OT: Subwoofer project to support your Altecs.

[Phil-G]

That explains why when I drop one of my 40 gallon trash cans back onto the floor after emptying in I get one hell of a bass note from it, especially in the bathrooms.

this may be a new trend
Man lives in Brooklyn dumpster - New York News

[Alien_Shore]

Regarding low and high level inputs, the few guys that have made these and tested them extensively all say the same thing: that they sound better running high level inputs paralleled off the main amp instead of low level (RCA, XLR) inputs. It's not just a gain issue, the claim is that they blend better in that configuration.

I guess that kind of makes sense since you're taking the sub inputs right off the main outputs. Whatever characteristics that are inherant in the main are translated to the sub amp.

I'm still evaluating. I'm running a fairly cheap 100w plate amp, and so far it is working better with the low-level inputs.
Here's the finished Alien_Shore redneck bucket:

[alancohen]

Look at you....

Nice job. I'm still amazed how great these sound for how little investment, both in time and $$$.

100W will get you in the game. Overall sound and blend will depend on the crossover in the amp. I'm already invested in the crown(24dB L-R), so the cost to add more buckets is almost nothing. Two sound exponentially better than one. I'm heading for four.

I'd strongly recommend removing the handle. These things have quickly uncovered everything in my living room that can rattle.

[VolvoHeretic]

Just need to slap a lamp shade over them to spruce them up.

[Old Guy]

If there is a Firehouse subs in your area they sell Fire engine red buckets with their logo for a couple bucks...used pickle buckets



Going to bed, outta here at 4 AM. SOMEBODY wants to be on the beach tomorrow afternoon.

[edharbur]

I was thinking that in order to get the subs past my wife, I'd build a pair of simple veneered open ended rectangular boxes, 1" larger all around than the subs, put a few rubber feet on the bottom and a drop in cloth grill on the top. Just put the sub where you want it and drop the box over it. This may also add some insight as to whether just the speaker or the entire bucket was contributing to the sound - drop the cover on, and if the sound degrades, throw the cover out.

Ed

[Alien_Shore]

I was thinking that in order to get the subs past my wife, I'd build a pair of simple veneered open ended rectangular boxes

if you're going to build something using that particular driver, you may want to go 3CF vented, tuned to 30Hz.

Oh, and OG, those are some hot looking buckets!

[edharbur]

My thinking was that I"d build, wire, and amplify the subs exactly as designed, and just put the decorative covers over them, which, hopefully, will not effect the sound in any way. This puts me in the subwoofer game without too much time or or money, and establishes a benchmark for future projects.

Mike - how do you like your bucket subs? Do you think that the 3 cf box would outperform the bucket?

Ed

[GM]

Seems like it would restrict the bucket's ability to 'breathe' [flex], which is part of its 'charm'.

GM

[Alien_Shore]

Mike - how do you like your bucket subs? Do you think that the 3 cf box would outperform the bucket?

Ed

I really like it so far - we threw a birthday party this weekend at an outdoor venue, and I used the bucket there - it did pretty well under the pavillion.
As far as the 3CF box, it's really hard to say, since as GM indicates, the thin flexible bucket is definitely doing some "reinforcement" of the sound, but it's hard to argue with the WinISD plot of the 3CF box tuned to 30 Hz using a single round vent 2.68" diameter 3.63" long; it's worth a try!