Adire Audio Shiva Mark IV 12"

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NorthNarra

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#1
Adire Audio Shiva Mark IV 12"

Wow, what an awesome sub for the price!

I'm virtually certain that this is what I'm going for to give me my low frequencies. It was a near thing between the Shiva and the Peerless 12", but the Shiva won out marginally. Looking to go for a vented 85ltr application because it gives the best blend for Home Theatre and Audio performance. Excellent performance well below 20Hz and massive SPL for a 12".

But here's my quick question: I can get the Mark IV in Aus for about the same price as the Mark III (A$250). All the rave reviews I have read are for the Mark III, but the Mark IV is supposed to just be its big brother, but I thought I'd check whether anyone had experienced problems or issues with the Mark IV before I commit.

With a 100W plate amp and the rest this thing will total around $500 Aus and be better than something pre-fab that I'd pay over $1,500 retail for. And its a half day job to put it all together. Makes you wonder why anyone would ever buy a pre-fab SW...

Cheers,
 
#2
Narra,

yes, the Shiva is an incredible sub. I own the tempest but have heard the Shiva on many occasions. it is mind boggling! it is a beautiful sound. i have read/heard that you cant tell subs apart very easily, and i know it to be true in many occasions, but the Shiva/Tempest have this warm, beautiful, musical sound unlike most any other sub. even when powered from an amp that i a bit harsh.

Anyway, the only changes between MkIII and MkIV were just tweaks to make the sub more manufacturable. they aren't anything that will affect SQ in any way. really, the MkIV is 98% the same as the MkI.

enjoy your sub!
 
#3
The performance characteristics of the Mark IV should be identical to the Mark III. The changes we impliment are in making the driver better from a mechanical standpoint, while keeping the parameters the same. We strive to provide the best performing driver we can by implimenting small improvements along the way. I think you would be happy with either one.

Steven Kephart
Adire Audio
 
#6
Narra,
Am also in Oz, and thinking of adding a sub to my diy "Basszilla" open baffle speakers (Dick Olsher design). They incorporate a 15" Audax woofer already, but figure a sub might benefit in adding just a little more low end weight/punch.

I am not really a diy'er, I cheated and got a cabinetmaker to build the cabs for me. Is the Shiva sub you are building available in a kit, including cabinet drawings, amp, etc. or are you designing it yourself? If buying as a kit, could you tell me where from?

I am looking for a sub solely for music, so quality is more important to me than quantity. I previously owned a REL Strata sub which was very nice, but figure I might be able to build or have built something as good or better, plus a lot cheaper.

Thanks,
Mark
 
#8
Narra,

I've old had / built one sub and it is a Shiva, powered by 300 watts (into 4 ohms into a 142L EBS enclosure). Sorry I can't objectively compare the Peerless with the Shiva, but I have been most impressed with it for both music (port plugged) and HT (port free). It has plenty of xmax. I suspect the xsus (xpeak) is much higher as I've had the cone moving violently without any sign of bottoming (accidentally proven at a loud party when I had +10dB set on my main amp with the shiva running off mains inputs!!!)

All I can suggest is you provide a little more power to your Shiva if you truly want a great experience (100 watts is ok - but 300 watts made a difference when tried). Redgum do a good local plate amp (but have put their prices up considerably since I bought).

I have no wish to replace / upgrade my Shiva... but maybe a Tumult might beckon once my new mains are built.... 🙂

All the best.

Dave.
 
#9
spa317,

I downloaded the "SealedShivaApplications" PDF file from a website (I think it was Adire's) which has detailed drawings of three different box designs. Its a simple case of buying the 18mm MDF, copying the design, cutting and gluing. If you want a really easy design go for the 54ltr Sealed application, then you don't have to worry about tuning with a port. I got the SealedApplications PDF from the same website with drawings, here's the links:

http://www.adireaudio.com/Files/SealedShivaApplications.PDF
http://www.adireaudio.com/Files/VentedShivaApplications.PDF

Dean,

I'm sourcing the Shiva Driver from the Australian Distributor. If we go in for a group buy John might offer more than a 10% discount which is his standard discount at present off his list price of $272.50 plus GST. Here's the link to his website:

http://www.acousticconcepts.com.au/

Spa317, Check out the website because John also makes boxes if you don't feel up to working the MDF yourself.

I'll be ordering my Shiva in the next month or two, just have to get over a little speedbump with expenses then somehow achieve permission from the better half...

