Is this doable? A Sub of 18 litres?

[lasse]

Hi,

I must ask you more cunning (and intelligent) people before I invest more time on this….

For several reasons, I have taken away my small floor-standing SUB in the kitchen setup (WAF….)
The main speakers are d´Appolitos with 2x Peerless 51/4” midwoofers. (They need the company of a sub!)

Now, I have an idea to place a new up-firing one on top of the “tall cabinets” in a corner of the kitchen (There is a “cavity” there of abt 30x50 cm)

Now, my questions are:

• Is it doable to build a working SUB in a cabinet with a net volume of abt 18 litres?
• IF so, what driver would you recommend?

Best regards//lasse
Stockholm, Sweden

[Wolf]

If you use the TB W5-1138 or W6-1139 vented, this will work for sure. If you go with a larger subwoofer, say 8-10", you'll be pressed to find one of the few that will work for you. Being you're in an 1/8*Pi radiation in a corner, you'll get help on the bottom. You could use the 10" UM10-22, 8" UM8-22, 10" RSS265HE-22, 8" RSS210HF-4, or maybe one of the Visaton long-throw subs in a box that size sealed with a bit of EQ.

So, yes, it's doable.
Wolf

[tktran]

this is how I approach things since 2019.

Download speakerbox lite. There’s a web based app but I find the mobile app faster/more intuitive.

Go to the menu and select Speaker Choice:
choose alignment eg. Closed
choose Volume (or Ready- if you have a ready made box of specific dimensions)
Select Parameters; then select Vb (L) : 18

then go down and select the Filter (funnel icon) and
select your Manufacturers (limits drivers by Brand- select a few brands of drivers you like/know or are available to you. Eg. Dayton Audio, Peerless, Vifa, Eminence, etc)
and select diameter (start with, say 12”)

go back to speaker choice screen and selected a response type: eg. Max flat amplitude B2 Butterworth (other options include max flat delay Bessel BL2, critically damped, Chebyshev C2 and Chebyshev C2 max power)

Then click on Choice.

and voila!!!

lots of drivers in order of closeness to required volume (+/- %); with F3 listed.

select your drivers and click compare

I found a 12” driver that fits in 17.45L and F3 of 44.5Hz

a lollipop for anyone who can guess this driver.

hint: it’s a available from Parts Express !

[Chris Roemer]

What's the 3rd dimension?
If it's also 30cm, and you used 18mm walls, I get at least 30L ??

[tktran]

or you can specify the external dimensions you want to build a cab out of, and material thickness eg. 19mm boards. and it will work out your volume.

Eg. 315 x 315 x 275 mm externally with 19mm MDF lands you 18L internal volume.

[Blenton]

The new Epique 7” subwoofer would work in a box that small vented for an f3 in the mid 30’s unassisted by corner loading, IIRC. Sealed, you could go for a pair of them with a touch of eq. They are little rippers and sure sound good to my ears. Just have to wait a bit for them to come back in stock.

BTW, as has been asked before - your roughly 12 x 20” space - what’s the third dimension?

[lasse]

Hi

And warm thanks for all your replies!

Will be back shortly after I have downloaded speakerbox lite.

The third dimention is abt 20 cm externally, limited from the "negative visibility aspect"... (The unit shall not be visible!)
Could perhaps be extended to 25 cm but that would mean for me to "use" a fair amount of the goodwill, earned over 30 years of marriage.....

Regards//lasse

[Chris Roemer]

I built an 18L sub 2 years ago using a Tang Band W6-1139SIF (ferrite magnet, larger and heavier - but MUCH cheaper).
Using 3/4" (18mm) walls, it's outside dims were 8.5" x 12" x 16.5" (about 21cm x 30 x 42). It can't really be less than 8.5"h, but you can swap depth for width (or length) to keep volume the same. I used a 2" "Precision Port" (using the full length of the tube in the kit) about 11" long.

I also used Dayton's 70w (SA70) amp INside the box. This amp has no boost (and this box needs none). After accounting for the amp and the port tube, I ended up with a net near 15L, but the box was still tuned (and has an F3) into the low 30s.

[lasse]

Hi all,

The supply of drivers is, for one reason or another, rather limited here in Sweden. Luckily, We have Germany "next door", and they seem to import a few brands that do not make their way up to cold Sweden.

I have choosen Dayton DCS165-4 and 205-4 for closer study.

On thing now is to get hold of a suitable plate-amp, that do not cost 1000 USD.....

Regards//lasse

[lasse]

I built an 18L sub 2 years ago using a Tang Band W6-1139SIF (ferrite magnet, larger and heavier - but MUCH cheaper).
Using 3/4" (18mm) walls, it's outside dims were 8.5" x 12" x 16.5" (about 21cm x 30 x 42). It can't really be less than 8.5"h, but you can swap depth for width (or length) to keep volume the same. I used a 2" "Precision Port" (using the full length of the tube in the kit) about 11" long.

I also used Dayton's 70w (SA70) amp INside the box. This amp has no boost (and this box needs none). After accounting for the amp and the port tube, I ended up with a net near 15L, but the box was still tuned (and has an F3) into the low 30s.

Hi Chris,

Yes, I have asked around here of the SA70, being what seems to be a "sensible" plate amp without WiFi, Bluetooth and other stuff....

[Chris Roemer]

That driver should work nearly as well dropped into my box.
It's 6mm Xmax is only half of the Tang Band's, but it's a few dB more sensitive, so ... pretty close.

[lasse]

Hi all,

This i the kitchen in question with the corner for the Sub.....

[tktran]

What the one in the top right corner?

anyway, the 12” driver that fits in 18L and has an F3 of 45Hz is the Dayton RSS315 HO-44

main downside is the sensitivity is 83dB/W IIRC, but that’s not unlike the 5” drivers you’re trying to squeeze in.


If a driver might be too big for your required baffle, my the next look would be a 10”

Happy New Year!

[lasse]

What the one in the top right corner?

anyway, the 12” driver that fits in 18L and has an F3 of 45Hz is the Dayton RSS315 HO-44

main downside is the sensitivity is 83dB/W IIRC, but that’s not unlike the 5” drivers you’re trying to squeeze in.


If a driver might be too big for your required baffle, my the next look would be a 10”

Happy New Year!

Hi,
Yes, the "cavity" is behind the right speaker and is a bit larger than it looks on the picture.

I think that this sub will be limited by, mainly the box-size but also the baffle area for driver, port and plate-amp

Regards//lasse