Is a DIY sub woofer a good idea ?

[k_vijay12]

Hi,

I am not an electronics guy. So need help from forum members here. I am planning to build a sub woofer using 12" Peerless driver and case it. Which amp shd i buy for this driver? Are there any better drivers than this? Do i need a crossover also for this construct?

I use KEF Q300 Speakers along with my Bang and Olufsen stereo amp. My current speakers can drive lows from 42Hz. So I am wondering if this DIY sub wd give any better sound.

Can people who use this Peerless drivers give their feed back. Can source a B&O D class amp from ebay. But afraid of investing heavily on DIY stuff since i am novice in these.


Total budget 10k. Please share your inputs. Thanks

 

[GeorgeO]

10K for driver, amp and enclosure?

 

[k_vijay12]

Don't have much idea of cost... guess can get driver and amp for 10k, another 2-3k for enclosure..... don't want to splurge much unless I am certain of the investment.

 

[prosenjit]

if you are not confident can try 12k astonia subs..
however have zero intention to discourage about diy..
diy is fun and pride

 

[koushik]

Shade some more and get a Astonia or Polk Audio SW110 for 13.5K

But yes ... DIY is fun and Pride

 

[k_vijay12]

I am willing to stretch my budget and spend. But don't want to compromise on sound quality. Just want to make sure that money is not being spent for fun but for a need fulfillment. Hence little apprehensive.

I am aware of Polk PSW 110. Decent Sub but nothing gr8 about it. (No clue abt Astonia.) Buying this wont fulfill my need. Its too boomy, lacks detail and clarity unlike my KEF Q300 BS speakers. So need some thing that wd complement my speakers rather than adding a sub just for the heck of it.

How many of you are successful in building a sub with this 12" peerless driver? Which amp did u use ? how much did it cost you overall? is this sub setup comparable to any ready made sub's sold in market with up to 25% price on higher side.

Would appreciate if you ppl can share your experiences and inputs. Thanks

 

[bijinmb]

Hi,

I am not an electronics guy. So need help from forum members here. I am planning to build a sub woofer using 12" Peerless driver and case it. Which amp shd i buy for this driver? Are there any better drivers than this? Do i need a crossover also for this construct?

I use KEF Q300 Speakers along with my Bang and Olufsen stereo amp. My current speakers can drive lows from 42Hz. So I am wondering if this DIY sub wd give any better sound.

Can people who use this Peerless drivers give their feed back. Can source a B&O D class amp from ebay. But afraid of investing heavily on DIY stuff since i am novice in these.


Total budget 10k. Please share your inputs. Thanks

I don't think you can build a finished sub with peerless 12" driver for 10K budget.

Approx cost would be around:

1. 12" sub: 2.5K + shipping
2. Plate amp: 5-6K
3. Paint job: 1K
4. Carpentry: 1.8K
5. MDF: 1.6K
6. Misc: 600

Roughly it will come around 13K INR. Though there might be variation on the price depending upon the location, availability of materials etc....

Hope this helps vijay.

 

[GeorgeO]

That's at the entry level. My subs have cost me around $500 for plate amp + 12 inch driver, which at todays rate translates into significantly more. I have used passive radaitors in two subs which are around $80, each. Enclosure cost will depend on the finish-if you use veneer it will cost you more-depending on what kind of veneer.

So I guess it's like saying I want to buy a car. Which one? Depends on your budget!

 

[k_vijay12]

Thanks George. So with $500 investment, how would u rate your DIY sub performance relative to the subs available in market in similar price band. eg Wharfdale SW150, KEF C4, KEF Q400.

Most importantly, wd this DIY sub complement my KEF Q300 speakers in sound quality?

 

[Kittu]

You already have a polk PSW125 , can you not use the same ? How do you rate the PSW125?

 

[GeorgeO]

Vijay

It's similar to the analogy of, say, a dish served in a restaurant.If you have the domain knowledge you can cook a dish using better ingredients, and save the cost of space, overheads, margin. In my view, my subs are better performers, but being a hardcore diyer, I havent done an AB comparison with commercial products, so you could call me biased.

 

[navin advani]

Thanks George. So with $500 investment, how would u rate your DIY sub performance relative to the subs available in market in similar price band. eg Wharfdale SW150, KEF C4, KEF Q400.

Most importantly, wd this DIY sub complement my KEF Q300 speakers in sound quality?

The odd thing about DIY speakers. If you have a good carpenter the higher budget DIY projects are often a far better relative value than the low budget DIY projects.

By this I mean that a $1000 DIY speaker (if designed and built well) will outperform most if not all $2000 speakers (from brands). But a $100 DIY speaker (f designed and built equally well as the $1000 DIY speaker) may not significantly outperform $100 branded speakers. This is because at the lower end the economy of scale favour the brands.

