Need design help with retro-fitting a stereo console with new speakers

[rone]

OK cool. Baffles I can do! Anyone have thoughts about a cheaper car kit set than the Zaph for $200 each. By the time I got 2 of those, the suggested amp and put in a a small (10 in?) sub, I'm gonna be in the $650 range which is more than I want to spend on this job.

Isn't the Zaph kit for a pair?

[djg]

Yes, previously noted.

[hellabove]

Isn't the Zaph kit for a pair?

Yes....I think. But now I'm confusing myself. I thought I understood:

Zaph autosound R pair: $214.00
Zaph autosound L pair: $214.00
Keiga KG3100: $149.00
10" Car Sub + box: ~100.00
-------------------------------------------
grand total $677 in just speakers/amp

Unless DJG meant to buy ONE autosound kit (which is a pair) and just put one woofer/one tweeter on the R and one woofer/one tweeter on the L and then use the amp/10"sub + box. That would be $214.00 less at $463 and a little more reasonable. I promise I'm not an idiot.....I just only want to do this project once.

So while I am over-clarifying, the sub should be a car-audio sub in a box, kinda like http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=267-085 and in a 1ft^3 box?

[djg]

Almost there. You got it right except you want a sub made with a home audio speaker, not an auto sound one. The Zaph kit is for a complete 2 channel setup. 2 woofers, two tweeters, two premade crossovers. The Keiga 2.1 plate amp will power everything, both stereo channels and a single small subwoofer.

One Zaph kit

One Keiga plate amp

One subwoofer and box

I'm sure the Elemental Designs speakers would be fine also.

The Cerberus sub would work fine.

www.rjbaudio.com/Cerberus/cerberus.html Just substitute the Keiga amp.

The Triska is another possibility.

http://www.parts-express.com/project...ofer-projects/

You need a design for your sub, putting any speaker in just any box doesn't work. You are using autosound speakers for the stereo part. These are generally designed to work in car doors and trunks. So you can get away with using them in your application without designing a matching enclosure.

[emilime75]

Dude, I have the exact same cabinet in my living room. I ripped out the stock speakers and use the side cavities to house small subwoofer cabinets. I cut out the front center section, trimmed and finished it to match the rest of the cabinet and that's where my AV components sit. I have a plasma on the wall above it and a pair of bookshelf speakers on each end. Eventually I would like to place the speakers in the wall to the side of the plasma and get them off the console, but for now they just sit on top of it. I considered making either 2 way or 3 way speakers to fit in the side cavities of the console, but I feared that the angled slots on the front would wreak havoc on the sound.

[scottq]

I just wanted to send some encouragement your way... go for it! You can totally manage this, and with all the help available on this forum, it's sure to be a success. Pull the trigger and buy some parts

[hellabove]

Dude, I have the exact same cabinet in my living room. I ripped out the stock speakers and use the side cavities to house small subwoofer cabinets. I cut out the front center section, trimmed and finished it to match the rest of the cabinet and that's where my AV components sit. I have a plasma on the wall above it and a pair of bookshelf speakers on each end. Eventually I would like to place the speakers in the wall to the side of the plasma and get them off the console, but for now they just sit on top of it. I considered making either 2 way or 3 way speakers to fit in the side cavities of the console, but I feared that the angled slots on the front would wreak havoc on the sound.

That is an issue no one has addressed yet. Luckily I'm a complete novice so if I can just get sound to come out of the cabinet, it will be success! Jk, but I did consider that. I really don't want to pull those slots out as it takes away from the overall appearance of the cabinet, and it wouldn't be easy either. I guess if the Zaphs sound terrible through the slots, I'll have to re-think the project and put the Zaph's in my car. I have a 63' Ford that still has the original speakers so it won't be a total loss! Another option is to mount them out the sides of the cabinet using a couple small cutouts and essentially making the sides of the cabinet into baffles.

I'll keep an update going!

[hellabove]

Almost there. You got it right except you want a sub made with a home audio speaker, not an auto sound one. The Zaph kit is for a complete 2 channel setup. 2 woofers, two tweeters, two premade crossovers. The Keiga 2.1 plate amp will power everything, both stereo channels and a single small subwoofer.

One Zaph kit

One Keiga plate amp

One subwoofer and box

I'm sure the Elemental Designs speakers would be fine also.

The Cerberus sub would work fine.

www.rjbaudio.com/Cerberus/cerberus.html Just substitute the Keiga amp.

The Triska is another possibility.

http://www.parts-express.com/project...ofer-projects/

You need a design for your sub, putting any speaker in just any box doesn't work. You are using autosound speakers for the stereo part. These are generally designed to work in car doors and trunks. So you can get away with using them in your application without designing a matching enclosure.

