Small Sonosub - first time builder, help needed!

[swon]

I am interested in building a small Sonosub and need some ultra-newbie help!

For history, my first subwoofer project was a 10" Dayton Titanic kit from Parts Express, which came out pretty good. I want to try something a little bit more DIY now. I have a friend who built a Sonosub which came out great and would like to attempt one of my own. His was a 48" model; I think I want something smaller, more SVS-sized. I have some tools, a small shop, and a buddy with access to a CNC machine for slicing & dicing MDF.

I would like to build a small one to match the new setup I'm putting together. Right now it's a hodge-podge system - I have a set of Logitech Z-5500 speakers with a broken control pod, and I just picked up a Pioneer VSX-521-K receiver off Woot for cheap to drive them (they have standard speaker connections).

The speakers are great for the room they are in, so I'm keeping them. So as far as the sub goes, I'm looking at something 15" or less. Even 10" or less would be fine - the 10" Logitech sub more than filled the room before the system broke. I don't have any particular budget set, a few hundred bucks maybe. The speakers are obviously small and relatively inexpensive, but they're available and work great, so ultimately I want to build a Sonosub to match. In summary:

1. Want to build a 15" or small Sonosub (10" or smaller would be fine)
2. Budget cap of say $300 (amp/sub/parts)
3. Have a buddy who will lend me CNC mill time to cut MDF
4. Have a shop with all kinds of tools

I'm not too great with numbers, calculations, cubic sizing, etc. I just need a basic plan to follow and some guidance along the way. I have no idea what I'm doing Have tools, have budget, have time, need help!

[chrapladm]

Is your total budget $300?

You could build a subwoofer with a 10" to match with your current setup and stay with in budget. You could also use a bigger driver such as a 15" and underpower it with a small amp to stay with in budget. Then upgrade down the road for more power.

What are your size limitations for your cabinet? Will this be mainly used for movies, music or both?

[Mike P.]

For your budget the amp is a no brainer, the Bash 300 is currently $114 with free shipping.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...FTR=bash%20300

And as Papi says, all we need now is size limits and what you will use the sub for.

[swon]

It's a flexible budget - it's more to get my feet wet in DIY than anything. I've done the 10" Titanic sub and a pair of Dayton BR-1s speakers as previous projects - just a couple screw-together kits really. That 300w BASH amp looks great. It will be used primarily for movies. Here are the specs on the Logitech system, for whatever they're worth:

Satellites: Left/Right: 62 watts RMS x 2 (into 8 ohms, at 1khz, at 10% THD)
Center: 69 watts RMS (into 8 ohms, at 1kHz, at 10% THD)
Rear Left & Right: 62 watts RMS x 2 (into 8 ohms, at 1kHz, at 10% THD)

Subwoofer: 188 watts RMS (into 8 ohms, at 100Hz, at 10% THD)

The sub was more than enough for the room. I don't mind going larger at all, but it would probably be overkill. Even an 8" would probably do the trick, haha. I have a 3' x 3' corner set aside for any gear I'd need (amp box if separate, sub, etc.) in the room. I would actually like it to be on the shorter, smaller side. Maybe 36" max. Don't know if you can go smaller and match a 10" box sub or not - not familiar enough with how Sonosubs sound at different sizes.

Also a little off-topic, does anyone have experience with the Dayton Puck transducers? (P/N TT25-16 PUCK on Parts Express) I had Aura Bass Shakers in my last system and really liked them. Right now I have a couch and a loveseat in the TV room. Not sure if the Pucks would be too small to make any difference.

[chrapladm]

I am not sure what size you are wanting now?

I think you want good sound quality,budget minded subwoofer, that is easy to build and will be of a smaller size. YES?

I have had Logitech and Klipsch Sub/Sat systems before and once you build a DIY sub it will sound MUCH better than your current sub.

How about a 18" cube for a cabinet size? And then you could build an audio rack or buy one for the rest of the space.

