Mixing Sub Size

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Its also a waste because sub-bass is such a small fraction of the total frequency band we listen to, its pretty silly to think we need multiple drivers to cover it. We have mids that play from 100hz to 5khz, or tweeters that play from 5khz up to 20khz (for example), yet we need multiple drivers to break up the frequency band between 20hz and 100hz? Like squeak said, completely unnecessary.

 

[WheresTheButta 10+ year member]

Cancellation is covered nicely here:http://www.betteraudio.com/geolemon/Phasing/Phasing.htm

Anyways....the main problem with mixing sub sizes isn't the cancellation issues (you can have cancellation anytime you have more than 1 speaker playing the same frequency).....but rather the necessity of it.

#1; Unless done "right" (which can work, by the way), the two simply won't sound good together. They'll have different frequency responses, different output levels, etc etc...which overall will result in a very poor, muddy, unfocused sound.

#2; With the quality of todays subwoofers; there really is no need for it. The "main" reason people do it is because they are working under the misconception that they need a 10" sub for the "punchy bass" and a 15 for the "low end".....all in one setup. Well, pretty much any quality subwoofer will be able to satisfactorily play the entire subbass bandwidth by itself, regardless of diameter....there is no need to break it up between drivers by frequency range.

Now, how can you make it work?? As someone mentioned; with careful tuning of the crossover so that they play different frequency ranges, using them in separate boxes and different alignments, etc etc.....But, IMHO this is pretty much a waste of resources, time, effort and real estate because, as I said, any quality subwoofer will play the entire subbass region just fine.

if that is true, why does velodyne have a $10,000 flagship subwoofer with a 12" driver and an 18" driver?

I would think they know what they're doing, but hey I could be wrong.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

if that is true, why does velodyne have a $10,000 flagship subwoofer with a 12" driver and an 18" driver?I would think they know what they're doing, but hey I could be wrong.

I didn't say it couldn't work //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif Actually, I said it can work well when done properly.

But you can't compare home audio to car audio; two totally different ball games. That's like comparing a drag racing car to an open wheel racer.....they are the same thing (race cars); but two totally different beasts.

 

[noob with an RS 10+ year member]

what i dont get about cancellation is why having multiple subwoofers (same brand model and size) doesnt cause as much cancellation when theyre all playing at the same time. is it because the waves never meet each other and if they do they are reinforced?? sorry im not good with acoustics and sound waves and understanding them... =X

 

[Jayhawkk 10+ year member]

Hell if I know one of my first setups was 2 15" and 2 10" subs...Why you ask? cause I was 16 and the guy selling them sold me everything for 80 bucks with the box //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[chinny 5,000+ posts]

no

 

[Raven 10+ year member]

I've seen it done before. A guy I know with Mofo 15s, Audiobahn 12s, MA Audio 8s, and about 5000 watts of MA Audio amps to power it all.

Never had much incentive to listen to it.

 

[blackgeltabs 5,000+ posts]

Exactly, when you see it done its usually one of 2 things. A demo car, or a redneck

Wow lots of new posts, I was saying exactly to squeak.

And yes DJ equipment you will see mixed woofers all the time. They have a much bigger air space to work with, and dont really have to worry about sounds waves reflecting and canceling.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Two different speakers playing the same frequency range with their own response curves do NOT compliment each other, contrary to popular belief. I don't know how more simply to put it.

 

[analogkid]

Two different speakers playing the same frequency range with their own response curves do NOT compliment each other, contrary to popular belief. I don't know how more simply to put it.

what about identical subs except for size? wouldnt they have many similar characteristics?

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

A xxx10 and a xxx18 have the exact same motor, but vastly different response curves. Sure alot of the specs will be the same, but we aren't talking about matching up RMS or excursion figures, its the output response that needs to be the same. Even two -identical- subs in different enclosures will tend to work against each other. If the idea of building one upper bass 'punchy' sub enclosure and one low bass enclosure was such a good idea, why don't you see the pro's doing it with dual sub setups? Because its a bad idea. You do not need two different woofers to play 20-100hz.