Choosing a speaker for a mono amp

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   Hi.  I'm like to build these novelty speakers out of mini (5L) beer kegs.  In the past they have been very lower power 9v systems that use whatever used speaker i could find that would fit.  I've decided to try to up my game a bit.  I'm moving up to a 12v system with bluetooth capabilities.  The amp chip i'm using is the TPA3118 PBTL (  http://www.ebay.com/itm/201538004052 - this one), with the left & right channels combined before going into the mono amp.  
I'm limited to a single 5" (or 5.25") speaker.  I know i want an 8 ohm speaker, but could use some help deciding on other factors.  Since there will only be a single speaker, i assume i will want something that is "full range" or 3-way in order to get the best possible sound out of my single speaker limitation?  Can anyone tell me what factors to look for when deciding on a speaker?  Or, is there a specific speaker that you would recommend?

Thanks for your time and advice!
-Jack

Edited by Jack.Straw - 29 December 2016 at 2:11pm

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Jack.Straw Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List New Member Joined: 29 December 2016 Status: Offline Points: 4	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jack.Straw Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Choosing a speaker for a mono amp Posted: 29 December 2016 at 2:10pm
	Hi. I'm like to build these novelty speakers out of mini (5L) beer kegs. In the past they have been very lower power 9v systems that use whatever used speaker i could find that would fit. I've decided to try to up my game a bit. I'm moving up to a 12v system with bluetooth capabilities. The amp chip i'm using is the TPA3118 PBTL ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/201538004052 - this one), with the left & right channels combined before going into the mono amp. I'm limited to a single 5" (or 5.25") speaker. I know i want an 8 ohm speaker, but could use some help deciding on other factors. Since there will only be a single speaker, i assume i will want something that is "full range" or 3-way in order to get the best possible sound out of my single speaker limitation? Can anyone tell me what factors to look for when deciding on a speaker? Or, is there a specific speaker that you would recommend? Thanks for your time and advice! -Jack Edited by Jack.Straw - 29 December 2016 at 2:11pm

slaz Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 27 November 2009 Location: London E2 Status: Offline Points: 2713	Post Options Post Reply Quote slaz Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 December 2016 at 2:46pm
	You would do well to to go for a low impeance driver like 4R or even 2R if you can find one, as thats a PBTL config it'll tolerate 4R easily. If you have very limited baffle area (which I assume is the case) - just get the best 5.25" car speaker you can find (I mean a 2-way concentric).
	REMEMBER....POLITICIANS AND DIAPERS SHOULD BE CHANGED OFTEN AND FOR THE SAME REASON

Jack.Straw Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List New Member Joined: 29 December 2016 Status: Offline Points: 4	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jack.Straw Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 December 2016 at 3:25pm
	Slaz, thanks for the response! I'm not familiar with the terms 2R and 4R. I should mention that battery life is a concern. Will these types of drivers have any effect on that? When you say "2-way concentric"... is that the same as coaxial? Edit: i'm also seeing "3-way" and "4-way"... would those be better or worse than the 2-way? Thanks! Edited by Jack.Straw - 29 December 2016 at 3:28pm

slaz Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 27 November 2009 Location: London E2 Status: Offline Points: 2713	Post Options Post Reply Quote slaz Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 December 2016 at 7:46pm
	4R just means 4 ohms. Yeah coaxial is car-audio speak for concentric. I wouldn't bother having any more than 2-way ..... 3-way and 4-way are mostly just marketing bull (of which there's plenty in the car audio market). A low impedance drier will draw more power from the amplifier ... i.e. its louder - but yes, it will shorten battery life.
	REMEMBER....POLITICIANS AND DIAPERS SHOULD BE CHANGED OFTEN AND FOR THE SAME REASON

Jack.Straw Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List New Member Joined: 29 December 2016 Status: Offline Points: 4	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jack.Straw Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 December 2016 at 8:11pm
	Great, thanks! Battery life is pretty important on this one, so i'm going to stick with the 8ohm speaker. I've heard that some speakers are more efficient than others, which would in turn increase battery life. What attribute should i look for to determine a speakers efficiency? Also, are there any particular brands you would recommend or stay away from? Any particular materials which are particularly good or bad? (mylar vs. paper or whatever) Edited by Jack.Straw - 29 December 2016 at 8:15pm