Really inexpensive OB ideas?

JimJ · « **on:** 27 Apr 2007, 10:52 pm »

Well, it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to swing the $300'ish or so I'll need in wood to build the cabinets for my Fostex Sigs like I wanted this month, so I'm thinking about a temporary solution until I do.

What would be some drivers that I could find on Ebay or elsewhere for cheap, that would work decently well in like a JE Labs OB design or something similar? Not expecting miracles here, I have a sub to take care of the lower octaves, but if I could find some $30 speakers to do well for full range I'd be happy. Thinking something in the 6-8" range, vintage alnico, etc...

Thanks for any help in advance, I know these extreme budget solutions make most of us cringe but I'm just looking to see what's out there...

JeffB · « **Reply #1 on:** 27 Apr 2007, 11:22 pm »

These are only 3", but just $19 each.
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?DID=7&PartNumber=264-813

Somebody who has used them in open baffle and liked them
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=200123

I might finally hook mine up this weekend if I can find the time.

JimJ · « **Reply #2 on:** 27 Apr 2007, 11:37 pm »

Thanks.

I have a pair of these: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=264-814 already from a pair of computer speakers I salvaged, but I'm not sure how they'd do by themselves in a baffle...lack of cone area isn't encouraging.

JoshK · « **Reply #3 on:** 28 Apr 2007, 01:53 am »

Shameless plug, but I have an unused pair of Ciare CH250's that I am looking to sell for $120. They are 10" full ranges. Quite a bit of talk about them last year on diyaudio.com. I was going to build shop speakers with them, but I don't think I am going to get time for the next two years.

opnly bafld · « **Reply #4 on:** 28 Apr 2007, 02:48 am »

I have a pair of Kenwood Bicone 6x9s (less than 2 months old) that you can have for free if you pay for shipping.
I don't have the original boxes but will pack them well.
I tried 4 per baffle for helper woofers, at first they sounded horrible but after a few weeks of running 6-8 hours a day they sound much better.

Lin

hurdy_gurdyman · « **Reply #5 on:** 28 Apr 2007, 01:23 pm »

If you watch epay closely, you might find a pair of EV "Wolverine" (LS-8, MC-8) speakers for under $50. I've seen some with small, easily fixable cone tears go for as little as $15 each. These do well on an OB and sound surprisingly good. With some tweeking (8 kHz notch filter, super-tweeter, like a piezo with proper XO, and a sub added), these can sound amazing. They are also very efficient. Also, the 12" models sound good.

Dave

Folsom · « **Reply #6 on:** 28 Apr 2007, 05:28 pm »

Pioneer B20's removed whizzer cone and coated in damar work great OB. $25 or so a piece, $7 for damar, $2 razor blade knife, $20 sheet of MDF....

JohninCR · « **Reply #7 on:** 28 Apr 2007, 05:51 pm »

Jim,

The little Tangbands will work, but they can't do much volume below about 300hz, due to the limited cone area. Lin's offer on the 6x9's may be just the ticket for some bass fill for the TB's. Too bad we can't get full specs on 6x9's and other car speakers, because some are actually very useful, however, you really have to audition them in person to find the diamonds in the rough.

Dave,

I didn't realize those cast frame EV's went so cheap. They're my favorite driver to show off a frame. I'll have to watch Epay. I'm surprized you didn't mention the infamous Pioneer 8" fullranger as a cheap way to experiment with OB.

hurdy_gurdyman · « **Reply #8 on:** 29 Apr 2007, 12:20 pm »

Quote from: JohninCR on 28 Apr 2007, 05:51 pm

Dave,

I didn't realize those cast frame EV's went so cheap. They're my favorite driver to show off a frame. I'll have to watch Epay. I'm surprized you didn't mention the infamous Pioneer 8" fullranger as a cheap way to experiment with OB.

John,

They don't go that cheap all the time. I have seen a few with small cone damage that do, however, and are worth looking for.
The Pioneers are great little speakers to experiment with, but are not in the same class as the EV's. If you can find the EV's for $50, why bother with the Pioneers? The EV's are one of the few speakers I've heard that have good sounding whizzer cones.

Dave

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #9 on:** 29 Apr 2007, 12:54 pm »

Quote from: JeffB on 27 Apr 2007, 11:22 pm

These are only 3", but just $19 each.
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?DID=7&PartNumber=264-813

Somebody who has used them in open baffle and liked them
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=200123

I might finally hook mine up this weekend if I can find the time.

Do you have anything to report for an update yet?

JLM · « **Reply #10 on:** 29 Apr 2007, 02:28 pm »

Fostex FE127E is a 4.5 inch extended range driver, 92 dB/w/m, 8 ohms, that retails from Madisound for $37 each. Omega uses them in speakers costing over $1,000/pair. Should work well with a sub, can sound thin when pushed (but again the sub should help). These are work in OB.

A really cheap way to extend the bass would be to mount the OB directly into the corners of the room, so that the side walls act as a much larger baffle. Just leave an opening top and bottom.

nodiak · « **Reply #11 on:** 29 Apr 2007, 04:04 pm »

Here again to suggest caution in using short xmax Fostex full range in ob.
Simply consider the rational of an xmax of .67mm left in the open air to defend itself agains any and all bass information sent it's way.
A crossover in the 300 hz range minimum is personally recommended by myself who lost a pair to the bass monsters.
JLM, I understand you recommended a sub, but that suggests well under 150 hz for the 127e's. They honestly can't handle it at louder/fun spl's.

