best boom for the buck?

[peace brainerd]

Regarding these two items from MCM...

http://site.mcminone.com/product.asp?catalog_name=MCMProducts&product_id=55-2190
http://site.mcminone.com/product.asp?catalog_name=MCMProducts&product_id=50-6266&info=details

With all the scrap wood I have lying about the workshop
I could build a respectable PAIR of sealed "subs" for just 150
dollars (plus shipping) in parts.



Thanks for any dis/encouragement.

 

[BassAwdyO]

The amp looks like a good deal....

I think I'd go with a different driver however...

Something with more Xmax and perhaps a single 4 ohm coil or dual 8ohm coils

 

[Cal Weldon]

I agree with BassAwdyO

The amp seems like a good deal and the woofer's a little weak. A single voice coil is all you need as the amp will have summed the two channels. A DVC is more oft used for auto applications. Do they have something a little more like a "sub"?

 

[peace brainerd]

The driver does actually have dual 8ohm voice coils.
I'm a fan of aluminum drivers too, but It's the price
that really motivates me. It's not that
I won't spend more - I just wanted in this instance
to see what I could accomplish for so little. Partsexpress
has a 10inch DVC "subwoofer" for approximately the same
price. Are there better drivers out there for about the
same 25 dollars?

 

[BassAwdyO]

I woulda swore it said dual 6 ohm coils

Edit: Re is 6ohm X 2

 

[BassAwdyO]

http://site.mcminone.com/product.asp?catalog_name=MCMProducts&product_id=55-2421

Might also be worth looking at. Less cone area but much greater excursion... Vd will probably be a bit higher.

 

[pjanda1]

I don't believe MCM still has the amp in stock. If they do I'll be ticked, because they were out a few weeks ago when I wanted one. Here is the same thing for a little more $$.

http://cgi.ebay.com/150W-RMS-4ohms-...oryZ3275QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I would strongly recommend using the MCM 55-2421 ($32) in a 1 cu ft vented box tuned to 32hz or so. I just built one for a friend with a passive radiator from Creative Sound Solutions, but a slot port should work just as well. It is only an 8", but with 16mm of X-max it can be pushed pretty hard. The sub sounds great for what it is. It won't win any SPL contests, but I don't think you can beat it for the money. I believe the single 4 ohm coil will make the best use of the amp as well.

Also, the specs MCM lists for the 55-2421 are a bit off. If the same is true of the driver your looking at, you may want to take some measurements of your own to determine the best alignment. If you choose the 55-2421 that job is already done.

good luck,

Paul

 

[peace brainerd]

This would be a music only sub. It would never see anything near max volume. I really wish someone out there had some experience with the mcm ten inch aluminum driver. I like the cone, the size, and the rubber surround. And the price!

 

[pjanda1]

How low do your mains go? It appears the best you could do with the driver you like would be -3db at 50hz. If you would use them with a pair of tiny satellites, those subs could be all you'd want.

Are you tied to the idea of a pair? Why not consider buying only one amp and a better driver?

If you have any interest in the 55-2421, check out www.billfitzmaurice.com. One auto tuba or table tuba should be considerably more than you need, and if you have the wood it would be a very cheap solution. The construction is more ambitious though.

Finally, if the wood is free, you could try out one driver and amp. If it doesn't suit you, you are only out the $25 for the one driver. You may even be able to reuse the box with another driver.

Paul

 

[paulspencer]

bluebeard, I actually think you could get a good result with that combo, but I wouldn't call them subs.

IMO and IME a cheap woofer has a better chance at making accurate bass than a cheap subwoofer.

Use them as active woofers added on to a 2 way speaker. They don't have much excursion but for music only use they should work fine. You could make a vented box with lowish tuning and a rolloff which is a cross between sealed and vented. Or a pair of sealed woofers. I tend to think vented might be a good way to go since they have limited excursion, its like doubling the xmax effectively.

Perhaps a single amp and a pair of those woofers? Or start with a single amp and woofer then consider a second ...

 

[BassAwdyO]

I have one of those woofers and I use it with a little 30watt plate amp as a mini sub for the computer I'd say lower cutoff is about 40hz