Want to build guitar speaker iso cab... What are my design goals?

Gravity · 22nd March 2009, 06:08 PM

I'm looking to build a small 1x10 or 1x12 isolation cabinet. How do I get a decent sound and keep it small and well isolated?

I'm thinking of porting the speaker baffle to get a bit more of an open back cabinet kinda sound. Will this work?

I have a few ideas, but I wanted to talk it out with anyone who may have built one or any of you speaker cab builders who have some ideas.

ripple_fx1 · 25th March 2009, 02:35 PM

Hi Gravity - here's what we use: a tight (glued and screwed) three quarter inch baltic birch plywood box with good casters on it, and large enough to place a fat amp on the hinged, snap-latched, and foam weather sealed top. Inside, there's a baffle board screwed to sticks bottom and sides that allows us to swap speakers quickly and to play with porting. We've got our baffle centered in the box, but do as you feel - just allow yourself enough room to get a screwgun inside and move your mic around a bit. Tabletop stand works fine. Quarter inch jack to spade lugs on the speaker side, cable mount xlr-f to panel mount xlr-m on the other. Damping material (and exterior finish) to suit....Cheers! JR

tomdarude · 25th March 2009, 05:52 PM

bumd

interested too!

anyone ever built one and replaced it later on with a "silent-case" housing a regular 1x12" / 2x12" guitar-cab?? which would be the more flexible and less guesswork involved approach, but would need much more space!!

get some pic of your DIY stuff up folks!! I´ll do when I built one

Gravity · 26th March 2009, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ripple_fx1

Hi Gravity - here's what we use: a tight (glued and screwed) three quarter inch baltic birch plywood box with good casters on it, and large enough to place a fat amp on the hinged, snap-latched, and foam weather sealed top. Inside, there's a baffle board screwed to sticks bottom and sides that allows us to swap speakers quickly and to play with porting. We've got our baffle centered in the box, but do as you feel - just allow yourself enough room to get a screwgun inside and move your mic around a bit. Tabletop stand works fine. Quarter inch jack to spade lugs on the speaker side, cable mount xlr-f to panel mount xlr-m on the other. Damping material (and exterior finish) to suit....Cheers! JR

Would there be any benefit to adding a mic to the back side of the driver?

You're using multiple baffles preloaded with drivers? Something like T-screws so make changeouts easier? I was thinking double layers of plywood. 3/4"... And construction adhesive (like PL Plus) rather then carpenters glue.

Perhaps some Acoustiseal woudlnt go amiss?

ripple_fx1 · 26th March 2009, 02:31 PM

All good ideas - and yes on the multiple baffles - you can leave the top of the baffle shy of the lid if you want to port. I think unless you bury your driver in a cubic yard of concrete, it's still gonna make some noise - but will be quiet enough for isolation in the studio, or tracking in the control room. If you're gonna double up your ply, perhaps some kind of a "float" would be in order...JR

Gravity · 27th March 2009, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ripple_fx1

All good ideas - and yes on the multiple baffles - you can leave the top of the baffle shy of the lid if you want to port. I think unless you bury your driver in a cubic yard of concrete, it's still gonna make some noise - but will be quiet enough for isolation in the studio, or tracking in the control room. If you're gonna double up your ply, perhaps some kind of a "float" would be in order...JR

Yea... I was going for the sheer mass of 1"1/2 of heavy ply giving me a bit better isolation. If i add a bit better bracing inside the cabinet to keep it stiff will it cause all kinda of weird reflections inside the cab?

My thought was one mic in back, one in front. I always thought two mics in front was overkill. I'd rather do another double track with the different mic, then track the same part with two mics. esp in an Iso cabinet.

What have you found are good dimensions? I want to keep it small enough to use in my apartment or cramped control room.

ripple_fx1 · 27th March 2009, 03:21 PM

Not sure you'll need any bracing - but as far as dimensions are concerned, an enclosed chamber is so far removed from typical guitar speaker loading that you really can't be too fussy about it - make it the right size for where it's gonna live, and realize the compromise in tone is worth the increased isolation. Go as big as you can. Two mics? Sure, why not?
Cheers! JR

Maxiboy70 · 18th October 2009, 06:31 PM

This is a picture of the iso cab that I built. It is a 22 mm woodbord box first then stuffing that is 30 mm that i bought from a carpart shop and then another 7 mm box on the outside. It works very good. I made it without the 22 mm box in the lid first but then it was louder and there was a lot of problems with high bass sounds. When I added the 22 mm box in the lid it was all that I wanted.