Or you can build a sono sub which is pretty easy to build. My two sono subs that I built I could not hear a difference just because of their size. When they get bigger there is more usable volume and extension is all if using similar manufactured subwoofers. My biggest sono sub is 22" diameter by 28" tall.

If your subwoofer is going to be used for movies than you should try for a port tuning of around 20hz. That way you will cover most movies. You could always try and build a sealed cabinet also but with 300 watts I think you are better off with a ported design.

Here are some ideas:
Ported and 18" cube
http://www.hometheatershack.com/foru...0-sub-kit.html
Or if you have the room you can build a horn sub
http://www.hometheatershack.com/foru...-build.html

or sealed and 22"
http://www.hometheatershack.com/foru...tin-black.html

Or build a Sono it really depends on the size you want. Trying to build a subwoofer that can do what your older sub could do is easy. I think you could build a horned sub called the anarchy and that will best the logitech and it has a 6.5". Just my Opinion though.

SO what is the biggest box you want to have in your space?

I think after reading these links you might then have an idea of what you will want. I hope...

[swon]

chrapladm wrote:

I am not sure what size you are wanting now?

I think you want good sound quality,budget minded subwoofer, that is easy to build and will be of a smaller size. YES?

Sorry, let me clarify:

1. I definitely want to build a Sonosub, not a box sub. Very interested to try a cylindrical design!

2. By 8" I meant an 8" subwoofer driver, not sub dimension size. The existing Logitech 10" sub is more than powerful enough for the room (maybe 12' x 18' room dimensions). I could probably get away with a smaller driver and still have room-filling results.

3. I would like to keep it on the smaller side, like a mini-Sonosub. I like the size of the smaller SVS cylinder subs, like the PC12-NSD (12" driver in that one). The dimensions are 35-3/4" (H) & 16-5/8" (OD) with a 4" flared top port. I have a 3' x 3' area in a corner to put it.

So it's a pretty basic system with a TV, small Logitech speakers, a basic 5.1 receiver, and then the Sonosub I want to build.

[swon]

The 300w Bash amp for $114 looks good. Next I need help with 3 things:

1. Driver selection
2. Sonosub design (dimensions)
3. Parts list

I'd like to get everything on order this weekend (yay tax return!). I think this is basically what I need:

300w Bash amp
Subwoofer driver
Sonotube
Flared port or PVC pipe
Speaker grill for the top port (children in the house...lol)
Wiring
Endcaps: (1) base, (2) bottom, (3) bottom inner ring, (4) top, (5) top inner ring
Legs
"Stuffing" - inner lining foam & acoustic puff foam
Terminal cup (banana jacks or whatever)

So here are some starter questions:

1. Should I do a sealed or ported design? Most Sonosubs I've seen are ported.

2. If I go ported, I've seen a few designs where both the driver and ports are on the bottom (using very wide-diameter sonotubes), with the top turned into an end-table. That's kind of interesting and would work great in the corner for storage.

3. Where do you normally put the amp? Separate box? It looks a bit difficult to integrate the amp into the side of the curved surface of the sonotube.

4. Which driver should I go with? The system will mostly be used for movies, and action movies at that. And again, I'm perfectly happy with the compact Logitech speakers right now.

[Mike P.]

For action movies ported is the way to go. A 12" driver will produce the 20 hz extension needed. Would a 18" tube 32" high be acceptable?

[swon]

Mike P. wrote:

For action movies ported is the way to go. A 12" driver will produce the 20 hz extension needed. Would a 18" tube 32" high be acceptable?

Yeah, that would definitely work. I've actually been reading a lot of good things about Sonosubs with 12" drivers today. What do you think about a bottom-mounted driver with a bottom-mounted port, and then have the top be a flat surface? Top-ported seems to be the most popular, although I don't know if that's for convenience or because it sounds better.

[swon]

I also like this style:

http://home.comcast.net/~audio-worx/...be-Zilla1.html

&

http://web.archive.org/web/200203052...om/system.html