Rebuilding Cabinet?

incredible polk · 12-06-2005, 01:08 AM

I have an older S4 speaker(6.5"Mid/woofer with a 1" tweeter)and would like to try too use it as a center channel.The problem is the space that I have under the TV is 28" wide,7" high,by 18" deep.The dimensions of the speaker cabinet are 9.5" wide,15.5" high ,by7" deep.It don't fit.If I keep the interior volume the same,can I just build a new cabinet that will fit in the space I have?This speaker is a ported design.Also,the original design had the tweeter above the mid/woofer,I would have to mount them side by side.Would that be a problem?

jcaut · 12-06-2005, 10:38 AM

Is the S4 shielded? I don't know, so check that first.

I'm not an expert, but I think what you proposed should work. If you can keep the enclosure volume the same, and use the same, or same size port so that the tuning stays the same, building a new enclosure shouldn't cause problems. One thing to be aware of is that the shortest dimension of the front baffle, is going to be smaller on your new layout (9.5" vs. 7"). I'd use all that 7" that I could (you're going to have to anyway, because of the 6.5" driver), because that will affect the upper bass a little. With regards to the speaker placement on the baffle: The layout on the baffle does have an effect on the frequency response, but in this case I think you'd be okay. Easy way to check that is just lay the S4 over on its side and listen to it. Since it's a simple 2-way and you're just going from vertical to horizontal (is the tweeter offset to one side? If it is, I'd keep that same offset, just offset vertically instead of horizontally. Keep the front baffle looking like it does if you lay the speaker on its side) it should be fine. Keep the driver distances the same.

Unless you just like doing stuff like this, or you just have a single S4 laying around, you'd be better off just picking up a used center.

incredible polk · 12-07-2005, 01:02 AM

Hi,no the S4 isn't shielded but it may not be a problem.(I actually have a pair of them)
The tweeter isn't offset so I guess I could just keep it in the middle.
I currently have an older CS250S center channel(2-4.5" mids and a 1" tweeter in a ported enclosure) that I am using,It fits perfectly but the bass/mid bass seams to be lacking.I would like to get a better center but I'm limited by the space I have to work with.
I have an entertainment center and the speaker sits directly below the TV in the space originally designed for a VCR,etc.So it's kind of in its own enclosure.
Maybe the problem isn't the speaker but its location,I don't know.

jcaut · 12-07-2005, 01:05 AM

Can you experiment with the location? Or are you limited to where it's at? The CS250LS should make a better center than the S4, IMO.

Jason

incredible polk · 12-07-2005, 01:30 AM

I could put it above the TV but I think it would be too high(about 65" off the ground).
BTW I have the CS250S not the CS250LS.

Ricardo · 12-07-2005, 07:03 AM

65" high is not that high; can't you try it before you do anything else? Just place a couple of cheap door stops between the TV and the back of the speaker to "aim" it at ear level.

incredible polk · 12-07-2005, 08:18 AM

I never tried it,but I will.I just thought it would be too high because I'm only sitting 7 to 8 feet away.
Are you suggesting I try the S4 or the CS250S above the TV?

gatemplin · 12-07-2005, 09:33 AM

A friend of mine designed a center channel that might fit in that space. It uses the Dayton RS150 midranges and the RS28a. All drivers are shielded.

Here are the plans. The baffle can be shrunk to 7" with no problem to fit the space.

http://www.eldamar.net/audio/rs150mtm/

Ricardo · 12-07-2005, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by incredible polk

I never tried it,but I will.I just thought it would be too high because I'm only sitting 7 to 8 feet away.
Are you suggesting I try the S4 or the CS250S above the TV?

Well, if you have both, you might as well try both and see which sounds better to your ears; just make sure they are pointing downwards (aimed to the listening position) with the use of the door stops....

incredible polk · 12-08-2005, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gatemplin

A friend of mine designed a center channel that might fit in that space. It uses the Dayton RS150 midranges and the RS28a. All drivers are shielded.

