I'm planning to build a speaker, but I want to build something different - thinking outside the box (pun intended). I'm planning to build it out of either 12mm or 1/2" birch wood plywood. Maybe you guys have better ideas on construction materials. I drew a rough sketch of what I thought might work good (open side-view attached), but I need you professionals to give me the exact dimensions that would work best - or just tell me if the design just plain won't work.
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The major flaw in this design, other than having not specified the crossover frequencies between the speakers... or maybe it's just that! The woofer would be muted in the midrange band as the non-direct radiation but trough a tunnel eliminates them.
Indeed that is sort of a bandpass design. The baffle behind the woofer suggests a TL dimensioning but it's too short: you can eliminate it and make it a chamber-with-a-port. Now I see a little chamber with a huge duct The other chamber/port is in front of the woofer: dimensions of chamber and port would determine the LP behaviour, like the back chamber. I guess you could put the numbers in a CAD program that can handle bandpass configuration.
Indeed that is sort of a bandpass design. The baffle behind the woofer suggests a TL dimensioning but it's too short: you can eliminate it and make it a chamber-with-a-port. Now I see a little chamber with a huge duct The other chamber/port is in front of the woofer: dimensions of chamber and port would determine the LP behaviour, like the back chamber. I guess you could put the numbers in a CAD program that can handle bandpass configuration.
I actually don't have my crossover yet, just my speakers and some wild ideas. 😀 So, from what I'm gathering, something like this might work better (see attached). Again, just a sketch.
I wish I would have a CAD program that could do that, but I don't. My brother uses Solid Edge, but he says it doesn't simulate acoustics. 😢
- Thanks, Justin
I wish I would have a CAD program that could do that, but I don't. My brother uses Solid Edge, but he says it doesn't simulate acoustics. 😢
- Thanks, Justin
Paul Carmody's Sunflower:
https://sites.google.com/site/undefinition/dipole-and-open-baffle/diy-sunflowers?authuser=0
https://sites.google.com/site/undefinition/dipole-and-open-baffle/diy-sunflowers?authuser=0
Well hey, I don't have the CAD, or the experience, or the smarts, so just tell me what you think would make an amazing speaker. Then I'll build it. (And maybe you can buy it. 😆 )
There are a mountain of designs, so the first thing that you want to weed them out by is what you want from the end result. Some people like bass more than others. Then there are those that scream about accuracy or efficiency or something else. You are the end user and so that counts for most of what you decide. It might not turn out exactly the way that you intended so you can try the next design or attempt to improve what you have, either by crossover design or maybe drivers. And on it goes.
I'm really looking for better tweeters and midrangers, since I don't play rock or stuff with a lot of bass. but since i'm planning on selling these, I want good deep bass.
Andersonix, those Alons are a beauty! Did you come up with the design?
On the bass, my friend has a pair of Klipsch La Scala's in his garage and I got a chance to listen to those, so I wanted to get the sound as good as that, if possible. I though maybe the baffle design would create a good reverb type of bass, but thinking of it , i think it might actually give it a hollow echo, so the second sketch would probably sound better.
On price - $1k - $2K hopefully? might be a bit outrageous
On the bass, my friend has a pair of Klipsch La Scala's in his garage and I got a chance to listen to those, so I wanted to get the sound as good as that, if possible. I though maybe the baffle design would create a good reverb type of bass, but thinking of it , i think it might actually give it a hollow echo, so the second sketch would probably sound better.
On price - $1k - $2K hopefully? might be a bit outrageous
Websites such as MadiSound and Parts Express will give you an idea of cost for kits in various configurations. Maybe you have the ability cut your own cabinets, which it sounds like you do, that will save on the cost of a knock down kit. Drivers and associated crossover parts/kits will give you an idea of what can be done at the $1k level for example.
Then there is cabinet size. Do you really want to try and safely ship a large speaker, or even deliver it yourself? My first kit in high school was 3/4 of the size of a refrigerator and weighed 180 each. Bad idea for moving, but yah you couldn't beat the bass horn for a teenager. Most every other speaker that I have made since then weighs in at least 50 lbs. But if you are selling locally, it will be less of an issue.
Better midranges and tweeters meaning what? I have to ask because in order to advise you, we will have to know what you are imagining as 'best'. Some would say power handling. Others would disagree and want accuracy. Then there are the types of drivers and I won't even start that conversation because this thread will spiral into space. Hell there is one guy who successfully made his own electrostatics! Beautiful work if you want the equivalent of making a piano.
