Hi there... I'm totally new to DIY, but I have a subwoofer I got for free at Radio Shack because it was a damaged display model... it seems to be fine, I replaced the crappy feet with spikes, and i need to replace the woofer as there is a scuff mark on it.
The sub is a powered 8" downward firing Merak, which is made by Axiom. I just wanted some advice on an inexpensive driver to replace the existing one with. Links to places I can buy them online would be helpfull.
Keep in mind the whole sub was worth $120 brand new so no sense in putting anything expensive in it at all.
The sub will be mainly used for music but some HT work as well. I'm using PSB Image 2B mains.
Thanks
The sub is a powered 8" downward firing Merak, which is made by Axiom. I just wanted some advice on an inexpensive driver to replace the existing one with. Links to places I can buy them online would be helpfull.
Keep in mind the whole sub was worth $120 brand new so no sense in putting anything expensive in it at all.
The sub will be mainly used for music but some HT work as well. I'm using PSB Image 2B mains.
Thanks
hmmz...
what to say.
i advise you to either repair the driver, or, if that is no possible,get rid of the sub and try something new. Finding a driver that would suit to the box can be very hard. unless ofcourse the original driver is still available and you are willing to pay its price (replacement units are usually more expensive than they have to be).
for about $250 you can make yourself a pretty good sub!
for example: you should be able to buy an Adire Shiva at a little over $100. The shiva doesn't need a big amp persé. Some small submodule for about $100, and then just add the wood and glue!
Sealed would be good, and easiest to build...
what to say.
i advise you to either repair the driver, or, if that is no possible,get rid of the sub and try something new. Finding a driver that would suit to the box can be very hard. unless ofcourse the original driver is still available and you are willing to pay its price (replacement units are usually more expensive than they have to be).
for about $250 you can make yourself a pretty good sub!
for example: you should be able to buy an Adire Shiva at a little over $100. The shiva doesn't need a big amp persé. Some small submodule for about $100, and then just add the wood and glue!
Sealed would be good, and easiest to build...
you're right ofcourse richie.
however, i do think The Guardian should think hard if he really wants to do it. What is he expecting the sound would become like? What is he willing to spend for something that will definitely not be musical-sounding bass. And as he sais music is the main purpose of the sub, i suggest he builds something else.
the chance is very small that the sub would improve the musicality of the system.
For movies i think its a different story. bass quality is a bit less important here. Even a small mis-aligned sub can pump some one-note bass into your room, and make explotions more credible...
however, i do think The Guardian should think hard if he really wants to do it. What is he expecting the sound would become like? What is he willing to spend for something that will definitely not be musical-sounding bass. And as he sais music is the main purpose of the sub, i suggest he builds something else.
the chance is very small that the sub would improve the musicality of the system.
For movies i think its a different story. bass quality is a bit less important here. Even a small mis-aligned sub can pump some one-note bass into your room, and make explotions more credible...
eventually I might build a better box for it and stuff, at this point money is a little limited...
Only a scuff mark is showing however the sub was demonstrated WITHOUT the feet on meaning it was sitting right on the surround which can't have been good for the driver at all?
Perhaps a driver that would improve the sound a little bit at this point but that would be good to build a better sub around in the future?
Thanks.
Only a scuff mark is showing however the sub was demonstrated WITHOUT the feet on meaning it was sitting right on the surround which can't have been good for the driver at all?
Perhaps a driver that would improve the sound a little bit at this point but that would be good to build a better sub around in the future?
Thanks.
You could throw in a decent driver as this is probably the main weakness of the sub. Apex have a cheap 8" that I've heard good things about:
Apex Jr sub
But don't spend too much on this thing, not worth it. If it's a sealed box, fine, if it's vented then it's more trouble than its worth. In a cheap sub they probably have some ugly boost built in which could mess things up. The next step up would be to get a decent amp and design a new bass reflex sub with that driver.
But don't put too much time and money finishing a cheap sub. Often you are better as the others have said, to save for something decent. It doesn't cost that much to make a great sub.
Apex Jr sub
But don't spend too much on this thing, not worth it. If it's a sealed box, fine, if it's vented then it's more trouble than its worth. In a cheap sub they probably have some ugly boost built in which could mess things up. The next step up would be to get a decent amp and design a new bass reflex sub with that driver.
But don't put too much time and money finishing a cheap sub. Often you are better as the others have said, to save for something decent. It doesn't cost that much to make a great sub.
Thanks that would be great.
The box is a perfect cube of 11.75" and it sits about 1 3/8" off the ground on spikes. The "ground" in this case is industrial type carpeting so the spikes don't sink into it very much.
