Another small subwoofer thread.

[diydave]

I moved into a condo a few years ago and I've been subwooferless the whole time. I came across the Totem Dreamcatcher one day.

http://www.totemacoustic.com/english...eamcatcher.htm

I had a listen to it and decided it was perfect. It's sounds great, is very small (w 7.75 x d 10.75 x h 10.25”) and perfect for my tiny living room. Also as a major bonus, it has very high WAF. Then I asked about the price. $850 Canadian.

I decided it was time to get back into DIY. My current 5.1 (minus the .1) is all DIY MTM's that I built about 5-6 years ago.

I'm looking at building something based on the TB W8-740C. I find the occasional mention of it, but I can't find any plans or pictures of completed projects. If someone can point me in the right direction for success stories with this driver or something similar, that would be great. I want to keep the box as small as possible.

Apparently Audioxpress had an issue with a design for this driver. I can't find it listed in the back issues on their site. Anyone know what month that was?

[paulspencer]

That sub looks like it won't add anything your mains can't do already, assuming some typical 6.5" midbass drivers in them.

There are a gazillion sub examples out there, but if you have strict WAF requirements, they selection is smaller. In that case it's not difficult to design from scratch. Just get WinISD pro and start modelling drivers ...

A few WAF ideas:

* IB subwoofer if you own your own place
* a conventional sub with a 12" driver in something made to look like conventional furniture ie. a coffee table, or a chest of draws that is really a sub
* put it in a corner and make it a slim rectangle - ie 13" x 8" foot print and it can be tall to make up the required volume

[simon5]

You could try a single Adire Audio Extremis...

[diydave]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've done the "coffee table/foot stool subwoofer" before but I had trouble hiding the wires good enough.

It won't take much of a subwoofer to add to my system. My current mains and center have just 4" mids.

http://coquet.info/ht/tower1.jpg
http://coquet.info/ht/tower2.jpg

The Adire Extremis looks very interesting:

"Our favorite application: 21 liters, tuned to 33 Hz with a 2" flared port of 8" length. Clean and flat anechoic response to 35 Hz, and in-room extension to the low 20s."

Time to start playing with WinISD.

[ThorstenL]

Konnichiwa,

Originally posted by diydave
I'm looking at building something based on the TB W8-740C. I find the occasional mention of it, but I can't find any plans or pictures of completed projects. If someone can point me in the right direction for success stories with this driver or something similar, that would be great. I want to keep the box as small as possible.

I would recommed to consider for a really small sub the ApexJr Super Sub 8" Woofer and a suitable matching Amp from ApexJr:

http://www.apexjr.com/SuperSub.htm

http://www.apexjr.com/ApexJunior.htm

You do need to equalise the SuperSub when used in a small sealed enclosure, the Apexjr Plate Amp is easily changed for that.

The Supersub & Amp caertainly exceed the REL Quake Sub in performance and build quality is very high. The Subamp includes a cover, so no seperate airtight section is needed for the Ampp.

Sayonara

[amt]

A little OT but are those Whamodynes you built? And if so, did you ever build the matching BP subs?

amt

[simon5]

Originally posted by Kuei Yang Wang
I would recommed to consider for a really small sub the ApexJr Super Sub 8" Woofer

Why do you recommend this subwoofer? It's crap IMHO, a Dayton from PartsExpress look significantly better, and the Extremis is several classes higher...

I'm missing something I guess.

[ThorstenL]

Konnichiwa,

Originally posted by simon5
Why do you recommend this subwoofer?

Because the original poster seemed to ask for an affordable solution and seemed to desire a form factor similar to the Totem Sub. I have some experience with the ApexJr Driver and it is rather several cuts above what most semi-affordable commercial subwoofers fit.

Originally posted by simon5
It's crap IMHO, a Dayton from PartsExpress look significantly better, and the Extremis is several classes higher...

I am not sure which Dayton 8" Subwoofer driver you refer to or what looks have to do with it.

True, the extremis is better on paper (never heard it) but is it worth 2 & 1/2 times the price, in the application?

At any extent, my suggestion overall costs $ 130 US plus shipping and wood and works well together, making for a cheap and capable small sub....

What is your problem with that?

Sayonara

[simon5]

DAYTON DC200-8 8" CLASSIC WOOFER
Same excursion for 20$, way lower Fs.

DAYTON SD215-8-8 8" SHIELDED DVC SUBWOOFER
More excursion for 23$, way lower Fs.

DAYTON RS225S-8 8" REFERENCE SERIES SHIELDED WOOFER
Even more excursion for 43$, way lower Fs.

DAYTON 8" QUATRO SERIES SUBWOOFER 4 OHM
Two times the excursion for 49$, lower Fs.

Sorry, I was talking about what the driver look on paper (specs), not "visual" look, I don't care about that at all.

It's affordable, you're right, but a subwoofer with less than 5 mm Xmax scares the hell out of me. The ApexJr amplifier is a nice solution, I'd pair it with another woofer that's it. 140$ + shipping with the Dayton Quattro, better I guess.

[diydave]

A little OT but are those Whamodynes you built? And if so, did you ever build the matching BP subs?

Yes! Those are Whamodynes (with a few tweaks). I did not build the matching subwoofers. I had a previously built a subwoofer using a 15" Madisound sub, so I opted not to build them. Unfortunately, the 15" sub is huge and not condusive to condo life so I gave it away.

The Apex Junior sub looks interesting too and it's only $40 US.