help/ideas/guide to build sound horn's to be used with compression drivers for sound reinforcement use.
in other words, how to build pic related.
the story: i have two cheap 2x15" PA cabs, they came with crap 1" compression drivers that are dead. blown up. also note that i live overseas and gear here is expensive. everything has to be imported. so i got a pair of 1.5" chinese B&C clones (comp drivers). they look pretty decent. heres the catch, i dont have horns/waveguides for this things.the only ones available at a local market are designed for 2" drivers and are $80 each. too much.
so im just planning on building my own horns.
the hard part is that there is a lot of theory behind building this things.. small changes can fuck things up (due to small wavelenghts in high frequencies). ive been reading and have some clues on where to start, some dimensions i think could be ok.
but i have no idea on what material i could use or how could i build them.. ive seen some wood ones, but very little info about them, almost none. so thats the main point i think you guys culd help. how can i recycle/build something in the shape of pic related? has curves, curves can be minimized but still...
if someone wants to read more about this things, this is the best page with cleart info ive found;
http://education.lenardaudio.com/en/07_horns.html
and well, thats it. any ideas? any tips? any experience? i know its a log shot but yet who knows, need to make this work.
btw im not so concerned about hi fi, but more with efficency. the plan is to make local underground gigs with this sound system.
(will be a 3 way system, 2x18" subs, 2x15" low-mids and these tweeters. active crossover and 3 power amps, already have the subs and 2x15" and one power amp, will buy the rest soon.)
Thanks!
Where do you live and what shit job do you hold that 160 dollars is too much?
Tell the truth, mom said no.
>>1008963
i know you trolling but just in case:
Chile, southamerica.
you're missing the point, 160 bucks for 2 pieces of shaped plastic is expensive. if it where something more complex, ok. but look at the things. you could argue that they are exactly designed and stuff. but further investigations tells that thats not so true in most cases. (spherical horns with less distortion and propagation paterns beeing a bit of a sound marketing thing). peace my friend. at least you help me bump this thread. thanks
>>1008950
That's really neat, I work in RF and we use horns almost identical to that for our standard gain feed horn antennas used in characterizing patterns of other antennas or getting really good power readings off shit and other shit.
If I where you I would probably use fiberglass.
Carve the interior out of foam then put a plastic base down and coat with fiber glass before vacuum bagging. Even shit countries have fiberglass shits available.
If you can do a little social engineering you can borrow one to make a casting from and not need to carve the foam.
Make a form out of scrap wood and panel beat some tin cans into shape.
Rather than doing maths and working out how the frequency of the sound is affected by the different horn styles, get a set of measuring calipers, go to the expensive place and make notes of what their good one is made like.
TL:DR reverse engineer.
Horns are broadband structures, roughly speaking. For audio the design is probably not critical.
maybe try paper-mache:
>http://www.tnt-audio.com/casse/paper_mache_horns_e.html
and rip-off the general dimensions of a JBL 2380a horn (probaby be the 'classic` PA choice for your setup) insofar possible, obv. easier if you got an example to hand tho. Again tho, those are designed for 2" , although people do use with adapters for 1"
Id be interested how much the sound would denigrate if a straight-edged 'pyramid' form or similar was used (as easier to build) - not entirely convinced, if you using it for techno-blasting or similar unsubtleties & chink-cheep drivers anyway, any fucker would actually notice any different, desu.
op here
>>1008985
thanks bro, im looking up how to work with fiber glass right now.. could be an option, interesting!
>>1008988
you sir have a good approach..
>>1009001
>>1009030
thats what i also think.. that design isnt gonna be so important in this case... but not sure, trying to get info from someone that has some audio experience with these things.. building a pyramid wood one seems very tempting as its easy as fuck.maybe ill go with that first.
but also having no reference to compare it.. i will never know how good or bad its working. shiets!
thanks people, any other info is apreciated, and btw sorry for my crap english, peaceeeeeeee
>>1009465
oh and pic related is new drivers + one of the old dead ones and 1" horns. they dont seems so different to the 1.5" outs of the new drivers.. but it is.
