# Paradigm 3SE speakers, new cabinets?



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

So I got some Paradigm 3SE speakers last week, the drivers are in perfect condition but the cabinets are in rough shape. Would there be even a slight possibility of buying an off shelf box that would work?
Here are the specifications:

2 way bass reflex quasi-3rd order resistive port
1" silk dome tweeter
8" polypropylene cone
frequency response 43Hz - 20kHz 
90db sensitivity
internal volume, 23liters/.81cu ft

Any thoughts or suggestions?


----------



## fusseli (May 1, 2007)

Sure it could work. Ideally they would be cabinets of the same dimensions and tuning. Do you know the tuning of the port? If you had a way of measuring the T/S parameters of the woofers you could even design your own new box with different bass performance. 

If you drop the speakers into a new box of the same volume, the width of the baffle should be the same as original, or there will be a change in frequency response in the new box due to baffle step now being at a different frequency. If the dimensions of the new box are at least similar the effect may be small enough to not notice.

These knockdowns at PE are a similar size: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=300-7064


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

This is the only info I can find on the 3SE's Here I dont know how I would test the tuning of the rear port however its not very big, maybe 1.5" in diameter and only about 2"in length.


----------



## Odougbo (Oct 16, 2011)

It's usually the other way around, drivers are blown and boxes are fine.
Maybe find a deal on ebay or something.

Also good that you have boxes, in case you want to copy/build the design.

OR Formica the boxes you have.


----------



## Mike0206 (Jul 14, 2013)

You wouldn't want to just re-veneer it? Use a wood veneer and even stain it to dress it up some? Then you wouldn't have to worry about the affect on the speaker itself.


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Ya, they sound great! really clean and nice detail. Just hate the look of the boxes they are not something I can sand down either as it looks like a wood veneer. Some of the corners are chipped also so not really salvageable. 

@Russ, those boxes you link to are .54cu ft the 3SEs are .81cu ft wont that make a difference?


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Mike0206 said:


> You wouldn't want to just re-veneer it? Use a wood veneer and even stain it to dress it up some? Then you wouldn't have to worry about the affect on the speaker itself.


To be truthful im not sure I have the skill to do it up that nice, the front has a 45 degree angle around the edges and I would not want to make it look worse however you make a good point as I have nothing to loose.


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Question, by increasing the internal volume from .81cu ft to 1.10cu ft how does that effect the sound of the speaker? Can I add something internally to make the volume smaller? I really like the looks of this cabinet from Parts express.


----------



## BD55 (Oct 18, 2011)

You could always close off a section of the cabinet to reduce the net volume. If you wanted to used something as a filler, you would have to put something in there that was roughly 8x8x8 to get ~0.3 cuft.


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Ok, thanks. Thats easy to do I guess.


----------



## Odougbo (Oct 16, 2011)

Bricks.


----------



## fusseli (May 1, 2007)

Okay, so as-is with a volume of 0.8cuft and a 1.5"x2" port, they are tuned to about 45Hz. If you use a 1.1cuft replacement you'd need about a 2"x2.5" port to maintain tuning. This would undeniably result in stronger bass performance of the speakers. You could also try something like a 2"x3-3.5" to lower tuning a tad, allowing slightly deeper bass.

IMO there's no point in using filler to block off the extra space. Apples to apples, a bigger box means better bass capability.


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Ok thanks, that's the answer I needed. I just realized that the price on PE is for one box so that adds up not sure if that's a worth while investment or not. Sure would look nice though....decisions decisions LOL


----------



## Mike0206 (Jul 14, 2013)

tonyvdb said:


> Ok thanks, that's the answer I needed. I just realized that the price on PE is for one box so that adds up not sure if that's a worth while investment or not. Sure would look nice though....decisions decisions LOL


 I was also thinking your price is getting up there a bit for some free speakers if you were to buy those boxes. The factory boxes look pretty simple to just veneer over the top. If you are worried about the edge you could use a small scribe molding to finish off the new veneer on the front. Just miter the corners and you'd be good to go.


----------



## Odougbo (Oct 16, 2011)

Back to Formica I see.


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Ya, I think I will try to reface the cabinets first and see how that goes. I will head over to Home depot and see if they have any sheets of veneer.


----------



## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

tonyvdb said:


> Ya, I think I will try to reface the cabinets first and see how that goes. I will head over to Home depot and see if they have any sheets of veneer.


if you're not good with veneer, just strip the veneer from the boxes, sand away with some wood filler to boot and coat with duratex. it's the coverer or all sins in a speaker


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Ok, I've bought a roll of wood veneer and may start to work on them this weekend. 
Question: do I cut the veneer to fit each side or do I fold it at each corner (not sure if that's possible).


----------



## Paulcet (Jun 18, 2013)

No it won't fold. You might apply steam to get around a radius....


----------

