Over in the Cornu and Foamcore threads, I was throwing around an idea to build speakers with nothing but materials obtainable from a dollar store, some members suggested that it would be better to have a challenge where the restriction would be that speaker be built from low cost alternative materials whether purchased or repurposed from dumpsters, etc. There needs to be some limitations: total cost of each speaker in materials is $20 or less, no power tools except for a hot melt glue gun, it needs to be buildable on a typical kitchen table or living room floor (no shop), it must be buildable in one evening not including glue drying time, and it should use materials not ordinarily thought of as speaker enclosure materials (no plywood, no MDF, no solid wood boards - you would need power tools to cut those anyway).
Other than these restrictions, one is free to be creative and think out of the box to produce a good sounding speaker. If you are lucky enough to find expensive drivers in the trash then good for you - it doesn't count against the $20 limit. If you want to buy a new driver then it counts against the limit. So you see some luck is involved here if one finds a pair of RS 40-1354's in the trash.
Examples of materials to use include: construction site discards of ceiling tile, Pergo floorboards, fiberglass, OSB, old kitchen cabinets, cardboard, PVC piping, etc.
I hope folks think of this as a way to free yourself from the traditional rectangular prism box. Go wild! Please post pics and sound clips if possible.
Good luck!
If you feel that the rules need to be amended let me know.
I know some of you are asking why the no power tools and no shop restriction? Think of this as an exercise in McGyverism.
Edit (May 12, 2014): Soldering irons are allowed; plywood or chipboard is allowed if 1/4 inch thick or under and IFF you cut it by hand; One evening is equivalent to 8 hrs total time and can be done over multiple actual "evenings" or during the day - we are not vampires here; old drivers you bought over 5 years ago that are collecting dust are allowed (someone is going to have a Fostex FX200 that they took out - just watch out for guys like this ).
Other than these restrictions, one is free to be creative and think out of the box to produce a good sounding speaker. If you are lucky enough to find expensive drivers in the trash then good for you - it doesn't count against the $20 limit. If you want to buy a new driver then it counts against the limit. So you see some luck is involved here if one finds a pair of RS 40-1354's in the trash.
Examples of materials to use include: construction site discards of ceiling tile, Pergo floorboards, fiberglass, OSB, old kitchen cabinets, cardboard, PVC piping, etc.
I hope folks think of this as a way to free yourself from the traditional rectangular prism box. Go wild! Please post pics and sound clips if possible.
Good luck!
If you feel that the rules need to be amended let me know.
I know some of you are asking why the no power tools and no shop restriction? Think of this as an exercise in McGyverism.
Edit (May 12, 2014): Soldering irons are allowed; plywood or chipboard is allowed if 1/4 inch thick or under and IFF you cut it by hand; One evening is equivalent to 8 hrs total time and can be done over multiple actual "evenings" or during the day - we are not vampires here
; old drivers you bought over 5 years ago that are collecting dust are allowed (someone is going to have a Fostex FX200 that they took out - just watch out for guys like this ).
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Cardboard open baffle
I submit my cardboard OB as an entry - details in this thread: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/249984-cheap-fast-ob-literally.html
Cost $10 (TC9FD) + $5 (6.5 in woofer) + $5 (two sets of binding posts) = $20.
Listen to it here: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/attachments/full-range/396022d1390740733-cheap-fast-ob-literally-cardboard-ob-clip-03.zip
I submit my cardboard OB as an entry - details in this thread: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/249984-cheap-fast-ob-literally.html
Cost $10 (TC9FD) + $5 (6.5 in woofer) + $5 (two sets of binding posts) = $20.
Listen to it here: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/attachments/full-range/396022d1390740733-cheap-fast-ob-literally-cardboard-ob-clip-03.zip
here's an old one - maybe it'll inspire paper mache work for this contest - it would have measured better with some damping - the driver was a MCM 5 "monitor" - its eyes were the vent. oops - its not quick ...
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
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Hey, done something similar
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/166850-even-cheaper-faster-ob-trial.html
Oops, didn't count the cost. Old unused drivers & free carboard anyway
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/166850-even-cheaper-faster-ob-trial.html
Oops, didn't count the cost. Old unused drivers & free carboard anyway
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almost finished other than never being able to find bolts - I'm sure this will measure poor but sound very good - $10.50 for the speaker - just sitting up without a baffle, it sounded excellent on a variety of Youtube videos including slapped bass and classical cello - the real shame comes when something like this sounds better than an effort involving money, materials and time -lol - in other words the cheap effort with enjoyable music may be good enough to convey whats important.