Steven, thanks for the confirmation on Mark IV charcateristics. Looks like Mark IV is the way I'll be going!! 😀

Cheers,
 
#10
Dave,

Thanks for the advice on the 300 watt amp. I was vascilating between going low at 100 watts or putting in a little extra and stepping up to around 300 watts.

Would this 350 watt one for $379 do the trick?

http://www1.jaycar.com.au/productVi...&pageNumber=&priceMin=&priceMax=&SUBCATID=443

Seems the same one as Advance Audio in Melbourne, but about $50 cheaper.

Or I could go this 240W one for $216:

http://www.advanceae.com.au/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2332

I've already got the MDF as I'm the Supply Chain Manager for an MDF company 🙂 Pretty lucky huh!!

Thanks heaps,
 
#11
shiva

Hi,

I wonder how long will its foam surround last. The moment I got Shiva's specs I got immediately attracted to it but the attraction lasted only until I realised that it has foam surround.

All foam surrounds do not last. In Poland, where I originally come from, the best foam surrounds last about 20 years depending on the usage which can be acceptable as speaker technology changes quicker.

Unfortunately in Australia foam surrounds last no more than 7-8 years. My Dynaudio cones poped out exactly after 7 years of their life in Perth although they were supposed to live much longer. Their worsenning condition, however, manifested itself much earlier. My friends had similar problems with their foam surround drivers bought in Australia in mid 1980s.

Since then when I see a driver with foam surround (does not matter how well treated for UVA etc) it is out of my mind regardless of specs. Maybe there has been some technological progress in the last decade or so but it may not be worth taking the risk.

So my question is: Is there anyone living in more or less tropical / subtropical climate whose foam surround drivers have survived 10 years or more and are still kicking well?
 
#12
Foam surrounds should last about 20 years in Australia. My parents have some 20 year old speakers that have foam that has recently started to come apart. I have seen newer looking speakers with rubber surrounds, of better quality, come apart sooner. They were in Bendigo which has a dryer climate.

Bad luck with your Dynaudios. I have some car speakers with foam surrounds that died fairly quickly but that was due to extreme exposure to UV as they were in direct sunlight. That will cook any surround.

I would not expect any speaker to last longer than 20 years. Most diyers would go through many speakers in that time via upgrading.
 
#13
I'm virtually certain that this is what I'm going for to give me my low frequencies. It was a near thing between the Shiva and the Peerless 12", but the Shiva won out marginally.
Click to expand...

I consider XLS better value in Australia. It is significantly cheaper ($220 vs $300 for Shiva), better quality construction (rubber surround, cast basket, metal mounting ring which is more presentable than the cork on the Shiva), has lower distortion and works in a smaller box.

The Shiva has a little more midbass output as part of the design but the output capabilities on the low end due to slightly more xmax aren't significant. Shiva likes 240w plate amps but the XLS could use a slightly more expensive 350w amp. The reason for this difference is the XLS is designed for a smaller box.

Compare the XLS in an 80L box and the Shiva in a 130L box with a more powerful amp to the XLS and both will achieve very similar output and extension in a vented alignement.

In USA the XLS is more expensive but here in Australia, the XLS is cheaper and better value.

When I asked Linkwitz about Shiva vs XLS (he has measured and tested both) his comment was that the XLS is clearly superior.

Wow, what an awesome sub for the price!
Click to expand...

For $320, ($20 more than the Shiva) I got the Stryke AV12 which I find to be much more impressive. Compared to overpriced and underperforming car audio subs, yes this is good value, but you can do better.

I am not really a diy'er, I cheated and got a cabinetmaker to build the cabs for me. Is the Shiva sub you are building available in a kit, including cabinet drawings, amp, etc. or are you designing it yourself? If buying as a kit, could you tell me where from?
Click to expand...

A sub is so simple that it hardly seems worth paying someone to do it. If you want to make it ultra simple (for the woodwork-challenged):

- get your MDF supplier to cut the timber for you (costs a few dollars extra)
- glue them together to make a simple box
- with a jigsaw make a hole for the plate amp and driver
- make the driver downfiring so you don't have to worry about a grille or flush mounting the driver
- add some feet then paint or veneer to suit your taste

Kits are good for mains due to crossover and measuring issues but there is no reason to go for a kit with a sub.

I am looking for a sub solely for music, so quality is more important to me than quantity. I previously owned a REL Strata sub which was very nice, but figure I might be able to build or have built something as good or better, plus a lot cheaper.
Click to expand...

Very easy to better just about any comercial sub for much less cost.

Why do you want a sub for music if you already have 15" woofers? You probably would need 2x Shiva or XLS to match the output.
 
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