For sale is a massive DIY center channel speaker in very good condition. Price is $200. Naturally, due to its sheer size and weight, this is local pickup only in metro Atlanta, GA.
A great center channel should throw bass all over the place. If a gun shot goes off, it should sound realistic – just like you’re in the scene alongside the actors. That ain’t gonna happen with a typical, wimpy-ass center channel.
For this reason, I built the king of all center channels from a DIY kit. The designer is Jed Kunz, a prolific speaker guru (google him). This center channel features a Vifa XT25 double magnet tweeter, two Tangband W4-1337 titanium dome midranges, and four Dayton RS180 woofers. The crossover is a beefy 4.2 pounds and is built point-to-point on a 5.5” x 9” MDF board. The speaker is finished with Formica which looks like granite, hence the name “Rock Box.” There’s a chip on the bottom corner, but can’t be seen when the speaker is in place. The cabinet is constructed of ¾” MDF with a 1.5” baffle. There are four braces. I added a metal grille.
I made one approved modification – the original design is 42” in length, but the Rock Box is 48”. I wanted to made it longer to get a bit more bass. This brought the box down to 36 Hz and, of course, with room gain we’re looking at low 30’s. The dimensions are 48”L x 16”D x 9”H. Two 2” ports are on the back along with a set of high-quality binding posts. The Rock Box tips the scales at around 100 pounds. I use a hand truck to move it.
Sound? In one word – “astonishing.” And, umm…. “powerful.” OK, that’s two words. The front soundstage is mesmerizing. The value of a 4-foot long center channel speaker is its ability to project a wider sound, thus making the front stage appear as one speaker, not three. This provides a greater sense of the “you are there” effect. More importantly, the dynamics and impact are off the charts. With the Rock Box, my system doesn’t sound like it’s attempting to emulate the movie theater experience -- it IS the experience.
