Go sealed and make use of the room again. It will beat the ported with extention down to 10hz with minimal eq. Again will depend on your room. I had a 4.1 cu.ft ported enclosure originally designed for SB34 12 inch. Modified to house the Bianco 18sw450 sealed. Made a new 1.1 cu.ft sealed for the sb34 placed at the back.
Also converted sb29 10 inchers in the floor stander from ported to sealed. And the result?. Well the bass extention and integration of the whole system far exceeds now. And this all without any dsp. Just some constant Q analog 4 band eq. Cheers!
You can use bassbox software and many other free spreadsheets to design port dimensions. But I would recommend sealed with this driver.
Also converted sb29 10 inchers in the floor stander from ported to sealed. And the result?. Well the bass extention and integration of the whole system far exceeds now. And this all without any dsp. Just some constant Q analog 4 band eq. Cheers!
You can use bassbox software and many other free spreadsheets to design port dimensions. But I would recommend sealed with this driver.
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@krevilplays - thank you for the feedback. Your whole set up is awesome. Unfortunately, I had already progressed into developing a ported enclosure of about 9.5 cu.feet (port inclusive 32 inch rectangle 6x5 inch - 2 ports) based on some rough calculation I worked out when I bought the driver. I had to proceed because my laptop gave up on me the previous night and the carpenter had agreed for the work the following day and quickly posted this hoping for a miraculous suggestion through this post before kicking off the work. I guess Luck is rare at times. Anyway, let me see how does the ported version sound and update the forum.
Your room gain should start around 27 hz. May be loose around 12db of sub output after eq.
Recover some db through additional boundary gain by place near a wall or corner.
With your 9.5cu feet tuned to 20hz your power handling below 20-30Hz is surely going to be bad. Have you checked the cone excursion graphs?
Recover some db through additional boundary gain by place near a wall or corner.
With your 9.5cu feet tuned to 20hz your power handling below 20-30Hz is surely going to be bad. Have you checked the cone excursion graphs?
Yes it was exceeding around 20hz which requires a HP filter (4th order) to bring it down to save woofer. The sub is going into the corner for sure. I hope this would give a decent output
I would still go sealed with this driver for maximum power handling down to 10hz flat.
That sb34 going from ported to sealed bought the punch and snap right back. Then 18sw450 just sprinkled some magic all over.
Finally going sealed on fronts sealed the deal. Wonky Phase related issue just disappeared. Love it now.(all my low freq drivers are almost same distance from listening position. So delay not that critical)
Of course you are using a dsp that should help.Go ahead with your ported design for now. Down the line you could reduce the volume of box and go sealed if need be.
That sb34 going from ported to sealed bought the punch and snap right back. Then 18sw450 just sprinkled some magic all over.
Finally going sealed on fronts sealed the deal. Wonky Phase related issue just disappeared. Love it now.(all my low freq drivers are almost same distance from listening position. So delay not that critical)
Of course you are using a dsp that should help.Go ahead with your ported design for now. Down the line you could reduce the volume of box and go sealed if need be.
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Short answer No. You will still have excursion limit issue based on my experience. I can confirm tomorrow with simulation.
Should not. But transients and cone excursion will be my concern. See how much low output you are gaining vs power handling you lost. Check the simulations and take a call. I can't confirm sims now.
Still it's like those commercial ported sw that come with port plugs to make it sealed. Far from ideal.
Try sealed 9.5cu.ft now. Later you can cut down if not happy.
Still it's like those commercial ported sw that come with port plugs to make it sealed. Far from ideal.
Try sealed 9.5cu.ft now. Later you can cut down if not happy.
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No I didn’t mean just shoving off foam stuff but closing the opening of ports with piece of plywood, more from the outside. Let me listen to it first to gauge the sound quality as is vented and I also have mini dsp and rew mic for curve construction
Ok it looks like you have to remain under 180w at 9.5cuft sealed to achieve a flat response from 10hz and above and not exceed xmax.
You will reach similar SPL level as 450w on 4.1 cu ft(i.e between 10-40hz. Anything above 40hz, 4.1 cu.ft is better. In other words more spl at your disposal for room gain. But based on your room gain simulation SPL achieved should be similar between 9.5cu.ft (180w) vs 4.1cu.ft (450w) after EQ)
Red line is 9.5cuft and blue 4.1 cuft.
If you don't care much about response between 10hz-20hz(filter out) and the fast response/dynamics, you can keep it vented.
You will reach similar SPL level as 450w on 4.1 cu ft(i.e between 10-40hz. Anything above 40hz, 4.1 cu.ft is better. In other words more spl at your disposal for room gain. But based on your room gain simulation SPL achieved should be similar between 9.5cu.ft (180w) vs 4.1cu.ft (450w) after EQ)
Red line is 9.5cuft and blue 4.1 cuft.
If you don't care much about response between 10hz-20hz(filter out) and the fast response/dynamics, you can keep it vented.
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Yes. you can google or search this forum for room gain. It's just an estimate. Other factors will alter your frequency response like windows and doors and any pathways that lead to room.
For eg. When I open a door to adjacent room I get a nice boost around 10hz but when I open another door it dips. So it's complex. You have to experiment with your room. For me making a subwoofer takes just 20% of the time. Rest of the time is all tweaking and finding the right balance(plus I bypass dsp even in receiver)
For eg. When I open a door to adjacent room I get a nice boost around 10hz but when I open another door it dips. So it's complex. You have to experiment with your room. For me making a subwoofer takes just 20% of the time. Rest of the time is all tweaking and finding the right balance(plus I bypass dsp even in receiver)
Here are my room response measurement after going all sealed(using umik-1).
EQ's : 2.5db boost at 15hz(Q=3) || 7db cut at 43Hz(Q=15) || 2db boost at 32Hz (Q=10) || 2db boost at 95hz(Q=10).
