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  1. #1
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    Sources of 5 1/4" speaker enclosures?

    I'm looking for sources for 5 1/4" speaker cabinets (and matching grills) for home use. Preferably, unfinished wood, so they can be stained.

    I have some car speakers that I wanted to try to use for surround sound speakers (depending on what they sound like in an enclosure). I don't want to build them myself.

    All I have been able to find are enclosures for guitar, PA and car boombox speakers.
    Any ideas??
    Last edited by videobruce; 05-16-2007 at 05:35 AM.

  2. #2
    Color me gone... Resident Loser's Avatar
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    Unfortunately...

    Quote Originally Posted by videobruce
    I'm looking for sources for 5 1/4" speaker cabinets (and matching grills) for home use. Preferably, unfinished wood, so they can be stained.

    I have some car speakers that I wanted to try to use for surround sound speakers (depending on what they sound like in an enclosure). I don't want to build them myself.

    All I have been able to find are enclosures for guitar, PA and car boombox speakers.
    Any ideas??
    ...it's not as simple as finding an enclosure into which the drivers will fit...it's a bit more complicated than that...there are things like driver compliance, natural roll-off frequencies, things of that nature...The environmnet that auto speakers work in, i.e. door panels, rear decks, etc. is quite a bit different than in a box on your living room wall...It's not like it can't be done, however you need the raw driver specifics and a bit of math to come up with the proper volume of the cabinet for anything even remotely resembling hi-fi...Most DIYers either DIY it, or go for kits in which the math, enclosure type and size, driver recommendations, etc. has already been done.

    The fact that your car speakers are most likely 2-way coaxials will probably make your search even more difficult...most hi-fi designs use separate woofers and tweeters...An "average" 5-6" driver designed for a sealed enclosure will require a cabinet with an internal volume of approximately .25 cu. ft. or roughly 8"x12"x10" outside dimensions...

    I'm fairly sure that if you read the specs for those enclosures you have mentioned, there will be very specific driver parameters suggested for optimum results...

    I mean you could get a couple of 4'x8' sheets of 3/4" plywood and fashion some infinite baffles, probably the most forgiving and simplest design to get an idea of what the drivers would sound like but...

    jimHJJ(...me, I'd just go out and buy some surrounds...)
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  3. #3
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    In addition to RL's good points, I'd add that you can try Madisound and Parts Express, but you won't find any pre-cut cabinets for your drivers. Reasons is, those 5-1/4" drivers never measure 5-1/4" and everyone is a bit different.
    You're going to need a plunge router, or at least a very good jig-saw and some serious circle cutting skill.

    Seriously...don't use the car drivers for surrounds...let me save you some time. You won't be happy. Sell them and save up for some surrounds or build a decent kit.

  4. #4
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    I guess I can't argue with any of the above.

    I just thought if I could get a pair of boxes for a few buck and to try them. I understand these are made for cars, not the home and the size of the enclosure makes all the difference with a long complicated mathmatical formua to boot.

    It was I needed some surround speakers, I had these (pulled from a car I just sold) and the fact when you sell these on the open market you don't get squat for them.

    (I did find ones that Parts Express sells which look really nice, but with the cost of the cabinets and all the work, it's not worth it.)

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by videobruce
    I guess I can't argue with any of the above.

    I just thought if I could get a pair of boxes for a few buck and to try them. I understand these are made for cars, not the home and the size of the enclosure makes all the difference with a long complicated mathmatical formua to boot.

    It was I needed some surround speakers, I had these (pulled from a car I just sold) and the fact when you sell these on the open market you don't get squat for them.

    (I did find ones that Parts Express sells which look really nice, but with the cost of the cabinets and all the work, it's not worth it.)
    Other thing to considre - car speakers are often significantly lower in impedance than home theater speakers. You run the risk of damaging your receiver/amplifier using them, be careful if you decide to try it.

  6. #6
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    They are Infinity 5002i;
    http://www.crutchfield.com/S-fqohVa2...asp?I=1085002i

    I can't find any reference to impedence.

  7. #7
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    LOL, I have those in my car...they're 4 ohm nominal, generously rated, this year's version claim to be 2 ohms. Decent sensitivity, but I wouldn't want to run them on a home theater receiver with other speakers connected.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by videobruce
    ...and the fact when you sell these on the open market you don't get squat for them.
    This is why I have so much gear in my garage. I always seem to eventually find use for it though. The wife got herself a new van and I can finally pull out those 2 pair of 6 1/2 I've had laying around for 2 years.

    OK, I'll come clean. I'm a freakin' pack rat. I save everything

  9. #9
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    kexodusc; Lower impedence, greater output? Does it really make that much of a difference?

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