Long time lurker, first time asker of guidance
The short:
- I have 4 seven inch woofers from a pair of Polk RTi10 I dismantled.
- I want to design 2 subs to go with my Polk SDA-1C.
- Musicality is more important than overblown thump.
- And I know very little about subwoofer design =(
What I thought I would do as a plan
- Doublecheck the cabinet volume the dual 7s used to occupy in the RTi10.
- Redesign a cabinet that fits those dimensions, moves the PowerPort to the bottom (like the Polk HTS subs), and matches the height of the bass unit on my main speakers (passive radiator). (I still have the PowerPorts and port tubes from the RTi10.)
- Determine an adequate starter plate amp, hopefully no more than $250 a unit, to use in each enclosure. (If this actually works, maybe I'll upgrade the amps later.)
- Build and hope for the best.
But I know I'm a complete n00b at this, so I would GREATLY appreciate any and all help, guidance, insight, and warnings.
And there we have it.
If anyone wants to help me think this through, and offer opinions on the best musical plate amps around $250, I could use the help.
This is definitely a learn-as-I-go potential project. If it's a fool's errand, I'll stop, but I think there's a possibility this route would be better than a $600 sub purchase new.
Thoughts?
The short:
- I have 4 seven inch woofers from a pair of Polk RTi10 I dismantled.
- I want to design 2 subs to go with my Polk SDA-1C.
- Musicality is more important than overblown thump.
- And I know very little about subwoofer design =(
What I thought I would do as a plan
- Doublecheck the cabinet volume the dual 7s used to occupy in the RTi10.
- Redesign a cabinet that fits those dimensions, moves the PowerPort to the bottom (like the Polk HTS subs), and matches the height of the bass unit on my main speakers (passive radiator). (I still have the PowerPorts and port tubes from the RTi10.)
- Determine an adequate starter plate amp, hopefully no more than $250 a unit, to use in each enclosure. (If this actually works, maybe I'll upgrade the amps later.)
- Build and hope for the best.
But I know I'm a complete n00b at this, so I would GREATLY appreciate any and all help, guidance, insight, and warnings.
And there we have it.
If anyone wants to help me think this through, and offer opinions on the best musical plate amps around $250, I could use the help.
This is definitely a learn-as-I-go potential project. If it's a fool's errand, I'll stop, but I think there's a possibility this route would be better than a $600 sub purchase new.
Thoughts?
2 woofers per cabinet, use them push-push to gain gthe (huge) benefits of active reaction forcwe cancelation.
The rest of your plan makes sense. Use quality plywood. For the task 15mm will be adequate.
Given you have 2, an external stereo amplifier might make more sense. And an XO.
dave
The rest of your plan makes sense. Use quality plywood. For the task 15mm will be adequate.
Given you have 2, an external stereo amplifier might make more sense. And an XO.
dave
@planet10
Hold the phone...
- Push-Push, opposed?
- [reading]... Is that arrangement only good for sealed?
- Could I use this (or similar)
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SX95--rolls-sx95-stereo-sub-woofer-crossover-filter
between my pre and the amp driving the sub boxes?
I have an amp that would be a good starter on the shelf...
Biggest concern = musicality. Only 2-channel duties.
Hold the phone...
- Push-Push, opposed?
- [reading]... Is that arrangement only good for sealed?
- Could I use this (or similar)
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SX95--rolls-sx95-stereo-sub-woofer-crossover-filter
between my pre and the amp driving the sub boxes?
I have an amp that would be a good starter on the shelf...
Biggest concern = musicality. Only 2-channel duties.
So, thoughts after doodling:
- I'm guessing a tall, narrow tower, with the speakers opposed at the top, and the port on the bottom, is a good place to start?
Having a sub with speakers pointed at the mains... is that problematic?
- I imagined a musical sub would be pointed at the listening area, but no? These frequencies are a mostly omnidirectional fill, so it doesn't matter?
- I'm o.k. with bizarre designs to fit the need.
The speakers I have (the ones in the picture are pre-mods) are relatively shallow. I considered building something like a riser, or something like a mohawk that sits on top (using that tall narrow design).
Not sure about placement and best design.
Thoughts?
- I'm guessing a tall, narrow tower, with the speakers opposed at the top, and the port on the bottom, is a good place to start?
Having a sub with speakers pointed at the mains... is that problematic?
- I imagined a musical sub would be pointed at the listening area, but no? These frequencies are a mostly omnidirectional fill, so it doesn't matter?
- I'm o.k. with bizarre designs to fit the need.
The speakers I have (the ones in the picture are pre-mods) are relatively shallow. I considered building something like a riser, or something like a mohawk that sits on top (using that tall narrow design).
Not sure about placement and best design.
Thoughts?
Bass is omnidirectional below about 500 Hz. Side mounted woofers used well below that frequency are pretty much perfect AFAIC.
That will be a (very likely mistuned) ML-TL.
The things with 4 midbass and 2 tweeters per side are your mains?
dave
That will be a (very likely mistuned) ML-TL.
The things with 4 midbass and 2 tweeters per side are your mains?
dave
Yep, those are the mains. As they are now, they look a little different (and I've got 2 more replacement tweeters (to match the tops) to mount this weekend)...
My in-progress, unfinished listening area is ugly, and almost set up (still need to put everything in the right place):
I wanted to put the low-end reinforcement in the front, between the speakers and the tv, or under them.
The sevens back-to-back would mean a box about 12 inches wide, from side to side, if they're supposed to be as close as possible in the push-push pointed to the sides.
The original boxes for the sevens were kind of a mess. 2.5 ports (they shared air with the ported mid/tweet at the top of the cab). 2 dedicated ports for the sevens- one front, one back.
I can't dig up the specs/measurements =|
My in-progress, unfinished listening area is ugly, and almost set up (still need to put everything in the right place):
I wanted to put the low-end reinforcement in the front, between the speakers and the tv, or under them.
The sevens back-to-back would mean a box about 12 inches wide, from side to side, if they're supposed to be as close as possible in the push-push pointed to the sides.
The original boxes for the sevens were kind of a mess. 2.5 ports (they shared air with the ported mid/tweet at the top of the cab). 2 dedicated ports for the sevens- one front, one back.
I can't dig up the specs/measurements =|