The Return of the BFM Thread [Archive]

Budzak

02-01-2012, 08:44 PM

It was, I believe, the single most popular thread in the Amp & Speaker forum, so we may as well bring it back, get it going, and fill it with knowledge again.

For those not in the know, BFM speakers are DIY designs aimed at providing good sound at a low dollar cost. The more popular ones here were the Tubas: horn-loaded subs on a budget.

For more info, hit up the BFM website: http://billfitzmaurice.com/

Lazerick

02-01-2012, 08:50 PM

Good one, I was thinking about bringing this back

Lazerick

02-01-2012, 09:11 PM

I always wanted to build the tuba 24

g-sep

02-01-2012, 09:18 PM

Rugged!! Wish I knew about that sight when I was designing a guitar cab for a design project for class. Woulda helped out a lot understanding what sizes I needed.

Budzak

02-02-2012, 11:31 AM

I have yet to build one, but I still would love to make a pair of dual-loaded Tuba 24s. I'd do 30s, but I don't think I can fit them in my car with the rest of my gear.

I've ever-so-slowly acquired the bits and pieces for this. I have tops, I got a second amp, I have a DSP for crossover duty... Now I need plans and materials to build the Tuba.

Incognito

02-05-2012, 10:15 AM

Does anyone have any of the pictures from the old thread?

Estacy

02-05-2012, 11:23 AM

there are loads of pics to be found on the BFM forum

Incognito

02-05-2012, 11:39 AM

there are loads of pics to be found on the BFM forum

Yes but since this is the BFM thread for DJFM it would of been nice to repost a couple of the old pictures that once where posted here.

Rek_Aviles

02-05-2012, 11:46 AM

what was the name of said thread? BFM?

Rek_Aviles

02-05-2012, 11:47 AM

Looks like Monomer started the thread, but archive site only cached a few pages.. No pics.

http://web.archive.org/web/20080702014554/http://www.djforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38107

rec

02-05-2012, 07:49 PM

Here is a pic of my 4 24" T30 subs (4012HO drivers)
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii31/outerbounds/BFM%20pics/100_1282.jpg

DTR

02-06-2012, 12:11 AM

I hope Bill re-registers, I liked that guy.

Incognito

02-06-2012, 02:11 AM

Here is a pic of my 4 24" T30 subs (4012HO drivers)
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii31/outerbounds/BFM%20pics/100_1282.jpg

Looks good, I like how you integrated the handles into the sub itself. Do you use a trolley of some sort or a caster board since I don't see any attached casters?

Incognito

02-06-2012, 02:12 AM

I hope Bill re-registers, I liked that guy.

:tup:Ditto:tup:

I think an invite is in order.

DJMC

02-06-2012, 10:57 AM

Everyone knows BOSE is better.....

(LOL -- this is j/k --- I know how much Bill Fitzmaurice hates BOSE)

DJMC is a Sacramento Wedding DJ (http://www.dj-mc.com) who specializes in non-cheesy receptions and private events.

rec

02-06-2012, 11:09 AM

Incognito

02-06-2012, 05:01 PM

incognito, I have a rock n roll cart with pneumatic wheels. Makes moving them around pretty easy as long as I dont have to lift them up onto a stage. They are a hand full if you dont have help. All 4 together produce pretty brutal bass. I cant imagine needing more, other than for large venues. I can rattle the rafters in a gym with a pair and all 4 together are amazing.

Yes I am familiar with the potential of the T30 & what they can do when clustered so I 100% believe you but I don't remember them being heavy (actually I remember the opposite).

rec

02-06-2012, 05:57 PM

Incognito

02-06-2012, 06:17 PM

I have the 4012HO drivers installed which weigh 22.5lbs each, I have never weighed the cabs so I am not sure what the overall weight is. I am in my late 40's so the ole back is not what it used to be.

Not much difference in weight, the drivers loaded in the T30's where 19 pounds each but I guess it all comes down to perspective & yes as the years weigh in things that I once found easy does seem to take a little more effort these days.