Here are the plans. The baffle can be shrunk to 7" with no problem to fit the space.

http://www.eldamar.net/audio/rs150mtm/

Thanks for the info,but I think that might be beyond my abilities.I could build the box but not the crossover.Plus I would have to buy all the parts.How much did it cost?How does it sound?Have you listened to it?

Quote:

Well, if you have both, you might as well try both and see which sounds better to your ears; just make sure they are pointing downwards (aimed to the listening position) with the use of the door stops....

I guess that was a dumb question.Yes I will try both.Thanks for your help.

soiset · 02-24-2006, 12:23 PM

So what did you do? I have used an S4 for a center. I got it from Chris Durano here on the forum to match all my other S4's. It had a bucking magnet on the woofer that shielded well enough if I put a book beneath the speaker, and turned the speaker upside down. It did not, of course have a shielding can over the magnet. I don't think you can mount one of those cans aftermarket.

I have since moved to the CS250S, and it works pretty well, but I think it may sound a little "boxy," though I'm not sure exactly what that means. I have the S6's as fronts now, each on top of a PSW1200, and I think the CS250S may not be keeping up. It has the SL5001 tweeter, and the S4's and S6's have the SL5000, the only difference that I can tell is that the SL5001 is cooled.

incredible polk · 02-25-2006, 04:58 PM

Well, I never did anything.My mother-in law passed away later that week and I lost interest in the project.
I agree that the cs250S sounds boxy.What was wrong with the S4?
What do you have as surrounds?

soiset · 02-26-2006, 08:44 PM

I am sorry for the loss in your family.

The main problem with the S4 was aesthetic. To get the distance required from the TV, even with the bucking magnet, and turned upside down, I had to put a book under it. Even without the book, it stuck out like a very sore thumb.

I am using S4's as surrounds, four of them. I have S6's as my front mains. I am planning to add two more S4's as extra side surrounds to make the surround field more diffuse.

When I finally get a front projection system, I think I will use an S4 above and below the screen, angled toward the listening position. My collection houses 11 S4's currently.

12-06-2005, 01:08 AM	#1
incredible polk Polkie Member Sales Rating: (0) Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12	Rebuilding Cabinet? I have an older S4 speaker(6.5"Mid/woofer with a 1" tweeter)and would like to try too use it as a center channel.The problem is the space that I have under the TV is 28" wide,7" high,by 18" deep.The dimensions of the speaker cabinet are 9.5" wide,15.5" high ,by7" deep.It don't fit.If I keep the interior volume the same,can I just build a new cabinet that will fit in the space I have?This speaker is a ported design.Also,the original design had the tweeter above the mid/woofer,I would have to mount them side by side.Would that be a problem?

12-06-2005, 10:38 AM	#2
jcaut Polkhead Member Sales Rating: (5) Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Paris, Arkansas Posts: 1,771	Is the S4 shielded? I don't know, so check that first. I'm not an expert, but I think what you proposed should work. If you can keep the enclosure volume the same, and use the same, or same size port so that the tuning stays the same, building a new enclosure shouldn't cause problems. One thing to be aware of is that the shortest dimension of the front baffle, is going to be smaller on your new layout (9.5" vs. 7"). I'd use all that 7" that I could (you're going to have to anyway, because of the 6.5" driver), because that will affect the upper bass a little. With regards to the speaker placement on the baffle: The layout on the baffle does have an effect on the frequency response, but in this case I think you'd be okay. Easy way to check that is just lay the S4 over on its side and listen to it. Since it's a simple 2-way and you're just going from vertical to horizontal (is the tweeter offset to one side? If it is, I'd keep that same offset, just offset vertically instead of horizontally. Keep the front baffle looking like it does if you lay the speaker on its side) it should be fine. Keep the driver distances the same. Unless you just like doing stuff like this, or you just have a single S4 laying around, you'd be better off just picking up a used center. Last edited by jcaut; 12-06-2005 at 10:40 AM..

