I hear much praise of having one single 15" woofer as opposed to multiple smaller ones. However I struggle to design and draw a 15" or 18" for that matter in an enclosure that looks like like anything but a PA huge box.
So please post some pictures of pretty 15" + speakers used in a multiway with great aesthetic results, so we can all be inspired.
So please post some pictures of pretty 15" + speakers used in a multiway with great aesthetic results, so we can all be inspired.
Tannoy Kingdom Royal
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Okay some of these are smaller than 15", but no reason they couldn't scale up. Speaking of that, I don't really understand the problem. Is there a smaller speaker you like the looks of? What if it was bigger? Done. 
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
This looks to be about a 60" diameter speaker. Not yet commercial, however, so aesthetics do suffer just a bit.
Giant Speaker at University of Wisconsin -Madison Engineering Expo 2011 - YouTube
Giant Speaker at University of Wisconsin -Madison Engineering Expo 2011 - YouTube
I love that speaker, one of the best sounding speakers I've ever heard (not that I'd ever be able to afford it).
Here's another big non-PA speaker:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
while not a 15", a rather interesting approach to a seperate large woofer.
B&O Beolab 5
B&O Beolab 5
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
La Scala Klipsch.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Perhaps this thread can show other sizes drivers, the exercise is to show how to integrate large speakers into something with a degree of elegance, these two I believe both use 10" drivers, but a single 15" could in theory be used to occupy the same space.
Kef Blade and Muon
Kef Blade and Muon
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
I think the question needs to be asked - are you actually trying to accomplish something, or are you just soliciting pictures of cool speakers?
12" or 15" or larger speakers are ...well... large. Which is precisely why modern tower speakers use smaller drivers, because they are ... small.
Many designers have attempted to cheat and create speakers with a small face, but a large bass driver by creating Side-Firing Low Bass Woofers. But with a forward facing woofer, there is no way around a large front face.
In short - You can't want to haul cargo freight in a VW Beetle.
However, if you apply some ingenuity, you can get a combination of slim speakers, that would also accommodate some larger low bass drivers. Here is a design I'm planning -
I wasn't planning to go quite as large as 15", but the principle still applies.
But in the end, no matter how you slice it or dice it, but woofers mean big cabinets. Even with Side-Firing, the cabinet volume necessary for a 15" or larger woofer is BIG.
Likely the only realistic solution is going to be a bookshelf or tower cabinet for the mid-bass, mid-range, tweeter, and another cabinet for the Low-Bass or Sub-Bass driver.
Overview of F10 Home Theater_HiVi,Inc
Overview of X3F/X3SUB Home Theater_HiVi,Inc
Overview of F2.2F Home Theater_HiVi,Inc
But in this day and age, I question whether a 15" bass driver is really necessary, at least not for Home Stereo or Home Cinema, and at least not in the main speaker.
Specification of F1.1A_HiVi,Inc.
Certainly FOUR 10" bass drivers would move enough air for any one.
So, you goal and purpose very much influence our responses. If you are simply considering a stereo speaker system with a 15" bass drivers simply to try out a design with a 15" bass driver, then it is pretty straight forward as long as you can live with the cabinet size.
However, if you have other goals, then you need to make them clear.
Steve/bluewizard
12" or 15" or larger speakers are ...well... large. Which is precisely why modern tower speakers use smaller drivers, because they are ... small.
Many designers have attempted to cheat and create speakers with a small face, but a large bass driver by creating Side-Firing Low Bass Woofers. But with a forward facing woofer, there is no way around a large front face.
In short - You can't want to haul cargo freight in a VW Beetle.
However, if you apply some ingenuity, you can get a combination of slim speakers, that would also accommodate some larger low bass drivers. Here is a design I'm planning -
I wasn't planning to go quite as large as 15", but the principle still applies.
But in the end, no matter how you slice it or dice it, but woofers mean big cabinets. Even with Side-Firing, the cabinet volume necessary for a 15" or larger woofer is BIG.
Likely the only realistic solution is going to be a bookshelf or tower cabinet for the mid-bass, mid-range, tweeter, and another cabinet for the Low-Bass or Sub-Bass driver.
Overview of F10 Home Theater_HiVi,Inc
Overview of X3F/X3SUB Home Theater_HiVi,Inc
Overview of F2.2F Home Theater_HiVi,Inc
But in this day and age, I question whether a 15" bass driver is really necessary, at least not for Home Stereo or Home Cinema, and at least not in the main speaker.
Specification of F1.1A_HiVi,Inc.
Certainly FOUR 10" bass drivers would move enough air for any one.
So, you goal and purpose very much influence our responses. If you are simply considering a stereo speaker system with a 15" bass drivers simply to try out a design with a 15" bass driver, then it is pretty straight forward as long as you can live with the cabinet size.
However, if you have other goals, then you need to make them clear.
Steve/bluewizard
Last edited:
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.