"cheap soundboks" portable speaker

(A previous thread from like 2 days speak exactly about the same project but the guy started to add money to his build and now it's too expensive and complicated for me.)


Hello everyone,

I'm trying to build a portable speaker in the idea of the soundboks, because I don't have the money to buy a soundboks 3 (or 2). I need a speaker as loud as possible with the minimum sound quality for listening some electro and mainly some rap.(so no need for extra low frequency's)

**
I'm sorry to say that on an audio fan forum but I promise I will work on some way better speaker with DSP, high quality driver,... after my studies when I will have some money :D
But now I need to play loud for minimum price to enjoy my youth.
**

Not too heavy but I'm not gonna walk miles with it, just need to be liftable for hundred of meters.

Actually I already have the battery and the knowledge to power the amp, I also have a carpenter dad so no worry for the box itself.
BUT
I have so many questions about audio. I have read so many things on internet and found so many ideas.


My first inspiration was the Russian YouTuber "Pasha Es" that build a pretty decent speaker with minimal price:
-(his video with the final result) УЛИЧНАЯ ОРАЛКА XPL VS SOUNDBOKS 2 - YouTube

So my idea is to build a similar speaker with two 10'' sub/mid vertically and two tweeter between them (I like symetry), with one vent on each side like the soundboks 3. (But a bit more powerful than him. 50w --> 500w.)
I link a really basic draw of the front face so you don't have to look at the video:
k1KsPHn


To have a loud volume on a portable system I fast understood that I would need high sensitivity speakers to not drain the battery. So I looked at what he used and the problem is that he used speakers from xpl, an absolute unknown brand of speaker and I really doubt on the specs of these speakers.
The xpl xw10-403 would be able to 105db/w ?? (a 10 inch speaker)
Anyway even if they, in reality, only do like 95-97 db/w (what it seems to be in his video because he measured the db s.) They are cheap and cover the medium frequency.

I added two tweeters also from xpl because they cover the rest of the frequency
and they have high sensitivity (so the speakers will seems loud).

A 2x250w rms amp, a crossover for each output and a little preamp (with built-in bluetooth and an equalizer), from aliexpress. (I don't need stereo but by here I still kind of have it even if vertical speaker is not good xD.)



So here is my actual setup:
-2x 10'' drivers 1 MIDWOOFER XPL XW10-403 XW10 403 altoparlante diffusore medio basso 25,00 cm 250 mm 10" 200 watt rms 400 watt max 4 ohm 105 db auto nero, 1 pezzo : Amazon.it: Elettronica
-2x compression tweet XPL XTW4631 super tweeter driver 10 x 10 cm 200 watt rms 400 watt max sensibilita 110 db portiere sportelli auto spl bobina da 4,44 cm, 1 pezzo : Amazon.it: Elettronica
-2x 250w rms amp AIYIMA – amplificateur de puissance TPA3255 300Wx2 classe D, Audio numerique stereo, HiFi 2.0, haut parleur, cinema a la maison, bricolage | AliExpress
-2x crossovers AIYIMA – haut parleur 400W, reglage croise, 2 voies Audio, Tweeter, filtre de basse, diviseur de frequence pour haut parleur 2 16 Ohm, bricolage, 2 pieces | AliExpress
-pre amp with eq and bt https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/1005003331330014.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.4fac3c002k8sVL&mp=1
-and resistors to limit the tweeters if they sound too loud and the eq can't hold them.



So, I know these xpl speakers are sus but they're pretty cheap and loud and I didn't found others like this (with good wattage, good frequencies and sensitivity).


I won't post all of my questions but,

If you have any suggestions for others drivers or even the amp, by remembering I want cheap not good quality. It's just to play on partys for many friends.
Or if I said anything incorrect about audio (I just learned all the three last weeks)

Will this setup work or not at all ?

Will the tweeter be way too loud compared to the mid/bass ?

Should I go for one tweeter and how to wire it with two channel ?

Should I don't even try and wait for a real soundboks ? :(

What really disturb me is how the Russian guy get this good result with 50w(rms) on 300w(rms) speakers with just capacitors to not blow his tweeter. ???



I will later ask myself about the box config, the vents,... now just the electronic parts.

btw, if there is someone form Switzerland that is also interested, contact me gladly.

Sorry for my English :))



I hope you would be able to help me,
Have a really good day my future helpers. :hbeat::hbeat:
 
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If bang per buck is the main thing:
A pair of Fane 12-250TC would probably net you slightly more output, be a little bit less complicated, and be slightly cheaper.
You would get better dispersion if you make an offset baffle that point the drivers in different directions about 20-30 degrees and add some steel mesh grills (also important to have for protection!).

Edit:
You should still use the same amplifier and pre-amp, but everything else gets dropped in favor of the Fane 12-250TC.
 
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Of course the sensitivity of XPL midwoofer is not 105 or 101 dB/1W/1m, more likely is about 93-95 dB/1W/1m. Because of 2" voice coil wattage is 150 Wrms, not 200 Wrms as advertised.
XPL tweeter is low-quality "bullet ring radiator" which works only above 6 kHz. Single capacitor and resistor mimicking crossover are not a good solution. Ideally it should be a third-order high-pass filter (one inductor and two capacitors).
AIYMA crossover has only a capacitor as a high-pass filter - not good!
 
