I'd like to build myself a small wireless speaker for work and a larger one for working on my truck. I've helped my friend build a couple but we got lost in all the speaker box calculators and just made boxes that looked nice.
I've researched different enclosures but I'm still having alot of trouble getting a good design. The first box I want to just be a single 2" full range speaker and the other with two 2" speakers and a 3-4" sub. The bassist the better. I can make the boxes with all the necessary parts to make them work if someone could pair each speaker with a proper enclosure. In exchange i'd post plans for the final product or produce a kit if there was interest.
I'd like the to use good parts and my budget per speaker is $50. A tapped folded horn seems like a very cool addition to a portable speaker but if that's not a good idea let me know. Complexity isnt an issue, I can build it with ease, I just don't know how to design the part that actually makes it work.
I've researched different enclosures but I'm still having alot of trouble getting a good design. The first box I want to just be a single 2" full range speaker and the other with two 2" speakers and a 3-4" sub. The bassist the better. I can make the boxes with all the necessary parts to make them work if someone could pair each speaker with a proper enclosure. In exchange i'd post plans for the final product or produce a kit if there was interest.
I'd like the to use good parts and my budget per speaker is $50. A tapped folded horn seems like a very cool addition to a portable speaker but if that's not a good idea let me know. Complexity isnt an issue, I can build it with ease, I just don't know how to design the part that actually makes it work.
> a 3-4" sub. The bassist the better. ... I'd like the to use good parts and my budget per speaker is $50. A tapped folded horn seems like
Bass is BIG. Big is expensive. Complexity is low until you get to Very-Big.
Pencil a box with each side 1.1X to 2.0X the speaker diameter, that will work. And anybody can make a 5"-8" cube. (Once you figure the cube, make one way a bit longer and another way a bit shy so it isn't the same all three dimensions.)
Heavy bass even in a room as small as a car usually means a much bigger air-smacker than a Four.
Complexity: a horn can do VERY much better than a box but only if it meets a minimum dimension, which for bass is BIG. As a quick-ref, try 2500"/F. Suppose you want bass to 50Hz. 2500/50Hz is 50 inches, 4 feet, a long Meter. The mouth of the horn should be this big, diameter or square-side. From there the horn area may be tapered to half-area every 0.3*F; for 50Hz, 15 inches. So 50"x50" mouth, 2500 square inches. 15" back, 1250sqin. 30" back, 625sqin.... it is a loooong way to 7sqin (the area of a 4" cone). Horn is about 128 inches or 10-1/2 feet long. Whatever it is made of it will break a $50 budget.
At higher complexity are highly-tuned bass resonators. Aside from daunting math, they leave a large part of the musical spectrum which some other driver must cover.
Bass is BIG. Big is expensive. Complexity is low until you get to Very-Big.
Pencil a box with each side 1.1X to 2.0X the speaker diameter, that will work. And anybody can make a 5"-8" cube. (Once you figure the cube, make one way a bit longer and another way a bit shy so it isn't the same all three dimensions.)
Heavy bass even in a room as small as a car usually means a much bigger air-smacker than a Four.
Complexity: a horn can do VERY much better than a box but only if it meets a minimum dimension, which for bass is BIG. As a quick-ref, try 2500"/F. Suppose you want bass to 50Hz. 2500/50Hz is 50 inches, 4 feet, a long Meter. The mouth of the horn should be this big, diameter or square-side. From there the horn area may be tapered to half-area every 0.3*F; for 50Hz, 15 inches. So 50"x50" mouth, 2500 square inches. 15" back, 1250sqin. 30" back, 625sqin.... it is a loooong way to 7sqin (the area of a 4" cone). Horn is about 128 inches or 10-1/2 feet long. Whatever it is made of it will break a $50 budget.
At higher complexity are highly-tuned bass resonators. Aside from daunting math, they leave a large part of the musical spectrum which some other driver must cover.
I've taken boxes like this and made them sound very good. Not exactly small but satisfactory bass. Some BSC to the 12's, some fiberglass to the inside and a little "Piezo Treatment".. 
Amazon.com: Pyramid PP12 Dual 12-Inch 300 Watt 4Way Stereo Hatchback Speaker System: Car Electronics
Amazon.com: Pyramid PP12 Dual 12-Inch 300 Watt 4Way Stereo Hatchback Speaker System: Car Electronics
I'm thinking of building one for myself so I'm interested in this as well. From my reading tapped horns, folded horns and transmission line designs help increase the efficiency but requires large and complex designs. Might not work if you're aiming for something small and portable.
