Goal: 40Hz, 92-94dB, 2 cu.ft

[cosmindaniel12]

Hello guys.

I would need an advice for the woofers in a 3-ways system.
I was hoping to go down to 40 Hz (around 35 Hz in room), in an enclosure around 1.5-2 cu.ft, with an sensitivity of 92-94 dB (close to 90dB including the baffle step). Also, to keep the price under 100/speaker for the woofer(s)...
Also, I was hoping to do that with paper-cone drivers (I'll use paper midrange and soft dome tweeters). The best solution I could find was a pair of Visaton W 200 S 8 Ohm speakers...

I know I'm asking for a lot... but... any advice, please?

[neuro]

Someone a couple posts down was asking about Eminence Alphas. That might fit your need (or maybe on of the other Eminence offerings).

[ThomasW]

In situations like this it's a good idea to tell people you're located in eastern Europe.

[cosmindaniel12]

I live in Eastern Europe, but I can get my hands on pretty much any driver from a local supplier. The only problem is that prices are a bit higher.
I have considered so far (all of them as a pair/speaker):
- Silver Flute W20RC38-08: solid looking chassis, good sensitivity, small box requied, but it doesn't seem to have that much low-end extension...
- VIFA BC18SG49-08: nice looking driver, poor low-end extension, looks more suitable as a midrange
- AUDAX AP210Z0: another nice looking driver, but poor low-end extension, and doesn't seem to like small boxes
- DAYTON SD215-88: seems to want a larger box
- DAYTON RS180S-8: looks great, good extension, but small sensitivity
- BEYMA 8WFR/P: wants a larger box
- several 20cm Tonsil woofers look great in a simulation program, but they are ugly and look very fragile... (GDN 20/80/2 vented or GDN 20/60/3 sealed)
- SCANSPEAK 18W/8434G: doesn't seem to have a good low-end extension
- several Focal drivers want larger enclosures
- SB ACOUSTICS SB17NRXC35-8: also wants a larger box, and pretty expensive
- Peerless SLS 830667: great response in a closed box, but expensive and with rather poor sensitivity
- Peerless Nomex 830869: looks pretty good, good sensitivity, but a bit "boomy" in a small box, and expensive around here...
- Visaton W 200 S: goes down to 45 Hz F3 in less than 2 cu.ft, decent sensitivity, but the chassis looks a bit fragile (at least compared to the SB Acoustics, Silver Flute, or several others in this group) and I don'tknow how well it would behave as a woofer.
Any other ideas? A good woofer or pair of woofers to go from 35-40 Hz in room to 350-500 Hz, with high sensitivity (close to 90dB including the baffle step), in a 1.5-2 cu.ft enclosure?

[BOBinGA]

If you want 92db sensitivity and can go up to 2 cu. ft., you should look at 4 ohm 8" drivers. Most 8" (20 to 23 cm) drivers will work fine in a 1.5 to 2 cu. ft. (40 to 60 ltr.) box and the 4 ohm impedance will get you an additional 3 db if your amplifier can handle it (and most amplifiers can).
Here are two that fit the specs:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=295-376

https://www.madisound.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=45_228_257&products_id=8771

-Bob

[cosmindaniel12]

I know that, that's why I was looking at pairs of 8 ohm drivers. I was hoping to squeeze 2 8" or 7" drivers in parallel, to get the benefit of 2 drivers and half the impedance, but still get a good low-end extension.

[cosmindaniel12]

I think I'll go with 2 x SB Acoustics SB17NRX. I messed up the simulation, and they work great in 1.5 cu.ft.

[its_bacon12]

If you want 92db sensitivity and can go up to 2 cu. ft., you should look at 4 ohm 8" drivers. Most 8" (20 to 23 cm) drivers will work fine in a 1.5 to 2 cu. ft. (40 to 60 ltr.) box and the 4 ohm impedance will get you an additional 3 db if your amplifier can handle it (and most amplifiers can).
Here are two that fit the specs:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=295-376

https://www.madisound.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=45_228_257&products_id=8771

-Bob

That's a tad misleading. A 4 ohm driver achieves the lower impedance through thicker guage wire used to wind the voicecoil so the cross section of the wire in the gap is less than if it were a higher guage wire more tightly packed in.

In short, an 8 ohm driver is generally better because of efficiency. You use less power to achieve the same thing the 4 ohm driver does. (Generally speaking, half)