Which driver would you use?

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I have a system running fostex 208 sigmas in oris horns that are high passed at 250hz with a capacitor on one output of the preamp. For bass duties I was using a pair of TAD 1601b's in vented enclosures tuned at about 30hz. These are powered by a separate sumo Polaris amp after coming through a dalquest DQ1 crossover. I was really liking what I had going on but maybe thought that the low bass could be improved upon. My friend had a pair of JBL 2245H drivers in sealed enclosures that he thought I should try.
After hooking these up I am pretty sure I prefer the TAD better. These do you have lower bass and more impact but don't seem to play up to the crossover point as well. They seem to have more of an irritation in the sound, I can't turn it up as loud without my ears starting to hurt. They just don't sound as good to me, everything's Not playing well together. It's very hard to describe but with the TAD's I had a very smooth almost rich, tannoy like sound but with more inner detail that you get with horns.
I have read in various places that the JBL's should not be used over 120 Hz. But the highest recommended crossover point in the specs says 800 Hz. I have played with the phase and it doesn't seem to make a lot of difference one way or the other.
Is the TAD just a better driver in this application? Your opinion is welcome. welcome
 

GM

Member
Joined 2003
Yeah, the 2245 is a woofer and personally used a 120 Hz XO on them. The TAD is an 'old tech' prosound midbass horn driver, same as the dual Altecs/channel I use down to 16 Hz in very large cabs, so designed for high XO points and definitely the better choice to blending to any kind of horn.

GM
 
I am able to add EQ with the dahlquist DQ – LP1 but I find it tends to thicken the sound a bit and I don't prefe it. Maybe I have to lower the crossover point slightly and just add a tiny bit of EQ. But in reality I quite liked the sound with the TADs and wasn't really feeling like I was missing much low bass so I should just stick with those I think.
 
FWIW, I love 2245's down low. I cross mine at 50 so I don't know about bringing them up to a meet a horn. That might be a stretch.

Do you run yours ported or sealed? The ones I have are sealed and I'm beginning to think that I prefer ported bass :eek::eek:
These sound almost over damped to me and while they go lower, subjectively it sounds like the TAD's produce more bass.
 
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