Not to hijack this thread or anything but I am curious if a bandpass design would work. Or just stick to a passive radiator like many of the bt speakers are now employing.
Not to hijack this thread or anything but I am curious if a bandpass design would work. Or just stick to a passive radiator like many of the bt speakers are now employing.
I know a 4" sub isn't much but it's alot better than most portable speakers have. When I say the bassier the better I mean the more I can make a small speaker seem like a bigger system the better.
A horn is that simple? I guess that isn't practical for something portable but that is much less complicated sounding then what I was reading. Where'd you get the number 2500 from? What would be better to do then? I was thinking of making a box about 2'x1'x1'
Really? That's not what I expected. The small speaker I'd like to be about 1'x.5'x.5' and be somewhat louder than a phone speaker do that I can hear it over the commercial dough mixer I work with. I was actually thinking of just using one speaker in that one to keep it simple. The other could be at max a 2' cube and I want it loud enough to be able to hear it through earplugs.
I too am interested
Right now the design I have uses a 2" 40W full range speaker and the enclosure is just a tube with the sealed box volume listed with the product info. I'd like a better design though
QUOTE=PRR;5158508]> a 3-4" sub. The bassist the better. ... I'd like the to use good parts and my budget per speaker is $50. A tapped folded horn seems like
Bass is BIG. Big is expensive. Complexity is low until you get to Very-Big.
Pencil a box with each side 1.1X to 2.0X the speaker diameter, that will work. And anybody can make a 5"-8" cube. (Once you figure the cube, make one way a bit longer and another way a bit shy so it isn't the same all three dimensions.)
Heavy bass even in a room as small as a car usually means a much bigger air-smacker than a Four.
Complexity: a horn can do VERY much better than a box but only if it meets a minimum dimension, which for bass is BIG. As a quick-ref, try 2500"/F. Suppose you want bass to 50Hz. 2500/50Hz is 50 inches, 4 feet, a long Meter. The mouth of the horn should be this big, diameter or square-side. From there the horn area may be tapered to half-area every 0.3*F; for 50Hz, 15 inches. So 50"x50" mouth, 2500 square inches. 15" back, 1250sqin. 30" back, 625sqin.... it is a loooong way to 7sqin (the area of a 4" cone). Horn is about 128 inches or 10-1/2 feet long. Whatever it is made of it will break a $50 budget.
At higher complexity are highly-tuned bass resonators. Aside from daunting math, they leave a large part of the musical spectrum which some other driver must cover.[/QUOTE]
I know a 4" sub isn't much but it's alot better than most portable speakers have. When I say the bassier the better I mean the more I can make a small speaker seem like a bigger system the better.
A horn is that simple? I guess that isn't practical for something portable but that is much less complicated sounding then what I was reading. Where'd you get the number 2500 from? What would be better to do then? I was thinking of making a box about 2'x1'x1'
Really? That's not what I expected. The small speaker I'd like to be about 1'x.5'x.5' and be somewhat louder than a phone speaker do that I can hear it over the commercial dough mixer I work with. I was actually thinking of just using one speaker in that one to keep it simple. The other could be at max a 2' cube and I want it loud enough to be able to hear it through earplugs.
Right now the design I have uses a 2" 40W full range speaker and the enclosure is just a tube with the sealed box volume listed with the product info. I'd like a better design though
Bass is BIG. Big is expensive. Complexity is low until you get to Very-Big.
Pencil a box with each side 1.1X to 2.0X the speaker diameter, that will work. And anybody can make a 5"-8" cube. (Once you figure the cube, make one way a bit longer and another way a bit shy so it isn't the same all three dimensions.)
Heavy bass even in a room as small as a car usually means a much bigger air-smacker than a Four.
Complexity: a horn can do VERY much better than a box but only if it meets a minimum dimension, which for bass is BIG. As a quick-ref, try 2500"/F. Suppose you want bass to 50Hz. 2500/50Hz is 50 inches, 4 feet, a long Meter. The mouth of the horn should be this big, diameter or square-side. From there the horn area may be tapered to half-area every 0.3*F; for 50Hz, 15 inches. So 50"x50" mouth, 2500 square inches. 15" back, 1250sqin. 30" back, 625sqin.... it is a loooong way to 7sqin (the area of a 4" cone). Horn is about 128 inches or 10-1/2 feet long. Whatever it is made of it will break a $50 budget.
