@xrk971 and others who have experienced this midbass section configuration: have you heard AE dipole drivers and how would you compare the sound to this SLOB section?
I am running dipole midbass with 18" Faitals. Tried baffleless, H, U-baffles. I love the texture I get (vs sealed midbass), but I'm missing slam with some music (I do have sealed subs below). Obviously the Faital is not designed for OB use, so I'm wondering if a driver designed for it, like AE LO15, would improve this. And also wondering how this SLOB configuration would compare. Either path would require importing drivers, long and painful, so quite interested in opinions from experienced users.
Thank you in advance!
I am running dipole midbass with 18" Faitals. Tried baffleless, H, U-baffles. I love the texture I get (vs sealed midbass), but I'm missing slam with some music (I do have sealed subs below). Obviously the Faital is not designed for OB use, so I'm wondering if a driver designed for it, like AE LO15, would improve this. And also wondering how this SLOB configuration would compare. Either path would require importing drivers, long and painful, so quite interested in opinions from experienced users.
Thank you in advance!
I haven't heard X's SLOB yet, but making a SLOB does not necessarily require importing drivers. It is a configuration that you can do with a number of different drivers, and there is info on this thread about integrating them into a SLOB configuration. That said, X is selling kits for the XSD which I am fully expecting to blow anything I'm tinkering around with out of the water (I bought a kit and am only waiting for drivers to get back in stock)
I haven’t heard AE drivers but imagine they would be great sounding. In general, the SLOB configuration helps to control cone excursion and it directs the bass to the front more for directionally. It also helps cancel suspension induced distortion and cancels mechanical vibration. Lots of benefits vs direct radiator mounted open baffle.
So I would say that whatever you have heard in OB, it can be improved with less distortion, less vibration, higher max SPL, higher efficiency. Visually, it presents a narrower front profile and is more wifey friendly. The last item may be the most important thing to allow these to come outside of the man cave into the main room upstairs.
Slam missing may be a very good thing. Slam for many is a visceral bass impact often felt in the chest. The chest often resonates at 60Hz - 140Hz approx. It takes high SPL to physically do that. The high pressure is often felt in nightclubs or in front of concert bass bins. Its fun but unless good earplugs are used, there is after gig tinnitus and hearing insensitivity. That might mean longer term hearing loss. Its poignant that some music lovers go to great lengths to make high SPL bass systems at home only to risk damage to their hearing. Some will be too deaf to enjoy their music later in life when they have the money for a great system and the time to enjoy it. A seat shaker might be safer?
Am I mistaken that bass frequencies tend to contribute less to hearing damage than other parts of the spectrum?
Evidence base in this area isnt great for obvious reasons but if you had asked John Entwhistle he would said "Sorry say again".
Bass is easier to listen to loud then mids but I cant see why it wouldn't still flatten the inner ear cilia.
In my younger days I definitely went to a few concerts and clubs where my ears were ringing afterwards. As I got older and wiser, I started wearing earplugs to concerts. But alas it was too late. Just yesterday my daughter played a “kids only sound” video on YT and said it was deafening and hurt her ears. Yet I could not tell it was even playing. Now I know my cochlea must look like the electron microscope image above.
Not meaning to suggest that you can listen to all the bass you want with impunity, but here is what I found on the web:
"The damage done by noise depends mainly on how loud it is and on the length of exposure. The frequency or pitch can also have some effect, since high-pitched sounds are more damaging than low-pitched sounds. Noise may tire out the inner ear, causing temporary hearing loss"
https://labor.alaska.gov/lss/pads/noise.htm
I may be mistaken here, but that has just been my understanding of things
"The damage done by noise depends mainly on how loud it is and on the length of exposure. The frequency or pitch can also have some effect, since high-pitched sounds are more damaging than low-pitched sounds. Noise may tire out the inner ear, causing temporary hearing loss"
https://labor.alaska.gov/lss/pads/noise.htm
I may be mistaken here, but that has just been my understanding of things
Thanks for the answers.
The slam I referred to isn't at high SPL, though. Had more than my share of ear-ringing post concerts, but I'm talking about in-room at 85dB SPL avg. I do perceive better slam with boxed than my 18" Faitals on H baffle. I do like the articulation of OB midbass, though.
The increased SPL forward is intriguing...I want to believe it correlates to the slam I'm missing. Maybe wishful thinking on my part?
Narrow baffle certainly a plus, but I do have 18"s now so that battle was won. Cancelling vibrations is also interesting.
Too bad I live in a place where it's difficult to get appropriate drivers or can listen to implementations.
BTW, @xrk971 how far from the back wall are your XSD speakers placed?
Thank you!
The slam I referred to isn't at high SPL, though. Had more than my share of ear-ringing post concerts, but I'm talking about in-room at 85dB SPL avg. I do perceive better slam with boxed than my 18" Faitals on H baffle. I do like the articulation of OB midbass, though.
The increased SPL forward is intriguing...I want to believe it correlates to the slam I'm missing. Maybe wishful thinking on my part?
Narrow baffle certainly a plus, but I do have 18"s now so that battle was won
. Cancelling vibrations is also interesting.Too bad I live in a place where it's difficult to get appropriate drivers or can listen to implementations.
BTW, @xrk971 how far from the back wall are your XSD speakers placed?
Thank you!
This is another advantage of this design!
I have mine at 3ft, and for better performance should make that bigger, but that would come at a cost with my better half.
Would you agree SLOB is more about taking advantage of the increased SPL forward and the "fast" operation of woofers in open baffle, and less about radiating in 8 figure like we traditionally seek in dipoles?
So I would say that whatever you have heard in OB, it can be improved with less distortion, less vibration, higher max SPL, higher efficiency. Visually, it presents a narrower front profile and is more wifey friendly. The last item may be the most important thing to allow these to come outside of the man cave into the main room upstairs.
Alleluia! 😁
"Also depends on driver Fs and Qts. Lower Fs is better. If you go with the 4.5in drivers, the Fs might be higher. Ideally you want Fs down near 30Hz. We are at 75Hz with the GRS so we can reach deeper since Qts is high (weak magnet) so cone will be able to resonance below its Fs." -X
Last edited: