Recommend me a sub 2x 500watt O-audio Amplifers and $1000 cash

[mackintire]

So I have 2 x O-audio bash amps and $1000 cash....What kind of sub should I build?


The room is 15' wide and 21' long with a 9' ceiling. The floor is concrete and the walls are also concrete from the floor up the walls for the first 36". I will be framing in and insulating the walls.


Give me ideas....I have to keep it in this room. So if I built say an IB it would have to be completely contained in the room.

My first thought was a pair of ShivaX's with 18' PRs But I 'm not sure what the Q of those subs would be. I don't like loose bass.


If I can have my cake and eat it too.... The end result would play 117db with little audible distortion, including room gain, all the way down to 15hz.

[Carl V]

You need to ping Kevin Haskins at DIY Cable...maker of the Shiva-X.

I'd be considering his Tempest 15" drivers.

And by the seat of my pants your goals won't be easily achievable
& to the best of my knowledge 2 12" shivas won't be up to those goals.

Best of luck to you.

[mackintire]

That's a good idea that could work , (2x) sonotube EBS Tempest 15' Tuned 12Hz might be the ticket. Not including room gain the application sheet reads 110db with approx 500 watts input per sub.

[---k---]

First, I don't think you should be focusing so much on specific SPL numbers that you've heard parroted on other forums.

2 Tempest is a good bet. My 2 RL-PL15 give me more than enough clean SPL and our rooms are similar size. 2 - Tempest-X should be similar. The 12hz tune looks like it is giving up a lot. Mine are tuned to 15hz and I like it. I've never had a problem with not having a highpass filter. But, builder beware.

Also consider a Maelstrom. It can dig deeper, go louder easier. Just will require bigger boxes.

[aprilia88]

vote for 2 rs390ho" 2.5 cu.ft. each sealed.

The RS390ho does not get alot of mention for subwoofer use around here, mainly due to x-max limitations. I have been running 2 15's in a five cubic foot sealed enclosure with a 1000w speakercraft sub amp.
While maybe not as loud as some of the more popular subs around here. I have never heard a subwoofer as clean as the rs series. It doesn't sound like any subwoofer I have ever heard. I also have a rs10" sub in a large vented enclosure. I think the 15" sealed blows it away for sound quality. It rs390's disappear into my room so well I have to check and see if the are actually on when listening to music somtimes. My uncle felt they sounded like an 8" woofer but without limitation associated with small woofers.
I have owned everything from jbl gti 1800's to jl 10w3" and nothing is even close.

I not sure if I just gave my opinion or wrote a parts express commercial?
Good luck. I will take some real world spl measurements some day.

[mackintire]

Can anyone here explain to me how the Tempest in a sonotube tuned to 12hz works?

The only thing I can think of is it acts like a IB until you start getting close to the tuning frequency.

I mean with port that large in a volume that big, other than sheer output what are you giving up? I wish someone who has such a beast could describe the pro's and cons in a personal experienced fashion.

The only reason I am considering it is I like low frequency and I do not want the driver to unload ever. I figured that with a 12hz tune that even the black hawk down DVD with the 8hz scene has little chance of unloading and damaging the driver. My actual hearing fizzles out around 22hz. I can clearly hear 25hz test tones.

[evilskillit]

In a completely concrete room I'd concentrate less on having a sub that plays below 20hz because you wont get much tactile feedback. Build a sub thats solid to 15 or 20 with built in HPF and install a few bass shakers on your couch. You'll probably be a lot more satisfied

[mackintire]

I think I found one of my anwsers.....

http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/diy-subwoofers-sealed-ported/1820-llt-explained.html

[kevinp.]

In a completely concrete room I'd concentrate less on having a sub that plays below 20hz because you wont get much tactile feedback. Build a sub thats solid to 15 or 20 with built in HPF and install a few bass shakers on your couch. You'll probably be a lot more satisfied

I don't know - I'm in a complete concrete room and my subs have no issues shaking my theater chairs at 15db under reference; they play flat to about 8hz.

[---k---]

Yeah, Steve's post is going to be your best explanation. I don't fully buy into the distortion claims, and it isn't as revolutionary and unique as he makes it seem. But, it is a solid design. I've heard a copy of his 18" Avalanch LLT. It performs! My sub was probably considered an LLT, but the tuning has goal has been moved down from 15hz to 12hz.

I don't think we want to get into a befits and cons of the LLT design. That has been done before and it got Steve banned.

[1Michael]

I would recommend a tuning of around 14.5 Hz. Anything lower and you start running into compromises...

[moab_dan]

What about this design?

http://www.billfitzmaurice.com/THT.html

[mackintire]

The concept is sound, but from the looks of the site I am unsure if we share the ideal of what sounds good. I enjoyed the sound of Jed's 4Ts and the modula MT's but, for example, I could not enjoy the noobsters on a daily basis.

Doug's 4Ts have unearthly bass performance. but I think his have a little more internal volume and are tuned a bit lower than the norm.

I guess I could say that I 'm focused more on 60hz and downwards.

[evilskillit]

Hahah, Steve got banned. I shouldn't laugh, I don't know what but I find that pretty hilarious. I guess it just doesn't pay to get passionate about things on forums, it never seems to go well for anyone.

As for my idea, I stand corrected I guess even if the very low bass waves can't shake the floor they'll still jiggle the furniture. I still wonder if having the subs cut off a bit higher and just getting bass shakers wouldn't be more cost and energy efficient. I guess I'll get a pair and try it pretty soon, the auras are only like $30 on PE. At that price why not give it a shot.

[Jed]

Doug's 4Ts have unearthly bass performance. but I think his have a little more internal volume and are tuned a bit lower than the norm.

.

That is an easy mod to the "current" box design. His are something like 15L bigger. Nothing that can't be done to the stock box design to get a few extra hz bass extension. Besides, most will use a big subwoofer in HT applications, in which case it is very easy to plug the port and integrate with a subwoofer.