DIY Super Center Channel

Early B.

I'm considering building a massive center channel speaker which would double as a short TV stand (about 14" - 16" tall). I have a pair of 12" carbon fiber drivers to use as the woofers. I'm thinking of building a separate box for each woofer to create dual subs. Then I'd buy a single bookshelf speaker cabinet from Parts Express and drop in a 6.5" or 8" midrange and tweeter. I'd get the crossover design off the PE Forum, Madisound, or some other website and use premium parts. I figure it would cost me less than $300.

Am I nuts or what? Will this work? Any ideas?

MillerLiteScott

Possibly nuts:D

Early B, this may be a cheaper alternative or just a thread jack.

I have been thinking about building a center channel from the components from a beat up or cheaply priced pair of Monitor 10's or RTA 11TL.

My thoughts are along the lines of the conventional tweeter and two 6.5 woofers and either the 10" PR or the 2 8" PR's found in the above speakers and respective crossover components. It would look like your conventional center channel. The cabinet would have the same internal volume of the respective speaker with the PR's mounted on the bottom, or the angled portion of the top. I would lean towards a TL version in my case to match the TL modification I did to my SDA 2B's. I currently have a pair of RTA 8 TL speakers that have suffered a drop and one could be the basis of a TL center channel for my combo HT/2 channel set up but I don't think the difference would be worth the effort of building the cabinet over the CSi5 I am currently using. I may just stick one in it's place to give a try for a few day or until my wife tells me to change it back.

Scott

SolidSqual

I think you should do it! IF done right, that sounds amazing. Any mock ups yet?

ShinAce

Are you building subs, a center, or both? Are you asking for advice on the sub box, the center's design, or both?

Basically, what is your question? Will what work? What do you have already? What are you trying to achieve?

Early B.

SolidSqual wrote: »

I think you should do it! IF done right, that sounds amazing. Any mock ups yet?

I came up with the idea an hour ago. Thirty minutes later my center channel was sold. Now I'm more interested in doing it. It will be a learning process for me.

SolidSqual

This needs to be done. But the stands to be mobile enough to allow for proper placement of the subs.

ben62670

Dude I don't think there is anyone in your area that would do a silly thing like that:rolleyes:





J/K
I'm game. BTW 12's are too much seriously. Like mentioned above 4MW's and a good tweeter will have way more SPL than you will ever use. Call me I have some driver Ideas;)
Ben

bsoko2

Here is a center for you: http://cgi.ebay.com/Polk-Audio-CS1000P-Speaker-Rosewood-Finish_W0QQitemZ110313854532QQcmdZViewItemQQptZSpeakers_Subwoofers?hash=item110313854532&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318.

Bill

ben62670

The one he has now dwarfs that center. Early is talking big;)
Ben

Edit: This is the real question. Sure you can build a full range center that digs deep, but where will you find material that actually digs deep in the center channel? Shouldn't the focus be on good punch bass from say 50hz and above? Wouldn't building a super center be a total waste going for say 30hz?

Early B.

ShinAce wrote: »

Are you building subs, a center, or both? Are you asking for advice on the sub box, the center's design, or both?

Basically, what is your question? Will what work? What do you have already? What are you trying to achieve?

I may forget about the dual subs. I have a 10" DIY sub sitting in the basement collecting dust. I could use it and get a pair of bookshelf speakers and be done with it. That way, I wouldn't have to build anything.

Dennis Gardner

ben62670 wrote: »

The one he has now dwarfs that center. Early is talking big;)

Wouldn't building a super center be a total waste going for say 30hz?

This coming from someone with 7 ft tall SDAs? Pot, kettle????:D

Early B.

ben62670 wrote: »

Edit: This is the real question. Sure you can build a full range center that digs deep, but where will you find material that actually digs deep in the center channel? Shouldn't the focus be on good punch bass from say 50hz and above? Wouldn't building a super center be a total waste going for say 30hz?

Are you kidding??!!??

I want to run my center channel full range and get bass blasting out of it like a damn rocket. That's the main goal for this project.

Center channels are notorious for being too wimpy. I want to create an overbuilt center channel that does voices well, of course, but has plenty of muscle behind it. If the design hits 30 Hz, I'm fine with that, and the 10" sub I already have should be able to handle that, no problem.



I've tried a dual center channel setup before, and it worked very well. Now if I add a sub to it -- WOW!!!

ben62670

I have tought of a center(and a sub) that would run from the left tower to the right tower, but I have SDA's. I don't need no stinkin center channel, or a sub:)
You up for a call?

Early B.

ben62670 wrote: »

You up for a call?

Yep. A brief one.

ben62670

HeHeHeHe

Early B.

OK, I made a decision. With Ben's help we're thinking -- four 8" woofers and a ribbon tweeter. The cabinet will be 14 x 14 x 48. Maybe real wood, not MDF. Gonna get the crossover designed by Madisound. We'll use premium crossover parts. I'm guessing the center channel will dig down into the low 30's without a problem. I'll try to keep cost below $400.

More to come...

zingo

Yes...



I'm SOOO excited to see this thing!

megasat16

Good God! This is HUGE CENTER piece. Would be awesome with the Ribbon Tweet. Which one are you getting?

Keep it coming...

ben62670

Sorry EB it will be MDF with veneer laminate, and yes I have modeled the woofers. We should have no problems hitting the 30's, and most likely need two ribbons one on top of the other;) It will be silly sweet. Now just to figure out the ribbons;) The woofers we are looking at(fs 31hz) have a bump at 4k to 5k so I am thinking a 12 db slope at 4k which will play nicely with the ribbons we are looking at. His place is Ideal for having a center stand/center speaker with those dimensions. I need to do some more calcs, but it is looking killer! 400watt handling with a rough 96db sensitivity:eek: I'm scared.

Early B.

Ben --

What is the value of using four 8" woofers instead of two? Will the speaker dig deeper? Will there be more gut wrenching impact? Can I run it full range?

ben62670

There is no replacement for displacement when it comes to feeling the vibrations;) Next time you stop over I'll demonstrate. You won't need to put your fingers in your ears. It doesn't need to be loud to appreciate:) 4 8's will run full range.

Early B.

Hey Ben --

How about we take it up a notch and build a 3-way with two 10" drivers, two 8" drivers, and two tweets?:eek:

Or how about four 10" drivers and two tweetes and make it 54" long?:D:D

ben62670

Ahh no. I am not into 3ways when this 2 way will pull it off in spades;) I can recommend a good shrink:D

Early B.

ben62670 wrote: »

Ahh no. I am not into 3ways when this 2 way will pull it off in spades;) I can recommend a good shrink:D

OK, I'll let it go. I just don't think a four foot long center channel with four 8 inchers is gonna be big & bad enough for me.:cool:

ben62670

OK we are looking at 40hz to be able to pull off a reasonable box, and keep it tight. Some dampening will help with the drivers bump at 4k. It looks real nice nice so far.

SolidSqual

Promise me you won't use pink drivers or monster cable in your crossovers.

Face

You should have kept your old center, it was timbre matched to your mains.

zingo

Face wrote: »

You should have kept your old center, it was timbre matched to your mains.

Ahh... buzz kill...

PS. On the topic of Super Speakers, I'm currently designing a 3 way monster roughly modeled after the Wilson Audio Alexandria, but with a sensitivity of 99db! :eek:

ben62670

Face wrote: »

You should have kept your old center, it was timbre matched to your mains.

The timber match will be pretty good seeing the VMPS's use Emit tweeters;)

SolidSqual

This is exciting can't wait to see what you guys put together.
Night.

Early B.

Face wrote: »

You should have kept your old center, it was timbre matched to your mains.

Nah. Timbre matching is overrated. I've had a ton of HT setups, most of them not timbre matched. Frankly, it's hard to tell the difference.