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Needing input on conversion of PA speakers.

B

bobwitt

Member
Hello,
I have a odd question, I found these pair of PA speakers for 10 bucks a pair at yard sale..
They work - for voice - 10 inch 100 watt band type -PA speaker.
Bob Marley sounded nice. No Bass.
I had hooked it up to my H.K and it barely moved the woofer, it is stiff.
Thought I could make a set of speaker for garage..
So my question is this - since it has a horn Piezo element attached to a paper diaphragm inside the tweeter horn. and a 47 ohm 5 watt resistor in series. It is a different design I haven't seen this - I am used to a driver with a coil and diaphragm. Would I need a new tweeter? And If I install a 8 inch woofer in cabinet do I need stuffing?
Do I narrow vents to 1 inch each? There is a thingy in bottom of case - some mounting thingy.. I will have to seal it up..

I was thinking, I cut a board to fit into front and attach 8 " woofer and install a 2 way crossover & reuse tweeter in case.

The Pa speaker is a Danville model 100 - 60/100 peak 8 Ohm speaker.

Inside cabinet measurements are
16.5" high by 12 1/4" wide and 6 1/2" deep. 5/8 inch thickness mdf material it looks like.
10 inch woofer and 6"X 2" tweeter.. And (2) 1 7/8" bass ports - no tubes installed.
Outside cabinet are 18"H X 13 5/8"W X 9"D.. And they are about 18 lbs each.
Now I know these are cheap cabinets, But I figure for garage it would sound OK!
I have 2 new - 8 inch woofers in basement here is link

http://www.parts-express.com/grs-8pr-8-8-poly-cone-rubber-surround-woofer--292-428

Is there any input for this project?
Please see pictures!!
Thanks Bob
 

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8 Inch speakers

Hi I just looked at specs - I am a dope - these are for sealed cabinets..
So I will totally seal them If needed.
They were bought for a pioneer vented speaker cabinet.
Did not sound well.. I thought it was the crossovers.
Bob
 
woofers

No woofers are good to 100% of 60 watts. but these are instrument speakers - they don't sound good at low volume levels.
I ripped off my face years back..
Ears still ring every now and then LOL

So Dennis you suggest a regular 10 inch speaker instead? I will look into this more.
What about tweeter?
Bob
 
I really don't recommend PA speakers for anything, but loud PA. For nearfield inroom listening, I would recommend any other stereo speaker but a PA speaker. If you are just wanting to make a good rugged speaker out of those cabs, try getting a measurement of the volume and fit them with whatever you choose. It is always easier to get a sealed type design to work than mess with porting a cabinet.

Or do what most guys do and EQ the heck out of the speakers, after all, it is in a garage.
 
Woofers

Ok Dennis understood,
That is why I was questioning insulation and porting..
I was just looking at these they are more like a regular speaker.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/390829489663
They are cheap enough and my radios can handle 4 ohm loads..
These have a Little lower freq response and they are a direct fit.
Higher efficiency. Supposedly ?
This way I don't have to worry about porting.

Just throwing ideas around - when I lifted the speaker this evening to take outside measurements the input jack area & handle in back ripped out..
I may just put this out to curb..
It is starting to irritate me now..
Bob
 
Last edited:
The higher efficiency and lower resistance should make for more bass compared to highs, but who knows how this speaker will react in your cabinet. As I said, this isn't a critical listening rig, so tone knobs can be your friend.
 
Thanks Dennis,
I will post what I decide- to do - when I am Inspired to do so..
Till then they will support some equipment.
Bob
 
Hey!

This kind of modification is outside my line of expertise, unfortunately. How much juice does your KH have? The PA speakers I have are deadly efficient, but that can't be the general rule of thumb. Have you tried another source to see if they come to decent life?

I would like to have a smaller pair of PA speakers, I could actually put them to use more than a few times a year. Mine are a tad on the large, hard to handle side.

I know this image is here on AK a handful of place, but I like it. So, here's my PA speakers!

Junior there just turned 14.

Sunn01.jpeg


Biggles
 
Those are nicely preserved Biggles. Did you ever have the padded slip covers for them?

