Designing a box

[dan50]

Stupid question time -

If you have the Thiele Small parameters, how exactly do you go about designing a box that sounds good? What drives the type (sealed, ported, etc), the dimensions, the size?

Is there a software program that helps with this?

Been reading a lot in the forums but either I'm missing it because I'm clueless or you all are skipping the really basic issues and are operating at a higher level than me.

Thanks
Dan

[Moondog55]

Greetings Dan, beleive me there are no stupid questions, thats how I learnt the little I know.
I am not expert enough to give you the full details, but for me I first look at Qts and as I favour sealed boxes ( because they are easy ) I go for drivers with a relatively high Qts of .35 or higher.
pick the correct volume for the driver thru calculations or programs, make the box deeper than wider to reduce internal reflections also fibre damping material for the same reasons.
Then just built it, if it doesn't sound good; do it again ( and if like me, again and again!! )
Lots of programs available, some free and downloadable, but a book like Vance Dickason's. "Loud speaker Recipes " helped me to get started
It is easy to build a box that sounds OK, it is harder to build a box that sounds really good!! and building something that is superb is rocket science at its best.
Personally i beleive that bigger is better and I prefer three way speakers and 12inch bass but I'm stuck in the late 60's and 70's
Where do you want to end up?? and how much experimenting do you want to do??
regards Ted

[planet10]

Building a reasonable subwoofer from scratch is probably the easiest speaker diy you can do.

There is software (quite a variety) that will take the T/S, the box size/shape, and then generate a simulated rersponse.

Required compromise plays a big role in the final product and experience really helps to get it right. Lots of experience on the forum you can lean on to help your 1st work out.

dave