Difference Between 10" and 12"

[Kaltenberg 10+ year member]

Ive searched and when i got to page 10 with no results anything like my question i decided to post.

So i guess what im really asking is should i stick with a 12" sub (could add another) or move to 10" sub(s). What is the real difference between the sound of a 10 and of a 12, 10s are better for hi bass and 12s are better for lows? Thats what ive heard, pleae confirm //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif If i change it will most likely be to Memphis subs because radio doctor is close by and i have 3 friends bumping memphis's so i know what they can do. BTW im running the subs on a PA 800rms x1 , 370 rms x 2 amp.

P.S. Thank You!

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[Kold_Killa 10+ year member]

2 inches....

 

[Kaltenberg 10+ year member]

O wow thank you, no more posting my questions has been answered. Haha. SQ wise plz.

 

[TeoTorriatte 10+ year member]

10s are better for hi bass and 12s are better for lows? Thats what ive heard, pleae confirm //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Absolutely 100% false/myth/urban legend. If you have adequate space available, a 12 from the same product line will do everything that a 10 will do, only with more output (with the same power). And quite often, the 12's will also go a little lower (which does NOT take away from their ability to play upper bass notes).

 

[bigbang 10+ year member]

Generally 3 10's equal the surface area of 2 12's.

A 12 versus a 10 for the same make and model usually is a couple to a few db louder at the same reference power level.

A 12" usually has a lower Fs, natural resonance frequency and thus produces low frequencys easier.

12's have a higher moving mass than 10's so may not be as fast with transients. This is a reason why larger woofers like 18's are less common, they are harder to design for good fidelity since the mass is so high and is harder to move quickly.

I have found that if you stick within the same brand and model woofer, a 10" woofer placed in the same size box as a 12" will be better at low notes, and a 12" woofer placed in the same size box as a 15" will play lower. For instance, I had 2 12's in a dual 1 1/2 cubic foot sealed box. I calculated what would happen if I swiched out 12's for 10's in the same model woofer, and it ended up having a lower F3 rolloff. The point is to play lower, you can't just increase woofer size, you must also make the box proportionaly bigger or it wont perform right.

 

[.::DuD3::. 10+ year member]

Generally 3 10's equal the surface area of 2 12's.
A 12 versus a 10 for the same make and model usually is a couple to a few db louder at the same reference power level.

A 12" usually has a lower Fs, natural resonance frequency and thus produces low frequencys easier.

12's have a higher moving mass than 10's so may not be as fast with transients. This is a reason why larger woofers like 18's are less common, they are harder to design for good fidelity since the mass is so high and is harder to move quickly.

I have found that if you stick within the same brand and model woofer, a 10" woofer placed in the same size box as a 12" will be better at low notes, and a 12" woofer placed in the same size box as a 15" will play lower. For instance, I had 2 12's in a dual 1 1/2 cubic foot sealed box. I calculated what would happen if I swiched out 12's for 10's in the same model woofer, and it ended up having a lower F3 rolloff. The point is to play lower, you can't just increase woofer size, you must also make the box proportionaly bigger or it wont perform right.

very well put //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

i might just add, that theoritically the 12" should be much louder than the 10". The 12" has 34.04" more inches of surface area than the 10". but from all of my experience, as stated above, it will only be a few dBs louder. not enough to notice imo.

 

[mtlhead 10+ year member]

very well put //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif
i might just add, that theoritically the 12" should be much louder than the 10". The 12" has 34.04" more inches of surface area than the 10". but from all of my experience, as stated above, it will only be a few dBs louder. not enough to notice imo.

probably more like a few thenths of a dB

 

[TeoTorriatte 10+ year member]

The extra moving mass does not do quite what you would think, especially if motor size is increased with cone size. But even if the larger cone driver uses the same motor, adjusting enclosure size can make up for any ill-effects caused by the added mass.

There are plenty of good SQ subs out there with a lot of moving mass (SI Mag?).

