What is a tapped horn subwoofer?

[Silent Screamer]

Originally Posted by weltersys

Fewer bends make cabinet construction simpler.

Fewer bends result in a long thin box, often better for hiding in the home, laid down or standing up.
More bends can result in a more square box, better for stacking in a PA.
It is preferable to do more bends at the throat end and less at the mouth end.

The example you showed has a rounded end, a superfluous detail that wastes internal cabinet space.

Build the box out of 3/4" plywood, brace it well.

I don’t think I’m quite ready to launch into building one just yet, as I am still at the fundamental stage at the moment. Could I substitute 25mm MDF for plywood when I am, as I prefer to work with MDF?

guessing the more bends at the mouth (end where sound expels) is to simulate the more flared end of the horn?

you say the round end is superfluous... I would have thought using a rounded end would help control the box air volume better. I only knocked up that example in SketchUp quickly to capture the idea that MaVo mentioned.

all things being equal and it wasn't undesirable to have a rounded top to the box (say it was easily doable and maybe even desirable) would a more angular box be more technically correct?

the reason I ask is because I don't have a very good understanding of how sound goes around corners and don't want to go to a lot of work for it to be unproductive.

[bentoronto]

In that case, Silent Screamer, you may not want to build a TH. My impression is there is more "art" needed than other systems (in both wood-stuff and driver selection) and they are less forgiving in the sense that once the glue is dry, you get what you made; unlike BR, for example, where ports can easily be modified, cabinets stuffed, etc.

Ben

[Silent Screamer]

Hey Ben not too worried about the cabinet side of things as I am reasonably skilled with power tools, but I am having trouble trying to work out Hornresp. Wish there was more pictures to the instructions as I don't do all that well with text descriptions.

[tb46]

Hi Silent Screamer,

Please, see: Simple Tapped Horn Tutorial using Hornresp - AVS Forum

Regards,

[Etocynned]

Yo scream,

Hornresp was intimidating to me as well. The above link is the one i used o get over that.

Then i just began stuffing parameters into it for kicks.

[Chano]

Hi there : could the more experienced TH-builders propose a few well-suited drivers 12" or 15" for a tapped horn bass/subwoofer ? are the t/s criteria similar for a TQWT ? What kind of MF and HF enclosures work best with a TH woofer of e.g. 40-400 Hz ? This thread is very informative, thanks.

[bentoronto]

Originally Posted by Silent Screamer

Hey Ben not too worried about the cabinet side of things as I am reasonably skilled with power tools, but I am having trouble trying to work out Hornresp. Wish there was more pictures to the instructions as I don't do all that well with text descriptions.

When I said "art," I didn't mean you would have any trouble measuring lumber accurately before cutting it. I meant the difference between theory and actual results.... are sometimes surprising.

Somebody talks about picking suitable drivers. Art or science?

And don't forget, the impressions you get on this forum about THs may not be the same as what you'd hear anywhere else.

Ben

[weltersys]

Originally Posted by Silent Screamer

Could I substitute 25mm MDF for plywood when I am, as I prefer to work with MDF?

guessing the more bends at the mouth (end where sound expels) is to simulate the more flared end of the horn?

all things being equal and it wasn't undesirable to have a rounded top to the box (say it was easily doable and maybe even desirable) would a more angular box be more technically correct?

the reason I ask is because I don't have a very good understanding of how sound goes around corners and don't want to go to a lot of work for it to be unproductive.

MDF is not as stiff as plywood so requires more bracing than plywood.
Use it if you want to.

Fold patterns can also be what you want, they don't "simulate" anything, but more folds make for more deviation from Hornresp predictions.

If you want to make a rounded top, go ahead, but it it won't affect the sound quality in the low frequency range.

Art

[weltersys]

Originally Posted by Chano

Hi there : could the more experienced TH-builders propose a few well-suited drivers 12" or 15" for a tapped horn bass/subwoofer ? are the t/s criteria similar for a TQWT ? What kind of MF and HF enclosures work best with a TH woofer of e.g. 40-400 Hz ? This thread is very informative, thanks.

TH come in all shapes and sizes and frequency ranges, and use a wide range of drivers.
If you look at various designs, most list a variety of drivers that will give good results in the particular design.

Although there is a wide variety of speakers that can be used in TH, none will give much more than 2 octaves of smooth response, 40-160 Hz would be about the limit.
If a 400 Hz crossover point is desired, TH are just not a good choice, unless the range was only to be from 100-400 Hz, requiring another sub (and path length time compensation) below.
If you do a lot of stuffing,TH/TQWP range may be extended, but sensitivity is lowered to the point where a FLH or a BR may be a better choice.

Art

[Chano]

@weltersys : I am planning a setup with a middle and a high frequency flared horn plus compression drivers. Since a bass horn is unpractical, I would like to build a tapped horn subwoofer ( lowest possible - 500 Hz). Good drivers : high EPB, low Qts, high fs and Xmax... right ? Is a TH a good addition for flared horns ?