DIY Subs

[koop]

Why wouldn't everyone build their own sub if someone like parts express is to be believed? Are time and handyman abilities the only downsides here? Resale value would not be a concern if the product was good and did what it was designed to do. If it seems to good to be true, it probably is?????

[karl k]

Why wouldn't everyone build their own sub if someone like parts express is to be believed? Are time and handyman abilities the only downsides here? Resale value would not be a concern if the product was good and did what it was designed to do. If it seems to good to be true, it probably is?????
There are many reasons and most are not related to quality. Besides the time and abilities, fear of not succeeding is probably the biggest. We are so trained to rely on someone elses expertice and to lack confidence in anything that isn't sold complete in your local store. It's really a shame since the work involved in many DIY projects is really no worse than jr. high school shop class yet excellent results are often attained.(albeit sometimes with a little help/advice) I personally have not bought the sub kits you described but have read several posts from people who have with a great deal of success. As far as the resale value... just because the kit is a good one doesn't mean it will retain it's value. The reason being that if the buyer has never heard of Parts Express(I only stumbled across them a couple yrs ago myself) they will not have a basis for the history of the company's performance or reliability in their kits. The drawback to selling a DIY kit is the buyer usually can't audition them and they lack the confidence in the maker to do as good a job in it's construction as a manufacturer.

FWIW... I have built a few subs of my own design and have gotten proportional results based on amount of money and research time spent. You just throw it together from scratch with no money and no knowledge and well... you get out of it what you put into it!
A kit is a little different in the aspect that the research has already been done and all you do is follow the instructions. All you have to do is overcome the fear, write the check, and you're on your way to the best sound you helped to create!

For me, it's all about self satisfaction and bragging rights... others just require it to sound good.

[This Guy]

That's exactly what I was wondering, subwoofers are the easiest speaker to make, you need to build (or even buy) a box, buy an amp, the sub driver, and some stuffing if needed. For as low as $250 you could build a sub that would surpass the performance of many $1000 subs. It's common sense to me. You can trust partsexpress, I've made plenty of purchases from them. I suggest you get their free catalog, great for coming up with ideas while on the toilet! haha, I'm glad you're considering DIY, you'll be twice as satisified with your sub if you built it completely by yourself.

-Joey

[Sealed]

I looked to DIY because I was not satisfied with the ported sound of the svs/hsu type subs, nor did I like the under $2k subs I tried. They were either too boomy (HT) or didn't have any real bass in the 20's.

I built a PE 15" Dayton Titanic MKIII sub w/ 1024 watt amp.

Easy to build, fast, musical and very powerful.

Many people "need" a sub that is mass market, or praised in a a popular magazine by a known reviewer or they won't touch it. Thier loss.

This thing works just great.

[bacchanal]

Most people would like to know what a sub sounded like before they purchased it and if it matched their system appropriately. That's kind of hard to do if your sub isn't constructed yet. If you want a seamless match with the rest of your set up a diy sub would be a crap shoot at best. Then again if you're looking for bang (boon) for the buck, diy may be the way to go. If you're really concerned about getting good sound out of a diy project keep in mind that it's going to take some trial and error...and that process may involve more time and money than you first anticipated.

[Sealed]

Most people would like to know what a sub sounded like before they purchased it and if it matched their system appropriately. That's kind of hard to do if your sub isn't constructed yet. If you want a seamless match with the rest of your set up a diy sub would be a crap shoot at best. Then again if you're looking for bang (boon) for the buck, diy may be the way to go. If you're really concerned about getting good sound out of a diy project keep in mind that it's going to take some trial and error...and that process may involve more time and money than you first anticipated.

That is a good point. This is the day and age of many factory-direct net companies. It's a roll of the dice for anything you have not heard personally. You never really know what is hype, possibly faked reviews on a site, or other pitfalls.

I looked at the driver parameters, box size, amp capability and so on. Mine was a calculated risk. I usually never buy anything without an in-home listening trial or return guaruntee.

I am glad it turned out right.

[Geoffcin]

Why wouldn't everyone build their own sub if someone like parts express is to be believed? Are time and handyman abilities the only downsides here? Resale value would not be a concern if the product was good and did what it was designed to do. If it seems to good to be true, it probably is?????

While I haven't built any of my home audio gear, I did build a sub for my SUV. It was fun and the thing is really punchy. Just a single 12" woofer with a 120oz ferrite magnet in a sealed box driven by a 120 watt amp, but it's more than enough for what I need. It seems to me that of all the projects you can do, a sub is the most likely to get great results. There's really not much to them.

[karl k]

Most people would like to know what a sub sounded like before they purchased it and if it matched their system appropriately. That's kind of hard to do if your sub isn't constructed yet. If you want a seamless match with the rest of your set up a diy sub would be a crap shoot at best. Then again if you're looking for bang (boon) for the buck, diy may be the way to go. If you're really concerned about getting good sound out of a diy project keep in mind that it's going to take some trial and error...and that process may involve more time and money than you first anticipated.
that I spoke of. I would also like to add that while you are right in your assessment, I would say matching a sub to your system is not necessarily a "crap shoot" compaired to matching a center to your system. The fact that most subs now are remote powered makes the matchup far easier than say a passive sub. The idea being that low freq reproduction is less particular when it comes to detail than a midrange or a tweeter which makes it easier to integrate into a system to begin with. The bonus is that active subs also have a multitude of adjustments that are unique to the sub which allow integration to be even easier yet. Of all the projects you may choose to do, the active sub is the easiest to build and most cost effective alternative to store bought equipment. And yes, the statement about more time/money is often true and has to be considered when planning a project. Once again, a kit is often better to build as the research has already been done and an active kit will be easier to integrate with successful results. As with any project, a little reading doesn't hurt and often makes the decission easier when selecting what to buy.

Good post B.!

[koop]

I time ,effort and challenge in construction are an enjoyment for me rather than a burden. What I want is a very musical sub. Which kits or components are best suited in everyone's opinion? I'm hoping that emphasis on a quick musical sub will integrate into my system. Thanks for all the input so far.

[WmAx]

I would say matching a sub to your system is not necessarily a "crap shoot" compaired to matching a center to your system.

Good post B.!
I must re-inforce Karl's post. A subwoofer is rather predictable, given basic knowledge of the relevant variables.

The best thing you cna do to insure proper integration is too use two subwoofers, IMO. One to place near each main channel. In fact, this is the main problem in subwoofer integration in many rooms: finding a suitable place for a single subwoofer and adjusting phase to integrate with both main channels optimally. You also have various issues to deal with related to relative boundary placement. Depending on your room arrangement, it may not be possible to find an equidistant location from both main channels to place the subwoofer and/or work well in temrs of frequency response in this location, if feasible in the first place.

-Chris

[stuartlittle]

That's exactly what I was wondering, subwoofers are the easiest speaker to make, you need to build (or even buy) a box, buy an amp, the sub driver, and some stuffing if needed. For as low as $250 you could build a sub that would surpass the performance of many $1000 subs. It's common sense to me. You can trust partsexpress, I've made plenty of purchases from them. I suggest you get their free catalog, great for coming up with ideas while on the toilet! haha, I'm glad you're considering DIY, you'll be twice as satisified with your sub if you built it completely by yourself.

-Joey
There probably aren't even $250 worth of parts in many $1,000 subwoofers, unless they are spending a lot on the cabinet.