Recommendation for sub driver UK

[DNRC]

Hi,

I'm looking to build a sub, i have sources/ideas for most of the stuff i need, however i will need a good quality and reasonably priced 12" driver.

Having read a lot of stuff, the Shiva III looks a good choice, but I cannot find it retail in the UK, and i don't really want to import one.

So, does anyone have a source for this in the UK, or can someone recommend a similar product available on these shores.

Cheers

[pinkmouse]

Hi DNRC

check out this out
Adire drivers in UK

[SkinnyBoy]

Recommendation for sub driver UK

Your asking for recommendations on where to get a driver for a submarine in the UK??

[Redeye]

...there's always one.....

Alternatively to the Shiva, I'm told the ScanSpeak XLS drivers are pretty good. They are available at WilmSLOW Audio, although my experiences of them as a supplier are not very good to say the least.

[daatkins]

BK Electronics sell a couple of drivers that may meet your needs:
http://www.bkelec.com/HI-FI.htm

The AC12SW (£84 + £7 delivery) and BX10 (£50 + £7) both look like good candidates for a subwoofer but Xmax isn't quoted for either driver. I did try emailing BK and RCM Akoustic (the driver manufacturer) but neither have ever repiled.

Nice one,
David.

[kelticwizard]

Originally posted by daatkins
BK Electronics sell a couple of drivers that may meet your needs:
http://www.bkelec.com/HI-FI.htm

The AC12SW (£84 + £7 delivery) and BX10 (£50 + £7) both look like good candidates for a subwoofer but Xmax isn't quoted for either driver. I did try emailing BK and RCM Akoustic (the driver manufacturer) but neither have ever repiled.

Nice one,
David.

Cyber friends of mine over there have nothing but the highest praise for BK Electronics.

The Xmax of the two models was not quoted, but the voice coil length was. The BX-10 has a voice coil length of 23 mm. That should be good for a linear Xmax of 8 or 9 mm. The AC12SW has a voice coil length of 19 mm. Figure it's Xmax as being around 6 mm, or quarter inch. They mention a double magnet, but nobody mentions a symmetrical magnetic system, which is almost a must if you are going to build a ported or Drone Cone, (Passive Rasdator), system.

Plus or minus quarter inch is generally regarded as some sort of dividing line for long excursion. The real heavyweights go plus or minus 12 mm or more. 8 mm or 9 mm is pretty good-it used to be the best there was. And 6 mm is just average.

An inexpensive woofer that should be available over there is the Peerless CSX 10" or the CC 257-both are very similar. The CSX goes up higher, but both have a symmetrical magnetic system and an Xmax of 9 mm.

The Peerless XLS line is one fine lineup, but with extremely low Qts's seems to be made for great performance out of boxes that are one half cubic foot to one cubic foot. They'll go awfully low for that size, but that size is relatively small.

[pinkmouse]

An inexpensive woofer that should be available over there is the Peerless CSX 10"

Hardly inexpensive, from Wilmslow, the only distributor, they cost £155 or about $250 US each...

[kelticwizard]

Oops! Sorry.

I'll spare you the agita by not mentioning what they are over here.

[pinkmouse]

I'll spare you the agita by not mentioning what they are over here

Everything is more expensive than you think in the UK, cost of living is very high, and most things are available in the US for the same in dollars as we pay in pounds, even if they are made in this country. Work that one out!

[kelticwizard]

Pinkmouse:

I will admit that is a puzzlement. As regards loudspeakers, I am amazed that European made woofers are frequently much cheaper over here than over there. You have 60 million people. How big does the population have to be to qualify for volume discounts?

Well, here's something that is a little more helpful.

Eminence has released a 12" subwoofer that is clearly meant to compete in the Shiva, NHT, Titanic type marketplace. It is called the Lab 12. It has been mentioned in this forum, though not that often. Parts Express of America says it's list price, (not the unlisted Parts Express price), is $209.

BK Electronics has it for 127 pounds, including VAT. That is under the listed price for America. Actually, if you peruse the Eminence price list at BK Electronics, you see that they charge under the listed American Eminence price for pretty much the whole line.

Some years ago I saw that Eminence had a European section, susidiary or whatever. That might account for the relative equality of prices on both sides of the Atlantic for Eminence products.

You might try a Search for the Lab 12 sub, because it has been mentioned here. Eminence has a good rep, though, and in fact I believe it makes the Dayton Titanic-not sure of that. They do make some of Parts Express' line though.

www.bkelec.com Then click:
Professional Audio-Loudspeaker Drive Units-Eminence Icon.
Click Lab 12 near the top of the screen. I notice that BK Electronics puts the Lab 12 separately, above the rest of the price list. I would guess that is because they expect to sell a lot of them.