My first DIY speaker - need help

[bobfig]

hi all im new as you can see and i want to build a pair of some bookshelf speakers. i don't want them too large or expensive. i have build some sub boxes and they turned out "ok", but i want to step up my game a little.

this is what i have so fare

Drivers i am planing on using:
Peerless 830656 5.25" Woofer - PDF - http://www.madisound.com/catalog/PDF/830656.pdf


and

Dayton DC28FS-8 1-1/8" Shielded Silk Dome Tweeter - PDF - http://www.parts-express.com/pdf/275-075s.pdf


that's about the max i will spend for drivers. it will be driven by my Pioneer stereo that puts out ~100watts. i was told that having the magnets of the drivers to be inline with each other would help make it sound better?!?! is there truth to that?

i attached a pic of the box design i'd like to make. its the bottom design not the top. i used Bassbox6 Pro to design the box around the woofer's perimeters and came up with a F3 of 60Hz.

i been thinking of crossing them over at around 2400-2800Hz with a second order Linkwits-Riley. definitely need a lot more help here.

[Inductor]

Hi bobfig,
Why don't you ask the guys for a better tweeter. Look at the top frequencies, response looks so bad to over 20K. You can go on and choose a 1.order xover with a good tweeter (response<3KHz) and save in xover parts, did you think about that.

[chris661]

Welcome to the forums!

The design seems fair enough (nice to see speakers which are symmetrical when next to each other).

Some advice - save around a litre or two for bracing the speaker (using wood inside to connect the panels of the cabinet, to reduce vibrations and colouration), as bracing will improve the sound dramatically.

The tweeter - response looks ok to me - the only really messy bit is above 15Khz, and most people have low sensitivity to those frequencies anyway.

You could bring the crossover up to 3Khz (when listening off-axis), as the response of the woofer is fine to that point, and it's a commonly used frequency for crossing over, so there has to be some merit there.

Good luck

Chris

[bobfig]

Thanks guys.

Originally Posted by Inductor

Hi bobfig,
Why don't you ask the guys for a better tweeter. Look at the top frequencies, response looks so bad to over 20K. You can go on and choose a 1.order xover with a good tweeter (response<3KHz) and save in xover parts, did you think about that.

if you can find a new tweeter that is under $20 a piece ill consider it. and im ok on using a 2 way but nothing much higher then that. if a 1 way is better for my application i wouldn't mind that ether.

Originally Posted by chris661

Welcome to the forums!

The design seems fair enough (nice to see speakers which are symmetrical when next to each other).

Some advice - save around a litre or two for bracing the speaker (using wood inside to connect the panels of the cabinet, to reduce vibrations and colouration), as bracing will improve the sound dramatically.

The tweeter - response looks ok to me - the only really messy bit is above 15Khz, and most people have low sensitivity to those frequencies anyway.

You could bring the crossover up to 3Khz (when listening off-axis), as the response of the woofer is fine to that point, and it's a commonly used frequency for crossing over, so there has to be some merit there.

Good luck

Chris

ya i was considering on bracing the inside a little. maybe add a horizontal piece between the tweeter and the woofer. all of this will be constructed with 3/4" MDF.

i guess ill aim for a 3k crossover then. would it be better with a "Buttersworth or a Linkwits-Riley 2nd order?

what should i aim to tune the box to?

[Inductor]

Originally Posted by bobfig

if a 1 way is better for my application i wouldn't mind that ether.

What is that?!

[Glowbug]

1 way = full range?

[bobfig]

i meant a 1st order crossover

[bobfig]

so no one knows what i should tune my box to???

[PeteMcK]

Download Winisd (free), plug in the parameters, and figure out for yourself the box tuning - it's easy.
Xover - LR 2nd order is usually a good choice.
Alternative tweeters - the HiVi K1 has a good rep
Aligning magnets - I think this is a reference to 'Time Alignment' - actually what needs to be aligned are the voice coils. Have a read: http://sound.westhost.com/ptd.htm

[bobfig]

Originally Posted by PeteMcK

Download Winisd (free), plug in the parameters, and figure out for yourself the box tuning - it's easy.
Xover - LR 2nd order is usually a good choice.
Alternative tweeters - the HiVi K1 has a good rep
Aligning magnets - I think this is a reference to 'Time Alignment' - actually what needs to be aligned are the voice coils. Have a read: http://sound.westhost.com/ptd.htm

thanks
1) i have used Winisd but i am on vista and it messes up. i use bassbox6 pro which i think is a little better. i was meaning more along the lines on for the woofer being in a box that is 70Hz would be better then one in a 55Hz tuned one. maybe tune it to the woofer's Fs of 62.4Hz. i just didn't want to go to low. at the moment it's at 61Hz in the attached image on the original post

2) for the Xover thanks for the back up

3) i did see that tweeter but i couldn't find the power handling. i don't want to burn it out.

4) ill have to look into that