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Using speakers outside of a cab?

K

Kenbuntu

Jun 6, 2005
1,528
1
35
Ontario
#1
Will it harm the speakers if i use them outside of a cab? just sitting on the floor? i was supposed to build a cab, but my dad won't buy the wood, and i've been playing through headphones the past year. yeah, i'm desperate.
 
#2
T_T said:
Will it harm the speakers if i use them outside of a cab? just sitting on the floor? i was supposed to build a cab, but my dad won't buy the wood, and i've been playing through headphones the past year. yeah, i'm desperate.
Click to expand...

Yes it WILL harm them. PEMANENTLY!!!!

If you need wood buy it yourself. Most of us at your age took jobs of some kind or another to pay for our equipment. Just make sure that the cabinet you build is suited to the speakers you have.

Paul
 
#5
get a piece of card bord. like 5x5 feet, ply wood would be better but hey ive done it cut the hole and mount it. the reason the speaker is harmed is, speakers dont just push sound forward, they do it barkward, sideways and every way. a box driects it. not having one, the sound waves going in every direction will rip the speaker out of its basket(housing). if you place it on a big shet of something(metal wil work but it will vibrate alot and sound like hell) youll at least keep the sound waves from coming back through the speaker. make sense? any one else?
 
#6
Try to find a cabinet shop or a construction site and ask if they have any extra wood (of the size you need) or pieces that you can glue together.

It seems your father doesn't want to hear your bass or maybe he doesn't want you to get involved in playing in a band. Whatever the reason, maybe you can talk to him and find out what the deal is? If you can get the wood for free and he still doesn't want you to build a cab (even a simple cab), then you know the answer.
 
#7
When a speaker is in a box, the cone compresses the air inside the box. This compression is one of the forces that keeps the cone from moving in and out too much. Most speakers are designed to require this, both for protection of the cone and to achieve a desirable response curve. If they are used outside of a box, a small amount of power (esp at low frequencies) will drive the cone way past its safe limit.
 
#8
Yes, you can use your speaker outside of a cabinet, but it doesn't sound good, and you can damage your speaker because it wont have as much of a load (air) pushing/pulling against it like it would if it was in a box, ported or not. You driver will spit out it's voicecoil like it tasted bad. On top of that, unless you are in a quiet room or have a lot of speakers you are going to hook up, it won't be loud at all. Are there any construction sites in your area? When I was about 16 or 17 I was in the same situation and just used some leftover plywood scrap that I picked up from one of them. :ninja:
 
#12
T_T said:
i've got plans for BFM cabs and everything, but i dont have access to use the money that i earn. the dictator...err i mean father... wont let me.
Click to expand...

You need to talk to your father. See if you can sort it out with him. I have no idea of what goes on between the two of you so I can't say if he's right or wrong. Anyhow, in another year you'll be old enough to legally move out and live on your own. Then the money you earn, after rent, food, clothing, transportation, etc. can go towards speaker cabinets.

Actually, playing through headphones is a good way to really hear how you sound and correct your technique before it becomes a bad habit..
 
#13
yeah i actually like the sound i get from my Sennheisers, but after a year, its kind of a pain to have headphones coming from my pedal to my head and have earbuds coming from my PC ( i like to play along with songs. you know how it is). This forces me to play... SITTING DOWN :( ... so it sucks.


does anyone second the cardboard box idea?
BTW what do i do once i have the cardboard? is it a box that's 5x5x5 feet? (Thats HUGE!) or i just need a 5'x5' side to begin with. I don't mind gluing the sides together. That will keep the air inside.

And the drivers i have:
1x 12" Eminence Delta lite ll 2512.
1x 10" Eminence BP102.
I know its sad that they have to go through this, but it'll be temporary for sure.

But who knows, something may come from this cardboard cab. maybe with the cardboard he'll say," okay enough is enough, we're going to the lumber yard."
 
#14
T_T said:
. . .does anyone second the cardboard box idea? . . .
Click to expand...

The cardboard box idea is great.

I did this in my early teens with cheap car speakers and didn't get scientific. It worked well. Go for it. You may be pleasantly surprised.

You can get creative and think up cool ways to add stiffness and bracing. By the way, look for throwaway foam/sponges (to control internal reflections and maybe add a little rigidity), scrap wood, styrofoam blocks... the sky's the limit.

"Necessity is the mother of invention."
 
#15
ok so i looked at FDeck's signature and i saw the compact 112 he built. Luckily the driver he used is the same one i have, so i attempted to build that out of cardboard. :D

So far, i have only the baffle to do, and then mount, and ill be done. i'mnot sure if i have any old foam lying around for lining the inside of the Cab-o-board. I know its a must for the OmniTop 12, but would it help much over here?
 
#16
well, i just finished, and tried it at a very low volume, and it seems ok? ill take some pics later.

Is air supposed to be coming out from the port.

And i did not, screw the driver to the card-baffle, because, well its card board, and i didnt feel like wasting hurricane nuts. SO right now its sitting upwards( facing the ceiling)
 
#17
T_T said:
well, i just finished, and tried it at a very low volume, and it seems ok? ill take some pics later.

Is air supposed to be coming out from the port.

And i did not, screw the driver to the card-baffle, because, well its card board, and i didnt feel like wasting hurricane nuts. SO right now its sitting upwards( facing the ceiling)
Click to expand...

Yes,

Air should be coming from the port.

Good job!

But continue to be careful!

:D

Joe.
 
#18
WEll air wasnt coming through the port, but the volume wasnt loud at all so that's probably why. its 10o clock here and i dont want to disturb anyone.

right now this is how the driver is situated. not screwed down like i said and kind of un even...its hard to build a baffle out of cardboard :p

_________\........./_________

should it be like so and screwed down?
______ _________
\......../
 
#20
T_T said:
WEll air wasnt coming through the port, but the volume wasnt loud at all so that's probably why. its 10o clock here and i dont want to disturb anyone.

right now this is how the driver is situated. not screwed down like i said and kind of un even...its hard to build a baffle out of cardboard :p

_________\........./_________

should it be like so and screwed down?
______ _________
\......../
Click to expand...

Well...you would probably feel air if you played louder.

However...since this box is made out of cardboard you will probably feel significantly less air than you would out of a box the same size made out of wood..turn up and you should feel something!

Also remember to not go too crazy with the volume! You don't want to hurt the speaker.


:D

Joe.
 

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