Resonance -- let's get this hammered out!

[Novastar]

So maybe a little off topic but... If I wanted to increase the resonance in my MR Vader would I just try to free up a bit more space in front of, and seal the back of the speaker? Could I swap the speaker out w/ a CSS speaker just by cutting and re soldering?

Oops. Sorry Zion, I missed this question somehow. Been busy.

Freeing up space in both directions of the speaker SHOULD give more resonance, yes... but you'd also want some holes in the hilt to allow that sound to escape (in my opinion). Although it's not a very exact science in terms of just typing (in words) what to do. There are SO many factors in creating great sound. As this thread mentions.

Swapping an MR speaker for a TCSS speaker or whatever speaker is easy in THEORY but not so easy in practice. Why. Well, the MR style sabers have that "all-in-one" battery + speaker pack, and depending on the pack you have, it can be either impossible or relatively easy to free the speaker from the plastic frame and replace it.

[Jonitus]

Yet another factor we must consider is the material the resonance chamber is constructed of. Certain materials have different, undesireable reflective properties.

White PVC sinktube material is generally pleasant as a material. I don't find too many issues with it.

Clear acrylic (sourced from small paint containers I buy at Hobby Lobby and are the perfect size to surround a 28mm speaker) are quite harshly reflective and must be toned down with something. Even a layer of masking tape on the inside of the chamber walls will tone down the reflectivity and keep the sounds from being quite so distorted.

Aluminum tubing is also very harsh. In my experiments, a small layer of very thin foam (like the white sheet foam you find in packaging for modular furniture and so forth) is sufficient to tone down the reflections.

It would appear to be a trend. The more rigid the material you use for a resonance chamber = the more reflective it will be and possibly introduce wave form distortion and poor sound.

FYI

[Jay-gon Jinn]

I think I posted this somewhere before, but I've been using pvc 3/4" couplers to make resonance chambers from...the ones from my local hardware store have a slight indentation, or step in the ends that the speakers fit right into making it very easy to glue the speaker to the coupler. I usually cut them in half and get two for the price of one. I've also used straight 1" pvc electrical conduit cut into a 1" long piece and glued the speaker into one end....it really makes the saber sound deeper and removes the metallic, tinny sound that leaving a bare speaker in an aluminum tube makes.

[Novastar]

Ooooooohhhh... good ones, Jay... Jon...!!!! I completely forgot to bring up anything like that! Great posts...

[Crystal Chambers]

Since a lot of speaker cabinets and instruments are made of wood...seems like something worth trying. It would be so easy to fit it to your hilt and speaker size. Has anyone tryed this? If not I might.

[Jedi-Loreen]

Um, what are you talking about? Making a lightsaber out of wood?

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

I've wondered about a wood cone resonance chamber instead of the more often used closed and open cylinder resonance chambers made of PVC etc...as you say wood makes nice 'warm' resonance in acoustic instruments so I'm wondering if a wood cone might give some nice warm bass tone especially to the hum...not sure what kind of wood would sound more pleasant though; a more flexible thin softwood that might vibrate with the sound or a more rigid hardwood that would just reflect it? Any musician/acoustic types here know?

[Sunrider]

One thing i have noticed looking at large & small speakers are long tubes or ports stuffed with loose cotton like material. I think the idea is to reduce reflections with the loose stuff & to create a longer path for the exaust sp. to escape. The longer exaust for the rear of the speaker seems to enhance lower frequencies but it's a fine balance of backpressures. Also a way to reduce unwanted high freq reflections is something like a stocking or the foam type stuff they use over microphone.

I think in my next project i will try to 1 layer stocking material the speaker out the bottom of the saber & line the walls of the hilt with a thin layer of felt. With large crystal chamber holes in the middle of the hilt i hope to recreate what i have found in small speaker systems like desktop stuff.

SR

[Crystal Chambers]

Um, what are you talking about? Making a lightsaber out of wood?

No...lol... just the resonance chamber. "It would be so easy to fit it to your hilt"

Off hand I know rosewood is warmer then maple.

Alof of drummer pack their bassdrums with pillows and such to mute/reduce the ringing of brighter tones.

[Sunrider]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudspeaker_enclosure

Some information to help adapting a hilt to improve sound output.

A speaker PN that looks promising CMS0281KLX.