The amp.. 70 watts, with phase shift, pre in/out, volume and crossover controls. It also has line level input/outputs.
http://www.merak.ca/subs.html my sub is the MS8 at the top.
The sub is working however I would like to have a better sub and I can't afford to do it all at once. If there's a driver that would work in this one it'd be better than the one in there which probably cost them $10 in the first place...
I'm quite aware it will never be an incredible sub but at this point it's the worst part of my system and I can't afford to replace it completely...
Plus it has the added bonus that if I happen to screw up on my first DIY project I won't have lost too much...
The box is a perfect cube of 11.75" and it sits about 1 3/8" off the ground on spikes. The "ground" in this case is industrial type carpeting so the spikes don't sink into it very much.
The amp.. 70 watts, with phase shift, pre in/out, volume and crossover controls. It also has line level input/outputs.
http://www.merak.ca/subs.html my sub is the MS8 at the top.
The sub is working however I would like to have a better sub and I can't afford to do it all at once. If there's a driver that would work in this one it'd be better than the one in there which probably cost them $10 in the first place...
I'm quite aware it will never be an incredible sub but at this point it's the worst part of my system and I can't afford to replace it completely...
Plus it has the added bonus that if I happen to screw up on my first DIY project I won't have lost too much...
I think the problem you are going to run into is the tuning frequency of the box, it might be tough to get it much lower than where it is now. What is the diameter and length of the port?
I think an even better option may be to just use the amp from the sub and get an new driver and build a new box. Really won't cost that much more and the results would be much better. The Parts Express 12" Shielded DVC Subwoofer will actually give you some pretty good SPL down to 30Hz in about a 3 cu.ft. box tuned to around 30 Hz.
I think an even better option may be to just use the amp from the sub and get an new driver and build a new box. Really won't cost that much more and the results would be much better. The Parts Express 12" Shielded DVC Subwoofer will actually give you some pretty good SPL down to 30Hz in about a 3 cu.ft. box tuned to around 30 Hz.
the port is roughly 3".. might be slightly more but it's hard to tell since the outside bit is rounded and I'm using a ruler rather than a measuring tape so I can't get it inside.
I'm not sure what you meant exactly by the tuning frequency being a problem... I don't need it to go much lower than it does (I don't expect that much out of a small 8" sub) but I'd like more clarity mostly..
I'm not sure what you meant exactly by the tuning frequency being a problem... I don't need it to go much lower than it does (I don't expect that much out of a small 8" sub) but I'd like more clarity mostly..
keyser is right if you can tolerate the sound for now.
jjdche is also right about the reuse of the amp...here's how I did that with my C-r-A-p-P-y sounding (with 5.25" "sub" ) powered bass unit
My current home subwoofer uses that 80W klipsch amp, a now-discontinued ($50-100, I forget) cheap driver from Partsexpress and a pair of boxes that I got from a shipmate that modelled nicely when turned into one box with a port to ~29Hz.
I modded the power supply in the amp,
made a case for it that eliminated a NASTY 60Hz buzz
it always had (mostly by relocating and reorienting the transformer, but also relocated the driver PCB
Put some real heatsinks on the driver chip
Put a real heatsink on the output devices
Put in a nice wood (
I know) box...now you see an LED on the front, a metal panel with a warning label and a heatsink on top...
BUT the great thing was I studied the amplifier, reverse-engineered it and learned a TON about electronics in the process I don't know how much time or knowledge you have but this was a tremendous learning experience for me as well as loads of fun. Now I have "good enough" bass. If only my wife would pester me for a -real- system!
jjdche is also right about the reuse of the amp...here's how I did that with my C-r-A-p-P-y sounding (with 5.25" "sub" ) powered bass unit
My current home subwoofer uses that 80W klipsch amp, a now-discontinued ($50-100, I forget) cheap driver from Partsexpress and a pair of boxes that I got from a shipmate that modelled nicely when turned into one box with a port to ~29Hz.
I modded the power supply in the amp,
made a case for it that eliminated a NASTY 60Hz buzz
it always had (mostly by relocating and reorienting the transformer, but also relocated the driver PCBPut some real heatsinks on the driver chip
Put a real heatsink on the output devices
Put in a nice wood (
I know) box...now you see an LED on the front, a metal panel with a warning label and a heatsink on top...BUT the great thing was I studied the amplifier, reverse-engineered it and learned a TON about electronics in the process I don't know how much time or knowledge you have but this was a tremendous learning experience for me as well as loads of fun. Now I have "good enough" bass. If only my wife would pester me for a -real- system!
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.