Thoughts on building a deadbox/iso cab
- Rad Grandad
- Topic Starter
- 38044 posts since 6 Sep, 2003 from Downeast Maine
Face it, many of us could use one and there are not that many available at reasonable prices. SO let's brainstorm shall we? I made two in my life but neither did that much for reduction.
My first is a wooden box that I made when I was a kid for lps and then turned it into a dead box by taking a solidstate cheap guitar amp (a charvel amp with an 8" speaker) I took the whole panel with the speaker on it and put it in the box but first I covered the inside of the box with foam and pillows. I ran my Marshall 9000 pre-amp into the amp section of the charvel amp (8 watts I think) in the days of 4-track recording it did okay, but then I got a sansamp an the box became a place for cables.
My second was in this chest that has been in my family for year and years.
My father rammed through one of the doors with his power wheelchair while trying to learn how to drive it so I figured it had no value anymore. I used fiber board and foam. What I did was put a layer of foam and then fiber board sandwiching the foam...I did this times three on five sides and then made an insert for the front where the doors are. I put a 10" speaker in it and miked it. It kept out the outside noise but didn't allow me to turn up the volume enough and it sounded pretty bad.
I have thought about ballistic gel but I'm not sure about whether gelatin would spoil or rot, I worked with it in the service making a form of napalm (I had an interesting job in the service). It turns out gelatin is used for cheap ballistic gel, but would it rot and start to stink?
Of course air and density stop sound so a box within a box would be best with something thick (I'm think 5/8" dry wall layered at least 4-5 times for each box). Because wieght is not an issue for me I have thought about a box surrounded by cinder blocks on top of some kind of slab surround by wood to look nice.
I also wonder if an old freezer that doesn't work could be modified...so what other ideas do people have?
My first is a wooden box that I made when I was a kid for lps and then turned it into a dead box by taking a solidstate cheap guitar amp (a charvel amp with an 8" speaker) I took the whole panel with the speaker on it and put it in the box but first I covered the inside of the box with foam and pillows. I ran my Marshall 9000 pre-amp into the amp section of the charvel amp (8 watts I think) in the days of 4-track recording it did okay, but then I got a sansamp an the box became a place for cables.
My second was in this chest that has been in my family for year and years.
My father rammed through one of the doors with his power wheelchair while trying to learn how to drive it so I figured it had no value anymore. I used fiber board and foam. What I did was put a layer of foam and then fiber board sandwiching the foam...I did this times three on five sides and then made an insert for the front where the doors are. I put a 10" speaker in it and miked it. It kept out the outside noise but didn't allow me to turn up the volume enough and it sounded pretty bad.
I have thought about ballistic gel but I'm not sure about whether gelatin would spoil or rot, I worked with it in the service making a form of napalm (I had an interesting job in the service). It turns out gelatin is used for cheap ballistic gel, but would it rot and start to stink?
Of course air and density stop sound so a box within a box would be best with something thick (I'm think 5/8" dry wall layered at least 4-5 times for each box). Because wieght is not an issue for me I have thought about a box surrounded by cinder blocks on top of some kind of slab surround by wood to look nice.
I also wonder if an old freezer that doesn't work could be modified...so what other ideas do people have?
The highest form of knowledge is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another's world. It requires profound, purpose‐larger‐than‐the‐self kind of understanding.
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Hewitt Huntwork Hewitt Huntwork https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=7460
- KVRAF
- 1531 posts since 2 Jun, 2003
The freezer is an interesting idea because of the way it seals up. Plus, depending on the size you might be able to get a pretty big cab in there.
I had a crazy (untried) idea once... You know those ottomans that the top comes off so you can store stuff in there? Well,my idea was to get a few of various sizes and stack them like Russian nesting dolls with a small amp or speaker inside. Granted, when I thought of this I was not imagining total isolation. Never got beyond the imagining stage.
I had a crazy (untried) idea once... You know those ottomans that the top comes off so you can store stuff in there? Well,my idea was to get a few of various sizes and stack them like Russian nesting dolls with a small amp or speaker inside. Granted, when I thought of this I was not imagining total isolation. Never got beyond the imagining stage.
If every KVR member wrote one review a year we'd have 1340 reviews each day!
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Hewitt Huntwork Hewitt Huntwork https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=7460
- KVRAF
- 1531 posts since 2 Jun, 2003
I was in the store yesterday and I looked at the freezers in a whole new way!
