Possible source for cheap loudspeaker cabinets?

[Matt MacBeth]

I came across a place called Dalbani (www.dalbani.com). They're in Miami. They have all sorts of inexpensive stuff. The part that caught my eye was their loudspeaker section. They have 'tower' speakers (mostly TMM configuration with 6.5" mid-woofs) that are 'veneered' with grill covers for around $45 including drivers.

I was thinking about buying a set of these, ripping the drivers out and replacing them with better drivers. This would give a decent looking finished unit for not much money. They will probably need 'beefed-up' with some additional bracing.

Has anyone heard of these guys, or tried something similar?

Thanks!
Matt

[WolfmanX]

This somehow seems suspect.

$45 for a full fledged speaker with drivers?

I would want to see one of these upclose before investing any money.

[Matt MacBeth]

I think I would use "full-fledged" loosely in this case. I'm thinking more along the lines of a cheap, but decent looking enclosure to re-inforce and use to make a DIY speaker system.

The main reason is that I don't have the talent or access to the proper tools to make good looking enclosures, but I can do the electronics part.

Thanks,
Matt

[WolfmanX]

I definitely understand you situation.

But $45 dollars.

I mean a decent enclosure made of MDF with not veneer or laminate is nearly that much if you build it yourself.

I am just very leary of a seemingly "too good to be true" situation.

caveat emptor

[pinkmouse]

Maybe they were inported from a South American country stuffed with a very special "accoustic wadding" which was then removed and the speakers sold as an extra income

Seriously, you can't just fit any driver into an existing box, it has to be optimised to sound any good at all, so unless you can measure the volume exactly, then make the required compensations, (only to make the volume less by adding bricks or similar), I think you are on to a dead end here.

Most timber merchants will cut wood to size, if you work out a cutting list, so all you really need toolwise to build your own box would be glue, clamps, or a battery screwdriver, a jigsaw to cut driver holes, and a domestic iron to apply the veneer.

[roddyama]

Matt,

At 38lbs each, I would bet they have wood grain vinyl over 1/2" particle board construction. This is not a ripoff at $45, but I certianly wouldn't expect much when I opened the shipping boxes.

If you want something to use for some real listening and don't want to waste your time, I'd pass on these and follow Pinkmouse's lead. If you have $45 to waste, what the heck, go for it.



Rodd Yamashita

[Westrock2000]

While were on the subject...Other than PartsExpress, is there anywhere else online that sells wood grain vinyl? Also for real veneering, how much do you guys pay? I found one place online that sells real thin wood veneers in almost any species you can imagine but it was like 3.99 / sq ft, a 5x10 sheet ends up being way to expensive for a budget diy project!

Loews sells real wood veneering that comes in rolls, but there only like 12" wide and maybe 4" long, I would like more like 3 or 4 feet wide so I can finish some sonotube type stuff

[kelticwizard]

Matt:

Like Roddy, I calculated the size and thickness of the cabinet pieces. All the cabinet pieces would wiegh 30 lbs if they were 5/8" thick. One 6 1/2" driver can be as light as 2 pounds. A tweeter is about a pound. So 5/8" thick cabinet and drivers can weigh as little as 35 lbs before the wieght of the packing is added, which should not be much. The weight of each speaker is listed as 38 lbs.

If the box is built of 5/8" thick material, then a good brace halfway up the length should give you a reasonably stiff box. Small boxes are often built of 5/8" particle board. However, I do not believe that I have ever seen a true hi-fi speaker made of 1/2" material. So the difference between 5/8" and 1/2" is important.

Again, I am not certain that the material is 5/8" thick. I am just saying it might be. If it was built of 1/2" thick material, the boards would weigh 24 lbs. I don't think the drivers and packing material are likely to weigh 14 lbs., though they might.

So sending away for the boxes is an option.

I do believe that you can do better if you get a lumber yard to cut 3/4" particle board, (or MDF) for you. In addition to being to being stiffer and denser-both great things-you can design whatever box you want without being constrained by the manufacturer's cutouts.

A friend had a lumber yard do some cutting for him and he was well satisfied with the price.

At any rate, I would not discount the speakers as an option. Building yourself or having a lumber yard cut for you is preferable, but if you don't want to get involved with constructing a speaker, these cabinets with extra bracing, probably will do okay.