Boss 6x9 poly speaker
Boss 6x9 poly speaker
no plywood well that scraps some of my entries as a few where made with thin plywood or paneling (hand cut)
and i guess it leaves out all the found boxes that are re loaded with components unless the "box"is non traditonal perhaps...
sidebar question does a soldering iron represent a "power" tool?
and i guess it leaves out all the found boxes that are re loaded with components unless the "box"is non traditonal perhaps...
sidebar question does a soldering iron represent a "power" tool?
Nice submissions there Freddi. That mask entry so far takes the cake but just is plain scary to look at. How long did it take you to make? I never thought of paper mâché before. It opens up a lot of rounded smooth speakers and even waveguides and horns! What did you use to form the shape prior to laying the wet newspapers on top? Chicken coop wire screen?
Hey, done something similar
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/166850-even-cheaper-faster-ob-trial.html
Oops, didn't count the cost. Old unused drivers & free carboard anyway
Nice OB's there CLS. Maybe I can allow old used drivers if you have had them longer than 5 years and were just collecting dust otherwise.
years ago = that head took too long - a couple of days and one trip to the oven - may have used a balloon but something went flat so the result looks like a ham. The hair from my head never aged like the hair on my head. Blue came from printer ink mixed with damar, a melted candle for mouth
that rough K-slot chamber mess is an improvement over the bare open baffle so give that a try.
that rough K-slot chamber mess is an improvement over the bare open baffle so give that a try.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
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added a rear slot - inverted (seems better than having it the same direction as the front aperture) = fun speaker ! - hey X - give this a try - my accidental kavity from this cardboard box is almost 4" deep at the top, 1/4" deep at the bottom, 14" wide and 18" high. The Boss 6x9 seems to handle lots of power on Chet Baker's trio - that was real music.
re: monsterthing - no driver but have thought of making large oval furry woowoo speakers holding pink K-tube helper tweeters
the baffle is a diagonal roughly dividing the box into two equal shapes/volumes. those perforations were
the attempt to de-Q it when it was just a regular shallow U baffle
til I find the duct tape, there are a lot of leaks - those might help ;^)
hmm - guess the speaker is 19" high as that's the spec on the box
the driver might be found cheaper -? - its $12.99 including shipping on Ebay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BOSS-BRS69-...487757548?pt=Car_Speakers&hash=item3f35ee6cec
front -aperture wide at top - front cavity depth at top near 4" - - front cavity depth at bottom near zero
rear - aperture narrow at top
side view- overall depth about 6.5" - could be 7 for better fit - total bulk about 1 cubic foot
the baffle is a diagonal roughly dividing the box into two equal shapes/volumes. those perforations were
the attempt to de-Q it when it was just a regular shallow U baffle
til I find the duct tape, there are a lot of leaks - those might help ;^)
hmm - guess the speaker is 19" high as that's the spec on the box
the driver might be found cheaper -? - its $12.99 including shipping on Ebay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BOSS-BRS69-...487757548?pt=Car_Speakers&hash=item3f35ee6cec
front -aperture wide at top - front cavity depth at top near 4" - - front cavity depth at bottom near zero
rear - aperture narrow at top
side view- overall depth about 6.5" - could be 7 for better fit - total bulk about 1 cubic foot
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I think my Nautaloss speakers (single driver version) also qualify.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/247598-nautaloss-ref-monitor.html
Even the Nautaloss sub woofer with two 6.5 in drivers qualify at $10 for drivers, $5 for FC, $2 for terminal cup.
Also the 0.40x scale Karlsonators also qualify at $12 for driver, $1 for FC, $2 for terminal cup.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/239338-mini-karlsonator-0-53x-dual-tc9fds-16.html#post3722988
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/247598-nautaloss-ref-monitor.html
Even the Nautaloss sub woofer with two 6.5 in drivers qualify at $10 for drivers, $5 for FC, $2 for terminal cup.
Also the 0.40x scale Karlsonators also qualify at $12 for driver, $1 for FC, $2 for terminal cup.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/239338-mini-karlsonator-0-53x-dual-tc9fds-16.html#post3722988
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