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5.25" Speakers/Amp--Oddball Question...

I'm in the midst of a project to build an arcade cabinet MAME machine--MAME is a computer program that uses copies of the ROMs from old video games to emulate them. So, with a generic control console, you can play any of about 4,000 different pre-1995 games like Pac-Man, Galaga, etc. reproduced with a fair amount of exactitude...

Anyway, the prefab cabinet I'm using calls for a pair of overhead 5.25" speakers--audio would be fed out of a computer. Trying to think of the best way of getting decent sound, and would appreciate any input, even tho' this is far from audiophile... Here's the pro's and con's of what I've been looking at:

1. Computer speakers. Easy connection and video shielded, but sucky quality-wise. Also generally in enclosures that are incompatible with 5.25" cut-outs. You can find sets with remote volume knobs, which would be a good thing.

2. Car audio speakers. Probably highest quality-wise. Would require a car amp, which means building a quick 12V regulated power supply, but that isn't too tough. Presuming remote volume knob could be rigged with a dual gang potentiometer.

3. Buying component drivers. Unsure here... Parts Express sells some shielded drivers that would fit, but they fall into the bass/midbass category (only seems to be one "full range" coaxial jobbie, but comes w/o a crossover). I'm not real tempted to build an xover. Also unsure here whether I'd need to do extensive cabinetry to build a closed box for the drivers. Also need an amp to drive them...

Any other ideas/suggestions? Guess my present inclination is to go car audio, but I do have some worries about the lack of video shielding. The speakers are mebbe 2' away from a 27" monitor that I really don't want to mess up--this old school 15 kHz monitor didn't come cheap...
edesilva
slappy
903 posts
 
I suggest car audio drivers.
Not sure why you say a car amp would be required though. Car speakers will play fine with any amp. you probably need to make sure it can hit 4ohms

Car speakers are not very finicky, you dont need a specific cabinet for them, the machine does not have to be air tight either.

I would just go with some Car-speakers. Probably 6x9 coaxial speakers. Get a cheap amp to run em, maybe an old used adcom 535 or something. That would probably work just fine
ultraviolet
105 posts
 
Are you concerned that the quality of your beeps and dings on the game won't be high enough quality? I'd just use computer speakers...
edesilva OP
768 posts
 
Thx Slappy, hadn't thought of using a real amp, but I guess even a cheapo car amp plus the pain and angst of building a power supply might offset the cost of a cheap pwr amp...

UV, unless you go back to the "night driver" and "pong" era, most of the games had a little more audio sophistication. Actually tho', my animosity towards computer speakers is more that I think they offer very little value in terms of quality/$.
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
Slappy is right re: using an inexpensive amp and car speakers, but from a technical standpoint there isn't any reason you couldn't use one of the parts express DIY co-ax. IIRC, you shouldn't need a x-over, thats "built-in". Or for that matter, you could use a full-range 5-6" high eff speaker as well.
edesilva OP
768 posts
 
Slappy, you da man! Just found a relatively inexpensive 535-L, which has a volume on it... I think I will just get the PE coax speakers, they are the right size and while the freq resp. looks pretty hot w/o a xover, it is just a video arcade... And, the shielding puts my mind to rest a bit.
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