[gav1012]

Hello all. I've been lurking for a long time and I've finally decided to take the DIY plunge. I'm looking for redommendations for a simple DIY sub for a large basement home theatre. 80% movies, 20% music. Room is 20 x 28 x 7.5. Carpeted with drywall and suspended ceiling. No real budget or size restraints. Woodworking skills average at best. Looking for low extension with moderate listening levels. I already have a ep2500 amp (used to be in a band). Any recommendations would be appreciated.....thanks in advance...

 

[slim2fattycake]

I am new to the home theater realm, but I have the same plans, basswise, as you do. i am building a box right now for a 18" Mach5 MJ-18M sub. my basement is a little bigger than your basement but my set-up is for about 80% movies and 20% music as well. the MJ-18M is fairly cheap too. 145 US dollars shipped. And I have the ep1500 amp. this is also going in the basement as well. man. lol. but I don't exactly know how its going to turn out but you should tune into my build and check it out, ill have pictures too. good luck.

 

[Mike P.]

You have lots of choices. SoundSplinter RL-p18, Fi Q18, CSS SDX-15, Mach 5 Audio IXL-18, Exodus Audio Tempest-X 15 and Maelstrom-X 18. An EP2500 would drive any of them. Have a look at the "Database" to see if there is one that you like.

http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/diy-subwoofers/9265-members-subwoofer-database.html

 

[SteveCallas]

You must have some budget and size constraints - if not, I can suggest a $10,000 sub that will take up half your room. In all seriousness, suggestions can't really start anywhere until we know what you have to work with.

 

[gav1012]

Yeah 10k would be a little out of my price range :bigsmile: Though I wouldn't mind hearing one. I guess I'd like to keep it around 700-1000. I've seen some great designs with the Tempest-X and the Maelstrom-X. Like I said, my woodworking is average at best so I was thinking sealed for my first build but I'm nervous I'll be missing out on the deep extensions on some of the staple movies (WOTW, U571, etc). I'm also a little nervous about a sealed single 15 or 18 filling my room....

 

[Mike P.]

I'm also a little nervous about a sealed single 15 or 18 filling my room....

With a room that size I'd go ported. If you find it's still not enough, you can build a second one.

 

[gav1012]

I had a feeling I'd need to go ported. I'm pretty sure I can handle the build but all of this is new to me. It's all starting to make sense though. I've modeled some subs with the Maelstrom-X that look pretty good so I guess I'll just have to shut up and do it. Thanks for the replies. I'll be sure to start a build post when I start with plenty of pics.....

 

[SteveCallas]

Take a look at the Malestrom X 18" in ~480 liters with an 8" diameter port that is ~36" long for ~14hz tuning. Run the EP bridged mono and prepare to be impressed :T

 

[gav1012]

Thanks Steve.....that's what I'll shoot for. Should be interesting and educational:nerd:

 

[cinema mad]

what about A Maelsrom-X with Dual PR18" Passives that way you can have A smaller box than A ported box, say 8-10 cf and can tune it to what you want "low teens" by adding mass to the passives and it is easier to build than ported......

 

[Ricci]

A dual pr'd system is easier to build than a standard ported one? :scratchhead:Everyone has an opinion I guess, but that's the first time I've ever heard that .

 

[SteveCallas]

Dual 18" PRs will cost you what, $450? An 8" diameter sonotube port runs about $10.

Also, I see it mentioned a lot that PRs let you get away with a smaller enclosure and low tuning, and to a point, yes, they do. But having a smaller enclosure is not really a good thing in terms of performance. So now we're talking about spending several hundred more dollars and potentially having degraded performance, all for the sake of saving a little space. Nah.

 

[cinema mad]

Besides the obvious extra cost's involved for the passives I think that it is easier and you have more adjustment options/flexibility to get A PR sub sounding the way you want through adding or taking away mass from the PR's compared to A ported if you need to make changes with it you are more limited.....Routing A couple extra holes for the passives work's out easier than designing A ported sub and getting it to perform the way you had hoped when you are limited to eq alone ....

 

[Ricci]

Why would you be limited to EQ alone? Any changes you can do with the PR sub you can probably also do with a ported one.

Build a box. Put a tube in it. Want to try a different tune? Take out the $10 tube hack off an inch or 2 and put it back in. Easy, quick, cheap. When you get it where you like it, then you can glue the tube in and finish things up. Maybe get crazy and throw away 3 tubes this way trying to get it right.

PR's build a box, put the PR's in. Want to try a different tune pull the PR's out add or remove mass and reinstall. A little more work, a little less quick, more expensive.

There's nothing wrong with a pr set-up at all but easier I would not call it. It's actually a little more work and money than a regular ported set-up. I would say that sealed is easiest, ported is 2nd easiest, then PR, then 4th order BP, then higher order BP, followed by Horns and other complicated alignments.

 

[zacjones]

Mach5 Audio 18" PR only $100 each shipped now

 

[1Michael]

Go ported...you will like it:bigsmile:

 

[cinema mad]

If you have the time I recommend modeling the Maelstrom-X + 2x PR18 passives with 1600g added mass to each passive, input power 2400W RMS at 4ohm in A 250L box 8-9Qf.... You will see then what I mean, Bang for Buck best performance.....:T

 

[SteveCallas]

So many threads like this that have no conclusion. Did you build anything?

 

[murrellal]

I am also very interested in your build. I am doing the same. Do you have specs/build sheet for this LLT enclosure? I am picking up a Maelstrom too and am stuck on PR, sealed and LLT.

How much louder would the LLT Maelstrom be?

 

[SteveCallas]

I wouldn't call it a function of louder - what you gain with the LLT implementation is an extended low end FR and more clean head room. A sealed sub just can't offer the performance a ported can below ~30hz. Using PRs will achieve the same ends as porting, but PRs are expensive and require a lot more tweaking than a simple $10 piece of sonotube cut to the proper length.