Build PA boxes yourself
In contrast to hi-fi boxes, PA boxes must be able to provide sound for large crowds, as is the case, for example, at concerts. The equipment required for discos, dance events and concerts requires high-quality loudspeaker technology. This technique is very expensive. No wonder when more and more technicians, DJs and musicians build their own PA boxes. See the article below for instructions on how to make simple PA boxes.
What you need:
- Bass speaker
- Tweeter with driver
- special crossover
- Connector panel
- cable
- Bass reflex tube
- Damping material
- medium density fibreboard: 25 mm thick
- or birch plywood: 12 mm thick
- Wood glue
- Hol screws
- paint
- Screw clamps
- Jigsaw
- Cordless screwdriver
- screwdriver
- drilling machine
- soldering iron
- Foam roller
- paint brush
- pencil
- Tape measure
- angle
PA boxes require a sophisticated concept
Before you build PA speakers yourself, you should create a concept and assemble the chassis.
- The simplest option is to combine a 15-inch bass with a 1-inch or 2-inch tweeter.
- It depends on the frequency up to which the bass loudspeaker can transmit cleanly. The higher this frequency, the smaller the tweeter horn can be.
- In any case, if you build PA speakers yourself, you will need a sophisticated crossover network to tune the bass chassis and connect the tweeter.
- As an experienced pit builder, you can use a simulation program and appropriate measurement technology to try out pit tuning yourself.
- If you build your PA speakers yourself, you have to make sure that the housing dimensions are based on the Bass loudspeaker aligns, because every chassis has different parameters and therefore requires a special type of housing and Case size. The easiest way to do this is to choose a chassis with which you can build a bass-reflective enclosure that is not too large.
Speaker construction - this is how you make speaker enclosures yourself
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Build speakers from MDF or birch wood yourself
Once the dimensions of the reflex channel have been determined, you can start building the PA speakers yourself:
- The material depends on the weight that the PA speakers should have. As a layperson, you should opt for MDF.
- You can have the material cut to size at the hardware store. Then you only need to glue the individual parts using wood glue. When building PA boxes yourself, it is advisable to also screw the parts together. This fixes the parts in place and prevents them from slipping.
- A lightweight construction is possible with birch wood. This type of construction requires stiffening in small parts. Reinforcing ribs are glued to each housing wall. The distance between the housing struts in centimeters must not be greater than the wall thickness in millimeters.
- The cutouts for the chassis, the reflex duct and the connection panel can be made with the jigsaw.
- With PA boxes, it is common to leave the front wall a bit back in order to be able to mount a protective grille in front of the loudspeaker later, which is flush with the side walls.
- You can use commercially available drainage pipes for the bass reflex duct of the PA speakers you have built yourself. The length and diameter depend on the housing dimensions, which, as already mentioned, depend on the respective chassis.
- When installing the bass reflex tube and speakers, you should ensure that they are airtight. Even a small leak in the housing would detune the vibration system.
- The interior of such a bass reflex housing, whereby the bass loudspeaker must also transmit medium frequencies, is lined on all sides between the struts with a damping material.
- The housing of the self-made PA boxes is now ready. All you have to do is paint it.
- The reflex channel is then installed. The crossover, connection panel and chassis are wired together before installation.
Then the PA boxes are ready.
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