IB DIY project

Thanks everyone here on helping me earlier on in almost building dual sonotub subs. I know it would have rocked but Im going with an IB design.

I have been on the "IB Cult" forum and Thomas there is incredible for helping people but I still like this forum better because of the "traffic" it gets and Im a paying member .

First project, Im going to be installing a IB into my ceiling in my family room....12 foot ceiling, the Sub will be 2 feet off the left wall placed center over the TV (and center channel)

I have not decided on 4 15" TC2000s ( I own 2 already) or 4 Mach5 18" (I own those too).

Here are some pics to start....


House plans......




Design choices from other IB DIY projects......

Cube....4 woofers.




Rectangle...4 woofers.



Pictures of the family room will come later, I need to resize them first.

Im building the box tomorrow so I need to decide which is better to build.

The Cube?? or the Rectangle?

The room (as per the house plan) is around 21x36x12 with an opening to the dining room and enterance. Its big but I dont need a monster system.

I will have a HT room for the best sound.

This is the cover for it....

aluminum 36x24 wall vent, that will be mounted in the ceiling.

WAF is very important and tHe aluminum vent seem to please her the most. Yes, I must make sure it wont rattle.

I could not find a big enough grill. I would love to have a BIG in-ceiling/in-wall speaker grill but no luck.

I dont think rear waves matter at all in IB...People build arrays 6 Woofers long and place them vertical in walls


The opening needs to be a certain size and the rectangle gives me that while the cube doesnt. How much difference though is something I dont understand at all because I dont understand "bandpass" stuff at all. The cube on the other hand gives the best WAF so if the trade off isnt much then I would build the cube (its more compacted and easier).

Aaron thanks!

No the cube doesnt get me there but it does have a better WAF

I just dont know how much of a difference there is.....Been researching a third mounting option now!! I can never make up my mind..Im worse then my wife on this damn DIY project. This one seems to be the easiest build yet....no box

Like this one but instead of 2 it will be four woofers across.




This grill over each with cloth on it.

Here is the location where Im going to install the IB array....

Here is the 78x22 1 1/2" thick MDF board, Its a total of 4 48x24 MDF boards...cut and glued to specs.

Here is the starting of the holes and my home made circle Jig.....

Finished Array ready to be installed.

I just moved the IB array to the house this morning, will find out if it fits tonight. I mounted 2x4s to each side of it for more strength and so I can then screw the 2x4s into my ceiling trusses spreading the load of it accross all 80". My builder and I think we will also build some other supports into it when its in the attic.

Here is the family room ceiling where the 4 speaker array will be blasting through before I cut it all up

The WAF thing was a big issue actually but I convinced her so far that it would look just like a big vent If it looks like crap to her, its gone but I get a chance to prove it works. The best thing going for me right now is that the house is not finished yet so I have options.


The real HT room will be designed in December.

I just posted in your thread, I am using the MJ18s unless they suck then its on to Q18s I had them shipped to my canadian address and my parents are coming to visit in two weeks, good thing they have a minivan.

My HT room will have 2 or 4 15" TC2000s

4 only if I go with an IB solution for the HT room. I love the look of just two but four in an array along the bottom of my 105" screen would be pretty sweeeeeet

Which ones? Which post?

raxxess speaker grill 18 inch, you can just google it.

That was an option for me but now Im going with a custom wood frame built into the ceiling and speaker cloth.

No pictures and no picnic today.......

moving an 90+ lbs or what ever 4 MDF 3/4" 48x24 boards weight in an attic is a pain the ass. Heck getting it up into my attic was hard enough (needed help there) but since a person can stand only on the 2x4 trusses in the attic its a one man job once in the attic. Small people need not apply here

I will have to do more tomorrow really early, I didnt get it in the place I want so I can cut the ceiling holes, the heat in the attic during the day in Florida is pretty incredible.