Monster Subwoofer Build
Designer:
Paul Peterson
Project Category:
Subwoofers
Project Level:
Intermediate
Project Time:
8-20 Hours
Project Cost:
Over $1,000
Project Description:
This all started because I wanted an SVS Ultra 16 but didn’t have $3000 to buy one, not even close. I asked a couple audio groups if there was anything out there that was cheaper but would still be comparable to the performance of the SVS and it was suggested that I do the Dayton Audio Ultimax build which led me here. This all started because I wanted an SVS Ultra 16 but didn’t have $3000 to buy one, not even close. I asked a couple audio groups if there was anything out there that was cheaper but would still be comparable to the performance of the SVS and it was suggested that I do the Dayton Audio Ultimax build which led me here.
Design Goals:
Build a tonal, infrasonic subwoofer that will tip the rector scale yet still blend in nicely with the rest of the system.
Driver Selection:
295-514 UM15-22 15″ Ultimax DVC Subwoofer 2 ohms Per Coil
800 watts RMS power handling.
Enclosure Design:
We had to change this up once we discovered that I actually needed 6 cubic ft. of air in the box instead of 3 cubic ft. to get the results we were looking for. I did not have enough room to build a traditional box that big. We were originally going to go with Sonotube but I was concerned about the longevity and wear over time. I was so lucky to come across the perfect size cut off PVC water main pipe. This was a game changer and changed a lot of things about the design.
Enclosure Assembly:
The foot and speaker mount in the bottom of the tube is made of MDF as well as the top cap. The outside of the tube is covered in upholstery ticking to give it a plush feel to the touch and then we sewed up a sock of material to go over this and the outside of the tube. There is a layer of foam on the interior wall of the tube for sound deadening purposes. It is a sealed unit and because of the pipe it’s been engineered to last a life time. All that needs to be done to use a different sub woofer is to have a different bottom ring made to match a different speaker. It all comes apart very easily.
Crossover Design:
My home theater processor is a Anthem MRX 710 using ARC room correction. ARC has registered this sub down to 17hz.
Tips & Tricks:
Get help from your neighbor ;-).
Conclusion:
Finding the water main pipe really took this build to the next level. My neighbor and I put a lot of thought and hours into this project and it turned out better then I ever could have imagined. It looks just as good as it sounds! It’s very tonal and I’m amazed at how well it blends in with everything. I use to shut my subs off when listening to music because I could never get them to blend in and sound right with it. Not so with this thing. It sounds great with music and movies. I’m very happy with how this turned out and I’m great full for the help and advice I received the few times I called parts express seeking guidance, you guys were great!!
About the Designer:
I wish I could take all the credit for how this thing turned out but I can’t, not at all. My neighbor Kevin Trueman got the idea off Pinterest and he really was the designer and brains behind the operation. I could not have done this without him and his workshop and I’m very thankful for the thought and time he put into making this all happen. He’s a truly smart fella, and a good friend.
Project Parts List:
|
Part # |
Description |
Qty |
|
300-809 |
Dayton Audio SPA1000 1000W Subwoofer Plate Amplifier |
1 |
|
295-514 |
Dayton Audio UM15-22 15″ Ultimax DVC Subwoofer 2 ohms Per Coil |
1 |
What was the final volume of the cabinet? The photos make it look smaller than 6 cu feet.
The cut off pipe we found was almost the perfect size. Almost. I think it worked out to 5.78 cu ft or something close to that. Adding the foam and the back side of the amp and that would have taken it down a bit lower then that as well. Would have been better if the cut off tube would have had just a couple more inches on it but what can you do? You don’t come across something like that to often.
Adding foam increases damping resulting in larger apparent enclosure volume. I find your build to be an inspiring design. Curious as to the F3 of your project, I used BaseBox6 Pro software to estimate it. I started with your approximate internal volume value of 5.78 cu ft. Using the drivers’ dimensions in its database the software calculates the volume displaced by it to be 0.237 cu. Ft. I also subtracted 0.289 cu. Ft. for the additional volume displaced by the plate amplifier and driver-mounting ring as an approximation. This renders a Vb of 5.252 cu. Ft and a F3 of 23.44 Hz. Although this does not meet my definition of infrasonic, an F3 below 20 Hz, it still will “tip the rector scale” and is an impressive build. When plotting the amplitude response with BaseBox6 Pro, things look even better. It shows a frequency response of 21 to 80 Hz +- 3dB. With this design, the maximum electric input power of 400 Watts begins to drop at 27 HZ and is 122 Watts at 20 HZ. The maximum acoustical power of 109.5 dB also starts to drop at 27 Hz to 104.2dB at 20 Hz. Yours Truly, High-end AudioPhil
Nice build! Bit off topic, but who did the big paintings to the left/right of the TV?
My best friend did those paintings in high school. He has his bachelors degree in fine art now and teaches at a local college.
Another outstanding project using PVC pipe. As I’ve said before when commenting about other projects using this material, ”Design ideas using PVC pipe are infinite”. I would’ve loved to have gotten a big chunk or 2 of this stuff & while working for the utility dept. as well as being a DNR license water treatment facility operator, I was ”always” watching for scraps when a new water line was put in. However, all I was fortunate enough to find was 1 piece of 8” or 10” about 2 ft. long. I had some cut off scraps of an oil pipeline that ran through some land of mine, but it was about 5/8” think iron pipe. It might of made an interesting project, but normally I don’t need to use my oxy/acetylene torch when working on a speaker project. Anyway, your project looks great. Oh yea, like Ivan K., I like those paintings as well. They have a Frank Frazetta style to them & I’m an enormous fan of his work. The entire room looks great, Sir.