enclosure design

[tenderland]

I would like to design my own cabinets for some full range drivers.
Can someone offer some easy software application or a periodical for reference. Any advice would be helpfull.




Thanks

J

[tenderland]

Well I found this site which is very good.


http://www.quarter-wave.com/

[loninappleton]

On the newsstand esp. at Barnes and Noble they have the magazine called audioXpress. It's kinda thin for what it costs and the speakerbuilding articles are few (fewer than they used to have.)

For an introduction look for the book Speakerbuilding 201 by Alden.

I own this book and it has good explanation of driver parameters and shows many interesting designs.

The members of the forum here and also at Full Range Driver Forum
hosted by James Melhuish are helpful with any and every question.

For the fist time builder, the site with the BIB info shows elements of the design and includes a calculator for which ever speaker you select.


http://www.zillaspeak.com/bib-howtobuild.asp


As mentioned above, quarterwave by Martin King is at the front edge of this building style as far as calculating tools go.

[Scottmoose]

You're not giving us much information to go on.

-What kind of drivers?

-What kind of cabinets?

-What kind of system? (i.e. amp, room, size requirements)

-What sort of music to be listened to?

-What do you value most in sonic terms?

This is what we'd need before recommending any software. ROT, Martin's MathCAD worksheets are probably the most flexible software out there for the DIYer as most of the popular cabinet types can be run through them. However, they won't design something for you. They only model what you put into them, so you have to design the cabinet yourself, plus know what the software does and does not show.

[tenderland]

My intention was to use A Fostex fe83e. I wanted to build the absolute smallest Full range cabinet (less then 12 " tall)and still have a decent amount of Bass. From what I have been finding this is no easy task, If practical at all. The amp will be Transistor class A. The music will be classical Jazz and Folk- suitable for full range.

After building A OEM horn cabinet for the Fostex 166E (and enjoying that speaker)I was just trying to incorporate some of the strengths of the full range driver in a "Micro" package.



Thanks
J

[loninappleton]

I had that goal originally. but the wisdom of the group members siad emphatically that you can't change the laws of physics.

Since wavelengths are finite you have to propagate sound based on the quarter wave as in Martin's worksheets or take some compromises.

The compromises involved in most instances Bose style labyrinths
like are in their radios.

For this kind of thing, see a small build called The Brick.

For use of the small drivers, there is another Terry Cain design
which incorporates features of a floor standers for the desktop--
not 12 " though. As a matter of fact one design which I built for the
Tangband 3 in. 871 is 16 inches high just to get the driver up to ear height from the desktop.

Ok, back to the Terry Cain. It's called the Noogi:


http://www.cain-cain.com/noogi/index.html

[GM]

Originally posted by tenderland
My intention was to use A Fostex fe83e. I wanted to build the absolute smallest Full range cabinet (less then 12 " tall)and still have a decent amount of Bass.

No, not an easy task since the laws of physics prevail: http://www.trueaudio.com/st_trade.htm

Anyway, you don't define 'decent amount', so I recommend you find some scrap 3/4" thick wood and build a 10.5" H x 8.625" W x 7.5" D cab (all dims i.d.) and port it with a 1-3/8" diameter hole and get back to use and tell us if it's either a 'decent amount' or how bad it sucks so we can all be on the same reference 'page'.

GM

[Nanook]

and get some CSS FR125SR or Fostex FE127's

even non-modified in the planet10 "miniOnken" or "Fonken" enclosure (depending on driver), I doubt they will fail to impress. I lived with the "Fonkens" prior to planet10 offering EnABLed drivers and absolutely loved em.

The choice will depend on your amplifier. Highly dampened SS amps= CSS, low dampened amps (tubes T-amps, etc)= Fostex

enclosure is 14" H X 8 5/8"W X 12" D

[Bluto]

FWIW - I keep coming back to the Fonken because I own CSS FR125's but have limited space so I made up an OSB bookshelf box only 18 x 8 x 8 with 2 - 1" ports as an experiment and it sounds amazingly good. Much better bass than my 4" TB's, highs not irritatingly bright which I find TB's to be. Check out Vikash's site, he's made them even smaller. Nice little driver.

Bluto

[Nanook]

they're only 14" H, 8 5/8" W and 12" D. I believe this enclosure style to be perhaps my favourite. There really is "something about Mary" (Mary being the Fonkens of course--and no, I don't name stereo equipment after women, I save that for my cars.... ).

I can say though that the closeout Vifa coaxials at Apex Jr with a suitable crossover sound pretty nice too. I even like em in the little Teac 2 litre enclosures with stock crossovers from the old Teac reference 100 cd player-receiver that I use on the desktop.

or see Dave's other mini and micro speakers on his site planet10's "meet the Fonkens" .

I know there are others out there...