# DIY PA subwoofer suggestions



## TheArcticWhite (May 28, 2007)

I made a thread recently about a PA setup for a buddy for tailgating. He went with some cheap powered 12" behringers. All things considered (price, how easy they are to transport, size, etc.) they actually sound pretty decent. Especially since pure volume is the main concern, and these things will absolutely scream. However, they are lacking more than I expecting on the low end. A subwoofer is going to be absolutely necessary. I've decided that I definitely want to DIY, and would like an 18" driver. Box size isn't really a concern and I have about 1000 watts to work with. Ideally I would like something that can be crossed somewhat high at around 100hz to try to take some of the stress off the cabs. Again, LOUD is the main concern (the crowd is usually very volume-demanding), as well as budget. I've looked around at various designs, but the discussions generally go way over my head very quickly. I am capable of building just about anything, I just get overwhelmed with the huge amount of information out there. So, what are some designs and drivers that will maximize volume at minimum cost, and have solid output in the 80-100 hz range?


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## TREETOP (Feb 11, 2009)

You might look into folded horns:
Speakerplans.com
http://www.speakerplans.com/index.php?id=julz1850


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## MaxPowers (Oct 25, 2007)

^^^^
This


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## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

could you build something like this?

18" Subwoofer PA DJ PRO Audio Band Speaker New Sub - Chest Thumping Bass

Amazon.com: 18" Subwoofer PA DJ PRO Audio Band Speaker New Sub - Chest Thumping Bass: Musical Instruments

Perhaps using an Eminence driver?

EMINENCE 18 INCH PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS | Parts-Express.com


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## TheArcticWhite (May 28, 2007)

Oliver said:


> could you build something like this?
> 
> 18" Subwoofer PA DJ PRO Audio Band Speaker New Sub - Chest Thumping Bass
> 
> ...


I'm sure I could build that, given some specific dimensions. It looks like a simple ported box?

TREETOP-
Those horns look interesting and very efficient, but they seem to roll-off significantly just above 40hz. This should be low enough for most music (I have a feeling they will mostly be playing rap) though, correct? The only eq capability will be the low-pass filter on the amplifier, or some eq software you all can recommend as a laptop will be the source. I would like to keep the amount of hardware to lug around to a minimum. Also, I understand they are designed around the Precision Devices PD1850; it seems those drivers are somewhat difficult to find in the US. Could you or someone else suggest suitable replacement drivers, preferably around or less than $200? I really have very little understanding of TS parameters, but am willing to learn.
Sorry for all the questions, but this is my first foray into pro audio.
Thanks


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## 60ndown (Feb 8, 2007)

this is one of my favorite subs, and it can be built for a 18

DECWARE's House Wrecker - High Output Subwoofer


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## Brian Steele (Jun 1, 2007)

Look for the single-sheet TH thread on the diyaudio subwoofers forum.


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