T18, first build complete.

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setzer808
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2010 9:39 pm

T18, first build complete.

#1 Post by setzer808 »

Heya gang, just thought I'd do a little post since I've finished my first BFM cab, a Tuba 18.

I used the MCM driver and pine plywood from lowes/home depot (I'll be going to a lumberyard next time...).

This is my second project ever building a speaker cabinet out of wood, I built a small 2 way bookshelf using drivers I had lying around as a warm up for this one. I'm very pleased with the build results, considering I made it in my 10x12ish dining room using tools that would make a carpenter cringe :)

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The finish looks a lot more even in person than in the photos. I did a few coats of primer after sanding and using wood filler for the more offensive cracks/screwholes. Then I used some textured spray paint to cover up some of the woods imperfections...I really didn't realize how bad the plywood was until I tried to get an even coat of primer on it...

As for the sound, its well beyond what I thought I could be achieved with a sheet of plywood and a $30 8" driver. :D The bass is very clean, and the output is shocking. I've ran it some at home, and at the office and its had quite a few dropped jaws. My building at work is about 60ft wide and probably about 150 ft long. I had people from the other side of the building (through at least 4 walls) asking me if I had heard the car out in the parking lot that was making their lights rattle....and that was maybe 30-40% on the volume knob.

I'm powering it with one of the Foster WF-100k plate amps, TY very much to whoever it was that suggested that amp, your username escapes me at the moment. I'll try to post some detail/build photos throughout the day.

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Tom Smit
Posts: 7569
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:24 pm
Location: Sarnia, Ont. Canada

Re: T18, first build complete.

#2 Post by Tom Smit »

Way ta' go! Congrats!
TomS

SeisTres
Posts: 2688
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 3:53 am
Location: Dallas, tx

Re: T18, first build complete.

#3 Post by SeisTres »

nice, this too was my first bfm cab. after being used for practice, some parties, then 6 months of home audio it now finally resides in my minivan :mrgreen: It sounds amazing, even in the minivan where it's getting fed a full range signal from one the four speakers from the stock stereo...

Of course, if you think that sounds good, you should build yourself a TT ;)


And don't forget to turn the potetiometer to give you a flatter response as the t18 sounds better with a flat response. Just go to the nht website and it has all the instructions.
Built:6 t39, t18, 4 Jack10, 2 autotuba, 2 SLA,2 wedge, 2 TT, 2 Tritrix, curved sla, 2 otop212, 2 SLA pros, Ported 8" sub, 2 ported 210, dual ported 8" sub

setzer808
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2010 9:39 pm

Re: T18, first build complete.

#4 Post by setzer808 »

Here are some more pics, including some build pics.

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I don't have a router, and didn't think I would have enough room to remove the driver from the access panel if I installed the recommended 1" anchors to attach a flush driver access panel to, so I used an oversized cover as you see in the above photo. I used lots of screws, compression weatherstripping, and rope caulk to make sure its very tight and well sealed.

setzer808
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2010 9:39 pm

Re: T18, first build complete.

#5 Post by setzer808 »

For the hell of it I dragged some of my gear into a conference hall I have access to today including the T18. The room was empty, I just wanted to experiment with some lighting/speaker stand covers I've made mostly. I'm guessing the room is maybe 40-50ft wide and maybe 100-120ft long minimum...I know that's not exactly the kind of place you would use a T18, but I have to say...it did fill out the low end surprisingly well when placed firing into a corner. If you were just doing background music for a wedding or something, I think many people would be surprised how large of a space a single "small" speaker like a T18 can contribute to. I had an older Peavey PR-Sub handy and to be honest, the T18 had a lot easier time filling the room and went a lot deeper...despite the 15 in the Peavey.

I took my SPL meter...which is a cheapie...but it was fun to tinker with nonetheless. Holding the SPL meter a couple feet above the sub, facing both it and the meter into the corner, I was seeing 98-104db on several current dance tracks. I could have likely gone quite a bit higher, but I don't know the T18's limits yet, and I don't want to ruin such a new speaker.

I have several requests for T18's for co-workers stereos, so I may even try plating two together once I make the next one. I hear good things about that. Also I plan to order myself the CD soon to browse the larger Tuba/Titan line...I'm sold on BFM folded horns now and plan to add a pair to my party/wedding DJ setup. :)

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AntonZ
Posts: 2687
Joined: Sun May 14, 2006 6:00 am
Location: NL

Re: T18, first build complete.

#6 Post by AntonZ »

setzer808 wrote:I took my SPL meter...which is a cheapie...but it was fun to tinker with nonetheless. Holding the SPL meter a couple feet above the sub, facing both it and the meter into the corner, I was seeing 98-104db on several current dance tracks. I could have likely gone quite a bit higher, but I don't know the T18's limits yet, and I don't want to ruin such a new speaker.
Don't try to find the limit by experimenting. You won't hear any distortion right until the driver fries. Get a limiter in the signal chain, set it properly with a voltmeter (no speaker connected), then you may find out what it can do. I need to try this one day with my own T18, haven't had the guts to drive it balls to the wall just yet.

SeisTres
Posts: 2688
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 3:53 am
Location: Dallas, tx

Re: T18, first build complete.

#7 Post by SeisTres »

Balls to the wall would be around 20volts. And actually with the TT I can see how much the driver is suffering even at 14volts. And exactly because of that, i've learned not to push the bp102's as hard as I used to push them since even when I thought they were fine all the. You really can't hear it; the only thing I would hear was when the driver would make a "tap" as the cone was reaching it's limits. But now being able to to see the TT at work, it's really a miracle I haven't had to replace any my drivers :oops:
Built:6 t39, t18, 4 Jack10, 2 autotuba, 2 SLA,2 wedge, 2 TT, 2 Tritrix, curved sla, 2 otop212, 2 SLA pros, Ported 8" sub, 2 ported 210, dual ported 8" sub

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