If bang per buck is the main thing:
A pair of Fane 12-250TC would probably net you slightly more output, be a little bit less complicated, and be slightly cheaper.

Thanks you, these speakers looks wayyyy better than the xpl ones and they have full specs. They are just 12'' inch but I will adapt the wood frame build without problems.
And if I understand well, I just wire them to the amp because they have a built-in crossover ?

Just they are 8 ohm so I can't get full power of the amp, will it be possible to wire them in parallel so it's 4ohm for the amp and bound the left and right channel so they get 250w each or I didn't understood electricity ? (and bounding left and right before the amp also to get mono)

Thanks for your help !
 
Fanatic
Joined 2009
Paid Member
They do not need any crossovers, it's a "fullrange" driver.
Getting a proper amp to run these things at max power will only get you so far. I would rather use that amp you posted and just wire one channel per amp. Using the pre amp thingy for eq should be enough to get decent sound, and it's cheap and easy to get it working.
You wanted cheap, easy and loud, don't complicate it more than you have to.

Want to upgrade? Get the Fane 15-300TC instead, remember to get some mesh grills for protection.
 
I've made a Soundboks clone for my younger sister and it's great.
I modelled it directly of the Soundboks 3. it meassures and sound the same.

Made the 2.5way crossover actively in the amp and with a capacitor to protect the tweeter

2x FaitalPRO 10FE200
1x Celestion CDX1-1070
1x 10uF capacitor
1x Sure Amp AA-JA33286

3D printed horn and bass ports. Reinforced with glassfiber
 
All of your answer are interesting,
Now I'm thinking of using the 4x100w amp (AA-JA32286) of CCU with the 12-250TC speakers that proposed KaffiMann. Because I'm never always confident about Aliexpress specs.

the 15-300TC will be a bit too large for my usage.
 
Then my usual recommendation is one or multiple column speakers using 3” drivers like the Faital pro 3fe25 together with a bass unit. Like this: Carvin Audio TRC Active TRx3903 Column Line Array System Quick Overview - YouTube
Easy to transport and deploy and surprisingly loud for the money. They will however not provide you with any real low frequency.
Mainly because you don’t need to fiddle with crossovers in the higher frequencies that is less forgiving.

Next would be a 8-15” pro coaxial like for instance B&C 8CX21 with their factory crossover.
8CX21 Coaxials - B&C Speakers
FB08CX21 Crossovers - B&C Speakers
 
hello,
thank you everyone for your ideas.
here is a comparaison video between my speaker and the ue boom 3 that I used until now :)
Ue Boom 3 vs my speaker (first version)
Of course this is a first version, I have to use an external eq, there is no bluetooth, no grill and no ui, but it is already impressive how loud it gets.
There is still a lack of bass but if think it just needs more air vents according to my attempt of calculations.
 
Omg you are right in my wheelhouse.

I am literally looking for the same thing, just for different musical needs (techno <----> house) so bass is definitely important.

Soundboks is around AU$1500, ****** karaoke PA speaker with 12-15" drivers are around AU$500

I figured one could be built for around $500 with superior audio quality, and more easily replaceable batteries.

Definitely watching this thread....
 
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Do it !
it's so interesting and satisfying, I build mine without any knowledge and help and it's already awesome :)
I also listen some techno, house, edm, ...
I would be very happy to help you because I spent the last 6 month to study about speakers and sound physics and I almost finished my "soundboks"
contact me if you want on instagram: @cassiendeuxtrois or in dm.
 
Do it !
it's so interesting and satisfying, I build mine without any knowledge and help and it's already awesome :)
I also listen some techno, house, edm, ...
I would be very happy to help you because I spent the last 6 month to study about speakers and sound physics and I almost finished my "soundboks"
contact me if you want on instagram: @cassiendeuxtrois or in dm.


Oh I'm not a DIY on this at all. I'm based in Melbourne, Australia and I am trying to find someone to build it for me!
 
I've made a Soundboks clone for my younger sister and it's great.
I modelled it directly of the Soundboks 3. it meassures and sound the same.

Made the 2.5way crossover actively in the amp and with a capacitor to protect the tweeter

2x FaitalPRO 10FE200
1x Celestion CDX1-1070
1x 10uF capacitor
1x Sure Amp AA-JA33286

3D printed horn and bass ports. Reinforced with glassfiber
Sounding good. Almost bought the 10FE200 to cross over to a horn tweeter but didn't because of the lack of reviews. (Ampslab has reviews).
Did you do a writeup of that design, measures, photos? If be very interested.
 
I will try with sealed port.
By the way, you (or anyone) know how I could setup a dsp with some sigma studio plugins running on it ?
Like is there a programmable dsp that I can buy for this ?
Yeah, there's a lot of ways you can run DSP for just about anything, What kind of budget are we looking at?
The cheaper solutions are a bit more complex, honestly the original miniDSP 2x4 might be a better option for ease-of-use.
If you did not have an amplifier I'd suggest a cheap amp with DSP integrated, if you're in Europe the cheapest place to look for this is probably Thomann.