Want to replace 4 PSW505 + 1 Buttkicker LFE with 1 or 2 subs

[guterjunge]

As the title says I currently have four PSW505 and one BK LFE for my home theater. The SPL is adequate but I am not happy with the extension of the PSW505 -- that's the reason I bought the BK.

I am a novice with regard to these things but from what I have read and tried, I think what I am looking for is about 120 db SPL from 10-60 HZ so I can retire the BK. I wouldn't mind spending a few extra dollars to get more output and leave lots of headroom but it's not totally necessary.

The theater is set up in one half of a large room; about 2000 cu ft for theater area but there is no way to separate it (close it off) from the rest of the room and the total for the whole room is closer to 3500 cu ft.

I was looking at the HSU ULS-15. That looks like it would fit what I am looking for but I think I might need 2 to get the SPL I want and for and that would cost over $2200. Since I already have an amp (Crown XLS1500, currently used to power the BK), I was wondering if there is a better, cheaper option to get what I am looking for.

I was thinking about two RE Audio SX18D4 or one Kicker 07S18X4 in a large vented enclosure.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[revboden]

define "large" because things around here can get big, very big.

[guterjunge]

Good point. When I said "big" I was thinking big by car audio standards. Two options that would fit well:

(1): 108"w x 12"d x 30"h

or

(2): 16"w x 16"d x 72"h

Edit: I just realized that those dimensions are too small for the drivers I mentioned. I can always move furniture a few inches to make more room. From an aesthetics point of view, it would be great to keep the enclosure to about 10 cu ft.

[revboden]

Are you sure you want to go ~flat to 10hz... The only real way to do that is with a Rotary Woofer. And then your talking ~30,000$

hint: f3 around 16Hz is really low.

[guterjunge]

Originally Posted by revboden

Are you sure you want to go ~flat to 10hz... The only real way to do that is with a Rotary Woofer. And then your talking ~30,000$

hint: f3 around 16Hz is really low.

Like I said, this is all pretty new to me. I saw that the HSU sub claims to be only -1db @ 15Hz and when I plugged some parameters into WinISD it seemed like 10Hz was reasonable with the right driver but if that is not the case then I am not hung up on that number.

[revboden]

How about two 7ft^3 BR boxes tuned to 17Hz, F3 = 19Hz, F10 =13.6Hz. I'm playing with the TC LMS-R 15" now and really like them. They are much cheaper than the drivers you listed and with a lower Fs. You could get rid of all the other subs with two of them. 120db at XO with 1227w (2000wrms limit) and they cross well at 80Hz. HP at 14hz.

[revboden]

Originally Posted by guterjunge

I saw that the HSU sub claims to be only -1db @ 15Hz

That's at 95db with a in room measurement (room gain). I can do that with a single 12" driver with 14mm xmax...

anyway, below 16Hz tends to make people nauseous.

[guterjunge]

How well do infinite baffle systems work for HT?

I saw the Dayton IB385-8 15". I have an attic above my HT so I could put two or 3 of those woofers in the ceiling. But how do you model these woofers? I put the parameters into winISD and let the software pick the box volume. It came up with F3=13 hz in a 30 cu ft vented box. Obviously there would be no box. Also, what how would the woofers be mounted?

[revboden]

Originally Posted by guterjunge

How well do infinite baffle systems work for HT?

I saw the Dayton IB385-8 15". I have an attic above my HT so I could put two or 3 of those woofers in the ceiling. But how do you model these woofers? I put the parameters into winISD and let the software pick the box volume. It came up with F3=13 hz in a 30 cu ft vented box. Obviously there would be no box. Also, what how would the woofers be mounted?

IB systems work well for home theater but they have drawbacks. Unless your attic is sealed (it isn't) everyone near your home will know you're watching a movie. If you want an attic sub I'd use two rss390hf-4 in two 12ft^3 ported boxes (one driver per box) directly above the L/R mains in a recessed slot using 500w, HP at 14Hz. Port tuned to ~14Hz (6"dia x 27"L with flairs) (for info on slot loaded drivers check out A Thread for those interested in PPSL enclosures )


Bwahahaha, that would give you 'in-room' flat to ~14.5Hz at reference.

When building a speaker into the ceiling, I tend to build a baffle about 24" x24" of baltic birch to mount the driver or driver slot to then the box gets built into the attic.

[revboden]

having fun