Very large speaker drivers

Kilowatt · 17th November 2001, 06:05 AM

Why doesn't anyone make drivers larger than 18", like say 36" or so? Is there some advantage to using many small drivers as opposed to just one monster per channel?

kelticwizard · 17th November 2001, 06:41 AM

Kilowatt:

Last time I talked to the owner on the phone, (last year), Universal Electronics in Chicago made a 24 inch with the following specs:

Qts = .5
Vas = 36 cu. ft
Fs = 20 Hz
SPL = 100 dB @ 1Meter/Watt

They don't list it on the website, http://www.uespeakers.com, but call the place for a special order. The phone number is listed on the website's main page.

Haven't used any, but apparently there are a lot of other good speakers there as well.

GRollins · 17th November 2001, 12:15 PM

Why? Because the cone, in order to remain rigid, becomes so heavy that you can't control it, resulting in very loose bass. Smaller drivers give better response. For most people the limit for hi-fi use is 15" or so, although it's not too hard to track down an 18" if you want. I feel that 10s or 12s are about optimal for balancing the need to move air against the need for control over the cone's motion. I use twelve 12" drivers.
That said, some very large drivers do exist. Hartley has a 24" driver, as do a few other manufacturers.
But the big daddy of them all was the old JBL 36". A friend of mine chanced to see one of these in a shop in Florida years ago. Under the driver was a coy little sign that said:
ORIGINAL REAR SEAT REPLACEMENT SPEAKER FOR VW BEETLE

Grey

tvi · 17th November 2001, 03:15 PM

<a href="http://shop.store.yahoo.com/audiostore/clarionsrw8000.html`">32 Inch Clarion SRW8000 Subwoofer</a>
80cm cone
Imp: 4W
Fs: 17Hz
Qts: 0.40
Vas: 2.836 litres (has to be wrong ?)
Frequency Response: 5-1,000Hz
Efficiency: 97dB/W/m
Regular price: $3,099.97 (from above link)

Regards
James

walker · 18th November 2001, 03:35 AM

Electro Voice use to make a 30" (I think) driver with a styrofoam cone. The enclosure they recommended was about 6' square. I have heard (I think it was the speaker I was hearing) at an EV distributor. The sound, if you could call it that, was mainly infrasonic.
I don't think they got much call for them.
Regards WALKER

kelticwizard · 18th November 2001, 04:10 AM

TVI:

I have been unable to find the site that posts the specs for the Clarion 32 incher.

However, since 1 cubic meter = 1,000 liters, I think that the figure you gave, 2.836 liters, is more likely 2,836 liters.

Change the decimal point to a comma. Or a misprint-someone meant to say meters and it was printed as liters.

The Vas for the Universal 24 incher is 1 cubic meter, and the Clarion is bigger still, so that figure is what we might expect, which is 100 cubic feet.

hakalugi · 18th November 2001, 08:00 AM

re: the clarion.

but if you can't be convinced otherwise... at least save some dough: http://www.soundhabit.com/Store/prod...?ProductID=383

kelticwizard · 18th November 2001, 08:41 AM

Hakalugi:

Thanks for the link. I have read both good and bad Epinions on it.

I am interested in why you would not recommend the 32" Clarion.

Kilowatt · 18th November 2001, 08:52 AM

I have now discovered that Audiobahn makes an aluminum cone 34" driver rated 5000W RMS! Here it is for sale:
http://nexxon.com/audiobahn/subs.htm
Find out more about it on Audiobahn's website.
However, you'd be much better off with both power and sensitivity for the price to go with an array of any of the other speakers on the page.

tvi · 18th November 2001, 12:52 PM

I had the Clarion brochures for the last 2 years and they list the same Vas figure.
This <a href="http://www.caraudiodesign.co.uk/clarion/clarion_speakers.asp">UK site</a> lists vas as 312.9 litres

How much of the diameter of the Audiobahn is surround?
<a href="http://www.sounddomain.com/shop/view_large_image_frameset.pl?sku=ABNAWT34">AWT34 big pic </a>

