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Thread: Building a custom center speaker

  1. #1
    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    Building a custom center speaker

    Anyone done this? I was thinking of putting together a "vintage" center speaker. I would use 034/044 or 066 and an LE5 in vertical orientation with a 6" driver on each side. This would not be a small speaker, but would have proper dynamics for center duty. The MF driver would also need isolation, maybe one of the plastic isolation tubes from an old cabinet.

    Has anyone ever seen plans for, or another such speaker? I'd prefer a sealed unit, but ported could be arranged too. Another option might be to take something like an L86 and put a new baffle into it, horizontally oriented for centered HF/MF drivers. The same XO could also be used. I would insist on a 3-way.

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    Administrator Robh3606's Avatar
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    Sounds just like a JBL S center channel. Can't see you doing it sealed. Your not going to get enough low frequency extension. Might want to use a pair of 115H-1 AKA L20t/4406 woofers. Probably be your best bet. Crossover you are going to have to work on.

    Rob
    "I could be arguing in my spare time"

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    Quote Originally Posted by rdgrimes View Post
    Anyone done this? I was thinking of putting together a "vintage" center speaker. I would use 034/044 or 066 and an LE5 in vertical orientation with a 6" driver on each side. This would not be a small speaker, but would have proper dynamics for center duty. The MF driver would also need isolation, maybe one of the plastic isolation tubes from an old cabinet.

    Has anyone ever seen plans for, or another such speaker? I'd prefer a sealed unit, but ported could be arranged too. Another option might be to take something like an L86 and put a new baffle into it, horizontally oriented for centered HF/MF drivers. The same XO could also be used. I would insist on a 3-way.
    Vintage enough?

    Alnico 2205 reconed as a 2235/LE175/075 with W15GTI in separate chamber used as a sub.



    Still too new? Previously used a pair of 130As (one as a sub..., yeah right! ).




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    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by toddalin View Post
    Vintage enough?

    Alnico 2205 reconed as a 2235/LE175/075 with W15GTI in separate chamber used as a sub.



    Still too new? Previously used a pair of 130As (one as a sub..., yeah right! ).


    Close, but too old and too big. I'll be wanting to match the L-86/L96/L112/L150A lineup. The L86 cab is about the right size and has the walnut veneer. Could also keep the XO.

    How hard is it to get the baffle out of one of these? (without destroying the cab)

  5. #5
    Administrator Robh3606's Avatar
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    How hard is it to get the baffle out of one of these? (without destroying the cab)
    You would have to cut it out. Could be done easy enough.

    Rob
    "I could be arguing in my spare time"

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    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by toddalin View Post
    Vintage enough?

    Alnico 2205 reconed as a 2235/LE175/075 with W15GTI in separate chamber used as a sub.
    Now where have I seen those before....


    Widget

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    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Robh3606 View Post
    Sounds just like a JBL S center channel. Can't see you doing it sealed. Your not going to get enough low frequency extension.
    That would depend on the amount of power applied. But a couple ports might fit in too, although bass is not the main interest in a center.

    Actually, my PC600 is a close sonic match, but walnut veneer and older drivers has a better cool factor. I could get a PC600 cab, only cost me $1600.00 at Harman.

  8. #8
    Administrator Robh3606's Avatar
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    That would depend on the amount of power applied. But a couple ports might fit in too, although bass is not the main interest in a center.
    You would want to hit F3 at about 60hz. It always a good idea to have at least a half octave or so lower than your crossover point. If you go THX 60Hz or lower is what you would want.

    6" cones don't do too well when pushed hard to go down low like in a sealed enclosure. Not enough surface area or X-Max. You would loose 10db at 50hz between the two alignments. They will also be doing your lower midrange and the harder you push them the more you will hear it in the vocals. Best to run them conservatively.

    115's Sealed and ported

    Rob
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    RIP 2011 Zilch's Avatar
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    It's two of them. Configure one as "Helper," maybe? :dont-know

    O.K., move up to 8" 116H-x. then.

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    Administrator Robh3606's Avatar
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    It's two of them. Configure one as "Helper," maybe? :dont-know
    That's an idea, don't know if it would work well though. 8's will certainly work. Gonna get big though with a pair.

    Rob
    "I could be arguing in my spare time"

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    RIP 2011 Zilch's Avatar
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    Too bad there's no squircle 8". Well, there IS in Synthesis, I believe.

    [Anybody sayin' LE8T-H gonna get konked, probably.... ]

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    Administrator Robh3606's Avatar
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    Hey remember the mini 4430 you guys made up using 2404's? You could do a conversion over to mini 4435's??

    Too bad there's no squircle 8".
    What about the L3/L5/L7 woofers?

    Rob
    "I could be arguing in my spare time"

  13. #13
    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Robh3606 View Post
    You would want to hit F3 at about 60hz. It always a good idea to have at least a half octave or so lower than your crossover point. If you go THX 60Hz or lower is what you would want.
    It's a center, it will be XO at 80Hz in the amp. My PC600 has 2 x 6" woofs in a cab with less CF than a L86, and it's sealed. I'd most likely go with 2 115H drivers, or equivalent, if I'm using a L86 XO. They'd only be driving 80-800. Or I could use an L96/L112 XO and they'd be 80-1100. They were designed for up to 2.5. I do want to stay at the upper XO of 3.7, since that works so well with the 034/044 and LE5 and matches all the other speakers.

    I think I'd start with no ports. You can always add ports, easier than taking them away.

    Mostly I wondered if anyone had ever built such a thing. And if not, why not?

  14. #14
    Administrator Robh3606's Avatar
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    My PC600 has 2 x 6" woofs in a cab with less CF than a L86, and it's sealed.
    OK It's 6dB down at 80hz. If it works well in the system you want to build this center for then don't go ported. The 115H's sealed are right in the same ballpark. Probably be a bigger box than the PC600 though with a pair 115 in there.

    Mostly I wondered if anyone had ever built such a thing. And if not, why not?
    There have been a couple of DIY centers here. It's work so you have to want to do it. You won't be able to use the stock low pass for the "woofers" you will have to tweak it a bit because of the impedance/driver differences.

    Rob
    "I could be arguing in my spare time"

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    RIP 2011 Zilch's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Robh3606 View Post
    Hey remember the mini 4430 you guys made up using 2404's? You could do a conversion over to mini 4435's??
    Never got to the 4435s; did the SK2 doodah mini E2s, instead....

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