Parts Express sub kit

CHRIS

Well yesterday I ordered the Parts Express sub kit and it will be here Friday, I hope. I thought they looked pretty good and after reading the link Aaron put up a while ago decided to try it. It will be doing rear channel duty unless it sounds better then my older ULD Velodyne. If it isn't any good it can go back within 45 days, pretty cool I think for a DIY kit. Time will tell.
Chris

juice21

let us know what you think after you get it together...

hoosier21

I really want to build a sub myself, I was/am looking at that kit or the Adire Audio drivers and make the box myself. Good luck and lets us know how you like it.

CHRIS

The kit got here Friday just lke Parts Express said, not bad.

Short version-good quality parts, went together easally and quick. Whating for breakin period of driver for proformance check.

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Went through all the parts to make sure they were there and in good conditon, no problems. After reading the instructions in seemed like a peice of cake. In the link Aaron put up, the person said to put the spiked washers for the feet on the outside of the cabinet instead of the inside. He could not have been more right. I tried the first one on the inside the rest went outside. Thankfully the ones for the driver were already put in the cabinet. The rest was a breeze cut the egg create stuffing to fit. Put the screws in real tight, being careful not to strip the MDF with the wood screws for the amp. The cabinet is built right 3/4 MDF and braced very well.
I was suprized at the quality of the parts right down to the spiked feet. They are premo, they come with the peices to put under them for wood floors too. The only thing I would change would to offer another finish besides the textured one but it isn't bad either.
For anyone thinking of a DIY this one is a good one. It said under an hour to put together and it was true, 50 min.. IMO for $350 you can't beat it. If the drivers build quality has anything to do with its proformance it should rival $700-$800 subs. If I'm not happy with it after breakin even though I put it together, it can go back. IMO if it works like the specs say, bass to 24Hz and below, you can't go wrong with this one.
As for the sound quality, its still going through the 72 hour breakin for the driver.
Will report on the proformance after.

Russ A.-IMO get a cabinet prebuilt or one precut and ready to put together. unless your good at cabinet biulding. It has to be tight and the sspace inside is small. There was not even room to get a hammer inside for those feakn spiked washers.

wangotango68

when i build mine im going to do it from scratch my dad has a workshop that rivels bob vila!

scott:cool:

juice21

chris, glad to hear it went together with ease... looking forward to your review on it. i am about to upgrade to a budget sub for a second in my system-like to hear what you have to say....

72 hours and counting....:D

CHRIS

Breakin is done, driver back in. In the review, thanks to Aaron, they said to get a ‘T’ handel driver for the **** in the driver. Had to go get one those little allen wrenches just don't have the tork.
Anyway, for $350 the sub kicks butt. After fine tuning it was tight and went low, everything I read said 24Hz and below I beleave it. I would say it rivals most subs in the $500 to $1000 range no problem. The only thing it lacks is a remote . I used the seen from ‘Pearl Harbor’ when the ‘Arizona’ blows up for a movie test. It hit hard Andrea and I both were quit shocked that we actually felt it, not just heard it. For a 10" driver it can move some air. For music I used,(give me a break I'm from the '80s) Dr. Feelgood and Master of Pupets because it has a lot of fast bass. It didn't get booged down or muddy. I like it I would not thin twice about buying another and kicking the old Velodyne ULD to back duty. Not that I need a second for punch but more to even out the room. I would recomend this to anyone, especially since it has a 45 day return policy.

Aaron

Sounds cool, Chris! Glad to hear you like it! ('cause if you didn't, I'd feel bad about posting that review )

Aaron

madmax

After reading the review here and checking out the site I went ahead and ordered the sub amp with remote control for $138 from them. Too cheap to order the cabinent and driver because I have a lot of sub drivers laying around the house. Now to decide what driver to use. I have a choice of 2 kicker 8" free air subs, one or two polk 12" EX subs,a pro sound JBL 15" sub or JL audio 10w6 10" sub. Yea, I know, all car subs, but I got em. Any suggestions?
madmax (should be fun to work with the power tools!!!)