A $2000 branded speaker typically costs the manufacturer $250-300 in parts (drivers, crossover, cabinet, damping, and even packaging). Now for about $1000 one can get a pretty decent cabinet, drivers and crossover and hence build a speaker that will easily rival and beat a $2000 speaker.

A $100 branded speaker typically costs the manufacturer $30-40 in parts (see above). $30-40 does not buy you a good DIY cabinet or even drivers. A brand can amortise the cost over 50,000-100,000 pcs. A DIYer is building just 2 or 4 or 6. Even DIY kits are sold in just 10s and 20s not in 1000s.

This is why companies like Jim Salk's Salk Audio (and in the 90s Mike Dzurko's Audio Concepts) favour the $1000 segment for their semi-custom speakers. If you can build a good cabinet Rick Craig's Selah Audio will sell you a designed kit that will (when finished) cost you about 60-75% of the cost of Jim Salk's Salk Audio's finished speakers (similar performance).

 

[ketansethi1987]

@k_vijay12 What if you do not like it after doing so much? Building the cabinet (most important thing for a subwoofer) and getting all the parts etc and then the finish (most confusing thing)

I do not want to discourage DIY, I myself have build around 9 subwoofers using 10 and 12 inch drivers some are even car subwoofer drivers. But since you are doing it to fulfill your need it is suggested to audition and good sub in 10-15k range and buy it if you like it.

According to me building a good subwoofer will need experience. You are not doing this for fun so that you might have the option and willingness to invest more like trying some other driver or amp. And DIYing a good sub in the first attempt might be difficult.

If you want to do it for fun and want to have pride that you build something great on your own go ahead with it. Be ready to settle for the sound it gives (it will always sound good to you) or maybe tweak it afterwards. But first audition some subs and decide what kind of sound you want and then go for DIY.

 

[k_vijay12]

Hi,

I intend to take some risk and go ahead with this DIY project. I want to use the following amp to power the sub. ($115 for 200 Watt, 4ohm)
Bang & Olufsen ICEpower 50ASX2 module - Electronic Parts

Do let me know if Peerless 12" would be a good choice of driver for this amp. which other options do I have for drivers in range of 5k?

Need inputs on cross over, enclosure design/ carpenter contacts in Bangalore who can help with this work. Junta who already used the Peerless 12" driver in your DIY sub.. can you please share the details of design, wood work etc ?

Also, I have seen Car accessories stores selling ready made enclosures for car subs.. Is it a good idea to buy such enclosure to assemble?

Guess this is doable in 15k. (Pardon me if I am too nave about these stuff )




Thanks

 

[Kittu]

Not to tone down your spirit of DIY.. But here is a sub which will land for you at 17k . You can change the fuse alone to make it a 230v...

You can consider this one as well.

Dayton Audio SUB-1200 12" 120 Watt Powered Subwoofer 300-629

 

[navin advani]

According to me building a good subwoofer will need experience. .

In my view a subwoofer is actually the easiest speaker to DIY. Just about any decent 10-12" woofer from Parts Express or Madisound along with a 300W plate amp will work.

If this is your first woofer OR if the woofer is going to be placed near room boundaries I would recommend a sealed box sub. You will get enough boost from boundary reinforcement to get significant output to about 25Hz.

You may not save much in the sub $500 price point but you will have a subwoofer that YOU built. If you value that then go ahead and DIY. Otherwise get a commercial subwoofer from JBL etc..

 

[prosenjit]

its true about the economics as navin said..
diy budget very hi...will outperform similar priced barndeds..
but diy budget low....not possible as economics of large scale production etc..

go diy...consider tool costs..i dont rely on carpentars..many reasons..unless have some really jana pahchana carpentar....
as really skilled carpentars wont come by...they ask diemansions and wood given at their shop..which is not possible any diy build..as the dimension is step by step ladder..
so who you manage to come in..may not be that skilled..
self work with proper tools is best..just consider the tools cost..best is if you offer some beer to some friends who already have tools.....and borrow from them..haha

other wise..dimensioning and going to carpentry shops...and get them done..can be also done..
repeated steps...

 

[navin advani]

as really skilled carpentars wont come by......

I guess I am kinda lucky. I have a family carpenter who has retired to his village. Occasionally he comes to Mumbai and if I have a speaker to be built I ask him if he is interested. So far he has helped. Since he has built speakers with/for me since the 70s he does not require much training just the dimensions. I am sure he thinks I am a bit mad but after 35+ years of working with me I assume he is happy with my madness.

 

[prosenjit]

I envy you.......hyeah:
i am not that hardcore diyer..but in my first project i had so bad experience with carpentar..i decided to woodwork myself and doing it till now..well the diy build is not speakers..speakers need fine expertise in dimension..so proffesseional help is mandatory..