"Fast" and "slow" subwoofers: can we put them to bed?

DasguteOhr

Well-Known Member
Sep 26, 2013
2,318
2,467
595
Germany
a dipole bass stimulates the room more evenly, you don't have to struggle with standing waves. it cannot produce any physical pressure on your body because it does not work against an air mass in the housing. therefore he calms down quickly after the impulse.
mostly only baffle step has to correct, in the bass very few problems. the driver selection is crucial in the bass more then qts 0.8
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,376
2,497
1,398
Yes, a horn loaded sub that can go below 40 Hz is quite large (even folded), so we tend to mix compact horn loaded bass boxes with a different type of sub for the lower half of the sub band-pass.
I did a very high SPL home theater system (w/custom loudspeakers) for a client where I used low Le pro woofers (in a well damped) vented box for the upper half of the sub band-pass and servo/sealed subs for the lower half of the sub band-pass.
Wow! Very cool! Thank you. Yes, I kinda remember reading about that and dropping the idea of living in the street while the subwoofer remained in the living room! ;) In addition, the Velodyne DD18+ (servo sealed sub) we use now is pretty much cut off above 36-38hz...as we really allowing the main speakers to go full range and then adding a gentle 'stabilizing foundation' of sub-bass that provides spacial cues, and a sense of the venue...plus some reinforcement during Hans Zimmer soundtracks, deep house/electronic, etc.

It sounds like if we are looking to experiment with even lower distortion, greater air movement capability...then servo sealed or this dual-cone (Funk 18.2) seem like the right place to start.

https://www.funkaudio.ca/store/p9/Funk_Audio_-_18.2_Custom_Order.html
 

cannata

Well-Known Member
Jan 30, 2014
510
64
263
Italy
I work more in live sound than in consumer/home audio these decades. I have heard a very substantial difference in impulse response between: vented boxes, sealed bass boxes, band-pass subs and horn subs, at the same 80hz. crossover. I will agree that they have different pros and cons when it comes to box size, efficiency and F3 (per Hoffman’s Iron Law). As a result, in very high-performance systems, we may use horn-loaded (or lower Le woofer) bass boxes for the upper half of the subwoofer band-pass, versus different sub types (sealed/servo), with a lower F3, for the lower half. I’m currently publishing an article on the subject, in the December issue of Front of House magazine.
I am sure there are differences, but I don’t see how you can interpret anything but frq. and phase on a subwoofer impulse response. For quality (slow, fast, etc.), you probably need to look at distortions, which is tricker to assess (probably need anechoic chamber)
 

sbo6

VIP/Donor
May 18, 2014
1,656
592
480
Round Rock, TX
a dipole bass stimulates the room more evenly, you don't have to struggle with standing waves. it cannot produce any physical pressure on your body because it does not work against an air mass in the housing. therefore he calms down quickly after the impulse.
mostly only baffle step has to correct, in the bass very few problems. the driver selection is crucial in the bass more then qts 0.8
WRT dipole bass stimulating the room more evenly, depends on placement. Also it can create physical pressure - irrespective of the driver enclosure, or lack thereof pressure is created or there is no sound. is it the same effect as a driver in a cabinet - no, but again it depends on sub placement. be careful with broad generalities..
 

DasguteOhr

Well-Known Member
Sep 26, 2013
2,318
2,467
595
Germany
WRT dipole bass stimulating the room more evenly, depends on placement. Also it can create physical pressure - irrespective of the driver enclosure, or lack thereof pressure is created or there is no sound. is it the same effect as a driver in a cabinet - no, but again it depends on sub placement. be careful with broad generalities..
For me there is a big difference whether the sound works in one direction to the listening position like a normal subwoofer, or the sound is emitted in both directions with a dipole. both can be fun, for me the dipole is the favorite because it is easier to integrate into the room. assuming there is space in the room
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing