Jump to content

How necessary is a subwoofer?


JiminSTL

Recommended Posts

Something to consider when discussing distortion is that our ears are not equally sensitive to it at all frequencies. We're most sensitive in the midrange and much less in the low bass region. I've heard bass guitar and string bass players mention that many in the audience can't tell whether the musician is playing in tune or not.

For sound system purposes, this means that the higher distortion that a direct-firing subwoofer produces, compared with a horn sub, is not always obvious or objectionable. For many people, the direct-firing sub sounds just fine, and takes up much less space in the room. Even the $600,000 Magico Ultimate horn-loaded 5-way speaker system uses a direct-firing sub to go with its 4 horns, and its sound is said to be second to none.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-57596744-47/magico-ultimate-the-ultimate-$600000-speaker-for-the-.001-percent/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Something to consider when discussing distortion is that our ears are not equally sensitive to it at all frequencies. We're most sensitive in the midrange and much less in the low bass region. I've heard bass guitar and string bass players mention that many in the audience can't tell whether the musician is playing in tune or not.

For sound system purposes, this means that the higher distortion that a direct-firing subwoofer produces, compared with a horn sub, is not always obvious or objectionable. For many people, the direct-firing sub sounds just fine, and takes up much less space in the room. Even the $600,000 Magico Ultimate horn-loaded 5-way speaker system uses a direct-firing sub to go with its 4 horns, and its sound is said to be second to none.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-57596744-47/magico-ultimate-the-ultimate-$600000-speaker-for-the-.001-percent/

Most people have never heard a horn loaded subwoofer to compare the difference in sound.

If you A/b using the same driver one horn loaded one direct radiating all but the deaf will hear the difference.

The woofer produces the most distortion of all the drivers as it has the most movement.

I cant see how something called the ultimate horn loaded system does not use all horns.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are pro's and con's related to horn subwoofer as well as direct radiator subwoofers. Horn subwoofers have a much larger footprint and there can be compression due to the throat that air is forced thru. Many direct radiator subs can get just as loud as folded horn sub and go lower is extension. Also the drivers in direct radiator sub can have more excursion and can take more watts to increase there HT performance. There are horn subs like the Danley that can go very low and even lower than some of the smaller direct radiators subwoofers.

Horn subs are more efficient and have great trasient response but, have a limited bandwidth depending on the box size, driver and throat design. Direct radiators are in general less efficient and ported/band pass subs have poorer transient reponse compared to the horn sub.

The point that I am trying to make is that there are pro's and con's of both type of systems. But, good SQ and performance for music or HT can be readily accomplised with either type. There are many happy owners in both camps. :D I think in a blind test it would be hard to pick out which is a horn vs direct radiator is matched appropiately until one runs out of steam.

Edited by derrickdj1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

yes, but they can feel the difference right?!? :rolleyes:

If you A/b using the same driver one horn loaded one direct radiating all but the deaf will hear the difference.

sorry, couldn't resist... i'm probably going to h3ll now.

Actually, you have a point there. The parents of one of my buddies were both deaf and mute, and my friend often went to dances and other events put on by and for deaf people. He told me that the music is usually REALLY LOUD.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-57596744-47/magico-ultimate-the-ultimate-$600000-speaker-for-the-.001-percent/

Most people have never heard a horn loaded subwoofer to compare the difference in sound.

If you A/b using the same driver one horn loaded one direct radiating all but the deaf will hear the difference.

The woofer produces the most distortion of all the drivers as it has the most movement.

I cant see how something called the ultimate horn loaded system does not use all horns.

It could be because the system is already huge, and adding a horn sub would make it too big to be attractive to potential buyers. In this review, the low bass was seen as not quite as good as the rest of the frequency range, which agrees with what you posted.

"The low bass was very good in terms of extension, dynamics, and definition, but not extraordinary in the way that the rest of the spectrum was reproduced."

Here's the whole listening impression. It's from 2006 or 2008, and describes one of the first of these speaker systems. They're into a Mark III by now, so they should be improved over the earliest version.

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/magico-ultimate-loudspeaker-1/

This page from CES 2014 shows people standing beside one of the speakers, so you can get a better idea of its size:

http://www.soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/ces-2014-las-vegas-usa/152-ces-2014-features/458-ces-2014-twbas-style-part-one

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But price no object, space no object, wouldn't a great horn sub sound better (lower distortion, etc.) than a great direct radiator sub?

I would prefer a horn over any model myself, there are many other that feel this way too.

If floor space is at a minimum there are taller standing versions that can be used in a upfiring or downfiring configuration.

The Tuba 18 would take up no more space than most 15" versions at 18" x 18" x 19".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But price no object, space no object, wouldn't a great horn sub sound better (lower distortion, etc.) than a great direct radiator sub?

Yes, of course. Unfortunately, most of us have to make compromises most of the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...