This isn't a theoretical argument, it's experience. I'd hate to see any one else go through the lo$$.

Your buddy in ob, nodiak

opnly bafld · « **Reply #12 on:** 29 Apr 2007, 05:37 pm »

Quote from: JLM on 29 Apr 2007, 02:28 pm

Fostex FE127E is a 4.5 inch extended range driver, 92 dB/w/m, 8 ohms, that retails from Madisound for $37 each. Omega uses them in speakers costing over $1,000/pair.

Clarification:
Omega no longer uses the Fostex, all Omega speakers are now hemp cones.

Lin

Folsom · « **Reply #13 on:** 30 Apr 2007, 07:15 am »

Quote from: hurdy_gurdyman on 29 Apr 2007, 12:20 pm

Quote from: JohninCR on 28 Apr 2007, 05:51 pm

Dave,

I didn't realize those cast frame EV's went so cheap. They're my favorite driver to show off a frame. I'll have to watch Epay. I'm surprized you didn't mention the infamous Pioneer 8" fullranger as a cheap way to experiment with OB.
John,

They don't go that cheap all the time. I have seen a few with small cone damage that do, however, and are worth looking for.
The Pioneers are great little speakers to experiment with, but are not in the same class as the EV's. If you can find the EV's for $50, why bother with the Pioneers? The EV's are one of the few speakers I've heard that have good sounding whizzer cones.

Dave

Frankly you can not even speak about the Pioneers unless you have coated them with damar. Seriously, night and day, they are pieces of crap without it. The whizzer sucks too in my opinion, cut it off.

hurdy_gurdyman · « **Reply #14 on:** 30 Apr 2007, 02:20 pm »

Quote from: Destroyer of Smiles. on 30 Apr 2007, 07:15 am

Quote from: hurdy_gurdyman on 29 Apr 2007, 12:20 pm
Quote from: JohninCR on 28 Apr 2007, 05:51 pm

Dave,

I didn't realize those cast frame EV's went so cheap. They're my favorite driver to show off a frame. I'll have to watch Epay. I'm surprized you didn't mention the infamous Pioneer 8" fullranger as a cheap way to experiment with OB.
John,

They don't go that cheap all the time. I have seen a few with small cone damage that do, however, and are worth looking for.
The Pioneers are great little speakers to experiment with, but are not in the same class as the EV's. If you can find the EV's for $50, why bother with the Pioneers? The EV's are one of the few speakers I've heard that have good sounding whizzer cones.

Dave

Frankly you can not even speak about the Pioneers unless you have coated them with damar. Seriously, night and day, they are pieces of crap without it. The whizzer sucks too in my opinion, cut it off.

Agreed. I ended up taking the whizzers off my Pioneers and coating the cones with a couple of coats of Dammar. I also glued the cones from a couple of 1 1/4 inch poly Peerless tweeters in place of the origional dustcap. This helped get a bit higher for a tweeter crossover. Made nice sound then. I had them in TQWP's, so never heard them in OB's.

Dave

JeffB · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 Apr 2007, 06:46 pm »

WindChaser,

Nothing to report yet.
I managed to get about 75% of the way to completion this weekend.
Hopefully next weekend.
I have had the Tang Bands for about 2 months now, so I wouldn't hold me breath waiting for me.

BoomieMCT · « **Reply #16 on:** 1 Aug 2007, 01:47 am »

I made a cheap pair of OB's that I'm pretty happy with. Right now I have a pair of Hi-Vi B3N's crossed to a pair of 12" woofers (on sale at PE). I added a notch filter on the B3N's lifted from www.zaphaudio.com. The crossover is at 400Hz - I used a second order LR crossover made for passive subs I got on sale for $5 (for DVC, I had to cut it in half to get two). All this on a 4' x 18" baffle with curved wings and some bracing (both made from a single sheet of 3/4" ply). The whole project cost about $100 for *all* materials.

Dmason · « **Reply #17 on:** 2 Aug 2007, 07:11 pm »

My best recommendation for cheap OB speakers is the wrecking yard. Go out and find some old and wonderful Isophons in some old Volvo or similar car. Even the stock crap Pioneers in my Honda sounded terrific on OB. I wouldnt do it any other way. the auto wreckers will give you a veritable banquet of choices. Head for the old Volvo section. Think: Isophon. This will give you superior sound, Alnico magnets, high sensitivity, the works, for about ten bucks. I have been on two speaker missions to the wreckers, and each time came away with absolute gems. I listen to these old Isophon 6 X 9's which fit right into the Honda, and I listen with the back seat down which = OB. Fantastic sound. ten dollars.

JeffB · « **Reply #18 on:** 2 Aug 2007, 11:23 pm »

I actually did get the Tang Band W3-871SC 3" Driver hooked up a while back.
It was not nearly as good as my B200. I listened for maybe 10 minutes.
Perhaps they needed to break in.
My JVC amp has since fried itself and I haven't done any more experimenting.