Building the Pulse (Revival of old build thread)

[Sonnie Parker]

This is one of my old build threads from the Home Theater Shack days.

This was posted back in December 2008 and all images are still hosted on my own website.

All I did was pull over my posts from the build thread. I probably would have just linked to the thread if HTS owners had not banned me from their site, but since they banned me, I felt compelled to grab my original information and pictures and share it here.

I have started to build my Pulse sub... nearly finished with its assembly.

I will be using the Audiopulse AX15D2 Axis 15" driver... powered by the Behringer EP2500, bridged 4 ohms.

The cabinet will be an LLT design, although it will only be tuned to about 20Hz. The volume will be approximately 7.5ft^3 with an 8.125" port at 40" long.

Here's a few construction pics:

I hope to have it finished by tomorrow and maybe get some REW measurements over the weekend.

No doubt I will be trying it out with some movie action. I have been without a sub for several months now.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Well it's all done and playin' live now. It does wonders for watching satellite.

I watched a little bit of the Eagles and the bass sounded like it was coming from the screen... and actually sounded pretty good with no equalization. I bet when I measure it, it will be all over the place.

I tested a scene from Jurassic Park III and it did all it was supposed to do with that scene. I didn't get too carried away with it for now, since I don't have a HPF on it. I want to test WOTW, Transformers, and a few others. But mainly I want to get some REW measurements. Maybe the wife will slip out of the house tomorrow and I can play a bit.

Here are the final pics...

It barely ... I mean barely fit. I had to take the door off for it to slide through the opening.

The exterior of the unit will remain unfinished for now.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

I ended up having to work at the office until lunch today... then we had to visit at the hospital before I headed home, so I had very little time to do anything, but I did get a quick measurement in after running Auto-Setup again. It doesn't look terrible although we could park a bus in that trough. It still sounds really good to me.

Looks like I may have tuned it a tad lower than I thought I was tuning it... maybe 17Hz or so, although I did not actually measure nearfield speaker and port to verify.

Still no HPF either.

I watched about half of Hellboy II this afternoon and I am impressed.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Well... nearly three months later and Cedar Creek Cinema (the second time around) is finally finished.

I did get the other Pulse sub built and it is exactly as the first one. I decided to leave the feet the same and stand them in the corners.

The finish is Kilz primer, Valspar textured paint and Olympic flat black latex enamel. It is not near as fine as my Behemoth finish was, but it worked out fairly nice. I am sure Rodny could have done a better job finishing it, but he skipped country on me.

So what does the response look like in the new HT room?

Of course it is combined with the Fi Riser Q18's, so it ain't a standalone measurement, but I did measure nearfield driver and port...

 

[chrapladm]

Looks great Sonnie.........still.

Cant believe they banned you, wow.

 

[tripplej]

Wow, great pics and great setup..

 

[Tonto]

That's impressive Sonnie, glad you are enjoying them!

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Thanks... and enjoyed them for a while. They are somewhere else now though.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Sonnie, how did they compare to those Ultras?

 

[Sonnie Parker]

I would say the Ultras were nicer due to the functionality, built-in DSP, amp and size factor... and you don't have the hassle of having to build them (the Pulse was a LOT of work to say the least).

As far as sound... hard to say. They both did the job in my room, although I did have the other 4 x 18's in the room with the Pulse subs... vs the Ultra subs by their lonesome, which says a lot for the Ultras.

 

[Tonto]

Goes to show you there is more to bass that just displacement!