Stereo Xperts...
What is your experience using particle board instead of MDF? I went to Lowes today and they didn't have any MDF but plenty of particle board. I'm going to try another hardware store, but if I can't find any, will the particle board do the job well?

 

Particle board is definitely inferior to MDF. It is less dense and has much less internal damping.

In other words, the particle board box will vibrate a lot -- adding it's own sound to what the speaker is doing. The more dense and damped MDF enclosure will contribute less to the sound -- leaving you with clearer bass.

There's a reason any decently make speaker cabinet is built using MDF.....

 

rynberg beat me to it. I have built lots of speakers and mdf is the way to go. If you can't get mdf, marine plywood is a good choice as well.

 

the only time I've used particle board in order to make a box was when I was using boards as some support for fiberglassing. I would highly suggest using mdf if you're building your box simply out of the boards

 

Whoah, you made that by yourself? How did you learn how to do that and how much did it cost?

 

Audio nuts are even more **** than car nuts There are many, many amateur audio enthusiests who build speakers and equipment. If you want to see what they share and talk about mosey on over to www.audioasylum.com. I used to post there frequently until I started spending my extra time and money on my FD.

If you were to buy something like the speakers and crossover I built in a store, you could easily pay several thousand dollars. I spent a fraction of that, but of course my time is free.

 

also remember particle board flex's

 

and ive seen pics of particle board boxes exploding... kinda cool looking, but only if it doesnt happen to you

you can get sheets of mdf from home depot

 

Cool, Damon. I'm a home audio guy myself, but your head-end stuff is a little above my level....

Are those focal, dynaudio, or vifa drivers? They look like focals.

I haven't spent any money on the home audio front in quite a while either, but I'm pretty happy with what I have now. Although Paradigm's coming out with their new Signature series.....

 

My stuff isn't real "high end" compared to what the real nuts ($$$) do, you know what I am talking about I am sure. Those drivers are actually from Hi-Vi Research. Two pressed kevlar 6" drivers and an RT1C ribbon tweeter in each enclosure. The 6" are in a BB4 alignment but I forget the tuning frequency off the top of my head.

The real center of the system is the active xover. I built and tuned it especially for these drivers but now that I have moved and have them in a different room I need to recaliberate the notch filter. The mains F3 is about 70hz, then the 4 cubic foot, 300 watt sealed 12" sub takes over The pic above only shows my main speakers and the active xover/processor, the rest of the equipment was used for a show I was attending.

Here's my system at Audio Asylum: Damon's system

 

Thanks guys, MDF it is.