Did you paint the horn flares? Mine were white from the factory.
 
Hey Mr.Biggles,
I haven't seen bins that large since the late 70's.
When I worked the sun control boards at Roxie's in Brooklyn.
Nice set. I had just thought the price was right for mine.
Space is a comidity I don't have, so I will be looking for.
New home for these.
Bob
 
bowtie427ss said:
Those are nicely preserved Biggles. Did you ever have the padded slip covers for them?

Did you paint the horn flares? Mine were white from the factory.
Click to expand...

Thank you. I got them as a gift from the original owner, no mention of padded slip covers. He won them at a trivia contest back in the early to mid 80's along with an 800 watt Peavey amp and 2 mic setups. He had a garage band at the time, used them in the living room. But other than that, no pro use. They're not as clean as they were 10 years ago, but yeah even so they're pretty darned okay.

The horn flares are covered in the same fabric as the entire speaker, so all black. Would be nice to find a pair of Sunn's from the same era, but far smaller.

bobwitt said:
Hey Mr.Biggles,
I haven't seen bins that large since the late 70's.
When I worked the sun control boards at Roxie's in Brooklyn.
Nice set. I had just thought the price was right for mine.
Space is a comidity I don't have, so I will be looking for.
New home for these.
Bob
Click to expand...

I believe your call on these speakers is right, just a tad on the wrong side of should I keep them. These babies are really nice to have. Even with the large volume of space they take up, it's still worth it. Right now, I have them stacked on top of each other to save real estate.

When I was dragging them to gatherings, or pulling them out for parties at home, I powered them with an early 70's Nikko receiver, 10 watts a channel. At 2 watts I could fill the backyard with music, at 20 feet you couldn't have a decent conversation. With an EQ, they really jumped to life.

Here's a shot of them in my living room, oldest (just turned 18) boy inside. Powered with the 9090 DB, which went to a user here 2 years ago.

RockOnDude.jpg


Biggles
 
Hi Mr Biggles,
Your speakers are still on good shape.
link to my H.K

http://www.harmankardon.com/images/media/HK440Vxi_OM_EN.pdf

It is a solid set. I did hook speakers up to a Lafayette PA 90 watt amp. But same the thing.. Just loud. No Bass..
I am just gonna screw the speakers all together and drop them off at a friend who has a barn sale this weekend.. Somebody will buy them..
I was thinking while waiting at doctors office today..
Why invest more money, I may as well just build 2 from scratch. I have those 8" speakers new in box, (2) 2 way crossover - and (2) super tweeters from a Sansui cabinet. So I will go that way. Maybe something like a BIC venturi type. Bob
 
bobwitt said:
Hi Mr Biggles,
Your speakers are still on good shape.
link to my H.K

http://www.harmankardon.com/images/media/HK440Vxi_OM_EN.pdf

It is a solid set. I did hook speakers up to a Lafayette PA 90 watt amp. But same the thing.. Just loud. No Bass..
I am just gonna screw the speakers all together and drop them off at a friend who has a barn sale this weekend.. Somebody will buy them..
I was thinking while waiting at doctors office today..
Why invest more money, I may as well just build 2 from scratch. I have those 8" speakers new in box, (2) 2 way crossover - and (2) super tweeters from a Sansui cabinet. So I will go that way. Maybe something like a BIC venturi type. Bob
Click to expand...

Hey,

Took a quick look at the HK manual, that should be plenty to make them go. Not at ear splitting levels, but enough. You could try stuffing the ports with a pair of socks, but I'm not convinced that will change them enough to keep them. No matter how all that rolls out, I like your idea better. Nothing like using fresh scratch to make yourself a pair of speakers!

Biggles
 
Sell the PA's and put the money towards something you'll like. You said you paid ten bucks? You should be able to get five to ten times your investment out of them on CL.
 
Hi janikphoto,
I dropped them off at a friends garage sale.
They sold for what I bought them for..
I just wanted to unload them, they were taking up too much space..
Bob
 
Hey,

Congratulations and that's awesome! Headache gone. Nice to have a look though, see if there was any value there. Nope.

Time for fresh project!

Biggles
 
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