I have been looking around for a 15" driver for a new OB/dipole project. A driver that is not really a subwoofer with high Xmax but rather a pro audio driver with decent specs and good HF extension that could be used down to 70-80Hz. I found the SB Audience 15MWN700D, which was just released in mid-to-late 2024:
https://www.sbaudience.com/index.php/products/woofers/nero-15mwn700d/
This is a bit of a head scratcher for a pro audio driver. Qts is not low and Xmax is not all that high. I suppose it could be used in certain applications but it doesn't quite fit the mold in my mind. But it does have very low Le and uses a copper sleeve in the motor. It seems this driver has been designed more for clean performance than outright SPL, etc. and its passband extends up to almost 4kHz with only mild breakup. With its open basket it seems like a good prospect for OB use even if it is not designed or intended for that purpose.
I did some modeling about what I could expect if the driver were used in a small baffle as part of an OB system. As part of the modeling I included series impedance of 6.8mH + 4 Ohms to both flatten out the dipole response and reduce the distortion produced by the motor. With 200W input power and a modest baffle the system can produce over 110dB SPL from around 80Hz to 300Hz, which is perfect for my use. At this power level, the 15MWN700D will exceed Xmax below 55Hz without a HP crossover, however, I would use a subwoofer below 70-80Hz so the size of the main speakers remains modest. I typically cross over to a nude midrange driver around 300Hz and I am thinking of using the Satori MW19TX plus a large AMT tweeter to complete the system (I already own these drivers).
I have not seen any testing or measurements of this driver, but given the MFG description of the design I am optimistic.
I thought I would toss this thread into the wind in case others have been eyeing this new offering from SB Audience.
https://www.sbaudience.com/index.php/products/woofers/nero-15mwn700d/
This is a bit of a head scratcher for a pro audio driver. Qts is not low and Xmax is not all that high. I suppose it could be used in certain applications but it doesn't quite fit the mold in my mind. But it does have very low Le and uses a copper sleeve in the motor. It seems this driver has been designed more for clean performance than outright SPL, etc. and its passband extends up to almost 4kHz with only mild breakup. With its open basket it seems like a good prospect for OB use even if it is not designed or intended for that purpose.
I did some modeling about what I could expect if the driver were used in a small baffle as part of an OB system. As part of the modeling I included series impedance of 6.8mH + 4 Ohms to both flatten out the dipole response and reduce the distortion produced by the motor. With 200W input power and a modest baffle the system can produce over 110dB SPL from around 80Hz to 300Hz, which is perfect for my use. At this power level, the 15MWN700D will exceed Xmax below 55Hz without a HP crossover, however, I would use a subwoofer below 70-80Hz so the size of the main speakers remains modest. I typically cross over to a nude midrange driver around 300Hz and I am thinking of using the Satori MW19TX plus a large AMT tweeter to complete the system (I already own these drivers).
I have not seen any testing or measurements of this driver, but given the MFG description of the design I am optimistic.
I thought I would toss this thread into the wind in case others have been eyeing this new offering from SB Audience.
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The two drivers are similar with my cost for the SB Audience NERO slightly less. The SB Audience has a few mm more Xmax, has 10mmm greater Xdamage, and probably a better motor overall because of the copper cap. The Faital Pro has no demodulation and a higher Le inductance. Both are neo motors. In my FB account I posted about the driver and got a comment from Scott Hinson about the 10" version of the NERO, saying that is was one of the lowest distortion 10" pro drivers he had measured and that they (the 10" and 15") share the same motor. That convinced me to pull the trigger on a pair of the SB Audience and there are currently en route to me. 👍
I use some Beymas with fs and Qts around the same as the SB one. They work quite well in a large reflex box tuned around 30 Hz. The SB should work even better than the Beyma due to the curvilinear cone and copper cap. But it would ask for a larger box than my Beymas (Vas 100 liters).
Regards
Charles
Regards
Charles
@phase_accurate Hi Charles, there is no box (or an infinitely large one if you like) in an open baffle system, so Vas isn't an important parameter for choosing a driver.
