Anyone build any DIY loudspeakers?

[iwantchixx]

Waiting on last parts order to come in but father in law and I are going to hammer (no pun intended) these out in a couple weekends. Excited to hear what they sound like!

https://sites.google.com/site/undefinition/tarkus

[AntonMG]

Man.. I never thought about crafting my own loudspeakers.... but now... I'm hooked!
Please do show the result!

[SilentKnight]

Nice project - but I'll stick with my ancient Audiosphere Research boxes (still able to move them around with two midgets and a dolly).

[iwantchixx]

Originally Posted by SilentKnight

Nice project - but I'll stick with my ancient Audiosphere Research boxes (still able to move them around with two midgets and a dolly).

Ar eh... 18L?

[dyna mo]

nice, are you going to make your own crossovers?

what dampening material are you using?

[iwantchixx]

Originally Posted by AntonMG

Man.. I never thought about crafting my own loudspeakers.... but now... I'm hooked!
Please do show the result!

If you do a build and order from parts-express, my advice is this:

Keep all purchases under 200$ or else you get slapped with insane duties

Their Parts-Express forum has tons and tons and tons of known-working build projects for you to do. Anything by Bagbsy (his handywork is behind some high-quality commercial speakers) or Carmody is solid gold.

Want to know what else is addictive?

Laminate choices for this beast!

B&B Rare Woods Shopping Cart

I want to use one of those curled veneers, rub in some dark red grain-filler compounds on the curled darker spots and go over it with a mahogany (almost bight red) impregnated poly. I believe I can get pretty close to my Gibson's wine red finish-effect doing this for the fronts.

For the backs, sides and tops, use grain filler on the whole panel, apply dark red stain then go over it with non-tinted poly


Will have to test lots and see but I'm hoping that I can pull it off to match my guitar. I figured it would be a nice touch since it is in fact a pair of speakers designed for rock

[MrBottomTooth]

Id love to do a diy sub. You pretty much cant get anything premade that's good in Canada for less than 2k.

I got a quote from hsu for their top of the line 15 inch sub and they wanted about $450 us for shipping/border fees.

Svs also raised their canadian price to $2200 because of the exchange rates, but at least they offer free shipping now.

Could probably build something comparable for less than $1000.

[iwantchixx]

Originally Posted by MrBottomTooth

Id love to do a diy sub. You pretty much cant get anything premade that's good in Canada for less than 2k.

I got a quote from hsu for their top of the line 15 inch sub and they wanted about $450 us for shipping/border fees.

Svs also raised their canadian price to $2200 because of the exchange rates, but at least they offer free shipping now.

Could probably build something comparable for less than $1000.

Absolutely, maybe even less.

The thing to consider though is that you don't actually need a huge ass long-throw subwoofer. A pair of well designed 15"s in a properly designed band-pas box or Transmission line (preferred) will still give you the high DB and probably go even lower while remaining distortion-free.

Perfect example:

Dayton Audio PA385S-8 15" Pro Subwoofer 4" VC 8 Ohm

Dayton Audio PA385S-8 15" Pro Subwoofer 4" VC 8 Ohm

11mm of xmax (both ways), that's a lot considering a 15" but can still tune down to around 25-27hz

95 dB 2.83V/1m (for an 8ohm speaker, 1w/1m is the same as 2.83v/1m.) so with two of them, that'd be a good 98db (you gain 3db per addition of same driver at 1w load. Plus each doubling of wattage increases roughly a db. 2kw rms = 63db gain atop the measures 1w measurement = potential for 163db before distortion if the box is properly vented not to bottom out the cone.

Those drivers are only 199.60 USD. Order one at a time per day to avoid duty charges. Should only cost about 70 bux to ship it plus converseion... its very affordable.

Mock the drivers up in winisd and see what happens

[iwantchixx]

Lookin' sexy - now to just get the cabs and crossovers built.

Still gotta work out what bracing I plan to do, but the cabinets themselves are to be built out of 3/4" cabinet-grade birch ply





I'll include the BOM list too incase anyone else wants to try (the bom and crossover graphics were created by Carmody, I take no credit and above design based off his, as well)

[iSpyCams]

Damn, as if I didn't have enough half finished projects already, this is very tempting.

[iwantchixx]

Originally Posted by pompousjohn

Damn, as if I didn't have enough half finished projects already, this is very tempting.

It's a pretty easy build. Just make sure internal dimensions remain constant and you line it with 1" thick sonic barrier, and you'd be fine. Carmody also noted the dimensions for non-angled and if using a flared port tube instead of PVC (like mine is drawn up to use)

Also, here's a view with internal bracing that I figure I'll end up with

[iwantchixx]

Design finish ideas:

Backs, tops and sides all in road-case dura-tex (black - almost looks like leather if textured with plastic wrap)

Fronts with black burst and wood veneer behind it (I hope to get it redder to match my guitar's finish using red dyes in the clearcoats)

[Dead]

Originally Posted by iwantchixx

Design finish ideas:

Backs, tops and sides all in road-case dura-tex (black - almost looks like leather if textured with plastic wrap)

Fronts with black burst and wood veneer behind it (I hope to get it redder to match my guitar's finish using red dyes in the clearcoats)

That veneer looks like ribbon mahogany...hard to get that look from birch.
good luck on the build, that is easy part, the finish....fuck!!!!

[iwantchixx]

Originally Posted by Dead

That veneer looks like ribbon mahogany...hard to get that look from birch.
good luck on the build, that is easy part, the finish....fuck!!!!

Oh, the cabinets will be made from Birch, I was planning to veneer the fronts with either bookmatched eucalyptus (as in the mockup I did) or just bookmatched oak. The grain of the birch will not be visible anywhere

[SilentKnight]

Originally Posted by iwantchixx

Ar eh... 18L?

Naw, AR 15L.

I overspent on the rest of the system at the time.

[iwantchixx]

Originally Posted by SilentKnight

Naw, AR 15L.

I overspent on the rest of the system at the time.

Those were still a pretty penny for the pair back then.

I'm rocking a pair of Toshiba 727 right now. nice bottom end. really nice. But time had its way with them

[SilentKnight]

Originally Posted by iwantchixx

Those were still a pretty penny for the pair back then.

I'm rocking a pair of Toshiba 727 right now. nice bottom end. really nice. But time had its way with them

If memory serves, I paid just over $800 for the pair back in the 80s. Most of the rack components were Nikko - class A amp, pre-amp, Dual turntable, Luxman K112 cassette deck (cost me $1k just for the Luxman).

I remember the Nikko amp would blow the master power fuse (internal) once a year...and I bought them by the 6-pack.

[iwantchixx]

Originally Posted by SilentKnight

If memory serves, I paid just over $800 for the pair back in the 80s. Most of the rack components were Nikko - class A amp, pre-amp, Dual turntable, Luxman K112 cassette deck (cost me $1k just for the Luxman).

I remember the Nikko amp would blow the master power fuse (internal) once a year...and I bought them by the 6-pack.

too low of impedance on speakers for the amp maybe?

you get what you pay for, I bet with a bit of work, that luxman would still play and sound great

[iwantchixx]

Did a crossover dry-fit and decided to give the speakers some music. For not even being installed yet... not bad at all