DIY Subwoofers

[damailman_79]

Can a DIY subwoofer compare to Top Brand Subwoofers such as SVS, PSA, Rythmik, if so could anyone recommend a kit, Driver, Amplfiers.

 

[fpitas]

Yes. For a kit, check out the Parts Express knock-down kits, like this one:

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Dayton Audio 15" Reference Series HO Subwoofer and Cabinet Bundle 800 WattsAbout the CabinetThis particular cabinet is designed specifically for the Dayton Audio 15" Reference Series High Output subwoofer, but works for any subwoofer with an overall diameter of 15-3/8" or less, and a cutout...

www.parts-express.com

I use an external amp for mine, I'm kind of allergic to plate amps.

Martin Logan was using the Dayton RSS390HF-4, as I recall. That's what I went with.

 

[maverickronin]

Yes. Subwoofers are pretty simple in comparison to main speakers. Currently the common value add for commercial designs is onboard DSP which is likely to be rendered superfluous or can otherwise replicated something upstream like an AVR or MiniDSP.

I'll second the Parts Express kits even if picking one from their excessive number of driver lines is difficult. I also prefer external amps for fewer wires to run to the subs.

I went with a Crown XLS 2502 for my set of two dual opposed 12" Dayton Ultimaxs.

There are a few designs here and there that you won't replicate with DIY like the Uni-Core Kefs.

 

[DWPress]

Building a sub is pretty easy especially if a sealed enclosure. I'll second the external amp suggestion for simplifying future EQ or DRC.

Even if you do go with one of the PE kits add extra bracing and cleats wherever you can, glue and screw. A tight solid box won't resonate. Repurposing a crap sub from Craigs List or similar is a way to go as well but once again brace thoroughly.

 

[jhaider]

Can a DIY subwoofer compare to Top Brand Subwoofers such as SVS, PSA, Rythmik,

That depends on what you mean by “compete.” IMO substituting for a commercial design isn’t that useful. The cost of a handmade subwoofer usually ends up being higher than the cost of an equivalent commercial sub when you consider all the inputs.

DIY makes sense when you want something the market does not provide. For example, a sub too large to ship, or a sub that matches the finish and style of your furniture.

 

[mcdn]

While it is hard to beat the value of something from SVS, it can make financial sense to use a Parts Express kit if you already have the necessary DSP and amplification to hand. Getting a decent finish on MDF is probably the most time consuming part of the exercise.

Building completely from scratch is much trickier. Especially so for a ported design, as getting the tuning correct requires experimentation.

 

[DVDdoug]

I built a pair of 15-inch subs with Dayton Drivers from Parts Express. (Not a kit.) I used WinISD (FREE) to optimize the size & port. (Or, maybe I chose a box size about as large as I could live with and used the software to optimize the port.)

They are large, about 3 feet tall, and since I had an extra amplifier, they are passive. And as I have done with most of my previous DIY speakers, I covered them with leather-look vinyl (like they do with guitar amps). That makes a cheap, easy, reasonably-good looking, and reasonably-durable "finish".

 

[gnarly]

My 2c.

If you are looking for self-powered subs (ones with internal amp), DIY has a hard time competing unless you have some DIY experience.
If looks and cabinetry quality matter to you, DIY really has a hard time competing, unless you already have cabinetry experience and tools.

If a truly high quality powerful sub, that uses external amplification, meets your desires....then DIY subs are the easiest way of getting more for your $, than any other DIY speaker project, ime/imo.

Get a very good prosound driver, like the Faital 18FH500 as an example of many that will work. Or a really nice one like the BMS18n862
A sealed box is easy without needing much in the way of tools, and plans abound with any search effort at all. Same for ported boxes, albeit a little more effort.
Duratex paint works.
Speakon connectors work.
Get a used prosound amp off ebay, Crown or QSC, etc.

Whole project can be from $500 to say $1250, depending on size/quality of driver, and size of used amp.
You can make a sub that will totally smoke the majority of commercial home audio subs.

 

[IamJF]

There are a few designs here and there that you won't replicate with DIY like the Uni-Core Kefs.

Doing impuls compensation is actually not hard. Just put drivers at oposite sides and put braces between when the surface is bigger - you get a great force chancellation effect. You can also connect the magnets if you like to.

DIY really makes a lot of sense when you do multi sub installment like bass arrays. Or in Home Cinema building where the speaker must fit in a given space like behind the screen.

 

[fpitas]

Building a sub is pretty easy especially if a sealed enclosure. I'll second the external amp suggestion for simplifying future EQ or DRC.

Even if you do go with one of the PE kits add extra bracing and cleats wherever you can, glue and screw. A tight solid box won't resonate. Repurposing a crap sub from Craigs List or similar is a way to go as well but once again brace thoroughly.

Yes, I braced my PE knock-down boxes quit a bit with 1" wide plywood struts. Very cheap, and at least from the knock test, effective.

 

[maverickronin]

Doing impuls compensation is actually not hard. Just put drivers at oposite sides and put braces between when the surface is bigger - you get a great force chancellation effect. You can also connect the magnets if you like to.

I was just referring to how the unicore drivers save space with the combined motor system. That's completely unique.

