DIY subwoofers

Airplay355

for a while i figured that DIY was too complicated for me and that i didnt really want to go that route for a subwoofer. my origional plan was to just get an svs 20-39 pci and be happy with it.

now im thinking that DIY might be the route i want to go. it would be cheaper and cheaper is better for me. however i dont have the tools, the money to buy the tools or the knowledge to use the tools that i would need to build the enclosure for a sub.

i also don't know what type of enclosure i would need for a specific driver. i dont know how i would need to tune the enclosure, or if i want one ported or sealed.

i was hoping i could just buy the cabnet pieces that are already cut, out of MDF or whatever and then all i would need to do would be to glue or screw them together. like just put it together. then put the plate amp in and the driver. i dont know if this is an option or if it is an option, what kind of cabnets to look at.

i dont know of many nice DIY subwoofers. the only i have heard of are the tempest and stryke drivers. i dont know which one is better or which one would be better in my room. my room is 12x15x8. what kind of parts would i need to build a nice subwoofer? i would like a sub that is as powerful if not more powerful then the 20-39 pci, but for cheaper. box or cylinder does not matter. someone help me out please.

gatemplin

DIY is both fun and rewarding. Plus you'll end up with one hell of a sub when you are done. Both the Tempest and AV15 are excellent drivers, you cant go wrong with either one.
You can get precut boxes at www.partsexpress.com and www.acoustic-visions.com but it is better to build your own and it isn't hard. You can get the box sides cut at HD and it will be way cheaper, and you like cheaper. All you need is a jigsaw($25) to cut the holes and a drill. Sealed boxes are good for the first sub because they are more forgiving of mistakes than ported subs.
I built a Tempest with 250W in a 150L enclosure with three 3" ports tuned to about 20Hz and it is a beast.
Before you start I recommend reading The Loudspeaker Design Cookbook by Vance Dickason and practise some box building using WinISD or Lspcad from Adire audio. The DIY section at HTF is a great resource. Let me know if you need some help along the way.

scottvamp

You can use any woofer ya want with the right amp. But for the HQ stuff the woofer can be very pricey alone. Most woofers give complete box specs for the woofers and several different designs.
DIY sub:
Woofer
Box
Plate amp/amp
Simple but every setup and room will make or brake the BOOM!!!!

In this case DIY is not going to save much money - just the satisfaction of building your own. If sucks you can buy a real one and tell everyone that yours blows everythiing out of the water.
High Quality:
Woofer - $200/$300
Wood/Stain/Tools/Ports/Time - $100/$150
Amp - (Driven a 300+min watt) $200/$300
$500 min easily up to $750+
I'll just buy a quality HT woofer!

My car :
12" Fosgate HE2 - $300
1000 mono 2ohm Fosgate Amp -$300
1 faraid digital cap - $150
Install kill/battery fuse/power distibuter - $50
$800 bucks just for the subwoofer in my 2001 Eclipse....

gatemplin

It doesn't have to be that expensive. $150 for a Tempest, $180 for the 250W AVA250 amp with subsonic filter, $100 for a DIY MDF box including jigsaw and paint, $14 for a 4" flared port. If built right I would think it would compete if not out perform a 20-39PCi sub for less money. That would cost around $450 and still be in the performance range he is looking for.

scottvamp

You quoted $50 bucks less than my min.
That is why I keep saying High Quality.
I can build a sub for $50 bucks if i had too......
Outperforming SVS for less money not likely especailly a subwoofer DIY rookie's first attemp. But one's personal pride behind it and no other subwoofer could hang... wink wink

Dr. Spec

Adire audio has plans right on the website for the Tempest. That is a screamin deal because it's foolproof. They also have finish kits with the woofer screws and vent kits, etc. I like the Adire tune for the Tempest - around 22 Hz I think.

gatemplin

Oops, I missed the $500 part. I only saw $750 but DIY is still a good deal IMO. The pride factor is pretty important though as you know with your car sub. I have never heard an SVS sub and dont mean to put them down but am going on what I have read. As for comparing them Doc said:

"The Tempest is a great driver, and you cannot beat DIY for the money. The closest SVS would be the passive 20-39 CS-Plus, packing three 3" flared vents and a smaller (but much higher xMax) 12" TC Sounds dB12 woofer. The xMax of the Tempest is about 16 mm and the xMax of the dB-12 is about 26 mm. Vd for both is about 2.5 L and with similar venting, they would perform about the same. With only two vents on the Tempest DIY, it would be down a few dB on the SVS in max output. Extension for the two is very similar."

Airplay355

to tell u the truth i dont really care about the pride factor, i just want a subwoofer that i won't be disappointed with. i dont want to constantly notice its flaws or limits. from what you are saying it seems that in the price range of the 20-39, its easier to just buy the sub.

i thought that i would be saving more then $150. price is an issue, but just $150 is not enough to persuade me away from an SVS and to DIY.

gatemplin

Luckily HSU and SVS subs, as Scott pointed out, are not much more expensive.

BeginnersLuck

Hey-

I have built two tempest enclosures, on is a sealed 122L and the other is a vented 214L. The vented is the sub I am using for my HT rig and the 122L is used for my two channel rig.

The Tempest 214L has been great, and it was very inexpensive to build. The driver was $150, the PE amp was $115, the wood was $50, and the ports ran about $35. The paint and other hardware for assembly cost about another $25.

The key to making it look great is having patients. Many people can't wait to get up and working and try to cut corners to save some time but let me tel you it's not worth it. Just take your time and for about $400, you can have a great sub that make you happy for years and years to come.

Plus it's nice to tell my friends that I built those beasts, I have even got requests to help my friend build one.

Later
-BL