Need help deciding on a driver

[drex46]

I am planning to build a front firing subwoofer. I have the 1000 watt plate amp from Parts Express but I am having a difficult time determining which driver to go with. I want a 15" driver and have narrowed it down to the following:

Stryke Audio AV15 MKII $205
Dayton 15" Titanic MKIII $199
15" DVC High Performance $190

Of all of these I am most excited by the looks of the Stryke AV15 but I don't want looks to be the "driving" factor. Do any of you have any information you can add to any of these drivers that could help me make a decision. As you can tell price is virtually not an issue so which one would have the best performance. I am most interested in chest thumping bass for HT but I do listen to alot of music as well so I don't want it to go boomy at higher SPLs either.

Is there a 15" you think I should seriously consider that isn't on this list?

Thanks,

D-Rex

[awm]

"Is there a 15" you think I should seriously consider that isn't on this list?"

Yes, the Adire Tumult. More $$, but an excellent driver.

Andy

[Lex]

I like Callaway Big Berthas myself. :lol:

Adire always a good choice. If you order from Adire, be sure and tell them your from HTGuide. It would be nice if Dan saw support from HTG. Maybe he would advertise again with us.

lex

[ThomasW]

From you're posts on other forums it appears that price is an issue.

I don't think the AV-15 is available at this time. Between the 2 PE drivers there is no comparison, the MKIII is the superior driver

BTW, boom is primarily a function of an improperly tuned system, or the sub's interactions with the room's geometry.

[drex46]

From you're posts on other forums it appears that price is an issue.

I don't think the AV-15 is available at this time. Between the 2 PE drivers there is no comparison, the MKIII is the superior driver

BTW, boom is primarily a function of an improperly tuned system, or the sub's interactions with the room's geometry.

Yes, price is an issue, I just meant that I couldn't dissiminate between the choices I listed based upon price.

Okay, then by removing the DVC and adding the BP1503 I still have a dilemma. I probably won't be buying this for another 2 months or more so i don't have a problem waiting on the AV-15. So, between the AV-15, MKIII, and BP1503, which driver would be the best for a ported sub where I want killer HT and good music? What should I be focusing on as the specs that will help me make my decision?

Parts Express has the DVC as a dirver regularly priced at $599 (or $649) on sale for $189. It weights 34 lbs and sure seems nice but, it seems I can't find anyone to independently verify the price, i.e., another website selling it for $599 or more, nor can I find anyone who has built their sub around it.

Thanks for any assistance you can provide!

D-Rex

[Andrew Pratt]

What should I be focusing on as the specs that will help me make my decision?

There's a few values you can look at but really the Blueprint's are going to require a larger box then most of the others you're looking at...esp if you want to go ported.

[ThomasW]

I thought you were referring to the Dayton DVC-15"

I seriously doubt that anyone ever sold those for $599. That's why PE has them for $189 and that's a little high IMO.....

You can buy closeout high excursion 15" car audio drivers all over that net for less than $150.

One significant issue with ANY closeout driver is warranty service......

[drex46]

I thought you were referring to the Dayton DVC-15"

I seriously doubt that anyone ever sold those for $599. That's why PE has them for $189 and that's a little high IMO.....

You can buy closeout high excursion 15" car audio drivers all over that net for less than $150.

One significant issue with ANY closeout driver is warranty service......

Take a look at this one, it is the $599 retail one. There is another one that is around $139 which is the one I think you are referring.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=299-665

It claims to be a monster woofer....

[drex46]

There's a few values you can look at but really the Blueprint's are going to require a larger box then most of the others you're looking at...esp if you want to go ported.

I can make a bigger box although I don't want to have a desk sized subwoofer in my house. But, when I am looking at specs I am referring to the specs of each driver and what I need to look at to adequately compare them.

Thanks,

D

[ThomasW]

Okay we're going in circles.....

I've known about the $189 PE closeout driver for the better part of a year, that's how long they've been available. The reason PE has it as a $189 closeout is because no one would pay $599 for that driver. Very few closeout drivers are continuously available for a year.....

Of course, it's important to separate the marketing hype from the facts. Look at the T/S parameters for all these drivers. In my world, 20mm Xmax does not a 'monster' make :wink:

[Andrew Pratt]

drex46 install one of the many free speaker modeling software packages (like WinISD) and plug in the T/S parameters of each driver...you'll quickly see what the software suggests as the optimal box size and will teach you very quickly what happens to the response as you change box parameters (size & tuning etc) Note that winISD isn't the last name in modeling software but its easy to use and will do as a teaching tool for now. As for the Blueprint's if you do a search online you'll see they're typically used in either very large ported box's or small sealed box's often with Linkwitz transform circuits to help extend the bass down deeper then the box would normally allow.

[ThomasW]

Andrew,

The ONLY officially HT-Guide approved freeware is UniBox. :wink:

Although somewhat easier to use, there situations where WinsISD isn't accurate.

[Andrew Pratt]

Sorry :smackbutt:

[drex46]

What exactly does T/S stand for? I have downloaded the "official" freeware to make the calculations so I will play with it later this evening.

Thanks,

D-Rex

[Andrew Pratt]

Theil / Small were the two guru's before Tom and Jon came along

http://www.members.shaw.ca/loudspeakerpage/thiel-small.html

[drex46]

Thanks, I will see if I can become more familiar with Mr T and Mr S.

D

[Lex]

Well, at least I thought my Callaway joke was funny. :

Parts Express, the best choice for supporting HTG, regardless of Xmas. :B Sorry, I had a momentary brain fart earlier when I said Adire. While I like Dan at Adire, nobody has been a better supporter of HTG than Parts Express. They do get some great deals there.

Official software of HTG huh Thomas? :T

Lex

[Dennis H]

Unibox doesn't run on Excel 97. Yeah, yeah, I know. I need to move into the 21st century and update Excel one of these years.

[drex46]

Well, at least I thought my Callaway joke was funny. :

Parts Express, the best choice for supporting HTG, regardless of Xmas. :B Sorry, I had a momentary brain fart earlier when I said Adire. While I like Dan at Adire, nobody has been a better supporter of HTG than Parts Express. They do get some great deals there.

Official software of HTG huh Thomas? :T

Lex

Yes, that was a good one Lex. Before this, the only drivers I knew were on the gold course.

However, I don't want an opinion skewed because PE advertises here. I know you might be inclined to send them business and I am sure they have some great products at great prices but I want other alternatives as well. Adire was a great option, if only I had more money to spend! I have bookmarked that driver and will most certainly revisit that in a few years when I hope to have more funds available. However, for now, I am looking for the best driver available for $250 or less. That maybe the Titantic from PE or it may be the BP1503 but, regardless, I still want the best value for the buck.

So, of the ones listed, have you heard any of them that have been build into a DIY sub and which one did you like the best, given the price?

Thanks,

D-Rex

[Lex]

Myself, I couldn't begin to tell you about what's on the market. I'm sure Thomas's opinions of drivers wasn't sweyed by advertising, that's my job to do that.

Lex

[drex46]

I will be sure and mention this forum if I buy an AV-15 or a Titantic driver from PE. I am not sure what us inexperienced DIY'ers would do without forums such as this.

Thanks,

D-Rex