DIY Subwoofer: Would like some feedback!

10988 Views 30 Replies 12 Participants Last post by hddummy, Jan 17, 2008

hddummy

Discussion Starter · Sep 12, 2007 (Edited)

Hey guys. I've been around here before, but I've never really been an active member. I recently built myself a sub and I wanted to get some feedback from you folks. This project is done, but I could apply suggestions and advice to the next DIY I am planning to build for my brother-in-law.

Anyway...I love the way this thing turned out...it has a tremendous amount of bass and it makes me grin ear to ear every time I crank it up.

The stats:
TC 12db-500
115 Liter enclosure
Two 3" x 17" ports
Tuned 21.8 Hz
Walls lined with fiberglass batting
Butt Kicker Amp with 25Hz HP

One of my concerns was whether or not I should have used more internal bracing. Questions/Comments? Thanks for checking it out!!

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Mike P.

· #4 · Sep 12, 2007

For the size and shape I'd say it's braced adequately. One way to tell for sure is play low frequency test tones and feel the cabinet with your hand to see how much vibration there is. A well braced cabinet will vibrate very little.

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Mike P.

· #12 · Sep 14, 2007

Hi Kermie,
I'm glad this is what you were looking for. What sub driver are you thinking of using for your corner subs?

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Mike P.

· #15 · Sep 14, 2007

Just remember that the internal volume of your cabinets is 3.5 cubic feet. That will narrow down your choice of available sub drivers that you can use.

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Mike P.

· #17 · Sep 14, 2007

typically how much cubic feet do bracing take up and the port.

That depends on how much bracing you use and how big the port is.

do subtract the about of wood used in bracing and the whole port (If concidered a solid) from the over all cubic feet

Technically yes. You can figure out every cubic inch and subtract it to get the net volume. Or you can build a box 1 cubic foot bigger then needed to allow for the displacement of the subwoofer, bracing and ports. In your case you know the biggest internal volume you can build is 3.5 cubic feet. So find a sub that will work in a slightly smaller net volume.

also can you expand on the choices of drivers?

Off hand, I'm not sure which driver would meet your needs. Hopefully someone else who is familiar with 12 inch subs can make a recomendation. You can download WinISD and do some simulations if you're inclined to.
http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/diy-subwoofers/6330-winisd.html

thank you

Anytime.

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Mike P.

· #19 · Sep 15, 2007

Joe L. said:
Great use of the unused space behind the TV. Very nice adjustable stand for the TV too.

You were not really limited to 3.5 cubic feet unless you wanted the sub to be below the level of the equipment rack. You probably could have fit a much larger enclosure back there if you had made it taller.

If made taller, you could then have painted it the same color as the walls in the room instead of black, and it would have been nearly invisible to anyone looking at it through the equipment rack.

Of course, if you made a bigger/taller enclosure, you would need more bracing. :bigsmile:

Joe L.

Just to clarify, the pictures are of Matt's subwoofer. It is Kermie who wants to build a similar shaped sub and he is limited to 3.5 cubic feet.

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