My first sorta DIY sub build.

[Shodrewken]

So I took the plunge and bought two of the 4 ohm 18" SI drivers, and two of the 4 cb ft flat packs from diysoundgroup. If you don't mind Scrappy I have a few questions for you, and to anyone else who knows about some of the construction process for the sub box, and more importantly how to wire the sub for an 8 ohm load if that applies to my build. And if y'all could offer some direction to which amp I should use that would be great as well.

One of my first questions is how much polyfoam do I use for the inside of the sub, and how do I apply it?

How do I wire the sub for an 8 ohm configuration, and will there be any soldering involved?

Do I just use regular speaker wire to connect the driver to the outside terminals? At which point in the build is the best/easiest time to connect the driver to the terminals? And do I use rca connections from the outside of the sub to the amp, or do I use regular speaker wire to connect the two?

Another question for you Scrappy, when you said you sealed the inside brackets, what is it you sealed the brackets with?

I'm a complete newbie at this stuff, so I ask for your guys patience, thanks in advance!

Oh and I need an amp also. I see that many of you who went down the diy route use Behringer, which model would be good for my dual sub setup? I might add another two subs one day, but that wont be till we get a house, still a few years off.

Edited February 14, 2014 by cviper

[CECAA850]

Why do you need to wire for an 8 Ohm load? Most sub amps will handle 4 Ohm loads, check the spec sheet of your amp. Just run one driver off each side. What amp are you using? Yes, use speaker wire from the sub amp to the driver.

[RRR]

Hook up your wires in series for your 8 Ohm load.

Soldering your ends will be best but you can use crimps to wire if you have to.

[CECAA850]

Hook enough wire from the inside of the terminal to remove the driver with wire still attached. wiring can be done right before you install the driver..

[CECAA850]

Oops, sorry, just saw where you don't have an amp yet.

[RRR]

Leaving a long strand of wire inside the cabinet can result in a rattle.

[Shodrewken]

Reason I said 8 ohm, was I remember Scrappy did his in a series for and 8 and we're using the same driver, so I thought I would have to for mine. And I don't know what wiring in a series means =P

[CECAA850]

Two drivers wired in series would be amp+ to driver 1+. Driver 1- to driver 2+. Driver 2- to amp-. That's running 2 drivers off one amp channel. Scrappy may have had an amp that couldn't handle a 2Ohm per channel load (parallel wiring) so he had to wire it at 8Ohms per side. If you get a 2 channel amp that's rated for 4Ohms per side, just run one driver off each side. Wire the drivers just like it was a speaker. Amp+ to driver +, Amp- to driver-.

[Shodrewken]

Two drivers wired in series would be amp+ to driver 1+. Driver 1- to driver 2+. Driver 2- to amp-. That's running 2 drivers off one amp channel. Scrappy may have had an amp that couldn't handle a 2Ohm per channel load (parallel wiring) so he had to wire it at 8Ohms per side. If you get a 2 channel amp that's rated for 4Ohms per side, just run one driver off each side. Wire the drivers just like it was a speaker. Amp+ to driver +, Amp- to driver-.

Ah that makes sense. I believe he was using four subs on a 2-channel amp and that's why he wired it the way he did. So since I'm just running the two, I wouldn't have to do the same wiring.

[Rowan611]

I would run the SI in 4ohm load. Run one off of each channel. I would recommend an amp with DSP; the Behringer are good amps, the only issue being the fans. However, there is a mod to install quieter fans. When I was at Scrappys I asked him about the fan noise in his Behringer. It is loud, but once we started playing movies, you couldn't hear it. That being said, he also has a good distance between where is amp is, and where he sits.

For me, I will be building two SI18 with the flat packs from DIY. I plan on buying the Behringer iNuke3000DSP to drive mine. I have a closet under my stairs leading to my basement, this is where my amp will go. I will have to make a fee mods to the space; 1. I will need to place a fan for circulation 2. A reverse return so I can move air out of the space and 3. A wall plate to run my subs to. All that is pretty easy and inexpensive. I'll also buy a Panamax or Monster power conditioner for the amp.

Not know your setup and how far you'll be from your amp location, I would recommend going to either Musicians Friend or Sweetwaters websites and read about all the different professional amps. Good luck, those SI18 subs sound so good, you'll love them.

Oh, do you have enough clamps?

Sent from my iPhone, excuse the typos

[Rowan611]

Double post, sorry.

Edited February 21, 2014 by Rowan611

[Scrappydue]

Viper you got it all wrong buddy on my wiring. Mine are wired as parallel for 2 ohm load per box then in series per pair for a 4 ohm load per side. That is the max my amp can run stable in stereo. I have your number I will call you today on my lunch and answer all your questions in more detail than I could ever type on this dang phone.

[CECAA850]

Viper you got it all wrong buddy on my wiring. Mine are wired as parallel for 2 ohm load per box then in series per pair for a 4 ohm load per side. That is the max my amp can run stable in stereo. I have your number I will call you today on my lunch and answer all your questions in more detail than I could ever type on this dang phone.

So I took the plunge and bought two of the 4 ohm 18" SI drivers

The way cviper worded it, it appeared that the drivers were SVC 4 Ohm drivers. That's why I said what I did about wiring them. I just went to the web site and saw where you could order DVC 4Ohm or DVC 2Ohm.