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The Subwoofer is dead as we know it


vasubandu

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OK here is a question that I don't understand, and @CECAA850 pictures present it clearly.  A 20 Hz sound has a 56 foot wavelength.  It will pass through concrete or steel walls. Because its size, should pretty much ignore anything under 14 feet or so under the quarter rule.  I read that the enclosure is in part to trap the back sound and prevent it from escaping, but I don't see how that box is going to do anything to a 56 foot wave.  40 Hz has a 28 foot wave, so not isolated the really low levels.  The internal framing would affect the actions of the driver itself, and that would affect the sound,but I cannot see sound bounding around in the box.

 

As always, I might be on a wrong tangent here, just trying to make sense of it.  My research lead to diffraction of light, and as interesting as that was, it did not help.

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@CECAA850 my question is what effect the internal structure has on 20-40 Hz sound waves.  Maybe that is not the point, and they are designed to redirect air, but acoustically, can anything in a box that size have any effect on around waves. I can see some refraction, but not sure what they accomplishes.  Sound waves that pass through concrete walls are going to pass through wooden mazes without noticing.  I do not mean this as a criticism or a statement based on knowledge, but as a real question.  When I talked earlier about sound absorption, you responded that there was no way that the soundply product was absorbing low frequencies because it is impossible.  So how can a little box do it? And how can the back of a little box  stop 28-foot sound waves?  Maybe there is an answer, but what is left of the physicist in me is not seeing it. 

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The box is basically a folded horn.  It works the same way the horn on a Lascala, Belle or Klipschorn does only its longer so it will go lower.

Carl, since you have installed your IB have you ever brought in one of the subs you have built and done a comparison?

 

I'm specifically interested in the differences in sound/performance between an IB and a horn loaded sub from someone with first hand experience.

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

 

 

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6 minutes ago, SWL said:

Carl, since you have installed your IB have you ever brought in one of the subs you have built and done a comparison?

 

I'm specifically interested in the differences in sound/performance between an IB and a horn loaded sub from someone with first hand experience.

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

 

 

Very little difference in sound quality and the IB will go much lower.  IBs are much more expensive to build due to the number of drivers and can't be moved.  They also take up no floor space.   There's plusses and minuses to both but clean bass sounds like clean bass.

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32 minutes ago, SWL said:

I was considering an IB but now that I have my horn loaded subs dialed in with a Mini-dsp, I'm perfectly content.

For now....

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 

You'll be fine till you want that  extra octave but honestly there's not much content down the there.

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“Weaponized bass drivers”!

 

LMAO!

 

 

On 2018-02-15 at 4:10 PM, muel said:

Why don't you build a couple of these in the low profile version: http://www.billfitzmaurice.com/THT.html  

Tried and true...  You were talking about 72" tubes at one point... there you go.  Gives you something to enjoy while you study your plans to build your weaponized bass drivers.

Not worth 2 cents probably but I'm throwing it out there anyway.

 

 

 

I am in tears here, haven’t laughed this hard all week!

 

Thanks, Muel!

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4 hours ago, SWL said:

Carl, since you have installed your IB have you ever brought in one of the subs you have built and done a comparison?

 

I'm specifically interested in the differences in sound/performance between an IB and a horn loaded sub from someone with first hand experience.

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

One big difference is the folds in a folded horn will filter out unwanted distortions, one thing that DR types are unable to do.

 

 

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These comments have me thinking.  I still do not know how a 15 cubic foot box interacts with a 25-foot sound wave, but I will just have to sharpen my research.  I seem to be reading contradictory things, but there plainly has to be an answer.  The designs work, but I do not understand it on a physical basis.

 

The IB discussion got me doing research because I never understood what the was, and I found an article by Eric Santanen, who is a processor at Bucknell University with an IT background.  http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/esantane/movies/sub.html What interested me was that he originally developed a sonotube sub . From what I have seen,  an IB sub would be a lot easier but maybe I am missing something.  It does not seem like it would require the HS-24.  I may seem to be jumping around here, but it feels more like a progression to me.  I have been paying attention to the comments and trying to make sense of them. An IB sub very well might satisfy my urge to try something different with a lower risk of complete failure.

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On 2/17/2018 at 9:59 PM, vasubandu said:

Sound waves that pass through concrete walls are going to pass through wooden mazes without noticing. 

 

Bill Fitzmaurice corrected this statement on his board.  He said that wave does not actually pass through the wall.  It vibrates the wall, and if the wave is strong enough, the vibration will emit a sound out the other side.  I am taking his word on it given his background, and a lot of sources say that waves do pass through walls, but maybe it is a shorthand.  It is is true, it makes a lot more sense of subwoofer enclosures, at least to me.

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6 hours ago, vasubandu said:

So I took the plunge and  ordered my pair of 32 inch drivers.  Stupid is as stupid does. 6-8 weeks.

 

I've been following your thread on avsforum.com DIY Speakers and Subs.

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/155-diy-speakers-subs/2957818-32-inch-subwoofer-driver-dilemma.html

 

You have over 100 comments and 3,000 views.  It's by far the hottest topic posted in the last month, probably in 2018.  There are a lot of guys over there commenting and making suggestions.  You have gotten some of the top DIY sub guys interested in your project.

 

Building a sub with a 32" driver is instantly over my head, making me one of the viewers, not one of the commenters.  I will be following to see how things progress.  B)

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8 hours ago, wvu80 said:

 

I've been following your thread on avsforum.com DIY Speakers and Subs.

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/155-diy-speakers-subs/2957818-32-inch-subwoofer-driver-dilemma.html

 

You have over 100 comments and 3,000 views.  It's by far the hottest topic posted in the last month, probably in 2018.  There are a lot of guys over there commenting and making suggestions.  You have gotten some of the top DIY sub guys interested in your project.

 

Building a sub with a 32" driver is instantly over my head, making me one of the viewers, not one of the commenters.  I will be following to see how things progress.  B)

 

I have the same sense that a lot of smart people had comments, which is what made me pull the trigger.  One thing that has become clear is that I do not need a 32 inch subwoofer, but I still want to see what happens.  When I a done, I will probably list one here and one on AVS just for kicks.

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5 minutes ago, vasubandu said:

When I am done, I will probably list one here and one on AVS just for kicks.

Absolutely.  A lot of people on the Klipsch forum will be interested in what you're doing. 

 

It's just that over on AVSforums there are more people that have specialized knowledge and they love big projects, especially because to my knowledge no one has done a 32" sub before.

 

Have you picked an amp yet?  Some of those guys re-wire their house to get dedicated 20 amp outlets and some use amps that use 220!

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