Regards
James

17th November 2001, 03:15 PM	#4
tvi diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Moonee Ponds, Vic, Australia	<a href="http://shop.store.yahoo.com/audiostore/clarionsrw8000.html`">32 Inch Clarion SRW8000 Subwoofer</a> 80cm cone Imp: 4<font face="symbol">W</font> Fs: 17H<sub>z</sub> Qts: 0.40 Vas: 2.836 litres <font size="-2">(has to be wrong ?)</font> Frequency Response: 5-1,000H<sub>z</sub> Efficiency: 97dB/W/m Regular price: $3,099.97 (from above link) Regards James

18th November 2001, 08:00 AM	#7
hakalugi diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: DC	i wouldn't recommend it.... re: the clarion. but if you can't be convinced otherwise... at least save some dough: http://www.soundhabit.com/Store/prod...?ProductID=383

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17th November 2001, 06:05 AM	#1
Kilowatt diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Harlowton, MT, USA	Why doesn't anyone make drivers larger than 18", like say 36" or so? Is there some advantage to using many small drivers as opposed to just one monster per channel?

17th November 2001, 06:41 AM	#2
kelticwizard diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Connecticut, The Nutmeg State	Kilowatt: Last time I talked to the owner on the phone, (last year), Universal Electronics in Chicago made a 24 inch with the following specs: Qts = .5 Vas = 36 cu. ft Fs = 20 Hz SPL = 100 dB @ 1Meter/Watt They don't list it on the website, http://www.uespeakers.com, but call the place for a special order. The phone number is listed on the website's main page. Haven't used any, but apparently there are a lot of other good speakers there as well.

17th November 2001, 12:15 PM	#3
GRollins diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Columbia, SC	Why? Because the cone, in order to remain rigid, becomes so heavy that you can't control it, resulting in very loose bass. Smaller drivers give better response. For most people the limit for hi-fi use is 15" or so, although it's not too hard to track down an 18" if you want. I feel that 10s or 12s are about optimal for balancing the need to move air against the need for control over the cone's motion. I use twelve 12" drivers. That said, some very large drivers do exist. Hartley has a 24" driver, as do a few other manufacturers. But the big daddy of them all was the old JBL 36". A friend of mine chanced to see one of these in a shop in Florida years ago. Under the driver was a coy little sign that said: ORIGINAL REAR SEAT REPLACEMENT SPEAKER FOR VW BEETLE Grey

18th November 2001, 03:35 AM	#5
walker diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Perth West Australia	Electro Voice use to make a 30" (I think) driver with a styrofoam cone. The enclosure they recommended was about 6' square. I have heard (I think it was the speaker I was hearing) at an EV distributor. The sound, if you could call it that, was mainly infrasonic. I don't think they got much call for them. Regards WALKER

18th November 2001, 04:10 AM	#6
kelticwizard diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Connecticut, The Nutmeg State	TVI: I have been unable to find the site that posts the specs for the Clarion 32 incher. However, since 1 cubic meter = 1,000 liters, I think that the figure you gave, 2.836 liters, is more likely 2,836 liters. Change the decimal point to a comma. Or a misprint-someone meant to say meters and it was printed as liters. The Vas for the Universal 24 incher is 1 cubic meter, and the Clarion is bigger still, so that figure is what we might expect, which is 100 cubic feet.

18th November 2001, 08:41 AM	#8
kelticwizard diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Connecticut, The Nutmeg State	Hakalugi: Thanks for the link. I have read both good and bad Epinions on it. I am interested in why you would not recommend the 32" Clarion.

18th November 2001, 08:52 AM	#9
Kilowatt diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Harlowton, MT, USA	I have now discovered that Audiobahn makes an aluminum cone 34" driver rated 5000W RMS! Here it is for sale: http://nexxon.com/audiobahn/subs.htm Find out more about it on Audiobahn's website. However, you'd be much better off with both power and sensitivity for the price to go with an array of any of the other speakers on the page.

18th November 2001, 12:52 PM	#10
tvi diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Moonee Ponds, Vic, Australia	I had the Clarion brochures for the last 2 years and they list the same Vas figure. This <a href="http://www.caraudiodesign.co.uk/clarion/clarion_speakers.asp">UK site</a> lists vas as 312.9 litres How much of the diameter of the Audiobahn is surround? <a href="http://www.sounddomain.com/shop/view_large_image_frameset.pl?sku=ABNAWT34">AWT34 big pic </a> Regards James