My LFE Project

JimAckley
JimAckley Posts: 1,138
edited August 2011 in DIY, Mods & Tweaks
I'm going to document my LFE project in this thread. I got my inspiration from the combination of three different builds. One gave me the basic idea of building it into something other than a generic box, the second gave me the idea of black gloss and wood framing, and the last gave me the idea of using TC Sounds' LMS Ultra 5400 and the matching VMP 18" PRs, along with the usage of the I-Tech amplifier.

Graham, a member at hometheatershack.com, is helping me with the design. He came up with all of these drawings yesterday just with the info I've fed him through PMs sent back and forth. It'd be scary to see what we could come up with, and how quickly we could come up with it, if we were working side by side.

I digress, here's the first few shots, starting from the most basic to a nearly complete look, and some shots of the bracing that will be implemented. Needless to say, It's going to be built more solid than any enclosure I've seen to this day.

For the record, the enclosure will be be built using 1" MDF. The front will be double faced, maybe even triple.
____________________________________

First renditions:
pic1.jpg
pic2.jpg

Initial bracing system added:
bracing.jpg
pic3.jpg

I was a little concerned though, because I want this enclosure rock solid vs. a front firing driver and two PRs, so the bracing was upgraded:
bracing2.jpg

Almost-final rendition:
pic5.jpg

Minor added details not in the mockup:
The sides and back will be the piano-black gloss just like the front. Small neodymium magnets will be integrated just under the paint and matching magnets will be fixed to a grill so that it can be added or removed without any mounting hardware visible. I hadn't decided where to put the binding posts, but I was thinking the bottom of the enclosure would be a good idea.

I'm sure you'll notice the horizontal panels installed to reduce the volume of the enclosure within the overall unit. In his initial setups, you'll also noticed he braced that space between the interior baffles and the outer panel with small pieces of wood. Without these, the enclosure's volume will be way too large. I was a little worried about the integrity of this, so I tried to figure some ways around it. My initial thought was to just fill it with MDF sheet...

Here's the picture I sent to Graham to indicate exactly what I was talking about:BracingQuestion.jpg

...however, in my current mockup's state, the unit is a little taller than I would like, so tomorrow Graham and I are going to work to shorten it some.
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Comments

  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,324
    edited February 2011
    Wow that is very nice! Great job.
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  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,499
    edited February 2011
    Very cool
    Also consider extra footing brace feet for the underside, the feet dont need to be visible.

    What do you plan to sit on top?:biggrin::biggrin:
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
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  • JimAckley
    JimAckley Posts: 1,138
    edited February 2011
    txcoastal1 wrote: »
    Very cool
    Also consider extra footing brace feet for the underside, the feet dont need to be visible.

    What do you plan to sit on top?:biggrin::biggrin:

    Well, truth be told, I'd like Eva Mendez in the clich? calendar girl pose, but since she's not available, I dunno. MAYBE some gear if it won't vibrate much. I'm kinda doubting that though.
    - Computer Rig -
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  • mdaudioguy
    mdaudioguy Posts: 5,165
    edited February 2011
    Oh, it'll definitely be heavy, but I think you're going to have bolt it to the floor. Can't wait to see how this project comes along. Good luck!
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  • JimAckley
    JimAckley Posts: 1,138
    edited February 2011
    Instead of bolting, I plan on using multiple spikes on each leg, and I will be adding some legs on the underside of the enclosure, txcostal1. Got lots of weight to support and I'm not putting that all on the outside feet. This thing is gonna be so damn heavy it'll definitely press the carpet flat, so I know I won't need long spikes to touch the floor below. I'm gonna move some of my other furniture that's mashed the carpet down and see now deep I've gotta go to get to the floor below.

    If you any of you guys want to contact Graham about doing mockups for you, visit www.hometheatershack.com, and PM gperkins_1973.
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  • greyford1979
    greyford1979 Posts: 749
    edited February 2011
    With a properly built enclosure you don't have to worry too much about vibrations. I built an end table sub for a friend of mine, and with proper bracing and the double thickness of the top, he has virtually no vibrations on the top. He keeps a lamp and some pictures on top with no rattles:biggrin: Good luck with the build, looking forward to seeing the finished product!
    I love animals, they're delicious!
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  • JimAckley
    JimAckley Posts: 1,138
    edited February 2011
    greyford1979 wrote: »
    With a properly built enclosure you don't have to worry too much about vibrations. I built an end table sub for a friend of mine, and with proper bracing and the double thickness of the top, he has virtually no vibrations on the top. He keeps a lamp and some pictures on top with no rattles:biggrin: Good luck with the build, looking forward to seeing the finished product!

    I read that whole thread and loved it! :biggrin: It's one of the three projects out there that give me the ideas for mine, so I do owe you a great deal of thanks.

    However, the major differences between our builds are that your build had 1 front firing 12" driver and a 300w amplifier, and mine will have three front firing "drivers" (I'm using that loosely since two of them are PRs) backed by somewhere in the ballpark of 2000 watts. Around 8x the power and I have no idea how much more surface area. Plus, the drivers are firing along the shortest plane of the structure, which makes for a little less stability.

    I think it'll be okay, but I'm taking every single precaution I can to make it as solid as possible. I don't wanna have to redesign this thing and rebuild it.
    - Computer Rig -
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    - Main Rig -
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    - Currently In Progress -
    Curt Campbell's Uluwatu LCR, LMS Ultra Gjallarhorn, JBL W15GTi stereo subs, 2.1 entertainment system for the gf
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  • greyford1979
    greyford1979 Posts: 749
    edited February 2011
    From the design it looks like it should be solid, and obviously the 1" thickness should help too. The one I built for myself, not an end table, I am now finally running 1000 watts to the 15 with very little vibration as well...so hopefully it goes well for you on the first shot lol.
    I love animals, they're delicious!
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  • JimAckley
    JimAckley Posts: 1,138
    edited February 2011
    If you've got a second, email me some pics of your 15. JimAckley@ymail.com
    - Computer Rig -
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    - Main Rig -
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    - Currently In Progress -
    Curt Campbell's Uluwatu LCR, LMS Ultra Gjallarhorn, JBL W15GTi stereo subs, 2.1 entertainment system for the gf
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  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,499
    edited February 2011
    JimAckley wrote: »
    Well, truth be told, I'd like Eva Mendez in the clich? calendar girl pose, but since she's not available, I dunno. MAYBE some gear if it won't vibrate much. I'm kinda doubting that though.

    Good vibrations
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
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  • greyford1979
    greyford1979 Posts: 749
    edited February 2011
    JimAckley wrote: »
    If you've got a second, email me some pics of your 15. JimAckley@ymail.com

    I tried to send you some photos but I couldn't upload them to my email for some reason:confused::mad: But here is the build thread I did on here. After I had finished it I actually added a couple more braces just because I was worried about the same thing knowing I was gonna replace the 300 watt with the 1000 watt amp. It definitely rumbles your insides. All my friends say that they thought they had HT subs till they heard that thing lol. Love to demo Iron Man 2 when he jumps out of the plane for them:biggrin: And yes I messed up on the measurments for the middle brace where the port runs through but you can't see it and doesn't effect the sound so oh well lol. But any ways this is the thread for the build, the finish was a pain in the a$$ but worth it.

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108333
    I love animals, they're delicious!
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  • danz1906
    danz1906 Posts: 5,144
    edited February 2011
    Sweet!
    Linn AV5140 fronts
    Linn AV5120 Center
    Linn AV5140 Rears
    M&K MX-70 Sub for Music
    Odyssey Mono-Blocs
    SVS Ultra-13 Gloss Black:D
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  • JimAckley
    JimAckley Posts: 1,138
    edited February 2011
    greyford1979 wrote: »
    I tried to send you some photos but I couldn't upload them to my email for some reason:confused::mad: But here is the build thread I did on here. After I had finished it I actually added a couple more braces just because I was worried about the same thing knowing I was gonna replace the 300 watt with the 1000 watt amp. It definitely rumbles your insides. All my friends say that they thought they had HT subs till they heard that thing lol. Love to demo Iron Man 2 when he jumps out of the plane for them:biggrin: And yes I messed up on the measurments for the middle brace where the port runs through but you can't see it and doesn't effect the sound so oh well lol. But any ways this is the thread for the build, the finish was a pain in the a$$ but worth it.

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108333

    I like that one you built for yourself! It looks really nice. How hard was it to paint it yourself? I've never really gotten into the whole painting process, as I had a friend who's always taken care of that. I used to build custom enclosures for my friends' cars, but typically carpeted them to match the car, or let my buddy paint them.
    - Computer Rig -
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    - Main Rig -
    Pioneer SC-37, Overnight Sensations, Samsung 52" LCD

    - Currently In Progress -
    Curt Campbell's Uluwatu LCR, LMS Ultra Gjallarhorn, JBL W15GTi stereo subs, 2.1 entertainment system for the gf
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  • greyford1979
    greyford1979 Posts: 749
    edited February 2011
    Really wasn't that hard to paint it. Just have to make sure the prep work is done properly, filler, sanding, sealing, primer, sanding in between coats, etc..The hardest part was obviously getting the piano gloss finish. Lot of wet sanding, rubbing compound, and polishing lol.
    I love animals, they're delicious!
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  • JimAckley
    JimAckley Posts: 1,138
    edited February 2011
    Sounds like it's time for me to buy some MDF and practice
    - Computer Rig -
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    - Main Rig -
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    - Currently In Progress -
    Curt Campbell's Uluwatu LCR, LMS Ultra Gjallarhorn, JBL W15GTi stereo subs, 2.1 entertainment system for the gf
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  • JimAckley
    JimAckley Posts: 1,138
    edited February 2011
    Just a little update.

    Today I went to the house of hometheatershack.com forum member "Island1000". He owns the LMS 5400 and a Crown XTi-4000. It sounded absolutely phenomenal. To this day, I have yet to hear a sub that can compare. I thought my JBL W15GTis could hang, but this thing had em topped in every way without breaking a sweat. The only differences between his system and mine are that he was using a sealed enclosure (whereas I'll be using two passive radiators), and he was using a single channel of the XTi-4000 (I'll be bridging my I-Tech 4000 for full wattage). I am so excited for this project, and I'm so close to starting it!
    - Computer Rig -
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    - Main Rig -
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    - Currently In Progress -
    Curt Campbell's Uluwatu LCR, LMS Ultra Gjallarhorn, JBL W15GTi stereo subs, 2.1 entertainment system for the gf
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  • JimAckley
    JimAckley Posts: 1,138
    edited March 2011
    Just another update...

    Here's the final model of the enclosure. The only adjustments made really were to the height. If you notice in the mockups from earlier, there was space above/below the enclosure. Those have been deleted, and the height has been reduced 4". It's now 68" wide, 25" deep, and 30" tall, which is just the right height for a table IMO. The internal volume is slightly larger than what I wanted, at around 11.5 ft?, but I'll probably add an extra layer of wood all around on the inside to bring it down slightly, but that will be beneficial because I'm gonna need this baby to be heavy. I need to build it extra heavy, extra solid, and use spikes since I'll be doing front-firing passives (it's recommended to do side firing passives so cancel out movement/vibrations). I also need at least one more layer on the front (it's already double faced 1" MDF) so I can recess the woofers enough so they can hit their excursion limitations without popping the grill off. Since this is going into a bedroom, I highly doubt I'll get it to volumes where that's a legitimate issue. If you're wondering why I'd be putting a monster like this in a bedroom, it's because that's my given space for now. I plan on having it in a larger living room or a dedicated home theater at some point to use it in. But I say why wait for great bass just because I have a bedroom :biggrin:

    JimsLMS5400PRsubv2.png
    - Computer Rig -
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    Curt Campbell's Uluwatu LCR, LMS Ultra Gjallarhorn, JBL W15GTi stereo subs, 2.1 entertainment system for the gf
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 26,926
    edited March 2011
    Besides a wash machine would look out of place in the bedroom:biggrin::tongue:
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  • JimAckley
    JimAckley Posts: 1,138
    edited March 2011
    Lol you think so?

    Either tomorrow or Thursday, I'm going to get in touch with my buddy about doing the actual build. I'll probably start it in May. I gotta save up some $ for the driver, PRs, and the amplifier. I've still gotta figure out terminals... I guess I'll just cross that bridge when the time comes.
    - Computer Rig -
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    - Main Rig -
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    Curt Campbell's Uluwatu LCR, LMS Ultra Gjallarhorn, JBL W15GTi stereo subs, 2.1 entertainment system for the gf
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  • JimAckley
    JimAckley Posts: 1,138
    edited March 2011
    I've got a carpenter lined up for the build, and just received the piece-by-piece cutting instructions from the guy who did the modeling, so we are pretty close to getting this project rolling!
    - Computer Rig -
    YAΘIN MS-20L, polkaudio RT5

    - Main Rig -
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    - Currently In Progress -
    Curt Campbell's Uluwatu LCR, LMS Ultra Gjallarhorn, JBL W15GTi stereo subs, 2.1 entertainment system for the gf
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  • thesurfer
    thesurfer Posts: 574
    edited March 2011
    Very nice jim,,
    Not an Audiophile, just a dude who loves music, and decent gear to hear it with.
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  • JimAckley
    JimAckley Posts: 1,138
    edited April 2011
    Just an update, my design will ever-so-slightly change because I can't seem to track down 1" MDF anywhere, so I'll be switching to the typical .75" MDF. As a result, I'll triple-face every side, plus an additional face on the front for that beautiful flush look. Can't wait to get this one going!
    - Computer Rig -
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    - Main Rig -
    Pioneer SC-37, Overnight Sensations, Samsung 52" LCD

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    Curt Campbell's Uluwatu LCR, LMS Ultra Gjallarhorn, JBL W15GTi stereo subs, 2.1 entertainment system for the gf
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 29,385
    edited April 2011
    Lowes etc can special order all day.
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • JimAckley
    JimAckley Posts: 1,138
    edited April 2011
    Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »
    Lowes etc can special order all day.

    Yeah I've debated that. When I was looking for material they told me they could. The guy I talked to was saying it's probably gonna be less to recalculate for .75", but we'll see.
    - Computer Rig -
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    - Currently In Progress -
    Curt Campbell's Uluwatu LCR, LMS Ultra Gjallarhorn, JBL W15GTi stereo subs, 2.1 entertainment system for the gf
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  • JimAckley
    JimAckley Posts: 1,138
    edited April 2011
    My monthly update: the project is on hold until I get my pickup set up how I want it.
    - Computer Rig -
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    - Main Rig -
    Pioneer SC-37, Overnight Sensations, Samsung 52" LCD

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    Curt Campbell's Uluwatu LCR, LMS Ultra Gjallarhorn, JBL W15GTi stereo subs, 2.1 entertainment system for the gf
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  • JimAckley
    JimAckley Posts: 1,138
    edited August 2011
    Finally making some headway on this project. Some tools have been bought, some practicing has been done with wood scraps, and I have one of the two required PRs for my build. Other than that, things are still pretty slow. I think I'm going to take on DIY statements before I do the sub. That way, I'll at least have a killer front stage.
    - Computer Rig -
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    - Main Rig -
    Pioneer SC-37, Overnight Sensations, Samsung 52" LCD

    - Currently In Progress -
    Curt Campbell's Uluwatu LCR, LMS Ultra Gjallarhorn, JBL W15GTi stereo subs, 2.1 entertainment system for the gf
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  • dcmartinpc
    dcmartinpc Posts: 844
    edited August 2011
    I am working on finishing my TC Sounds subs with dual passives. The pile of stuff is sitting in my basement. I will be following this project with interest. Looks REALLY nice. I have a couple custom "Pro 5100" like TC Sounds drivers but they have ferrite magnets instead of neo... I can't wait to get these thing making some noise!!! Good luck with your project! Let me know if you have any questions.

    Don
    Living Room: Adcom GFP-750 (Upgraded), Squeezebox Touch, Oppo BDP-83, Pioneer DV-79AVi, Parasound HCA-3500 (Upgraded), SDA SRS 2 P/B (Gimpod, Sonicaps, & Mills)

    Theater: Denon 4311ci, Oppo BDP-93, Parasound HCA-2205+HCA-2200II, Polk LSi9, LSiC, LSiFX, LSi7, Custom 18" TC Sounds sub with 2 18" PR, Sharp XV-Z12000, Pioneer Kuro KRP-500M (isf Enabled)

    Bedroom: HK AVR354, Pioneer DV-47a, Parasound HCA-1500a, Polk LSi9
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  • dcmartinpc
    dcmartinpc Posts: 844
    edited August 2011
    One thing I noticed is that you were planning on using an I-Tech amp. Do you already have it? If not, I would STRONGLY suggest you look at the CE4000 and an external processor. It will save you a TON of money and the CE 4000 was the test bed for the Class I amplification. Basically the same amp without all the DSP. And they can be had for about $300-$400, sometimes even cheaper if you are patient.

    Don
    Living Room: Adcom GFP-750 (Upgraded), Squeezebox Touch, Oppo BDP-83, Pioneer DV-79AVi, Parasound HCA-3500 (Upgraded), SDA SRS 2 P/B (Gimpod, Sonicaps, & Mills)

    Theater: Denon 4311ci, Oppo BDP-93, Parasound HCA-2205+HCA-2200II, Polk LSi9, LSiC, LSiFX, LSi7, Custom 18" TC Sounds sub with 2 18" PR, Sharp XV-Z12000, Pioneer Kuro KRP-500M (isf Enabled)

    Bedroom: HK AVR354, Pioneer DV-47a, Parasound HCA-1500a, Polk LSi9
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  • lifelongnewb
    lifelongnewb Posts: 72
    edited August 2011
    That looks to be amazing once finished. Good luck with the build..
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  • leroyjr1
    leroyjr1 Posts: 8,785
    edited August 2011
    That thing is going to weigh a ton, I'm guessing In the 600lb range.
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