hz
from good subs like SVSubwoofers or nice homebuilt Sonotubes with Tempest drivers.

 

[tweakmm]

<<

<< What commercial recordings go down to 6Hz ? >>



None that I know of. I'm just going to use one of my old high school C++ programs that generates a tone at whatever frequency you want. Besides, most speakers will not/can not create enough sound at that frequency to be effective. >>


how do you plan to get this 6hz tone into your sub? Does your sound card have that sort of response?

 

[cdan]

<<I think the one tuned to 6Hz should be about coffee table sized. It should also get my RA next year to crap himself when he asks what it is and I tell him its my sub >>

I was at a dance once and the DJ had a sub like that. He would get girls to go on top that with him and shake it.

 

[Mookow]

<<

<<

<< What commercial recordings go down to 6Hz ? >>



None that I know of. I'm just going to use one of my old high school C++ programs that generates a tone at whatever frequency you want. Besides, most speakers will not/can not create enough sound at that frequency to be effective. >>


how do you plan to get this 6hz tone into your sub? Does your sound card have that sort of response? >>



I think my soundcard should output at that level. You know otherwise?



<< The lowest I've heard subs go at reference levels is like 15-20hz >>



I know I'm not going to get flat response at 6Hz. I plan to compensate for that with a tuned port and brute force.

 

[tweakmm]

<< I think my soundcard should output at that level. You know otherwise? >>


I don't know, it might, I just didn't think that consumer sound cards would have that sort of frequency response...

 

[tweakmm]

<< Is it possible to just hook these speakers to my SBLive? I had figured I'd need a reciever for this. If I dont need one and can sink more $$$ into the speakers, thats cool with me. Anyways, a list with everything I'm going to need would be appreciated (assume I have a computer). >>


You will definetly need a receiver or some sort of amp

 

[Mookow]

<<

<< I think my soundcard should output at that level. You know otherwise? >>


I don't know, it might, I just didn't think that consumer sound cards would have that sort of frequency response... >>



I cant think of any reason why they couldnt...

 

[Mookow]

<< You will definetly need a receiver or some sort of amp >>



Thats what I thought...

 

[Lithium381]

Viperoni knows what he's talking about! Hrm, though that sub takes up quite a bit of space, and you seemed concerned about that....but building it yourself is the way to go, only sure way to get exactly what you want.

 

[Mookow]

<< Viperoni knows what he's talking about! Hrm, though that sub takes up quite a bit of space, and you seemed concerned about that....but building it yourself is the way to go, only sure way to get exactly what you want. >>



I know he does. Thats why this thread almost got renamed . For space considerations, the sub I can throw under a desk or use as a low table, but the speakers need to be at a certain hieght that makes it impossible to either stash under my desk or use as a table.