I'm going to use the sub woofer as a starting point for a portable boombox build.Unless I am told that is a terrible idea in which case I will change plans.
I want to use it in a barn where I work and work out, and I like bass. My plan at this point is to decide on the sub woofer, then build the rest of the system around it. I've strongly considered the boominator, and I still might go that rout. But the boominator is focused on solar charging which mine won't have at all. And the boominator is focused on lots of people outdoors. Mine won't be outdoors, won't be for more than a few people, I'm more interested in great sound and rumbling bass. It will spend most of the time in a barn with 12ft ceilings, wood floors, wood ceiling, wood walls, it seems to just suck the power out of everything I put in there.
I've tested a behringer 15inch sub and that seems adequate. It's also big and heavy.
I'm thinking of maybe about a 12 and a squarish cabinet as that will be a good shape to build other stuff onto. I'm sure I can easily get a 12inch kit.
I plan to be able to unlatch the other speakers and spread them out a bit on wires to improve the wideness of the sound.
Could somebody please answer in spite of the ridiculous level of my inexperience? 😱
Thanks!
I want to use it in a barn where I work and work out, and I like bass. My plan at this point is to decide on the sub woofer, then build the rest of the system around it. I've strongly considered the boominator, and I still might go that rout. But the boominator is focused on solar charging which mine won't have at all. And the boominator is focused on lots of people outdoors. Mine won't be outdoors, won't be for more than a few people, I'm more interested in great sound and rumbling bass. It will spend most of the time in a barn with 12ft ceilings, wood floors, wood ceiling, wood walls, it seems to just suck the power out of everything I put in there.
I've tested a behringer 15inch sub and that seems adequate. It's also big and heavy.
I'm thinking of maybe about a 12 and a squarish cabinet as that will be a good shape to build other stuff onto. I'm sure I can easily get a 12inch kit.
I plan to be able to unlatch the other speakers and spread them out a bit on wires to improve the wideness of the sound.
Could somebody please answer in spite of the ridiculous level of my inexperience? 😱
Thanks!
How Portable exactly? do you plan to run on batterys or the mains? what is the dimentions for what you have in mind? a high powered sealed sub wouldnt have to be to huge and could be a cube, with the amp plate possably built in, then the 2 satalight speakers could be half a cube wide each and a cube deep, so you could include clips or such to make one wheelable or 2 person carryable rectangle, like 2 cubes. that clip together with handles on the bottom or top or wheels on the rear
If using batterys a more efficent sub using a smaller driver in larger box could be better. like a ten or an eight, this would be easyer to drive and therefore require less amp power and less battery.
a 10inch, with 6inch midbass/mids, and dome tweeters, would fit size wise. so the 10 in a cube box a about 13inches square with each 6 in a half cube sized box, would allow the idea of a extra sub cube to fix on the top, so you could lay it sideways if you wished too as one complete speaker. would also give the 6inch minbasses some bass and good box sizes. if power is nooo concern, may as well use a 12
the green circles are wheels
your idea is perfectly possable in my opinion/knolage of things,
its just with battery, as your opting for bass, you need a bigger one, and its not soooo portabe, so maybe removable battery packs. the tops dont need aaaaaaaal that volume where as the sub does. so half the space of each one could be for batterys and you could fit the amps in the sub/subs. Im liking this design. mains power would be easyer.
passive xover for the midbass to tweets, bassicaly 2 full range speakers with abit of rollof also to prevent them moving to much at lower frequancys, and a actice sub amp for each sub. or one for a active sub. or to make it a lot easyer....... a 3 way xover for each wholey seen speaker. but u lose some efficency... so a active xover is better, but that would basically be 2 3 way speakers. no matter. or if you use one sub... a sub amp with satalite outputs... quite avalable. guess its alot easyer if you can use the mains.
one Better idea i just thought of. that would mean only a crossover for the high boxes is to make them both1/4 of a cube. so together they are 1/2 a cube. then use the remaining 1/2 a cube as a whole, for batterys and amps. and a few compueter fans......