If you will determine your budget, type and size of cabinet, and express what you are wanting for bass as well as midrange and tweeter (saying "I just want the best" or using the word 'good' will do nothing for us in helping you). There is a very good chance here of getting an outcome that you are proud of.
Then there is cabinet size. Do you really want to try and safely ship a large speaker, or even deliver it yourself? My first kit in high school was 3/4 of the size of a refrigerator and weighed 180 each. Bad idea for moving, but yah you couldn't beat the bass horn for a teenager. Most every other speaker that I have made since then weighs in at least 50 lbs. But if you are selling locally, it will be less of an issue.
Better midranges and tweeters meaning what? I have to ask because in order to advise you, we will have to know what you are imagining as 'best'. Some would say power handling. Others would disagree and want accuracy. Then there are the types of drivers and I won't even start that conversation because this thread will spiral into space. Hell there is one guy who successfully made his own electrostatics! Beautiful work if you want the equivalent of making a piano.
If you will determine your budget, type and size of cabinet, and express what you are wanting for bass as well as midrange and tweeter (saying "I just want the best" or using the word 'good' will do nothing for us in helping you). There is a very good chance here of getting an outcome that you are proud of.
ok so I had another brainstorm this afternoon, and here's what I'm thinking. At the company I work for, we often ship a box that's 14" x 13" x 67". It can be shipped about the country by UPS for around $125, which is quite reasonable. So if I made each speaker with a 12"x 12" x 25" woofer box and an additional 12" x 12" tweeter mount, the box would easily fit both speakers plus packing material.
As for components, my audiophile friend supplied me with speakers and told me I can pick a crossover from his selection. Basically, me expenses are the wood it takes to build it, and yes I have the capabilities and plans to build it myself.
I think I'm more for accuracy than power, I like a crisp sound out of my speakers.
Let me know if you need any more details.
-Thanks, Justin
As for components, my audiophile friend supplied me with speakers and told me I can pick a crossover from his selection. Basically, me expenses are the wood it takes to build it, and yes I have the capabilities and plans to build it myself.
I think I'm more for accuracy than power, I like a crisp sound out of my speakers.
Let me know if you need any more details.
-Thanks, Justin
Since you have drivers for the cabinets, let's start with make and model of each driver. After that, we might be able to select a proper crossover for what drivers you are using. And of course depending on the drivers, the cabinet dimensions can better be determined.
FWIW, picking out the shipping box first is a backwards way of designing/building a speaker.
FWIW, picking out the shipping box first is a backwards way of designing/building a speaker.
Robbii Wessen designed the early Alons.
Attachments
The woofers are 10", mids are 4", the tweeters are 3". Photos attached of each speaker, I guess giving the make and model on the back of the woofer and midrange, but the tweeter just had a bunch of numbers and I couldn't get a good photo of the back of that one. Can we move forward designing a good speaker?
Sorry for being a bit backwards and unspecific at times. Thanks for all you've helped with so far! -Justin
Sorry for being a bit backwards and unspecific at times. Thanks for all you've helped with so far! -Justin
Attachments
The reason that I am asking for make and model is that speaker drivers vary widely in specs and so it is important to know exactly what make and model they are in order to ascertain the idea of what enclosure or crossover is needed. So until we have an idea of the parameters of these drivers especially the woofer, moving forward is a moot point. Yes, they may look to be pretty much the same (round, with a magnet on the back and a metal frame/basket) that just isn't the case.
I googled the Sonic 11073 8ohm driver, but didn't get much. It's old and was used in an Audio Linear cabinet back in 2013, which is a 4 way speaker. The Technics driver? Well I wasn't so lucky. instead of a 10PM 225, the closest that I came upon was a midrange 10PM 302. Probably not even in the same ballpark. I still think that your best is to buy new drivers that have all the specs that you will need to develop a cabinet, crossover, and a suggested enclosure to at least start from. Sounds like you could really benefit from a speaker builders cookbook as well.
I googled the Sonic 11073 8ohm driver, but didn't get much. It's old and was used in an Audio Linear cabinet back in 2013, which is a 4 way speaker. The Technics driver? Well I wasn't so lucky. instead of a 10PM 225, the closest that I came upon was a midrange 10PM 302. Probably not even in the same ballpark. I still think that your best is to buy new drivers that have all the specs that you will need to develop a cabinet, crossover, and a suggested enclosure to at least start from. Sounds like you could really benefit from a speaker builders cookbook as well.
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