[rudyauction509]

I've seen lots of folded horn style subwoofers and the sound is great. I'd like to build something similar with a much lower budget. Size is not an issue and I don't mind a bit of distortion (my current box has horrible port noise, virtually anything would be better)

My plan is to make a huge straight horn, 6 feet long, 18 inches wide, 4 feet tall at the widest point and 3 inches at the smallest point, with the subwoofer mounted at the smallest end.

Also if this will do what I want it to do I need to have the subwoofer in a box ported into the horn, sealed but not ported, ported out into the room, just open where the back sticks out...?

 

[Billy Boden]

For sub frequency you're going to need something a lot larger than that.

I would really suggest sticking with a DIY ported design for a beginner.

 

[rudyauction509]

For sub frequency you're going to need something a lot larger than that.

I would really suggest sticking with a DIY ported design for a beginner.

Most of my music hits at around 80hz, so how much bigger? I don't need it perfect, just to sound a bit better at 70-90hz. And I don't need good performance below 70hz. I already have built 5 ported subwoofers and am ready to move on.

 

[crazyrob425]

Why do you need a subwoofer when most of your music bass hits around 80hz. It sounds like to mean you just need some decent tower speakers heck most bookshelfs would easily do 80hz

 

[rudyauction509]

Why do you need a subwoofer when most of your music bass hits around 80hz. It sounds like to mean you just need some decent tower speakers heck most bookshelfs would easily do 80hz

Because I want that 80hz to shake my walls. The only way I've succeeded so far is to use subwoofers ported for around 80hz but the port noise is getting annoying so I want to try something different. I had some $500 speaker towers and as great as they sound, the bass just isn't powerful enough for me.

 

[Billy Boden]

http://www.hornresp.net/

http://www.hometheatershack.com/for...scussion/36532-hornresp-dum-hmm-everyone.html

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/155-d...mple-tapped-horn-tutorial-using-hornresp.html

 

[crazyrob425]

Because I want that 80hz to shake my walls. The only way I've succeeded so far is to use subwoofers ported for around 80hz but the port noise is getting annoying so I want to try something different. I had some $500 speaker towers and as great as they sound, the bass just isn't powerful enough for me.

80hz is a frequency that does NOT shake the walls.

If you want to shake the walls you need some lower frequencies like 20-35hz.

What is your exact budget number for the "Low budget horn subwoofer"

Please also tell use the make and model number of all the equipment you have.

Please also tell us the size of your room.

 

[rudyauction509]

80hz is a frequency that does NOT shake the walls.

If you want to shake the walls you need some lower frequencies like 20-35hz.

What is your exact budget number for the "Low budget horn subwoofer"

Please also tell use the make and model number of all the equipment you have.

Please also tell us the size of your room.

My budget is 2 4x8 sheets of plywood, tools, woodscrews and wood glue, as well as an unknown 12" 1000w subwoofer. My room is 20ft by 15ft by 8ft, subwoofer will be placed in a corner.

I only have one chance to get the plywood, I have to leave within 10 minutes. Can this be done, even if not perfect? It only needs to work a bit better than a very crappy ported box.

 

[RickJames]

Don't try to design your own horn, it takes years of experience. From what you say the Table Tuba Long Style should do just what you want.
http://www.billfitzmaurice.com/TT.html

 

[vzphoneman]

I'm liking the design of this one that Billy linked to ...


"Simple Tapped Horn Tutorial using Hornresp "


Simple and looks like it will be a good performer.

 

[rudyauction509]

OK, did some research, did some calculations and gave it a shot. So far it's the best subwoofer I've ever had, in both volume and sound quality. But I need to make a high pass filter for 35hz. I have several boxes of parts including many capacitors and a handful of inductors. About what values should I look for? Also would an RC filter on the input of the amp work? I've built plenty of them but never one on the speaker itself.

 

[rudyauction509]

If I had a working camera I'd post pictures but I don't. The box is 18" wide, and starts off 1" thick and goes to 3 1/2 feet at the wide end and is 8 feet long, with a 15" subwoofer, and I'm going to try to put in the 12" on the other side tomorrow. It's by no means perfect but is definitely good enough for my needs.

 

[rudyauction509]

OK I added the 12" kicker and braced the box and now at full power (150 watts per subwoofer limited by amp) at 40hz it literally shakes the floor for 15 feet in every direction and at 80hz I can feel slight vibrations on the outside of my house. The sound quality is great compared to my old ported boxes. Even with lots of bracing the plywood walls flex at lower frequencies, and I'll be adding more 2x6 braces to reduce this tomorrow. Also did a passive high pass before amp and can't get the subwoofers to bottom out anymore so that problem is solved.

 

[rudyauction509]

I used to have some Peavey PA speakers with 2 x 15" woofers in each in my mancave listening room. One day some students in our condo building were noisy so I played an 80 Hz test tone from Stereophile Test CD and cranked 'er up with my 440 wpc Crown amp. After about 10 seconds I was worried the foundation in the building was going to crack so I shut it down. Noise upstairs stopped so I guess they had no problem hearing/feeling it, but I doubt they knew where it was coming from or what it was.

Sounds like a powerful system. I have a cracked 70 year old window in my house and I'm a bit worried that this subwoofer may cause it to break if I turn it up to much. It also caused some stuff to fall off shelves in the next room.

 

[crazyrob425]

My budget is 2 4x8 sheets of plywood, tools, woodscrews and wood glue, as well as an unknown 12" 1000w subwoofer. My room is 20ft by 15ft by 8ft, subwoofer will be placed in a corner.

I only have one chance to get the plywood, I have to leave within 10 minutes. Can this be done, even if not perfect? It only needs to work a bit better than a very crappy ported box.

So how much are you going to spend on an AMP?

Honestly no it can't be done on an ultra-low budget.

What are the other speakers you have?

To fill a 2,400 cu. ft room with the amount of bass you are describing doesn't come on an ultra low budget

 

[rudyauction509]

So how much are you going to spend on an AMP?

Honestly no it can't be done on an ultra-low budget.

What are the other speakers you have?

To fill a 2,400 cu. ft room with the amount of bass you are describing doesn't come on an ultra low budget

Well with a budget of 2 sheets of plywood, 2 subwoofers I already had and an amp I already had I managed to fill my house with enough bass that things are falling off shelves in the next room.

If you count the stuff I already had my budget would have been high but in the end the materials I had to buy were under $20.

 

[squiers007]

Why didn't you mention you already had the subs and amp? We could have helped you design an enclosure around what you already had to optimize there performance...

 

[drunkpenguin]

I would have saved that money and put it towards a smart phone so you could take pictures of future projects.

 

[rudyauction509]

I think in the first post I mentioned that I had 2 sheets of plywood, tools, speaker and amp as my budget.

I have an iphone 4 but the camera is damaged. I'm getting a free upgrade in 2 weeks so I don't need to worry about a new phone or camera right now.