DTR

02-06-2012, 09:43 PM

Everyone knows BOSE is better.....

Buy Other Sound Equipment?

:P

windspeed36

02-06-2012, 09:54 PM

I hope Bill re-registers, I liked that guy.

Djteknovibe is also a bit slow in re-joining..

Incognito

02-06-2012, 10:26 PM

Djteknovibe is also a bit slow in re-joining..
I don't think he had any BFM speakers.

djscrizzle

02-07-2012, 12:14 AM

I built some TLAH 'look-alikes' just after DJF went down. I gigged 'em in December, and they sounded better than the venue's installed sound.

Specs:
8x 5" Sony poly-propylene cone 4-ohm woofer, 10WRMS/20W Max, 85.3db/1W@1M,
8x KSN-1016 piezo tweeter.
12" wide, 12" deep, 60" tall
5/8" CDX outdoor grade plywood with PL-Prem. Polyurethane glued and 1.5" ring-shank nailed joints
Weight: 35Lbs
Ground stack splayable, and Flyable.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v243/djscrizzle/IMG_0185.jpg

With these for subs:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v243/djscrizzle/NewSubs.jpg

And these for amplification:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v243/djscrizzle/NewAmpsLoaded.jpg

The idea came from these 1983 vintage LAs my dad built... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v243/djscrizzle/PAStack.jpg

djhustle

02-07-2012, 12:45 AM

starting my build tomorrow for the otop 12s, but i still havent decided on a sub yet. Are the tuba 30s really better for djing, or should i go for the t48?

djscrizzle

02-07-2012, 01:06 AM

If memory serves me properly, it was said on the old DJF that the following applied to T30 vs T48...

The Titan 48 was 'voiced' more for live band music, than DJing, and sacrifices lower-end for more power; more 'Kick' in the 70-100Hz region. The Tuba-30 goes deeper and really shines in groups of 4 or more stacked and vee'd together.

windspeed36

02-07-2012, 01:24 AM

I don't think he had any BFM speakers.

I was meaning along with BFM missing, Tek and a few others i remember are missing..

swine

02-07-2012, 02:04 AM

Friday I put on my first coat of duratex onto my auto tuba. Then I crashed really hard snowboarding and my shoulder is in incredible amounts of pain so I cant move it to put paint on.. Ill post pictures soon

Incognito

02-07-2012, 05:58 AM

I was meaning along with BFM missing, Tek and a few others i remember are missing..

Ahhh, ok I got you. I was thrown off since this is the BFM thread & we where talking about BFM designs plus inviting back Bill.

Bill Fitzmaurice

02-07-2012, 08:14 AM

With these for subs:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v243/djscrizzle/NewSubs.jpg
Those aren't subs. These are subs:
http://www.users.on.net/~flippy/T48/T48-5.jpg

Bill Fitzmaurice

02-07-2012, 08:28 AM

(LOL -- this is j/k --- I know how much Bill Fitzmaurice hates BOSE)

Not at all. I think the L1 Compact is a perfectly adequate $695 system, and the L1 Model 1 is a perfectly good $1295 system. Now buying them at the price they're actually worth is a different story.

Incognito

02-07-2012, 03:21 PM

Welcome back on board Bill, glad you're here with your wealth of knowledge.

monomer

02-07-2012, 04:43 PM

Looks like Monomer started the thread, but archive site only cached a few pages.. No pics.

http://web.archive.org/web/20080702014554/http://www.djforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38107

My most successful thread, ever.

Shame none of the 200+ pages were saved.

swine

02-07-2012, 07:34 PM

Those titans(?) are f-ing sexy! I love how the supports are carved out.

Incognito

02-07-2012, 07:41 PM

My most successful thread, ever.

Shame none of the 200+ pages were saved.

