First DIY build, Duel 18s

So after many many threads and questions, I have finally completed my first DIY subwoofers. I ended up going with two Dayton Audio 18" HOs in a sealed enclosure with a EP4000 amp to power them. First off, I am 17 and still in high school and I have had to pay for everything in my room myself so the green couch with blue walls and everything. It is what it is. I know compared to most of what is on here, it isn't very nice but I love it. The room is about 11X10X horrible ceilings.

So I have never done much with building stuff with wood my entire life, except the little garage kid things. So I cut all the sides myself which generally speaking were terrible cuts. I didn't have a straight edge or anything just a circle saw I think. Anyways I ended up getting really lucky that my next door neighbor is a professional cabinet builder. I didn't know this before everything but my mom did since she knows his wife. I went over there, told him my idea, he understood everything and told me he would help me build them. My first thought is "this is great!! How much is it going to cost?". So I asked him about it and he said that this now his hobby and he isn't going to charge me anything. I was extastic about that. The next day I take everything over too him, he looks over my cuts, decides we need to shrink the box a little because nothing was square or straight etc. So that is what we did. The boxes are held together with PL Premium and Brad nails. So enough talk. Time for pictures

This is one side of his shop. Lots of stuff that I have never heard of or even seen before. He had some huge air filter above us, the shop is a HVAC system, and lots of lighting.




I didn't really get the chance to take a lot of pictures so they bounce a lot.

This is how we cut the baffles. A little different but hey it worked.










The overall cuts turned out pretty good.



Putting together a little bit



We ran out of clamps. He said that no matter what you will never have enough clamps.




All done! Well almost




Time to paint. It is kinda cold here in Indiana so my parents were nice enough to let me paint them in our living room when they weren't home.




Primed




SEXY




I bought a body pillow and split it up between the two. lol



Now pictures of the my media room its self. I can't call it a "Theater" because I sleep in this room too.







Other woofer



I kinda like the silver screws that contrast the black...



ARX!







Now here is the TERRIBLE part...



I kinda got fired from my job. So I kinda ran out of money to afford a 2496... Getting around too that... Anyways overall it has been great. I love the bass, it sounds so much better than my Rythmik FV12P, that is for sale now. I am thinking $350 plus shipping. Still figuring everything out though, the gain etc. The EP4000 is LOUD! Driving me crazy... My mom and I are running a dedicated 20amp to my room this summer for it. It sometimes dims my lights. The bass to me sounds effortless and just clean. I really don't know how to describe it other than it is great. I listened to the same bass mix Archea used in his GTG with the caps etc. Just amazing. I listen to about every type of music out their and it is just great. Although I wonder if it is bad to say I want two more... I got up to 110dbs with it sorta turned up. I want to try -5 on Late Night Tip to see how much the drivers move... Although my parents already said anything breaks. I am screwed... I know it isn't about how much they move or how loud it is... I am just curious

Anyways thanks for checking my build out and thank you guys so much for the help!

BTW some of my pictures are flipped a little bit. All of these photos were from a GS3 so I guess I missed them when I ran through them real quick, sorry about that.
Edited by Aus1095 - 1/30/13 at 5:55pm

It has taken a few years to get everything. While a lot of my friends go out on the weekends and drive for no reason. I try to save money, in the summer I worked 40 hours a week, 30 during school. What is sorta funny is that I sorta hit a guard rail in the rain one day. Attempting to slide + trailblazer + too much gas = bad day. Anyways instead of fixing the damage. I used the money towards my room. So I drive a tore up car but have a nice room. My friends are amazed when they ask how much it all cost and most of the time it is more than there cars are worth.

Thank you man! I picked up the OmniMic when it was onsale for 199.99. I prolly couldn't have done it without my neighbor honestly. I kinda had the thought of picking up two more 18s and that Inuke12K amp you posted about and using that for EQ too... Just a thought


Haha, Thank you!


I'm working on the EQ side of things. I need to wire my rear speakers again and then rerun the Pioneer EQ stuff again and then add something for the subs. Also need bass traps and sound panels..

I thought that it might be how horrible my ceilings are. I will PM you and we can talk about placement options. See what would be best for my situation.


That one was taken from my seating position. What do you recommend over the mic2200?

Yeah they are. I LOVE them. My parents HATE them.

Thank you!

Thank you so much! I really wanted either submersives (spelling?) or the caps but they were so expensive.

Thank you!

Yeah I just did, Results - AWESOME!!!!! Although my lights dimmed pretty bad and I have vibrations I need to hunt down. Need to run that extra 20amp sooner I guess... Although it hasn't tripped yet. Well I didn't mean to run it so hot really. I was having issues with output sensitivity to the amp. At like 0.0 or like 2.0 hot, it wasn't really picking it up very well. So I have the receiver at like 8-10 hot, but I just adjust the gain as I need too. What is even weirder to me, is that if I turn my subs off at the amp. My Frq response is flat with the rest of the lines. I will run some more sweeps tonight and post them. It is really weird. Anyways I haven't broke any plates yet! So I am not in trouble. I really do like having that bedside table there though, I have the tiny dresser thing next to the couch for drinks and my phone and books go on the subs. Glad I could inspire some ideas though!

I shall listen to that before the parents get home. I will post results soon!


I like the idea of a miniDSP but I have issues with figuring it out. I like the all in one units honestly. I think I am going to really look at the Mic2200 for now. It is fairly cheap compared to a 2496. Although I want to see what else is out their.

I don't use my Rythmik sub anymore.

Yeah all they do is tell me to do stuff.

Actually my parents didn't buy me anything in this room. I bought it over the course of a few years. Sales and group buys etc. I guess I can't exactly say that. They did pay half of my bed and the dressers, but I had to buy my sheets and pillows. Any of the electronics or the AC system was my doing. I worked at a company doing 40 hours a week in the summer for a little over 2 months, I work during school well I did, looking for a new job now. I used to build computers. I sold all of it for my room. Anyways my parents don't buy my brother and I luxury things. My mom actually talked to me about it the other day, how she was so proud of me for saving and building my room, instead of wasting all my money. Also I don't know my dad. Don't get me wrong though, I love my mom, this is just her style of raising me I guess. This is most likely a little TMI but it means more to me because I poured sweat all summer and I stayed up late after work for school etc to have this room. I look on here and see systems like Archeas or like Notys and its just goals that I work toward. We all strive for perfection right? Never ending hobby as I have found out. My neighbors will prolly regret helping me build these though.

Do you guys think a BFD would be better than a Mic2200?