CHRIS

Chuck-MyVelodyne ULD is an 18" it hits harder but is not as fast as the 10" in the P.E. 1/2-DIY, can't really call it a DIY when all ya do is prety much assembly it. I would start out with the 10" IMO you can always cut the hole larger for a bigger driver, ya know. The Velodyne HGS series all have about the same size cabinet, roughly 15"x15"x15".
Hope you had a Merry Christmas, be careful on New Years Eve, bud. BTW why aren't you on the forum like you used to be? You should stop by more often.:)

juice21

thanks for the review chris. with the 45 day money back return policy, i may just have to check this sub out...

i have a 10" driver coming today that may be replacing a blown driver in a JBL 10" sub i have...(just hoping it is the driver that is blown, and not something else) tested the board though, and everything seemed to be working alright... guess we'll see soon...

RuSsMaN

...The 10" suggestion, use the JL. Good xmax, low qts, in a sealed box with that amp it should shine.

Cheers,
Russ

madmax

Russ,
Good xmax to you as well. Just kidding. Good point though. I started checking out the xmax on several woofers and they really vary. Anything from 4mm to 24mm. Do you have a general list of the different parameters and what effect it has? That would be really useful. I figured out the xmax is the cone throw but many of the other parameters are unknown to me.

Chris, I get here as much as I can. I get the feeling at work that some of the internet stuff is being monitored by the higher ups on occasion so I try to keep it work related there. I used to keep the site in the backround but no more. Any new feelings on the kit? I'm kinda thinking at this point I should have just ordered the kit. By the time you buy the glue, screws, spikes, grill cloth etc you end up with almost as much cash in it but still have to build the box and it probably won't look as good! $350 seems to be a really good deal.

madmax

CHRIS

Chuck-I used the ‘THX’ audio setup on Pearl Harbor. It runs a tone down to 20Hz the sub honestly, IMO of course, could go lower. The tone ended before the sub was near its lower limit. Only problem is finding a few new rattles in my bedroom. I'm sure with more use it will respond better as far as quickness and punch, IMO. The driver was impressive IMO, 5-way binding posts and heavy duty construction not what I was expecting. If I were you I would go with the kit for the few extra dollars its hard to beat. If you do get it put the spiked nuts washers whatever they are on the outside of the cabinet like the review ‘Aaron’ put up said. Unless you have someone helping who can keep it from spinning while you drive it in. So far everyday something new superises me. I have to go down to Radio Shack and borrow an ‘SPL’ to set everything again then return it. :rolleyes:

Juice21-If its not the driver go for it. I asked about it being a kit andif it is put together will they take it back? She replyed YES as long as nothing is ruined. The only thing I would question is putting the spiked washers outside stopping a refund. I hope it is the driver for your sake so your back in business again sooner.

juice21

thanks chris, that's what i am hoping for too. should be here today, and i'll get some time tommorow to test it out. if it's not, i think i'm tossin the old JBL and getting that sub kit. i was going to cheap out with a SA-WM40, but the parts espress kit seems to be a more quality sub than the sony. i was thinking the sony would be a cheap for now, just gotta scratch up the extra $200 for the kit. damn, i shouldn't have spent so much on christmas presents...:D

madmax

Chris,
A question about those spiked washers. The last car sub I did I put spiked washers on the inside to hold the woofer in. I put a washer on top, threaded in the bolt and screwed it in to seat the washer into the mdf. Would that work with these or is it something different?
madmax

CHRIS

Chuck-That is what they tell you to do with these. They send the bolt and a large washer with the kit. Only prob is inside the cabinet there is NO room for a hammer to get them started. They try to spin which makes a trench instead of just diging in, ya know what I mean. The feet have a black chrome finish which is also on the spiked washer for what reason I don't know, could have made the spikes dull. If you have two people it would be a breeze with one holding the inside with pliers or something. It was just me. If I could have seen both ends while putting them in it would have been easier, there isn't much to the washer to hold on too. Thankfully they put them in for the driver. I think they wanted you to feel like you did some work while putting it together, as to the feet. They did predrill the holes! Kinda a long story in writting.
BTW-what amp did you get??

Juce 21-I hope the JBL works out for ya. I can't compare it to the P.E. kit for I have not heard it. IMO I don't think you would be disapointed. I know what you mean about Christmas, we went a little nuts this year too.

Russman-I am really happy we agree on something and hopefully can put a lot behind us.
Chris


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madmax

The amp I ordered is the 300-793 which has 250 watts and a remote control for $138.
madmax