Your patience is amazing. Thank you for all the help. I think I finally have an understanding of the plan!! Success!! I read through the sub plans and think the Cerb sounds like something I can tackle. I'll have to get the amp and scratch my head a little regarding how that plate amp fits in the box (it looks like you're supposed to cut a spot out of the MDF for the plate amp in the plan) but I assume it will be clearer when it's all laid out in front of me! Anyway, I'll keep bringing the questions in an attempt to exhaust everyone's patience!!!

[hellabove]

I just wanted to send some encouragement your way... go for it! You can totally manage this, and with all the help available on this forum, it's sure to be a success. Pull the trigger and buy some parts

Unfortunately no one has tried to talk me out of the idea, so looks like I'm gonna give it a go!

[djg]

Your patience is amazing. Thank you for all the help. I think I finally have an understanding of the plan!! Success!! I read through the sub plans and think the Cerb sounds like something I can tackle. I'll have to get the amp and scratch my head a little regarding how that plate amp fits in the box (it looks like you're supposed to cut a spot out of the MDF for the plate amp in the plan) but I assume it will be clearer when it's all laid out in front of me! Anyway, I'll keep bringing the questions in an attempt to exhaust everyone's patience!!!

The one thing I didn't think of is the actual size of the Keiga amp vs the PE 70 watt amp insofar as fitting in the Cerberus box. You should be able to find measurements for both. Luckily for you, in your setup if the Keiga is too big to fit in the sub box, you can just put it somewhere else in the console. You only need two wires from the amp to the subwoofer driver.

I really like your idea of retrofitting an old stereo console. I think if the original speakers sounded ok, your new ones should sound fine also, as far as the console slats.

[hellabove]

Secondary to some work constraints and travel, the project has been slow but I have not given up! Attached here, PROOF, that the project is continuing. Basically I've done nothing but shop and cut up some MDF, but I now have all the parts, and am very close to borrowing the right router bit to cut the circular holes and do recessed-mounting of the speakers.

At first glance, I will say that a plate amplifier is a bit of a misnomer, as it is MUCH thicker than I was guessing. Also, really glad I didn't attempt crossover building (yet) as those look like something I would screw up.

Next weekend begins the actual install so I'm sure there will be questions posted but am going to follow the Cerberus build as closely as possible and see how things go. Thanks again for all the advice. Will take lots of pics along the way.

[Jdrouin]

Hi there,

I just wanted to chime in and wish you luck on this fascinating project. That's a gorgeous console you've got there, which should be really rewarding to bring back to life.

I'm about to embark on a similar project and would love to know what you learn. You can see a thread I started at DIYAudio that might have some helpful information for you.

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi...le-design.html

Please keep us updated!

Jeff

[hellabove]

MDF baffles cut to size, plans for speakers with the mid in the center and the tweeter offset to the side. The neighbor is gonna loan me his router this week and it will be time to screw the drivers in soon (yes, doing recessed mount)!

I was wondering if there is any problem with mounting the crossover to the baffle. Will this rattle or cause issues? Most of the builds I've seen have the crossover on the floor of a box but I'm not sure why. Seems like if you mount it to the baffle, there's less distance to run wire to run from the drivers to the crossover. I have space for either way, any advice appreciated.

[mikec]

I've got one of those with similar plans.

Too bad it's under two feet of "storage" right now

Gonna keep track of this for reference

[hellabove]

Gentlemen, women, persons. Any help with the crossover issue. I have all the cutouts made (thank you neighbor, larry) and am ready to start insetting drivers. Do the crossovers need to be mounted in the floor of the cabinet or can they be mounted to the baffle?

[moron#99]

there is a healthy collector's market for old stereo stuff and your console might be a candidate. However, tube equipment does not work with a lot of modern low resistance speakers. you could possibly damage the old amplifier if you use the wrong speaskers.

You should do some research and find out what your console is worth. if it is a tube console then what you are building is probably worth considerably less than what you already have. search ebay for a similar item. if you can not identify it then try "fisher tube" or "tube console" to get an idea of possible value. of course the stuff on ebay is typically broken and worth less than actual working gear. but it will give you an idea.

[djg]

You may mount the crossover anywhere you please.

[hellabove]

on the baffle it is. gracias. sub box built, driver mounted, amp mounted. might hear sound tonight. pics soon.

[hellabove]

The 1961 RCA victrola retrofit baby. Props to my neighbor Larry!!

[hellabove]

some more in-process photos.

Baffles are 0.75 MDF, all speakers recess-mounted using a router rabbit bit + jigsaw (too cheap to buy a jig), sub is Tang Band "Cerberus" (thanks Roman) ported, mid and tweeter mounted to baffle along with crossover using 14g wire.