I have recently built a portable speaker with built in batteries weighing 18kg. A bit over a third of that weight is the plywood.
I want to build a new version in an effort to get down to 12-13kg, making the speaker much more transportable.
My plan was to make the cabinet out of the thinnest possible plywood, perhaps as low as 2mm, and then coating the outside and interior bracing in carbon fibre for strength and stiffness. My main concern is sound quality.
Does this idea sound sensible and would the plywood interior help improve the resonance of the speaker as compared to a basic plastic design?
I want to build a new version in an effort to get down to 12-13kg, making the speaker much more transportable.
My plan was to make the cabinet out of the thinnest possible plywood, perhaps as low as 2mm, and then coating the outside and interior bracing in carbon fibre for strength and stiffness. My main concern is sound quality.
Does this idea sound sensible and would the plywood interior help improve the resonance of the speaker as compared to a basic plastic design?
If you are good at working CF is should work fine, the plywood giving a good substrate to work on… but i suspect it will contribute much to the end strength you could probbly get away with a foam core, for even greater liteness.
And in small cabinet material yields less gross volume.
Now the question becomes, can the components you use bre substitued with lighter ones? ie design?
dave
And in small cabinet material yields less gross volume.
Now the question becomes, can the components you use bre substitued with lighter ones? ie design?
dave
I'm still quite a noob, but I figured a thin MDF layer would help with resonance Vs something softer like foam? Or you think the rigidity if the carbon fibre would counter the use of foam?
Heaviest component is the 10" woofers, options are limited as I need them to have high sensitivity, but there are lighter options if I want to spend the $$.
Heaviest component is the 10" woofers, options are limited as I need them to have high sensitivity, but there are lighter options if I want to spend the $$.
MDF is not at all suitable i’d think. You wan stiff and lift. Foam cor eshould provide a constrained layer kind of result. Inside & outside coat of CF can be pretty much separate from each other with a lossy layer between.
dave
dave
I built a lightweight 50l bassreflex box with 10inch driver. As can be seen it is a hybrid made from wood and foamcore. The driver weights 2kg - the hole box - I dunno, it is pretty light😉
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Nice work, Bucks Bunny! I made a light as air subwoofer once out of XPS foam.
Light as Air Slot Loaded Band Pass Sub
Thin plywood faced foam core is a great way to go lightweight. I don't think CF is necesary.
3/16in thick plywood faced XPS foam makes for a very rigid and light speaker.
Vunce built the 10F/RS225 FAST TL this way and still uses it as his daily speaker.
Light as Air Slot Loaded Band Pass Sub
Thin plywood faced foam core is a great way to go lightweight. I don't think CF is necesary.
3/16in thick plywood faced XPS foam makes for a very rigid and light speaker.
Vunce built the 10F/RS225 FAST TL this way and still uses it as his daily speaker.