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boxes for speakers [message #15512] Mon, 21 May 2007 05:35 Go to next message
randle is currently offline  randle
Messages: 179
Registered: May 2009
Master
I'm new to this whole speaker thing but I wanted to put some 18 in my trunk, I wanted to buy the speakers but I also wanted to buy a box for them seperately. Does anyone know where I can get these boxes from exactly?

Re: boxes for speakers [message #15514 is a reply to message #15512] Mon, 21 May 2007 11:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18786
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

I would suggest using a program like BoxPlot or WinISD to model some cabinets. You'll need to know the T/S specs of the woofer(s) you're considering, and then you can plot the response of them in various box sizes and configurations. It will let you try a few "what-if" scenarios, and find a speaker that suits your needs.


Re: boxes for speakers [message #15515 is a reply to message #15514] Mon, 21 May 2007 12:18 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Barry S is currently offline  Barry S
Messages: 15
Registered: May 2009
Chancellor
Hi Wayne,

Thanks for the reply!

I'm planning to use your 2 Pi kits. It'll be fun to try them as an open baffle speaker first and then get some boxes put together.

I won't be changing your plans for building the 2 Pi boxes. You have been doing this sort of thing for a long time and it really showed in the Abraxas room at the audio festival. Experimenting may be something to think about in the future but for now it'll be fine following somebody else's proven recipe for speaker building.

Guess the real question is what is the best material to make the 2 Pi towers? Your speaker building plans mention 5/8" particle board and 3/4" mdf material. Is the heavier, thicker material more appropriate for speakers or does the particle board sound better?

Many thanks!



Replied to the wrong thread. Sorry. NT [message #15516 is a reply to message #15514] Mon, 21 May 2007 12:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Barry S is currently offline  Barry S
Messages: 15
Registered: May 2009
Chancellor
nt

Re: boxes for speakers [message #15521 is a reply to message #15515] Sun, 27 May 2007 14:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18786
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

My favorite two cabinet materials are baltic birch and MDF. Each has its strengths and weaknesses.

Acoustically, MDF is great. It's made of dust from many fibers bound with glue, so it's inherently non-resonant. But it's not very durable as a piece of furniture. Even if you never get it wet, in humid environments the wood will swell enough that butt joints will show through veneer - you'll see the seams. I think MDF is better acoustically than the best plywood, but it's heavier and less durable.

Baltic birch is much stronger and resistant to humidity. So if your speakers will be moved much or might be in humid environments, you might want to think about that. It is important to use a high quality plywood, which is why I tend to stick with baltic birch. It has more plys that are of higher quality and glued together better, having less voids within the plys. That's the main thing here - you don't want voids. Actually, it isn't the void that concerns me so much as the debris that can be contained in the void. That will cause buzzing. Separated plys can buzz too. Those are the things we are trying to avoid.

If the cabinet you are building is labor intensive or has a fine wood finish, then it would probably be a costly disappointment if a buzz developed and you had to scrap the box. Buzzes can develop years later, when plys separate or debris breaks loose inside a void. Sometimes, if a buzz develops, a small hole can be drilled in the cabinet interior into the section of the wood where the void or ply separation is. You can sometimes inject glue into the hole and repair the damage, fill the void or reattach the plys. But it's probably better to reduce the risk of failure, starting with a high-quality wood to begin with.


Re: boxes for speakers [message #15523 is a reply to message #15521] Tue, 29 May 2007 11:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Barry S is currently offline  Barry S
Messages: 15
Registered: May 2009
Chancellor
Thanks Wayne. This really helps make some decisions.

It looks like MDF would be the right choice for some mock up open baffles and the baltic birch for big boxes (where longevity and weight will be issues).

Again, thanks for the help!



Re: boxes for speakers [message #15525 is a reply to message #15514] Thu, 31 May 2007 04:34 Go to previous messageGo to next message
randle is currently offline  randle
Messages: 179
Registered: May 2009
Master
SO I would actually have to make the box to go around the speakers. I Couldn't just put together a box with four walls and call it a day. There is actually a scientific way to building a box for speakers?

Re: boxes for speakers [message #15528 is a reply to message #15525] Fri, 01 June 2007 00:08 Go to previous message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18786
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Yes, there is a scientific way to build speakers. Google WinISD and BoxPlot.


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