I am looking to start a new Subwoofer project. I am considering a major line array purchase, but I can’t bring myself to spend the money that most companies are asking for subs.
First a short background. I have a decent amount of experience building Speaker cabinets. So far I am deploying 20 wedges, and a dozen single 18s as well as some older designs of a double 18 cab with a lot of success. My wood working skills are advanced, I actually went to college for furniture design and construction before I decided to pursue a career in live sound reinforcement. I have leaned a lot through trial and error, but I am (of coarse) still learning every day.
Enough about me, Lets move on to the project.
I am looking to build the best front loaded double 18 that I can. Budget is not my largest concern. I have a wholesale account with the local company that supplies baltic birch plywood, and I get great pricing on drivers, so I should be able to keep it reasonable. I am not scared by the pricing of B&C, and Faital Pro’s top of the line drivers, but I am not stuck on using the most expensive driver on the market either if it is not the best one for the job. On the same note Light weight speakers are nice, but this box is no doubt going to be big and heavy, so a few extra pounds for a ferrite magnet wont make or break me.
I am looking at front loaded for two reasons. When deployed in mass I feel like it gives me the greatest opportunity for directional arrays (correct me If I am wrong). Second, quite frankly I think that they will just be a heck of a lot easier to build.
Here is my list of priorities in defending order
So far I am looking at what the big boys over at Clair are using (if its good enough for them…) and I am thinking of a similar design to the BT-218. I am not above using jut about the same dimensions as them, and a similar port in the middle, If it aint broke….
The reason I am coming here is that I know there are a bunch of smart folks with many more years of experience than myself that may be able to add to my idea. I have recently purchased the eminence cab designer software but I am having trouble getting it up and running on Parallels, and i have not figured out quite what i should be doing with it any way.
Thanks in advance for any advice that you can give me.
Luke
First a short background. I have a decent amount of experience building Speaker cabinets. So far I am deploying 20 wedges, and a dozen single 18s as well as some older designs of a double 18 cab with a lot of success. My wood working skills are advanced, I actually went to college for furniture design and construction before I decided to pursue a career in live sound reinforcement. I have leaned a lot through trial and error, but I am (of coarse) still learning every day.
Enough about me, Lets move on to the project.
I am looking to build the best front loaded double 18 that I can. Budget is not my largest concern. I have a wholesale account with the local company that supplies baltic birch plywood, and I get great pricing on drivers, so I should be able to keep it reasonable. I am not scared by the pricing of B&C, and Faital Pro’s top of the line drivers, but I am not stuck on using the most expensive driver on the market either if it is not the best one for the job. On the same note Light weight speakers are nice, but this box is no doubt going to be big and heavy, so a few extra pounds for a ferrite magnet wont make or break me.
I am looking at front loaded for two reasons. When deployed in mass I feel like it gives me the greatest opportunity for directional arrays (correct me If I am wrong). Second, quite frankly I think that they will just be a heck of a lot easier to build.
Here is my list of priorities in defending order
- Loud and Proud: Tight and punchy bass!
- Stackability: I want to be able to stack the array on top of them when Flying the array is not practical. I am defiantly looking at using PTFE (teflon) strips on the bottom with grooves fro stacking.
- Truck Pack friendly: To me this means a rectangular box not a trapezoid, that has dimensions that add up to just short of 90” when packed side by side in at least one direction, bonus points for 2 directions.
- Portability: How am I going to attach wheels?
- What I am not concerned with is getting all the way down to 30hz Most of my work is bands, not EDM so I am perfectly fine with great performance from say 40-95 hz
- Price: To say it is of no concern would be a lie, after all I am trying to save money not buying a commercial sub.
So far I am looking at what the big boys over at Clair are using (if its good enough for them…) and I am thinking of a similar design to the BT-218. I am not above using jut about the same dimensions as them, and a similar port in the middle, If it aint broke….
The reason I am coming here is that I know there are a bunch of smart folks with many more years of experience than myself that may be able to add to my idea. I have recently purchased the eminence cab designer software but I am having trouble getting it up and running on Parallels, and i have not figured out quite what i should be doing with it any way.
Thanks in advance for any advice that you can give me.
Luke