would make wiring easyer. then its just to use one or 2 subs.
so that picture I added. would have one final box. the two mains. the one or 2 subs. and a box for the bits.
if shown from above. would see the the two satalites as one 1/2 of the square. and the amp battery box as 1/2. doesnt haaaave to be exactly that if the battery box can be smaller or nees to be abit bigger. one advantage of making the mid bass boxes not to big is it will ensure the midwoofers dont move to much so the sub really can... unless your using 2 volume thingys for sub and satalites. like on plate amps etc
your idea is perfectly possable in my opinion/knolage of things,
its just with battery, as your opting for bass, you need a bigger one, and its not soooo portabe, so maybe removable battery packs. the tops dont need aaaaaaaal that volume where as the sub does. so half the space of each one could be for batterys and you could fit the amps in the sub/subs. Im liking this design. mains power would be easyer.
passive xover for the midbass to tweets, bassicaly 2 full range speakers with abit of rollof also to prevent them moving to much at lower frequancys, and a actice sub amp for each sub. or one for a active sub. or to make it a lot easyer....... a 3 way xover for each wholey seen speaker. but u lose some efficency... so a active xover is better, but that would basically be 2 3 way speakers. no matter. or if you use one sub... a sub amp with satalite outputs... quite avalable. guess its alot easyer if you can use the mains.
one Better idea i just thought of. that would mean only a crossover for the high boxes is to make them both1/4 of a cube. so together they are 1/2 a cube. then use the remaining 1/2 a cube as a whole, for batterys and amps. and a few compueter fans......
would make wiring easyer. then its just to use one or 2 subs.
so that picture I added. would have one final box. the two mains. the one or 2 subs. and a box for the bits.
if shown from above. would see the the two satalites as one 1/2 of the square. and the amp battery box as 1/2. doesnt haaaave to be exactly that if the battery box can be smaller or nees to be abit bigger. one advantage of making the mid bass boxes not to big is it will ensure the midwoofers dont move to much so the sub really can... unless your using 2 volume thingys for sub and satalites. like on plate amps etc
Attachments
Last edited:
I would say that a 12" is the minimum if the 15 sub was adequate, and vented since your barn is so porous to low frequencies. And passive radiators to keep the mice out of the box. JMO; it's your money.
Well, I have already sunk over $300.00 into a Aiwa Exos 9 which I am immediately sending back. It sounds great, but is way too small. I was considering a Road Warrior 500 for $300, or an Altec xpedition 800 for $400. But for all that I might as well look at building the Boominator for around $700 but if I am going to do that I might as well get the SoundBoks for just under $1000.00
Then I realize, I might as well build what I want.😕 Which has been my plan for years.
Here I am.
I've been really surprised there isn't a kit already available for something like this. But I haven't been able to find anything.
No more than 4ft long, a bit shorter would be better. 13inch square is fine. But 13inch by something like 16 tall would also be ok. So the sub box could be a bit taller, and a bit wider. But it would get to be tough for me to move around if it was deeper as it would stick out from my body farther than 13 inches as I carried it through doors and such.
Also, I plan to have the other speakers detachable from the sub with wires so they can be spread out just a bit. If the wires also had connectors then the 3 pieces could be moved separately, but I'd prefer to be able to move it as one piece, and stack on end in my truck.
Battery power is probably not necessary for my purposes. It will be for workout space and jobsite.
A 12 inch sub then.
I'll do a bit of research to see what the best shape and size will be for the 12inch sub, within reason.
I love the idea of multiple cubes, very elegant. Easy to make. I'll plan on that. I'll need to decide if I want a 1 sub or 2, and how much the parts will cost.
I suppose it could be constructed in such a way as 2 subs could be used when it is at home, but only the one sub when it is someplace else.
I guess first up will be deciding on the wood.
I plan to get on with this.