It reduces the effective inductance of the voice coil and linearizes the motor = less distortion. Some info here:
https://www.lexiaudio.com/news/the-role-of-faraday-ring-in-speaker.html
it can be implemented as a ring, cap, sleeve, etc.
https://www.lexiaudio.com/news/the-role-of-faraday-ring-in-speaker.html
it can be implemented as a ring, cap, sleeve, etc.
Hi Charlie
I know that you will not use a box. I just wanted to show that you can also use woofers like that in reflex boxes but maybe I was not clear enough. It seems to be a very nice driver overall.
If my memory serves me right SB audience once even offered 15" and 18" drives with even higher Qts especially for OB applications.
Regards
Charles
I know that you will not use a box. I just wanted to show that you can also use woofers like that in reflex boxes but maybe I was not clear enough. It seems to be a very nice driver overall.
If my memory serves me right SB audience once even offered 15" and 18" drives with even higher Qts especially for OB applications.
Regards
Charles
Also to be fair, Faital's Xmax numbers from they're calculations, are more 'optimistic' then many of the other producers.
There is no Klippel verification as far as i know, which others do too.
Faital: Xmax= [(winding depth - magnetic gap depth)/2] + (magnetic gap depth/3)
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It looks like a perfect driver for a classic big-box 3 way (Like JBL L100T) as well as a great option for CD 2-ways.
The Xdamage figure of 24mm from SB is peak to peak. I'm pretty sure the figure of 15.5mm that Faital give is one way.
Also, I note that the SB has a "vented motor for reduced compression". Is there perhaps a risk of noise from the venting, in OB use?
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I have both some high Xmax OB subs that I will install in my listening space (I am still building it out) and some sealed subs. Once you get down below 70-80 Hz you can cross a dipole to a sealed sub without worrying too much about what is happening at the crossover point.
I previously posted about this driver, thinking it would be highly suitable for large vented mid-woofer cabinets, similar to the the JBL 4300 series first introduced in the 1970s .. and also what I see deployed days as cinema speakers:
Is this what you mean by the typical pro audio thing?
Is this what you mean by the typical pro audio thing?
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The damage rating for the SB might be a typo or conservative.
The 12MWN700D can take a hell of a beating with its 18mm peak to peak rating. Good driver.
I recently used the Nero-12MWN700D in an active 2-way 2cf 44hz port box with 14x10 (90x60 deg) horn + ROSSO-44CDN-PK compression driver. It measures flat to ~1khz and slopes down above. My EQ ended up with ~10 dB 0.8 Q low shelf boost @ ~70 Hz, with LR8 high pass at 25hz to protect against subsonics.
The driver handles the boost well, easily hitting 105+ peaks without any sign of strain with modern bass heavy music like Bad Guy by Billie Eillish. Output drops steeply below 40Hz, but above, throughout the bandwidth (crossed 1khz LR4) the Nero-12MWN700D is very convincing, full bodied, rich, dynamic.
It's my first system using all pro drivers & I'm seeing the light: the high efficiency & dynamic range allows them to cruise with low distortion at any normal home HiFi volume.
This woofer is a prime candidate for an OB naked or near-naked dipole low mid, to handle 100-150 up to 6-800 Hz. And pricing at Solen is pretty good for what you get. My next 4-way dipole project will most likely include this driver.
The driver handles the boost well, easily hitting 105+ peaks without any sign of strain with modern bass heavy music like Bad Guy by Billie Eillish. Output drops steeply below 40Hz, but above, throughout the bandwidth (crossed 1khz LR4) the Nero-12MWN700D is very convincing, full bodied, rich, dynamic.
It's my first system using all pro drivers & I'm seeing the light: the high efficiency & dynamic range allows them to cruise with low distortion at any normal home HiFi volume.
This woofer is a prime candidate for an OB naked or near-naked dipole low mid, to handle 100-150 up to 6-800 Hz. And pricing at Solen is pretty good for what you get. My next 4-way dipole project will most likely include this driver.