Luckily I did not have to use any shelving filter as the drivers + room are working together nicely to tame the rising response of sealed alignment.
1. Subwoofers only(bianco+sb34). Notice how flat is response is between 10-30hz.
2. subwoofer + floor standers(sb29). Notice I loose some output at 10Hz. But overall response is smoother and also I like to balance the load for some headroom and reduced distortion at high output given I also use some boost filters. The vol level of floor standers are set relatively low compared to subwoofers.
EQ's : 2.5db boost at 15hz(Q=3) || 7db cut at 43Hz(Q=15) || 2db boost at 32Hz (Q=10) || 2db boost at 95hz(Q=10).
Luckily I did not have to use any shelving filter as the drivers + room are working together nicely to tame the rising response of sealed alignment.
1. Subwoofers only(bianco+sb34). Notice how flat is response is between 10-30hz.
2. subwoofer + floor standers(sb29). Notice I loose some output at 10Hz. But overall response is smoother and also I like to balance the load for some headroom and reduced distortion at high output given I also use some boost filters. The vol level of floor standers are set relatively low compared to subwoofers.
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@krevilplays - Ok here are the results of testing and measurements.
Room size - 21 feet (all 4 sides) roughly comes to 450 Sq feet with 11 feet ceiling.
Tile flooring & concrete ceiling
Equipments:
Marantz SR5013,
Crown XLS1502,
SB Audience Bianca SW450 Subwoofer
Enclosure details:
Design - Ported
Tuning - 22Hz
Size - 9 Cu.ft
Testing and room measurements:
After multiple measurements, I combined all the responses to take below average curve which was used as a base line for Equalisation.
I cannot imagine the nightmare I would have had if I did not have miniDSP to tame this beast. Just imagine how deep these dips and spikes would have been at 30hz, 35hz, 69hz, 80hz without setting the delay of 35ms. The sharp dips you see at 15hz, 30hz, 35hz looks way more better than the actual responses without any delay. but overall provided me a very decent response.
Coming to EQ part - I had to EQ it really heavy as I would have if I had built sealed cabinet and the outcome of the EQ really paid off. Mid bass was clearly evident and lifted the sound stage to next level. 20hz lifted by +7.5db gave life to movies. However, there is downside that comes along with ported design and for me, 35hz freq is causing lot of boominess across the other ends of the room but at the listening position we barely hear 35hz freq at all so there are dead spots at certain frequencies which I could not correct using DSP no matter how hard I try.
Volume settings - Connected the subwoofer with XLS1502 in bridge mode with volume dial set at 10'o clock and compressor in miniDSP set to -15db control. This was more than enough for me, TBH.
I would have to admit that this is only suitable for movies and didn't go smooth with music songs. The bass I love you made me to hate those frequencies 35hz with lots of boominess wandering back into my room.It was so UNPLEASANT and I fiinally I gave up correcting the response, particularly the bouncing waves at 35hz. Now, at my listening spot I hardly hear frequencies from 34 to 38hz.
I had also run Audyssey XT and didn't notice big improvements on our issue.
I wonder adding another (ported) across the other end of the room would correct this? but that would be an overkill for my room.
Is it worth going 6 cu.ft ported rather than 9 cu.ft? I strongly feel going 9 cu.ft did not make any big improvements when thinking against 7 cu.ft plan or
Is it best to go 2 x sealed with 4.5 cu.ft for each enclosure.
Please advise, share your comments and feedback.
Thank you
Room size - 21 feet (all 4 sides) roughly comes to 450 Sq feet with 11 feet ceiling.
Tile flooring & concrete ceiling
Equipments:
Marantz SR5013,
Crown XLS1502,
SB Audience Bianca SW450 Subwoofer
Enclosure details:
Design - Ported
Tuning - 22Hz
Size - 9 Cu.ft
Testing and room measurements:
After multiple measurements, I combined all the responses to take below average curve which was used as a base line for Equalisation.
I cannot imagine the nightmare I would have had if I did not have miniDSP to tame this beast. Just imagine how deep these dips and spikes would have been at 30hz, 35hz, 69hz, 80hz without setting the delay of 35ms. The sharp dips you see at 15hz, 30hz, 35hz looks way more better than the actual responses without any delay. but overall provided me a very decent response.
Coming to EQ part - I had to EQ it really heavy as I would have if I had built sealed cabinet and the outcome of the EQ really paid off. Mid bass was clearly evident and lifted the sound stage to next level. 20hz lifted by +7.5db gave life to movies. However, there is downside that comes along with ported design and for me, 35hz freq is causing lot of boominess across the other ends of the room but at the listening position we barely hear 35hz freq at all so there are dead spots at certain frequencies which I could not correct using DSP no matter how hard I try.
Volume settings - Connected the subwoofer with XLS1502 in bridge mode with volume dial set at 10'o clock and compressor in miniDSP set to -15db control. This was more than enough for me, TBH.
I would have to admit that this is only suitable for movies and didn't go smooth with music songs. The bass I love you made me to hate those frequencies 35hz with lots of boominess wandering back into my room.It was so UNPLEASANT and I fiinally I gave up correcting the response, particularly the bouncing waves at 35hz. Now, at my listening spot I hardly hear frequencies from 34 to 38hz.
I had also run Audyssey XT and didn't notice big improvements on our issue.
I wonder adding another (ported) across the other end of the room would correct this? but that would be an overkill for my room.
Is it worth going 6 cu.ft ported rather than 9 cu.ft? I strongly feel going 9 cu.ft did not make any big improvements when thinking against 7 cu.ft plan or
Is it best to go 2 x sealed with 4.5 cu.ft for each enclosure.
Please advise, share your comments and feedback.
Thank you