I'll do a bit of research to see what the best shape and size will be for the 12inch sub, within reason.
I love the idea of multiple cubes, very elegant. Easy to make. I'll plan on that. I'll need to decide if I want a 1 sub or 2, and how much the parts will cost.
I suppose it could be constructed in such a way as 2 subs could be used when it is at home, but only the one sub when it is someplace else.
I guess first up will be deciding on the wood.
I plan to get on with this.
Sounds Good,
I did have a further insight,
If you made the 12" sub cube or cubes, say 14*14*14
You could make each of the two midhigh boxes 14*7*7
If you then Inset the woofers and tweeters into the front, you could lye them face down ontop of the sub box for transportation,
then the transportable shape wood be 14*14*21
That is with the one sub.
*
prehaps even doin the same for the sub, so that faces up, with the two midhigh boxes face down. so from the outside its a solid box when moving, and that is easyer to keep the drivers protected. unless you use metal grills...
If opting for Two subs, It may be better to use 2 decent woofers, and raise the cross over and set them up like in my diagram, as the woofers will do the upto 500hz range more efficently, but this is only if you put the woofer boxes with the mid top boxes ontop or very near, and 3 way speaker design may be abit more.. finicity .. than a 2 way with a sub/subs
I should be dooable to find a good two way desig you cn use or adapt for the midhigh boxes, and then add the sub and cross 80-150 region,
.though one option could be to adapt a decent 3way speaker design,
*
say for example you made a depression into the bottom of each mid high box, below the woofer so that each tweeter can fit into each depression, so the two boxes can opposly face, for transporting so the drivers are protected
I did have a further insight,
If you made the 12" sub cube or cubes, say 14*14*14
You could make each of the two midhigh boxes 14*7*7
If you then Inset the woofers and tweeters into the front, you could lye them face down ontop of the sub box for transportation,
then the transportable shape wood be 14*14*21
That is with the one sub.
*
prehaps even doin the same for the sub, so that faces up, with the two midhigh boxes face down. so from the outside its a solid box when moving, and that is easyer to keep the drivers protected. unless you use metal grills...
If opting for Two subs, It may be better to use 2 decent woofers, and raise the cross over and set them up like in my diagram, as the woofers will do the upto 500hz range more efficently, but this is only if you put the woofer boxes with the mid top boxes ontop or very near, and 3 way speaker design may be abit more.. finicity .. than a 2 way with a sub/subs
I should be dooable to find a good two way desig you cn use or adapt for the midhigh boxes, and then add the sub and cross 80-150 region,
.though one option could be to adapt a decent 3way speaker design,
*
say for example you made a depression into the bottom of each mid high box, below the woofer so that each tweeter can fit into each depression, so the two boxes can opposly face, for transporting so the drivers are protected
Last edited:
Distant? No depth perception? 😉 My house is similar to his barn in construction and [4] 15" in a total of ~40 ft^3 ML-TQWT loaded barely gets it done with just 8 ft ceilings. 🙁
On a more serious note........... a similar situation here: Ideal Driver for a 2.3 cubic foot cabinet
GM
On a more serious note........... a similar situation here: Ideal Driver for a 2.3 cubic foot cabinet
GM
no depth perception in heavy fog...and now i'm thinking about gorillas....did i get things mixed up again....until some criteria is developed as to whether form factor or performance is more important to the OP'er it's merely an interesting thought exercise in possibility.
Post 8 for 15 inch in 2 cubic feet (ish) option
Just posted this on the link GM linked to...
Ideal Driver for a 2.3 cubic foot cabinet
If you use low cost class D (Hypex) plate amps ( new ones are good) you get all the DSP and power you need to make the ELF principal work like a charm.
You can use mains power supply or battery to power the efficient Hypex amps.
I will run a 12 inch sim if you want a 1 cubic foot option.
Happy New Year!
Cheers
Alex.
Just posted this on the link GM linked to...
