Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

My simple 10" subwoofers built around old Vifa M26WR09-08 drivers

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • My simple 10" subwoofers built around old Vifa M26WR09-08 drivers

    Its nothing fancy and definitely nothing pretty.

    I had picked up a pair of drivers a decade ago and didnt do much with them until about a year ago. They sat around collecting dust. I figured maybe I can make some subwoofers for my stereo.

    Drivers are not really 'subwoofers' as they dont have a lot of excursion or handle a lot of power and probably dont have the extension better drivers have but its what I had on hand Anyway cabinets are 3.1CF of internal volume and tuned to approx 22Hz. The response on paper was sagging and looked more like a sealed response curve but I figured I'd do this because in a small room, I might get some room gain and bump up the bottom and thats exactly what did happen. I seem to have fairly level bass between 50Hz and 22Hz which is the range they work well. I can get some usable bass down to 18Hz but then it starts to drop off quick.

    Cabinets are 3/4" MDF with a brace in the center which is nothign more than a 3/4" divider with a 10" circle cut through it. I used some rockwool about 1" thick sound insulation.





    I am running the subwoofers off a cheap radioshack amp but for the low amount of power I need, its working quite well. I'm using an old Audiocontrol Phase coupled activator as the crossover (set to 54Hz). The unit is sitting right on top of the amp and is barely seen in the photo. Subs are operating in stereo.

    I'm not running the bookshelfs through the crossover so they are running full range. In the room, the bookshelfs are fairly flat to 50Hz before they start to drop off. Reason the mains are running full range is because when I was running them through the crossover, I thought I felt the sound stage shrink a bit and I got a bit more hiss through the tweeter when there was no music. I mean it might be my imagination but I left it like that. I rarely go over 80db and most times I listen in the 70's at least according to my old Audiocontrol RTA.

    Anyway so thats what I did and its keeping me very happy. Now all I need to do is more room treatments to fix some 60Hz bump and midbass dips. Joys have a room thats close to square I guess.

  • #2
    Re: My simple 10" subwoofers built around old Vifa M26WR09-08 drivers

    Looks great to me. The whole setup does.

    What type of finish is that on the sub cabinets? It looks like some sort of speckeled paint like the stuff for car trunks. I like it.

    Are the bookshelves a DIY design/build?

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: My simple 10" subwoofers built around old Vifa M26WR09-08 drivers

      Thanks emilime, the paint is this rough textured speckled paint. Very durable and hides flaws well so I went with it to keep the project easy

      The speakers are Usher S520. Budget bookshelf speakers but I really like them. I picked them up used a while back without a scratch on them. I would have preferred black but I've grown attached to the red now.


      Originally posted by emilime75 View Post
      Looks great to me. The whole setup does.

      What type of finish is that on the sub cabinets? It looks like some sort of speckeled paint like the stuff for car trunks. I like it.

      Are the bookshelves a DIY design/build?

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: My simple 10" subwoofers built around old Vifa M26WR09-08 drivers

        Originally posted by contoursvt View Post
        Thanks emilime, the paint is this rough textured speckled paint. Very durable and hides flaws well so I went with it to keep the project easy

        The speakers are Usher S520. Budget bookshelf speakers but I really like them. I picked them up used a while back without a scratch on them. I would have preferred black but I've grown attached to the red now.
        I read a review on those Ushers a few years back, I think the reviewers had some issues with excursion on the woofers and Usher revised the system slightly with a woofer with more Xmax or something.

        Anyways, looks nice and I bet the bass is stellar.
        Don't listen to me - I have not sold any $150,000 speakers.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: My simple 10" subwoofers built around old Vifa M26WR09-08 drivers

          Thanks The bass is IMO quite articulate with a lot of extension and no hint of drone or overhang. I cant tell you how strong it is because I've got the subwoofer to match the level of the small speakers so its really blending in to add some extension without making itself too noticable.

          I did hear about the old ushers bottoming out but I've had these ones run pretty hard and they didnt seem to have any issues. Maybe mine is after the date where they fixed them...or my definition or running them hard is pretty tame

          Originally posted by johnnyrichards View Post
          I read a review on those Ushers a few years back, I think the reviewers had some issues with excursion on the woofers and Usher revised the system slightly with a woofer with more Xmax or something.

          Anyways, looks nice and I bet the bass is stellar.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: My simple 10" subwoofers built around old Vifa M26WR09-08 drivers

            I think that's a very cool use for some older drivers. Looks good. I like anything Vifa.

            About that amp... What is it? Is it as powerful as it looks? Holy Cow!

            TomZ
            Zarbo Audio Projects Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEZ...aFQSTl6NdOwgxQ * 320-641 Amp Review Youtube: https://youtu.be/ugjfcI5p6m0 *Veneering curves, seams, using heat-lock iron on method *Trimming veneer & tips *Curved Sides glue-up video
            *Part 2 *Gluing multiple curved laminations of HDF

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: My simple 10" subwoofers built around old Vifa M26WR09-08 drivers

              The appearance is a bit misleading. Its a Threshold SA3 which is only 50wpc amplifier but its a class A amp so it does run quite warm. I really like the amp a lot. I picked it up used from Ebay about 8 years ago. One of Nelson Pass's earlier works from what I know.

              Originally posted by tomzarbo View Post
              I think that's a very cool use for some older drivers. Looks good. I like anything Vifa.

              About that amp... What is it? Is it as powerful as it looks? Holy Cow!

              TomZ

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: My simple 10" subwoofers built around old Vifa M26WR09-08 drivers

                Sweet amp. I have the same one... Nice listening area too...
                Mark


                http://www.diy-ny.com

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: My simple 10" subwoofers built around old Vifa M26WR09-08 drivers

                  Originally posted by mgrabow View Post
                  Sweet amp. I have the same one... Nice listening area too...
                  Thanks man. Love the amp too. I wont ever EVER get rid of it

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: My simple 10" subwoofers built around old Vifa M26WR09-08 drivers

                    cool subs man! what is that finish?

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: My simple 10" subwoofers built around old Vifa M26WR09-08 drivers

                      Originally posted by zlaja View Post
                      cool subs man! what is that finish?
                      That's been answered in post #3.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: My simple 10" subwoofers built around old Vifa M26WR09-08 drivers

                        Originally posted by emilime75 View Post
                        That's been answered in post #3.
                        oopsie daisy.....

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: My simple 10" subwoofers built around old Vifa M26WR09-08 drivers

                          Originally posted by zlaja View Post
                          cool subs man! what is that finish?
                          I think one day I'd like to try building some speakers that have the smooth black finish like a piano but I think thats going to be some serious work...or at least it would seem that way.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: My simple 10" subwoofers built around old Vifa M26WR09-08 drivers

                            Contoursvt, if you don't mind my saying so, "nice rack". What is the rack that's supporting all your gear? I need to find something for my new (used) high-end front-end components, and I like the look of yours.
                            Best Regards,

                            Rory Buszka

                            Taterworks Audio

                            "The work of the individual still remains the spark which moves mankind ahead, even more than teamwork." - Igor I. Sikorsky

                            If it works, but you don't know why it works, then you haven't done any engineering.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: My simple 10" subwoofers built around old Vifa M26WR09-08 drivers

                              Nice! I happen to have a pair of these subs sitting on a shelf. You have inspired me to put them to use. I was thinking of trying to use them in a Wicked One type of enclosure but I doubt they would work well there.
                              Good work!
                              Jeff

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X