Nice to see you back Monomer, now the DJFM is starting to get back to its' old self but a few people are still amongst the missing.

djscrizzle

02-07-2012, 08:46 PM

Those aren't subs. These are subs:
http://www.users.on.net/~flippy/T48/T48-5.jpg

One day, I'm looking forward to buildin some good ol' BFM Tubas or Titans. 'Till then, I've got them $80 used subs to work with. Couldn't build em that cheap, so I took 'em.

djscrizzle

02-07-2012, 09:40 PM

Seconded. I did something similar on a Tuba-18 I built back in '09. I curved the outer mouth a bit. Lemme see if I've got a pic of that 'mod' I did...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v243/djscrizzle/IMG_0001-3.jpg

Incognito

02-08-2012, 05:02 AM

Finally this thread made it as a sticky,it only took seven years but good to see all the same.

DTR

02-08-2012, 06:34 PM

Finally this thread made it as a sticky,it only took seven years but good to see all the same.

We never bothered to sticky it because it was hardly ever off the first page anyway :)

djscrizzle

02-09-2012, 02:43 AM

We never bothered to sticky it because it was hardly ever off the first page anyway :)

:tup: And if were off the frontpage, somebody usually ended up bumpin' it every 4-6 days as well.

fueledbymusic

02-09-2012, 09:17 PM

I always wanted to build the tuba 24 You wont regret it! I love mines. I built these myself. took 2 weeks
http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee435/fueledbymusic/DSC01313.jpg

lastcat

02-11-2012, 01:53 AM

https://home.comcast.net/~lastcat/BFM/18.jpg

DR250's

lastcat

02-11-2012, 01:54 AM

http://home.comcast.net/~lastcat/School%20Dances/Mark%20Morris%20Sept%2030/IMG_0002.jpg

Four 24" wide 3012LF T39's.

Incognito

02-11-2012, 05:43 AM

I'll have to search for my old BFM speaker pictures, after having a hard drive failure & not knowing which external hard drive I used for backup makes it
a little tricky.

fueledbymusic

02-14-2012, 12:43 AM

http://home.comcast.net/~lastcat/School%20Dances/Mark%20Morris%20Sept%2030/IMG_0002.jpg

Four 24" wide 3012LF T39's. Man! If I really love the performance of my pair of T24s 22" wide, I can imagine what those 4 are like!

monomer

02-14-2012, 01:12 AM

Man! If I really love the performance of my pair of T24s 22" wide, I can imagine what those 4 are like!

I've sat in the mouth of four t36s

It's mindblowing, quite literary.

Incognito

02-14-2012, 03:30 AM

I've sat in the mouth of four t36s

It's mindblowing, quite literary.

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/8571/img1730h.jpg

monomer

02-14-2012, 05:41 PM

Those are t30's.

The 36s were downtown, and ran much hotter. I had a pic saved somewhere.

monomer

02-14-2012, 05:43 PM

KMS rocking out on four THTs:

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b383/Monomer001x/Shows%202011/DSCN0386.jpg

Crowd:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b383/Monomer001x/Shows%202011/DSCN0389.jpg

Detroit's most powerful end table:

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b383/Monomer001x/Shows%202011/DSCN0383.jpg

bigCcat

02-15-2012, 09:01 AM

Here are a few pictures of my rig.
They sound great and the four DR's can even be packed into a geo metro! Every time I play them we get great compliments on the sound. The biggest thing I like is how it just cuts right though the crowd, the sound carries a long way, and there is never a bad seat in the house:)
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a133/j_dunavin/NauvooDJ3.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a133/j_dunavin/100_2656.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a133/j_dunavin/NauvooDJ5-1.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a133/j_dunavin/IMG_2775.jpg

Actually the metro fits, four Dr200's, two peavey IPS400's, two Peavey CEX4LA's, one Peavey 215EQ, Sound craft 16ch mixer, box of cable, box of microphones, two speaker stands, and me!

djthunder

02-16-2012, 05:47 PM

Yo. Been a while, but I need to post something here out of respect. Built a pair of Tuba 30's, now running a pair of Titan 48's :)

lastcat

02-17-2012, 06:49 PM

The 4 T39's are just hard to explain, they Rock! Even though they are off to my right side, about 25', they can be loud! But in a School Gym, ya need the volume. This system just is the Best, nothing like it. Clean, Clear and Loud.

lastcat

02-17-2012, 06:51 PM

Nice work bigCcat, I recall seeing your post at BFM. From one Cat to another :bing:

DJ Higgumz

02-20-2012, 07:24 PM

On the way for me are 4 t60s! they run at 105 db down to 25hz! gonna cost only 1000$!

