[DougF]

How to construct an AV cabinet to house existing subwoofers...

I CLAIRIFIED MY TITLE AND MY QUESTIONS - PLEASE SEE MY LAST POST BELOW - -THANKS


In my new construction family room (15 x 19), I am installing an all-ceiling 5.X system of 5 Traid Silver 8/Omni SE's. The system will be 60 music/40 HT and I will have to crossover at about 90 or even 100 to get decent volume out of the Triad in-ceilings.

I was going for inwall subwoofers but am now leaning towards putting them in the long cabinet shown under the TV in the attached photo - but don't know if I can make it work. A few questions for you all:

1. Can I put the subs in the cabinet, behind closed doors, and have them fire downward -- I would insert speaker cloth in the bottoom of the cabinet in the sub areas?

2. Do I need to use external amps to avoid heat build up?

3. Can the speaker cloth area be limited to just the size of the sub's cone - that is, if I have a 15" cube with a 10" cone, can I cut a speaker cloth hole in the cabinet bottom of only 10"

4. Is 7" between the bottom of the cabinet and the floor sufficient space to allow the sound to get out of the cabinet

5. One big subwoofer in the center of the cabinet or two smaller subs, one on each end? And do those placements make sense - the L and R ceilings will be approximately over each end of the cabinet

6. How to build the cabinet? The cabinet is being custom built. It is "free hanging" with no feet - just attached to the studs along its length. It is solid wood. What would you do (or ask the cabinet maker to do!) to the cabinet, particularly the areas where the sub(s) would go to: (i) improved the sound; (ii) minimize vibrations, including of the front cabinet doors which will be push to open/close style (without handles); and (iii) maximize structural integrity given that the subs are heavy and the cabinet is free standing. Note that the cabinet as planned is approximately 10' long, 20" high, and 18" deep.

7. Can you help recommend subs? I like the triad subs but they are very expensive, particularly if I am getting 2. Appearance/finish doesn't matter -- sound quality for music, size (most bang for lightest weight) and, maybe, external amplification are key factors. And, of course, price -- I'd like to keep the total subwoofer expenditure to under $2000, if possible. And, while I appreciate that I could build a DIY, that isn't an option for my unskilled hands

Thanks very much

 

[Red99]

Why not just mount a driver in the cabinet facing downward and have your cabinet maker cut out for the driver.

 

[GeorgeHolland]

I'm with red99; have the cabinet maker build enclosures within the cabinet. With a cabinet that size you could easily support a pair of 12” and go as large as a pair of 15” drivers in 3 cubic foot sealed enclosures, either down or side firing.

Whether you use a plate amp or an external amp, you would have to design some type of air movement for cooling. What is behind the wall? If you have storage behind the wall you could use a pro amp with some kind of 12v trigger to turn it on and off.

The DIY forum has plenty of talented generous members that always seem willing to help with design plans you could give to your cabinet maker. It will need extensive bracing and solid studs to mount to but would be a very clean and great sounding solution.

The doors in front of the sub enclosure could be non-functional to keep the appearance consistent or eliminated altogether.

 

[DougF]

Thanks - and refining the question

All good info - but I really want to put a manufactured, off the shelf sub in this cabinet. That is why I am leaning toward the Triads - and they make a specific adapter for putting their inwall and inceiling subs in a cabinet -- http://www.triadspeakers.com/products/subadpt.html.


What I really need help on is what to tell the cabinet maker so he can construct the cabinet optimally for the subwoofers - to reduce rattles and to optimize sound. Maybe bracking, thicker wood, isolation, etc.


So any cabinet construction ideas would be appreciated.


Thanks

 

[GeorgeHolland]

All good info - but I really want to put a manufactured, off the shelf sub in this cabinet. That is why I am leaning toward the Triads - and they make a specific adapter for putting their inwall and inceiling subs in a cabinet -- http://www.triadspeakers.com/products/subadpt.html.


What I really need help on is what to tell the cabinet maker so he can construct the cabinet optimally for the subwoofers - to reduce rattles and to optimize sound. Maybe bracking, thicker wood, isolation, etc.


So any cabinet construction ideas would be appreciated.


Thanks

I haven't read the article but thought of your question as I saw the title:

http://www.soundandvision.com/content/cabinet-subwoofer