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portable bluetooth speaker driver selection


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Hey DIYers,

 

My current project is slapping together a portable BT speaker using mostly bits and pieces I have lying around. The aim is to make something that is reasonably cheap, looks a bit more interesting than the countless plastic Bluetooth speakers available from the shop and hopefully sounds comparable to (or possibly even better than?) the commercial options. I know its pretty hard to compete price-wise with the commercial options but I just want to put to good use some equipment that is sitting around.

 

In terms of hardware I already have a 2x50w TPA3116 amp board (with Bluetooth) and a ~8ah Li-ion battery pack. I am halfway through building the box which measures 420x180x180mm. So those dimensions are set. I specifically chose those dimensions in case down the line I choose to use the drivers and crossover design of the Overnight Sensations ("OS") speaker design. Reason being I have already built a pair of those so I know they sound decent with a fair amount of bass. So I have a box volume of 9.2L (2 x the 4.6L called for in the OS design).

 

I am not fixated on using the OS drivers. Its just that I know that design produces an enjoyable sound for a reasonable price and the midbass drivers look cool. I also know that if I were to slap two sets of the OS drivers and crossovers into this box I would not be properly building the OS design because the baffle dimensions will be completely different and I would essentially be joining two speakers together in a single box (with a dividing internal wall) which will mean there is no stereo imaging etc. So I am not expecting to get hi-fi quality sound from this project.  My main objectives in terms of sound quality is just that it produces a clear and reasonably balanced sound with decent bass output etc and it would be nice if it were reasonably efficient so that the current draw on the battery is limited.

 

Also worth noting that I have built the front baffle as detachable so that I can easily cut a new baffle down the track if I decide to swap out drivers.

 

My questions that I am hoping to get some opinions on are:

1) is it a reasonable approach to take a good 4+1 speaker design that I know produces good bass output (ie. the Overnight Sensations design) and stick two of those in a single box which provides the design volume and port tuning  (accepting that I am seriously compromising the design due to baffle dimension changes etc)?

2) will the fact that this is going to be used outside mean that I should expect a completely different "sound" / tonal balance compared to OS bookshelfs I have built and listen to inside?

3) Would I be better off using something like a 4 or 5 inch full range driver (Fostex etc)? And if so, any recommendations that would be cheaper than the cost of the drivers and crossover parts for the OS ($150) and would be suitable for my box dimensions (2 x 4.6L)?

 

Cheers

Dan

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Hi Dan,

 

Great question about Bluetooth speaker creations. 

I personally wouldn't just go the full range driver route.

My advice after building many speakers is to work out the end point first, then work back. What i mean is, if you Bluetooth speaker is to be used outside,  then the bass is really going to be the issue, so full range driver route might not give you tge bass kick you'd expect from some tracks. 

Full range drivers aren't generallythat good down low.

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Hi John,

Thanks for your input. I've not had any experience with full range drivers so that is definitely good to know that bass response isn't their strong point (though I might have guessed that would be the case).

Yes, the outside listening environment and lack of room boost for the bass was my first concern. That's why I immediately thought of the OS design which provides a surprising amount of bass out of a small ported box. I'm not sure how well that will translate to an outside listening environment but I might just go ahead and build the box to match the volume and port tuning of that design unless I get some other suggestions here.

I will actually be dropping some random 6inch 2way coaxial car speakers into the box initially (in line with the objective of using what I have lying around) but if that produces a very underwhelming sound then I can play around with drivers and crossovers later (its just the port tuning will not be adjustable).

 

Cheers 

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