At higher complexity are highly-tuned bass resonators. Aside from daunting math, they leave a large part of the musical spectrum which some other driver must cover.[/QUOTE]
I know a 4" sub isn't much but it's alot better than most portable speakers have. When I say the bassier the better I mean the more I can make a small speaker seem like a bigger system the better.
A horn is that simple? I guess that isn't practical for something portable but that is much less complicated sounding then what I was reading. Where'd you get the number 2500 from? What would be better to do then? I was thinking of making a box about 2'x1'x1'
Really? That's not what I expected. The small speaker I'd like to be about 1'x.5'x.5' and be somewhat louder than a phone speaker do that I can hear it over the commercial dough mixer I work with. I was actually thinking of just using one speaker in that one to keep it simple. The other could be at max a 2' cube and I want it loud enough to be able to hear it through earplugs.
I too am interested
Right now the design I have uses a 2" 40W full range speaker and the enclosure is just a tube with the sealed box volume listed with the product info. I'd like a better design though
> the more I can make a small speaker seem like a bigger system the better.
This has been the goal of nearly ALL speaker designers since before there were speakers. (The patent literature runs well back into the 1800s.)
> a box about 2'x1'x1'
That is comparable to many Stage Monitors. You can make a LOT of sound in this size. Either the deep bass slumps, or everything is low-efficiency to match the bass, but it is certainly a practical size.
You won't bare-paper invent anything better than what is on the market. Look through speaker stores/sites and copy something. If you are not a hi-fi guy, guitar speakers get the most per amplifier Watt and speaker dollar. Add a piezo tweeter for zing.
This has been the goal of nearly ALL speaker designers since before there were speakers. (The patent literature runs well back into the 1800s.)
> a box about 2'x1'x1'
That is comparable to many Stage Monitors. You can make a LOT of sound in this size. Either the deep bass slumps, or everything is low-efficiency to match the bass, but it is certainly a practical size.
You won't bare-paper invent anything better than what is on the market. Look through speaker stores/sites and copy something. If you are not a hi-fi guy, guitar speakers get the most per amplifier Watt and speaker dollar. Add a piezo tweeter for zing.
a 2 foot cube can definitely make a lot of noise. Something that big I think your idea of a separate sub is a good one. I'm a noob at this too so take anything I say with a grain of salt. I'd get two small full ranges that are 4 ohm and dual voice coil sub that's 4+4 ohm. Wire a full range in series with one voice coil so you have an 8 ohm load to each side of the amp. You'd have to figure out crossovers too and that's something I've never done but seems simple enough. First order seems pretty easy, lots of online calculators. I've used the Dayton audio amp board with built in Bluetooth and think it works well. Dayton Audio KAB-250 2x50W Class D Audio Amplifier Board with Bluetooth 4.0
I went the full range driver route and really like it. By the time you buy woofers and tweeters and crossovers you've spent as much as a really nice pair of full ranges. Full range makes for a simple build.
For your small one tang band makes some neat self enclosed tiny speakers with passive radiators. Pretty impressive low end for the size.
Tang Band T1-2121SD Speaker Module 5-7/16" x 2-3/16"
I went the full range driver route and really like it. By the time you buy woofers and tweeters and crossovers you've spent as much as a really nice pair of full ranges. Full range makes for a simple build.
For your small one tang band makes some neat self enclosed tiny speakers with passive radiators. Pretty impressive low end for the size.
Tang Band T1-2121SD Speaker Module 5-7/16" x 2-3/16"
Being portable and small, stereo isn't an important factor but fidelity is. Mono can be considered to save enclosure area.
I've built several systems using a variety of different single point stereo drivers. Most are 6.5" but if you dig, 8" units are out there. Simplifies the use of a stereo amp and can be used as a mono driver. (Combined like a DVC Sub)
Food for thought..
Dayton Audio ME652C 6-1/2" Micro-Edge Dual Channel Ceiling Speaker Each
Stellar Labs 6 1/2" Single Point Stereo Ceiling Speaker - 50W RMS | 50-16035 (5016035) | Stellar Labs
MCM Custom Audio 6 1/2'' Single Point Stereo Ceiling Speaker - 50W RMS | 50-14020 (5014020) | MCM Custom Audio
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