CycloSoundsystem

CycloSoundsystem

Founder:

V17

Status:

idea

Created:

2016-10-03

Last Modified:

2016-10-07

Are you interested in using it? Contribute your requirements:

• What do you consider ideal/maximum weight?
• What would be the maximum size?
• How do you want to mount it on your bike?
• Are you only interested in a speaker that can be mounted on your carrier above the rear wheel, or would a cart be possible too?

You can add your thoughts below

or anywhere else

Expected issues, or why these requirements are important

• We would ideally need a speaker with high sensitivity = able to play loud with little power
• High sensitivity speakers generally use:
  • Compression drivers that need waveguides
  • Horns
  • PA drivers that need to be big to play any bass or smaller hifi high-sensitivity drivers that are expensive
• All this is big and/or heavy
• Quite small speakers are possible, but either won't play loud enough, or will be heavy (strong motors and large battery), and will consume more power

Ideas

• A small Synergy horn with a small fullrange driver for mids and treble and two woofers for bass.
  • Although it wouldn't be anywhere near as big as soundsystem Synergy horns, the size would probably still be pushing it for a bike
  • It might be heavy due to using two woofers (two are neccessary) and more wood since it's not just a box
  • It should be loud enough if designed well (being horn-loaded makes the fullrange driver very sensitive) and sound really good
  • I will be trying to design such speaker anyway for home use because I'm fascinated by Synergy horns
• A simpler option: compression tweeter in a waveguide + a woofer.
  • probably about 24 cm wide and 40 cm tall with some depth too - this design doesn't work too well with smaller waveguides + woofers
  • There are some kits available - although not cheap, this one has very good sensitivity and will sound amazing (in fact, probably a level better than neccessary, which might not be a good thing): http://www.diysoundgroup.com/waveguide-speaker-kits/fusion-8/fusion8-kit.html
  • Easier to build, a bit lighter, theoretically easier to design, but I've never done it, so in reality probably not
• Another simple option: a coaxial speaker, compression tweeter inside a larger woofer
  • Kits cost about as much as above option
  • Smaller!
  • Probably a bit less bass and loudness, but not much, a bit worse sound-quality, but still better than anything you actually have at home
  • http://www.diysoundgroup.com/coaxial-speaker-kits/volt-8lx/v8-volt-lxe-kit.html
• Simplest option - a box with two fullrange drivers, ideally 4 inch for the powerhandling and bass
  • Very simple to build
  • Good fullrange drivers aren't cheap (I'd say at least 35 USD a piece), but can sound very good, especially with equalization
  • Smallest
  • Lowest sensitivity
  • We could try to supplement them with a tiny transmission-line subwoofer, possibly 3D printed, not sure if it would work, otherwise it would probably have the least bass

Other hardware needed

• Amps. D class for effectivity. Could something like this run off a battery? It's so cheap that spending time to design it ourselves would be pointless, there are other similar kits like this on Aliexpres: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/F98-2016-newest-Free-Shipping-New-TDA8920-CLASS-D-Audio-Power-Amplifier-AMP-Module-Kit-100W/32604609497.html
• Other option would be to buy a second-hand car radio on Aukro and rip out the amp, the question is whether it could run directly off a lithium battery. Car batteries are theoretically cool, but heavy.
• DSP. We will need some for the big soundsystem anyway, it should be usable here as well