I plan on building a 2 way without size restraints. My goals are simple. I want to make a LOUD and dynamic two way, which also sounds great. Not just loud. I want to feel the bass pumping in my chest. I want VERY good bass. And here is the main thing ... I need them to be able to be ACTIVELY crossed over as high as 3200, and sound good handing off to a very efficient and good tweeter, which can play very loudly and still sound great. I have endless xover possibilities, via good DSP.
I am open to 8s , 10s , 12s , or even a 15" IF it exists. Pro audio is fine also. I need it to play strong down to 40hz. Nothing lower really needed.
I just figure a large mid woofer would struggle to play well up to a 3200 cover point.
Please feel free to educate the ignorant. And please let me know of any speakers you suggest as well. Thank you very much.
I am open to 8s , 10s , 12s , or even a 15" IF it exists. Pro audio is fine also. I need it to play strong down to 40hz. Nothing lower really needed.
I just figure a large mid woofer would struggle to play well up to a 3200 cover point.
Please feel free to educate the ignorant. And please let me know of any speakers you suggest as well. Thank you very much.
Definitely think PA. Problem is, you want real slam so you're pointing toward a 15". A 15" is tough to do in a 2 way and all but impossible with that high of an XO. Perhaps rethink your goal.
Don't be tied to a high crossover point. Good, loud horn tweeters can run much lower, to meet a big woofer within its range. One example: Cornscala Style D | Critesspeakers.com
Also look at Tony Gee's Calpamos. And the massive full-spectrum 2-way thread ongoing in this forum.
Also look at Tony Gee's Calpamos. And the massive full-spectrum 2-way thread ongoing in this forum.
We are already waaaaay off track. I do NOT want to build a Pro Audio Horn system. I already own the tweeter I plan on using, and it wants to cross over as high as 3200 in my plans. So I just need a woofer to match said tweeter.
I have heard SLAMMING 10s before. So let's revamp and say an 8 or 10, and MAYBE a 12.
I have heard SLAMMING 10s before. So let's revamp and say an 8 or 10, and MAYBE a 12.
I know it sounds crazy, but how about a 6.5"? Check out Purifi PTT6.5 and a design to XO over at 3.2 kHz. Next gen woofer...
After your review that is the perfect candidate-listening over 105db will damage your hearing
Round face, mono pole, AMTs by Heil. 94 db efficiency. Prefers to be crossed over 3000 if possible. Can do 2500, but it sounds better at 3200. It has the dynamics to mate to a 10 or 12" woofer. And sounds amazing while doing so.
I've just built Carreras. And have been doing head to head comparisons with the Hiquophon tweeters. Shocking.
I think it’s a questionable endeavor to try this as a 2+way with your stated constraints, the venn diagram of drivers that can cross at 3k+ and provide the bass you’re looking for is probably a null set. The bass you describe needs a pro 10 or 12, but none of them will cross at 3k to a tweeter that doesn’t use a waveguide - the directivity mismatch will be severe. 3k is even higher than most people will cross a 6.5” driver in a basic 2-way.
So, my suggestion is to consider a 3-way. An MTM with 2 Purifi drivers might be a viable approach, but with no real-world reports on that driver, that’s still a complete guess. Otherwise, just pick a pro 10” and make the best of it. Deltalite or B&C would be where I’d start.
So, my suggestion is to consider a 3-way. An MTM with 2 Purifi drivers might be a viable approach, but with no real-world reports on that driver, that’s still a complete guess. Otherwise, just pick a pro 10” and make the best of it. Deltalite or B&C would be where I’d start.
To make a small speaker that plays loud, with hard hitting bass, will involve compromises and tradeoffs. The obvious losers here are efficiency and/or cabinet size. You will have to juggle bass extension vs max spl. Speakers capable of high output at low bass frequencies almost always have very limited high frequency extension. There's no free lunch.
You will be hard pressed to find even an 8" woofer with good low frequency output and usable extension to 3 kHz. "Full range" speakers I've seen had poor low frequency extension. Even then beaming will be a problem.
Here's a driver that always intrigued me. Madisound - Page Not Found Looks simple to use for a really nice, simple two way. It looks like it works well without a crossover. Many commercial speakers are designed that way and if you use the right driver it works well. But still it only goes to 2 kHz.
You're asking for a unicorn, with 3 kHz extension and full bass output at high spl.
You will be hard pressed to find even an 8" woofer with good low frequency output and usable extension to 3 kHz. "Full range" speakers I've seen had poor low frequency extension. Even then beaming will be a problem.
Here's a driver that always intrigued me. Madisound - Page Not Found Looks simple to use for a really nice, simple two way. It looks like it works well without a crossover. Many commercial speakers are designed that way and if you use the right driver it works well. But still it only goes to 2 kHz.
You're asking for a unicorn, with 3 kHz extension and full bass output at high spl.
If it has to be a 2-way, I'd go for a pair of those Fane 15" triple cones per side in the biggest sealed box you can accommodate, and be prepared to EQ the LF response. Even the Beyma 15P80Nd only gets to about 2kHz IIRC.
If you'd be happy moving to 3-way, then a 2x15", 6", HF would be a good move. Something like one of the 18Sound pro mids would be nice. Make sure you pick the efficient one. With a ~400Hz crossover, you're in range of the high-power 15" subwoofer drivers, which can deliver as much "slam" as you'd ever want.
Chris
If you'd be happy moving to 3-way, then a 2x15", 6", HF would be a good move. Something like one of the 18Sound pro mids would be nice. Make sure you pick the efficient one. With a ~400Hz crossover, you're in range of the high-power 15" subwoofer drivers, which can deliver as much "slam" as you'd ever want.
Chris
What about a 4" backloaded horn? Might get down to mid 50hz and directivity at 3.2khz would be good.
I've seen speakers like that capable of producing a surprising amount of bass.
Small speaker, enormous enclosure. No free lunch.
A two way with a small "midwoofer" plus a subwoofer seems like the easiest way to achieve your objectives. Even cheap, consumer grade subwoofers like Polk can produce some impressive bass in a medium size room. And the enclosures aren't large at all either.
I have no experience with it, but a possible 8" that has a smooth response and extends up to about 3 kHz might be the SEAS U22REX
H1659-08 U22REX/P-SL
Add a vent to the enclosure tuned to around 40 Hz. If one per enclosure is not enough slam, you could consider two per enclosure.
H1659-08 U22REX/P-SL
Add a vent to the enclosure tuned to around 40 Hz. If one per enclosure is not enough slam, you could consider two per enclosure.
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There is a large Seas driver with blue paper cone that apparently is designed for 2 way use.. no idea how it sounds tho, and the highest useable crossover point