12-07-2005, 07:03 AM	#6
Ricardo Polk Guru Member Sales Rating: (21) Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,132	65" high is not that high; can't you try it before you do anything else? Just place a couple of cheap door stops between the TV and the back of the speaker to "aim" it at ear level. __________________ _________________________________________________ *\\\\\........................... My Audio Journey ............................./////* 2008 Football Pool WINNER SOPA

12-07-2005, 09:33 AM	#8
gatemplin Polkhead Member Sales Rating: (1) Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 1,591	A friend of mine designed a center channel that might fit in that space. It uses the Dayton RS150 midranges and the RS28a. All drivers are shielded. Here are the plans. The baffle can be shrunk to 7" with no problem to fit the space. http://www.eldamar.net/audio/rs150mtm/ __________________ Graham

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12-07-2005, 01:02 AM	#3
incredible polk Polkie Member Sales Rating: (0) Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12	Hi,no the S4 isn't shielded but it may not be a problem.(I actually have a pair of them) The tweeter isn't offset so I guess I could just keep it in the middle. I currently have an older CS250S center channel(2-4.5" mids and a 1" tweeter in a ported enclosure) that I am using,It fits perfectly but the bass/mid bass seams to be lacking.I would like to get a better center but I'm limited by the space I have to work with. I have an entertainment center and the speaker sits directly below the TV in the space originally designed for a VCR,etc.So it's kind of in its own enclosure. Maybe the problem isn't the speaker but its location,I don't know.

12-07-2005, 01:05 AM	#4
jcaut Polkhead Member Sales Rating: (5) Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Paris, Arkansas Posts: 1,771	Can you experiment with the location? Or are you limited to where it's at? The CS250LS should make a better center than the S4, IMO. Jason

12-07-2005, 01:30 AM	#5
incredible polk Polkie Member Sales Rating: (0) Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12	I could put it above the TV but I think it would be too high(about 65" off the ground). BTW I have the CS250S not the CS250LS.

12-07-2005, 08:18 AM	#7
incredible polk Polkie Member Sales Rating: (0) Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12	I never tried it,but I will.I just thought it would be too high because I'm only sitting 7 to 8 feet away. Are you suggesting I try the S4 or the CS250S above the TV?

02-24-2006, 12:23 PM	#11
soiset Polkazoid Member Sales Rating: (9) Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 648	So what did you do? I have used an S4 for a center. I got it from Chris Durano here on the forum to match all my other S4's. It had a bucking magnet on the woofer that shielded well enough if I put a book beneath the speaker, and turned the speaker upside down. It did not, of course have a shielding can over the magnet. I don't think you can mount one of those cans aftermarket. I have since moved to the CS250S, and it works pretty well, but I think it may sound a little "boxy," though I'm not sure exactly what that means. I have the S6's as fronts now, each on top of a PSW1200, and I think the CS250S may not be keeping up. It has the SL5001 tweeter, and the S4's and S6's have the SL5000, the only difference that I can tell is that the SL5001 is cooled.

02-25-2006, 04:58 PM	#12
incredible polk Polkie Member Sales Rating: (0) Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12	Well, I never did anything.My mother-in law passed away later that week and I lost interest in the project. I agree that the cs250S sounds boxy.What was wrong with the S4? What do you have as surrounds?

02-26-2006, 08:44 PM	#13
soiset Polkazoid Member Sales Rating: (9) Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 648	I am sorry for the loss in your family. The main problem with the S4 was aesthetic. To get the distance required from the TV, even with the bucking magnet, and turned upside down, I had to put a book under it. Even without the book, it stuck out like a very sore thumb. I am using S4's as surrounds, four of them. I have S6's as my front mains. I am planning to add two more S4's as extra side surrounds to make the surround field more diffuse. When I finally get a front projection system, I think I will use an S4 above and below the screen, angled toward the listening position. My collection houses 11 S4's currently.

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