Seperating JBL120-Ti's into 2 cabinets

[David Cornaby]

Hi, I am new to the forum but my love of JBL speakers led me here. I have been using a pair of 120-Ti speakers in my home theater FOH left and right. We recently moved and acquired a home entertainment cabinet that leaves no room for the speakers unless I separate the mid and tweet from the LF 128H-1. The mid and tweet are no problem but the LF will require me to build a cabinet with the maximum outside dimensions of 17"x17"x17". I am not using the 128H-1's as sub-woofers and just want to maintain the sound of the speaker as close to original as possible. My hope is that someone here can design me a simple box with port size and length for the 128H-1's. The original 120-Ti speaker cabinets have inside dimensions of 23"x 12 1/2"x 9 1/2" or 1.58 CF empty. Any help would be appreciated so I don't have to part with my 120's. Thank you in advance

[rdgrimes]

Why take a speaker you dearly love and tear it apart? Is there room in the cabinet for something like a PT800? Might be a good excuse to update to some newer technology.

[David Cornaby]

[ATTACH]61900

I am now convinced tearing the speakers apart is not the way to go. I tried placing them in the book case side and was thinking I could replace the glass with a grill cover but they don't sound that great.The 120'S are finicky about were they are placed. Now that you see my what I have to work with I am open to ideas for a knock your socks off built in speaker system. I am open to any ideas. Yes, those are cheap Yamaha in wall speakers mounted to the doors and don't sound half bad for what they are.

[svollmer]

The box around the 120Ti's will make them sound "hollow" and compromise bass response. Just for a test, try stuffing the boxes behind and around the speakers with pillows and blankets and see if that makes a difference. If it does and you like it, you could fill the space with insulation and change the glass to grill cloth.

[SEAWOLF97]

nice HE cabinet.

For an experiment I'd put the 120's up on top of it ... on their sides with the center in ..between them. Then you can angle them as needed to focus HF . I'd think with the tweets to the outside.

the 120 is very similar to 4412's and they were designed to be placed horizontally.

doesn't cost anything to try, and who knows , mebbe they'll sound good that way ?

[rdgrimes]

1st, get that center speaker off the top of the HE center and place it on top of the TV. (there are a number of shelves and brackets made for this).
The space where the 120ti are sitting is the right height, so figure a way to make them sound good there. Stuffing the space is a good suggestion, but the doors will always detract from imaging even with grill cloth installed. I'd remove them.

[BMWCCA]

For an experiment I'd put the 120's up on top of it ... on their sides with the center in ..between them. Then you can angle them as needed to focus HF . I'd think with the tweets to the outside.

the 120 is very similar to 4412's and they were designed to be placed horizontally.

doesn't cost anything to try, and who knows , mebbe they'll sound good that way ?

Certainly doesn't hurt to try but the driver alignment of the 120Ti is actually closer to the 4410/A which was designed for vertical placement.

Regardless, there's a correct tool for every job and I'm thinking that cabinetry was never designed to house a quality home-theater setup.

[audiomagnate]

That looks like the right location. I agree with the previous poster who recommended acoustically treating that area and replacing the glass with grill cloth. Either lose the center entirely or bring it down closer to the screen. That looks like a Victorian era back bar, is that what it is? beautiful! I hope you can make it work.

[Mr. Widget]

Now that you see my what I have to work with I am open to ideas for a knock your socks off built in speaker system. I am open to any ideas.

What is your budget range? What are you driving this with?


Widget

[audiomagnate]

I just had another weisenheimer brain storm! Why not put your current speakers, or anything that will fit, on slide out trays? They will sound much better that way and you can tuck them back in when not in use.