Incognito

02-20-2012, 07:30 PM

On the way for me are 4 t60s! they run at 105 db down to 25hz! gonna cost only 1000$!
Standard (unofficial) rules apply, post pics & keep us updated:tup:

DJ Higgumz

02-20-2012, 07:53 PM

Standard (unofficial) rules apply, post pics & keep us updated:tup:

when i do it will be the question, but i will probably sell my dirtbike and other stuff i don't use. I plan on putting the thread on the bfm forums, but i will post a thread here with a link to the forum.

Incognito

02-20-2012, 09:29 PM

when i do it will be the question, but i will probably sell my dirtbike and other stuff i don't use. I plan on putting the thread on the bfm forums, but i will post a thread here with a link to the forum.
Sounds good.

whiterob

02-21-2012, 11:58 AM

On the way for me are 4 t60s! they run at 105 db down to 25hz! gonna cost only 1000$!

What driver's will you be using? I figured it is going to be around $7-800 for just two Lab 12 T-39's? but thinking I may need 4 now, just because

DJ Higgumz

02-21-2012, 03:16 PM

What driver's will you be using? I figured it is going to be around $7-800 for just two Lab 12 T-39's? but thinking I may need 4 now, just because

Actually I forgot to mention it's 4 20" wide single lab 12 loaded I go for efficiency of power, no necesarily packspace

Incognito

02-27-2012, 06:57 PM

Found a couple of my old Tuba pictures plus one slide show

http://img213.imageshack.us/slideshow/player.php?id=img213/76/1143881202lpn.smil

Incognito

03-04-2012, 12:25 PM

My old BFM system.

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/2466/dscn21523rc.jpg
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/3757/tuba4a5qd.jpg
http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/3235/picture009ai9.jpg
http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/1663/picture006nr6.jpg

ampnation

03-04-2012, 01:02 PM

The idea came from these 1983 vintage LAs my dad built... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v243/djscrizzle/PAStack.jpg
Aren't you the same guy whose dad put 1w through some high sensitivity speakers illustrating how wattage is highly overrated?

Incognito

03-04-2012, 01:19 PM

Aren't you the same guy whose dad put 1w through some high sensitivity speakers illustrating how wattage is highly overrated?

Watts alone are over rated but in context it's a very important rating to consider depending on the sensitivity of the given speakers in question.

ampnation

03-04-2012, 01:31 PM

I'm not in a spot right now to do it, but eventually I'll start actively marketing school dances. Before I do, I'll be building some BFM's with the top two goals being bass extension and faithful reproduction. I'll make as many as I need to reach my SPL goals which should be 4 to 8 cabs.

I'll be replacing my car at some point too and when I do that, I intend on loading the new one with an Auto Tuba.

I'll have to buy an update CD from Bill when I'm ready because my original CD is a couple of years old already plus I have no idea where it is.

DJ Higgumz

03-04-2012, 10:56 PM

Have you made a choice on what design? If you have the packspace and strength go with t60 20" single lab 12. 4 of them would be great for a gym

djscrizzle

03-05-2012, 02:35 AM

Aren't you the same guy whose dad put 1w through some high sensitivity speakers illustrating how wattage is highly overrated?

Different guy... But my dad used to have a vintage Panasonic boombox with speaker outputs that he'd hook these up to when he wasn't using them with a 100 watt DIY mono PA mixer/amp. Got nice n loud on a few watts.