Building a pair of sonotube subs on the cheap (n00b) have questions

[revboden]

Originally Posted by SpyStyle

OK, I did more work in the "sonotube subwoofers"
Now I wonder - how do you guys test your speakers ? I wonder how crappy these are in technical terms LOL

I'd also like to know about cheap crossovers. Can't I just add a capacitor in line or something like that ? Or should I spend $20 on a passive crossover from eBay ?

Cheers,
Craig

In technical terms, you did almost everything wrong, so... it'll probably work out fine

All you need is a coil to lowpass those, I'd go old-school and make one. Or just hook them to a full range output on your shop radio and see what happens.

BTW, those are woofers not subwoofers.

[SpyStyle]

Originally Posted by revboden

In technical terms, you did almost everything wrong, so... it'll probably work out fine

All you need is a coil to lowpass those, I'd go old-school and make one. Or just hook them to a full range output on your shop radio and see what happens.

BTW, those are woofers not subwoofers.

Oh yeah, a coil for the woofer and a capacitor for the tweeter! I remember now

Thanks for chiming in, and you say I did everything wrong ? Could you explain how I could do everything right - so my next one will be better ?

I'll make a 3rd one LOL

Cheers!
Craig

Originally Posted by sreten

Hi,

I remember them but not what they were for, bass and treble reinforcement
in a car or full range I can't remember. In the most basic form the piezo
tweeters don't need a crossover, and normal crossovers don't work well.
See the wiki here for piezo tweeters.

If the original worked well with those vents then it now won't, but if the
original was a serious boom box it may now work well, not sure for what
though.

Stood vertically you'll never get them to work with the tweeter full range.

What is the intended application ?

edit : inside arcade machines ? how ? driven with what ?

rgds, sreten.

Howdy

These used to be a 2-way ported speaker, see the specs here :

http://support.radioshack.com/suppor...oc19/19364.htm

Now I have removed the tweeters and tried to make them into a "sontube woofer"

The application - it will be horizontally placed in the bottom of an arcade machine, firing towards the front. Then there will be mid range speakers in the middle, and I will put the tweeters in the top. Each will have a volume control so I can balance them out, then there will be a master volume control. For volume controls I will be using those $12 amps from eBay. To drive the woofer I'll use an old car amp (called PYRAMID PB-101). I guess I should get a 3 way passive crossover from eBay so the highs, mids, and lows, don't get mixed up ?

This is my plan, I have only build two woofers and ordered 1 car amp. So I can change the plan.

That is my plan for 1 of the woofers. The other woofer is a spare but I have an extra peizo electric tweeter in a small plastic horn I can pair it up with. Maybe I could add am amp and crossovers and put the completed speaker in the backseat of my car ?

A woofer in an arcade machine is more for explosion sounds than it is for music

Also, the passive crossover from eBay I was looking at is called "AUDIOPIPE CRX-303"

Have fun!
Craig

[revboden]

What is the Vb of those enclosures? I'll model them for you.

edit: I was kidding about "everything wrong" although I would let that adhesive cure fully before putting the drivers in the boxes so the VOC that off-gasses dosen't corrode the VC's and melt the glue on the spiders.

[sreten]

Hi,

According to the specs you posted going sealed is the best option.

What you want IMO is a 4 channel car amplifier with built in active c/o's.
You want two channels bridgeable for the bass, use the other two for
mid and treble. They do exist with sensible active c/o points, search.

rgds, sreten.

[revboden]

found this: http://www.pyramidcaraudio.com/manua...51-301-601.pdf

[SpyStyle]

Thanks fellas

As for "Vb of the enclosures", I don't know what that means. But if you are looking for the volume here are the tubes' dimensions :

12" circle X 23" tall
12" circle X 24" tall

There are two woofer choices for your modeling. I forgot I have an extra pair I bought a while ago called "Advent AM-10". And as you know I currently have the Radio Shack woofers installed.

I didn't install any tweeters.

I am still learning all this audio stuff LOL, thanks for all the tips!

Cheers,
Craig

[revboden]

Ok, how do i put this... those drivers are

I'd use those advents.

BTW, the Vb is 1.57ft^3

if you're just learning get WinISD Pro and read the help files. You'll learn a lot.

http://www.linearteam.dk/default.aspx?pageid=winisdpro

[Spuddy]

I can't really say much on the technical side of things, but I have to chime in and say I love what you're doing with this build! So shamelessly jumping right in, screw it if things don't work- You're a man after my own heart (maybe its a New England thing??)

Anyways, rock on broseph, I hope this works well for you!

[SpyStyle]

Revboden - LOL, I don't understand the specs. Thanks for the info.

Spuddy - Hello from nearby Maine ! Thanks for the compliment, I thought it was a fun design too.

We'll see what they come up with for my 3rd build. I'll learn this "speaker building" stuff

Cheers!
Craig

[tb46]

Hi SpyStyle,

From your pictures it looks like the tweeter in the old boxes is a piezo tweeter, and a lot of people use these without a crossover. An standard crossover will not be designed for the very high impedance of the tweeter, one solution is to parallel the tweeter with the nominal resistance for which the crossover is designed (at least a 10 W).

Regards,