Maxiboy70 · 18th October 2009, 06:33 PM

Here are another picture

Maxiboy70 · 18th October 2009, 06:34 PM

And another one

Simma Lugnt · 26th October 2009, 11:21 PM

Great job!

Have a Randall Isobox that work ok but it's not quiet enought to rock on at midnight.

Wondering if you have used any rockwool or so in chamber below the speaker?

22nd March 2009, 06:08 PM	#1
Gravity Gear addict Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 346	Want to build guitar speaker iso cab... What are my design goals? I'm looking to build a small 1x10 or 1x12 isolation cabinet. How do I get a decent sound and keep it small and well isolated? I'm thinking of porting the speaker baffle to get a bit more of an open back cabinet kinda sound. Will this work? I have a few ideas, but I wanted to talk it out with anyone who may have built one or any of you speaker cab builders who have some ideas. __________________ "Very funny Scotty... Now beam down my pants!"

25th March 2009, 05:52 PM	#3
tomdarude Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: germany Posts: 1,270	bumd interested too! anyone ever built one and replaced it later on with a "silent-case" housing a regular 1x12" / 2x12" guitar-cab?? which would be the more flexible and less guesswork involved approach, but would need much more space!! get some pic of your DIY stuff up folks!! I´ll do when I built one __________________ "You'd be surprised that "f*ck it!" can be a profound philosophy." picksail; 28th August 2008, 08:55 AM "The best sounding sluttiest gear of all time... is a great song" --Greg Wells http://www.hi-endgear.com

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25th March 2009, 02:35 PM	#2
ripple_fx1 Gear maniac Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 234	Hi Gravity - here's what we use: a tight (glued and screwed) three quarter inch baltic birch plywood box with good casters on it, and large enough to place a fat amp on the hinged, snap-latched, and foam weather sealed top. Inside, there's a baffle board screwed to sticks bottom and sides that allows us to swap speakers quickly and to play with porting. We've got our baffle centered in the box, but do as you feel - just allow yourself enough room to get a screwgun inside and move your mic around a bit. Tabletop stand works fine. Quarter inch jack to spade lugs on the speaker side, cable mount xlr-f to panel mount xlr-m on the other. Damping material (and exterior finish) to suit....Cheers! JR

26th March 2009, 02:31 PM	#5
ripple_fx1 Gear maniac Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 234	All good ideas - and yes on the multiple baffles - you can leave the top of the baffle shy of the lid if you want to port. I think unless you bury your driver in a cubic yard of concrete, it's still gonna make some noise - but will be quiet enough for isolation in the studio, or tracking in the control room. If you're gonna double up your ply, perhaps some kind of a "float" would be in order...JR

27th March 2009, 03:21 PM	#7
ripple_fx1 Gear maniac Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 234	Not sure you'll need any bracing - but as far as dimensions are concerned, an enclosed chamber is so far removed from typical guitar speaker loading that you really can't be too fussy about it - make it the right size for where it's gonna live, and realize the compromise in tone is worth the increased isolation. Go as big as you can. Two mics? Sure, why not? Cheers! JR

18th October 2009, 06:31 PM	#8
Maxiboy70 Gear interested Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 4	This is a picture of the iso cab that I built. It is a 22 mm woodbord box first then stuffing that is 30 mm that i bought from a carpart shop and then another 7 mm box on the outside. It works very good. I made it without the 22 mm box in the lid first but then it was louder and there was a lot of problems with high bass sounds. When I added the 22 mm box in the lid it was all that I wanted.

18th October 2009, 06:33 PM	#9
Maxiboy70 Gear interested Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 4	Here are another picture

18th October 2009, 06:34 PM	#10
Maxiboy70 Gear interested Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 4	And another one

26th October 2009, 11:21 PM	#11
Simma Lugnt Gear nut Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Northern Sky Posts: 149	Great job! Have a Randall Isobox that work ok but it's not quiet enought to rock on at midnight. Wondering if you have used any rockwool or so in chamber below the speaker?