Here is a good thread discussing this topic: http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=233263

 

[michaelsil1 10+ year member]

very well put //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif
i might just add, that theoritically the 12" should be much louder than the 10". The 12" has 34.04" more inches of surface area than the 10". but from all of my experience, as stated above, it will only be a few dBs louder. not enough to notice imo.

If only going for SQ would the 10" give better performance?

 

[TeoTorriatte 10+ year member]

If only going for SQ would the 10" give better performance?

NO.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Generally 3 10's equal the surface area of 2 12's.
A 12 versus a 10 for the same make and model usually is a couple to a few db louder at the same reference power level.

A 12" usually has a lower Fs, natural resonance frequency and thus produces low frequencys easier.

12's have a higher moving mass than 10's so may not be as fast with transients. This is a reason why larger woofers like 18's are less common, they are harder to design for good fidelity since the mass is so high and is harder to move quickly.

I have found that if you stick within the same brand and model woofer, a 10" woofer placed in the same size box as a 12" will be better at low notes, and a 12" woofer placed in the same size box as a 15" will play lower. For instance, I had 2 12's in a dual 1 1/2 cubic foot sealed box. I calculated what would happen if I swiched out 12's for 10's in the same model woofer, and it ended up having a lower F3 rolloff. The point is to play lower, you can't just increase woofer size, you must also make the box proportionaly bigger or it wont perform right.

The weight of the cone only affects the speaker's sensitivity (efficiency), it does not affect transient response. That is dictated by inductance.

18's are less common simply because they, and their large boxes, are hard to fit into a vehicle's interior space. Their popularity, or lack there of, has ZERO to do with the cone's mass.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

very well put //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif
i might just add, that theoritically the 12" should be much louder than the 10". The 12" has 34.04" more inches of surface area than the 10". but from all of my experience, as stated above, it will only be a few dBs louder. not enough to notice imo.

You forgot to subtract the frame and surround from the area of both subs. It's usually closer to 20" difference, which is less than 0.5 the area of the smaller driver. Less than 1.5 dB difference, best case.

A 12" usually has a lower Fs, natural resonance frequency and thus produces low frequencys easier.

Fs is not a good indicator of how low a sub can play or how well it plays low. It's merely one property of the sub. Without considering the other specs, Fs alone tells you nothing about the performance of the sub.

I have found that if you stick within the same brand and model woofer, a 10" woofer placed in the same size box as a 12" will be better at low notes, and a 12" woofer placed in the same size box as a 15" will play lower. For instance, I had 2 12's in a dual 1 1/2 cubic foot sealed box. I calculated what would happen if I swiched out 12's for 10's in the same model woofer, and it ended up having a lower F3 rolloff. The point is to play lower, you can't just increase woofer size, you must also make the box proportionaly bigger or it wont perform right.

F3 doesn't in and of itself mean anything either. F3 is referenced to the 0dB level response of the driver. It's not only possible but likely that the 12s, even though they are more than 3dB down, are still louder than the 10s at the F3 of the 10s. That would make the 12s better at playing low.

 

[tigerf117 10+ year member]

Ive usually heard that 10's are better for rock because of their quicker response, true or false? I listen to all exlectic music (tool, primus, floyd, pantera etc). I will prob just get 10's anyways because of space. But curious to hear your suggestions

 

[cotjones 10+ year member]

The weight of the cone only affects the speaker's sensitivity (efficiency), it does not affect transient response. That is dictated by inductance.
18's are less common simply because they, and their large boxes, are hard to fit into a vehicle's interior space. Their popularity, or lack there of, has ZERO to do with the cone's mass.

hey hey i was right! lol

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Ive usually heard that 10's are better for rock because of their quicker response, true or false?

False. Again, transient response is a factor of the inductance of the coil, not the diameter of the cone. There are 18" pro audio drivers out there that will flat out own most all car subs in transient response.