 

[anotherhobby]

I recently designed and built 4 subs for my office (thread: Quad 8" subs for my office). There is a lot of really great advice already in this thread, but I'll add some of my thoughts based on my recent experience:

1. building sealed subs is relatively easy for basic designs, but listen to those above who say getting a high quality attractive finish on MDF is NOT easy. Good paint will require a pro with a spray booth and skills. Laminates offer other possibilities (which is what I did), but also come with their own unique challenges, not the least of which is very stinky chemicals and a lot of time.
2. I wouldn't bother building something generally commercially available unless you really want to build it for the experience of it, or you need to build more than one and the cost savings add up, or if you can 100% hide them and can skip out on the finish (like behind a theater screen).
3. You will have very little resale value compared to commercial options, unless you do something very impressive. Any savings vanishes the second you want to part ways with what you built.

As for the cost side, my four 8-inch subs cost me a total of $1550 including 2kW worth of used Crown amps. So yes, I definitely saved a good amount of money, but that's only because my labor is free, and the amount of time spent on them was absurd.

It was 100% worth it to me because I LOVE the end result, both aesthetically and performance wise. They don't start rolling off until a tad under 20Hz, with the -3 dB around 16Hz, and they'll play this flat up to 105 dB, which I think is pretty impressive for little 8" subs (granted there are 4 of them with 2kW power).

If you start thinking you really want to do this, get some MDF and materials to finish, and just make some small pieces and test finishes and cuts and see if you are able to prove you can get a finish you like. That's what I did for nearly every aspect of my subs, from the laminate, to the curves, to the driver cutouts, to the legs. Everything was tested before I committed to building them.

 

[JMstar]

Painting isn’t that hard you just need good paint and a decent HVLP gun. I like urethane in a gloss. I use a Wagner spray shelter in my garage. It’s basically just a pop up tent. I bought a heavy duty lazy Susan bearing online for cheap and attached Some plywood to it so I can rotate and paint the top 5 sides. Also get some of those little plastic cone painters standoffs they are cheap. I haven’t listed every little detail but If you are paying a professional a lot of money to paint a DIY speaker. You can buy a really nice HVLP gun with a turbine ( like a Fuji for example) All the supplies and top notch paint for the same or likely less money and be able to paint anything you want from that point forward.

 

[IamJF]

Painting isn’t that hard you just need good paint and a decent HVLP gun. I like urethane in a gloss. I use a Wagner spray shelter in my garage. It’s basically just a pop up tent. I bought a heavy duty lazy Susan bearing online for cheap and attached Some plywood to it so I can rotate and paint the top 5 sides. Also get some of those little plastic cone painters standoffs they are cheap. I haven’t listed every little detail but If you are paying a professional a lot of money to paint a DIY speaker. You can buy a really nice HVLP gun with a turbine ( like a Fuji for example) All the supplies and top notch paint for the same or likely less money and be able to paint anything you want from that point forward.

You forgot one little detail - you have to prepare the surface. Level, filling, basic layers. Prevent edges to show over the years. THEN you can start to paint.
Just painted a speaker with Warnex last week - took 3 minutes (also with a Wagner sprayer). Preparing took a day (and it was far from ready for a glossy colour!), cleaning maybe an hour.

Maybe a bias is already apperent ... but painting is not my favourite part of building speakers ...

 

[Palmspar]

Can a DIY subwoofer compare to Top Brand Subwoofers such as SVS, PSA, Rythmik, if so could anyone recommend a kit, Driver, Amplfiers.

Yes if you go dual 12inch or single 15inch or bigger, dont try to make a better and cheaper single 12 sub or so.
Use good drivers and amps with dsp, my DIY sub has dual opposed 12 inch Scan Speak Discovery drivers and a Hypex FA501 amp.
Tuned even flat and deeper than a SVS SB2000 with 3db more spl @20hz.
Intern its almost the same as the Sigberg 10D with bigger drivers, but looks like the Arendal 1723 2S
Green line my DIY sub and red the SB2000, an almost perfect flat response is easy to do but i use dsp minimal as possible.
The bump @45hz its from the woofer itself, no dsp used to make it the same as the SVS.

 

[suttondesign]

I agree with another post that unique needs not served by existing products on the market are the main attraction of diy subs. I spent gobs. My two 11” drivers were $650 each, and the two 10” $400 each. Outboard amps w/ dsp. All that said, huge enjoyment in building them, but I have a bunch of tools already.

 

[sealman]

For an easy DIY experience you could check out GSG.
GSG Audio Design

 

[anotherhobby]

I agree with another post that unique needs not served by existing products on the market are the main attraction of diy subs. I spent gobs. My two 11” drivers were $650 each, and the two 10” $400 each. Outboard amps w/ dsp. All that said, huge enjoyment in building them, but I have a bunch of tools already.

That's some awesome creativity there! I love it! Nice work.

 

[sealman]

That's some awesome creativity there! I love it! Nice work.

I had to go back and look at the pics after your comment. Lol I never noticed that the subs actually were the books! Nicely done!

 

[john65b]

Buy a pair of matching blown subs - gut the electronics and just wire the woofers to the binding posts, making them passive, and drive them with an external amp...like the Crown XLS series that have an onboard active low pass crossover.

I have a pair of Martin Logan Dynamo subs that had blown amps, got them for less than $100 each. The enclosures and woofers are fine. Both subs driven by a pair of Hypex UCD400HG HRX amps (precursor to the NCore NC400 amps) I already had, and an active crossover at 80hz. Works great.