If every KVR member wrote one review a year we'd have 1340 reviews each day!
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- KVRAF
- 3864 posts since 29 Feb, 2004
No freezers, I need a warm sound.
Can't tell you what works, but I can tell you brute force doesn't.
I still have this huge box in my cellar, 1m x 1m x 1m, made out of 44mm particle board, coated with acoustic foam - forget it.
Low and low mid frequencies almost unchanged, completely useless.
I didn't even start building in diffusors and angled inner walls to improve the butt ugly mic sound ...
Check here for more discussion and a stellar british laugh by Dean :
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4389257
Ymmv,
susiwong
Can't tell you what works, but I can tell you brute force doesn't.
I still have this huge box in my cellar, 1m x 1m x 1m, made out of 44mm particle board, coated with acoustic foam - forget it.
Low and low mid frequencies almost unchanged, completely useless.
I didn't even start building in diffusors and angled inner walls to improve the butt ugly mic sound ...
Check here for more discussion and a stellar british laugh by Dean :
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4389257
Ymmv,
susiwong
- Rad Grandad
- Topic Starter
- 38044 posts since 6 Sep, 2003 from Downeast Maine
it's funny how since then I bought an awesome pre-ampsusiwong wrote:No freezers, I need a warm sound.
Can't tell you what works, but I can tell you brute force doesn't.
I still have this huge box in my cellar, 1m x 1m x 1m, made out of 44mm particle board, coated with acoustic foam - forget it.
Low and low mid frequencies almost unchanged, completely useless.
I didn't even start building in diffusors and angled inner walls to improve the butt ugly mic sound ...
Check here for more discussion and a stellar british laugh by Dean :
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4389257
Ymmv,
susiwong
The highest form of knowledge is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another's world. It requires profound, purpose‐larger‐than‐the‐self kind of understanding.
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- KVRAF
- 3864 posts since 29 Feb, 2004
... and I keep buying awesome ampsHink wrote:it's funny how since then I bought an awesome pre-amp
Let's face it, we are in need of professional help.
Can you fly a heli ?
One of these "Bin Laden Signature" stealth thingies will do.
I'm wondering where Fritzel is sitting right now ...
Lol,
susiwong
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- KVRAF
- 2135 posts since 12 Jul, 2004 from Brave New World
I've actually considered building one over the years, but don't have the time or resources for it currently.
But, think about what you're trying to accomplish. You want to reduce amplitude, which is to reduce the degree of vibration caused by sound. Acoustic foam will help diffuse the vibration in the air, but will still transmit physical vibrations (which are where most of the power of the low end resides).
For best results you will want to house the speaker/mic in a box that is as near air-tight as you can make it. Then suspend that box within another box, on heavy springs. Eliminate the air flow and the transmission of physical vibrations and you have no media through which sound can propagate.
Of course, I would recommend significant trial runs with speaker and mic configuration, before going so far as to hermetically seal the box and then mount that within another box. If I had unlimited time and money, I would mount two high-end speakers and a stereo mic inside the box, and have them wired to jacks on the outside, so that I could use the box for different amps (should I ever feel so inclined).
Of course, if I had unlimited time and money, I would just build a studio where I could be as f**k-all loud as I wanted.
But, think about what you're trying to accomplish. You want to reduce amplitude, which is to reduce the degree of vibration caused by sound. Acoustic foam will help diffuse the vibration in the air, but will still transmit physical vibrations (which are where most of the power of the low end resides).
For best results you will want to house the speaker/mic in a box that is as near air-tight as you can make it. Then suspend that box within another box, on heavy springs. Eliminate the air flow and the transmission of physical vibrations and you have no media through which sound can propagate.
Of course, I would recommend significant trial runs with speaker and mic configuration, before going so far as to hermetically seal the box and then mount that within another box. If I had unlimited time and money, I would mount two high-end speakers and a stereo mic inside the box, and have them wired to jacks on the outside, so that I could use the box for different amps (should I ever feel so inclined).
Of course, if I had unlimited time and money, I would just build a studio where I could be as f**k-all loud as I wanted.
"Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together...." -Carl Zwanzig
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- KVRAF
- 16977 posts since 23 Jun, 2010 from north of London ON
I have an old grainbin that I think might prove interesting to use...36" high by 60" long by 34" in width....all wood
Barry
If a billion people believe a stupid thing it is still a stupid thing
If a billion people believe a stupid thing it is still a stupid thing