Ideal Driver for a 2.3 cubic foot cabinet
If you use low cost class D (Hypex) plate amps ( new ones are good) you get all the DSP and power you need to make the ELF principal work like a charm.
You can use mains power supply or battery to power the efficient Hypex amps.
I will run a 12 inch sim if you want a 1 cubic foot option.
Happy New Year!
Cheers
Alex.
12 inch option in under 1 cubic foot (18 litres)
Here is a great Beyma 12 inch sub option.... Pls read the Rod Elliot article first its mega!
Cheers
Alex.
Here is a great Beyma 12 inch sub option.... Pls read the Rod Elliot article first its mega!
Cheers
Alex.
I wouldnt bother trying to get a 12" to play down to 20hz at the expence of much amplification, especially if it where for a barn.
best make them as cubes of good proportion, add abit of low freq boost or eq so its good down to 50 with some 40, (smooth rollof) and then have the greater efficency and overall spl
Its a good principle, btw. so the driver is in a tight box and no resonances effect the responce. so it is very controlled and flat, but its bandwith is very limited for This type of sysem. Good for home theater I Immagine or musical precision in a studio type arrangement or such. I do see the principle.
But I wouldnt use such for a outdoor system.
I would recommed letting them play up to 100 - 150 or so cycles
If you put a decent 12 in a cube abit larger with a bit of bass boost it should sound good. if you try to make it... or try to empahisise that 20-60 spectrum, it would diminish the 60-200 spectum.
in a barn, there is not likely to be much 'gain' for the lower frequancys, so better to not bother trying to create them from such a system IMHO I would focus on the main bass range and good mid and treble
best make them as cubes of good proportion, add abit of low freq boost or eq so its good down to 50 with some 40, (smooth rollof) and then have the greater efficency and overall spl
Its a good principle, btw. so the driver is in a tight box and no resonances effect the responce. so it is very controlled and flat, but its bandwith is very limited for This type of sysem. Good for home theater I Immagine or musical precision in a studio type arrangement or such. I do see the principle.
But I wouldnt use such for a outdoor system.
I would recommed letting them play up to 100 - 150 or so cycles
If you put a decent 12 in a cube abit larger with a bit of bass boost it should sound good. if you try to make it... or try to empahisise that 20-60 spectrum, it would diminish the 60-200 spectum.
in a barn, there is not likely to be much 'gain' for the lower frequancys, so better to not bother trying to create them from such a system IMHO I would focus on the main bass range and good mid and treble
12 inch for lounge, 15 for barn, 18 for big barn!
In a barn you will need the 15 inch to get decent SPL, esp if its placed away from walls and corners. The 12 inch is best suited in small to medium lounge environments.
Re "room gain" or more accurately boundary reinforcement ie If SPL = X when placed on the ground in a field, you will gain approx 3dB when placed in a room against a back or front wall, then you will gain an extra 3db if placed in a corner against a side wall.
If you have the space and dont need to move the sub, you can gain another 5dB to 10dB by adding a Front Loaded Horn (effectively a megaphone for subs!) depending on size of the horn. Back in the 80's I used to set up massive FLH live sound rigs for some Jazz Funk bands.... They had awesome bass!
In a barn you will need the 15 inch to get decent SPL, esp if its placed away from walls and corners. The 12 inch is best suited in small to medium lounge environments.
Re "room gain" or more accurately boundary reinforcement ie If SPL = X when placed on the ground in a field, you will gain approx 3dB when placed in a room against a back or front wall, then you will gain an extra 3db if placed in a corner against a side wall.
If you have the space and dont need to move the sub, you can gain another 5dB to 10dB by adding a Front Loaded Horn (effectively a megaphone for subs!) depending on size of the horn. Back in the 80's I used to set up massive FLH live sound rigs for some Jazz Funk bands.... They had awesome bass!
JALN band were a mini Earth Wind and Fire group, toured all over UK, 5 piece up to 11 piece depending on venue.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.