Hello friends!
I recently got me some secondhand Audio Nirvana 12" full range drivers. I love 'em, just love 'em. Though I feel the enclosures built by the guy I bought them from are suboptimal. The sound is quite peaky/muddy/boomy at around 40hz. Besides, they're not aesthetically pleasing. So I am trying to come up with enclosures of my own. I have had e-mail correspondence with the owner of Audio Nirvana, David, and basically he bashed the enclosure that the guy built. I tend to agree. However, I asked him for his 2 cents regarding some enclosures that I was cooking up, and he told me that t/s parameters are the worst thing that ever happened to sound design; he advised against designing an enclosure of my own.
I tend to disagree. 😀
Of course, I am still going to build my own boxes anyway. At the moment, I am honestly still torn between sealed or vented. Before you roast me, please bare in mind that I am still much of a novice in enclosure design, and that I have no friends that are also interested in DIY audio and such I only have these forums to ride on... So I haven't got much experience listening to different drivers and boxes!
I have some WinISD simulations right here… Blue is closed and Red is vented (port at bottom of box). The curves turn out somewhat the same. Let's assume for now that WinISD is dead-on accurate and let's assume that I'll make the final frequency responses approximately the same with the help of some nifty EQing!
I am wondering though what sonic differences I can expect from sealed vs. vented.
So, this is disregarding small differences in the curves; I am now talking about differences in the character and qualities of the sound. I have read that vented boxes tend to be a bit more rumbly and closed boxes a bit more punchy and fast. Can I expect these sonic differences to come through in the final sound, despite the fact that the frequency curves of sealed and vented would be the same?
Again, please excuse the noob question that probably has been answered many times before
You guys are my encyclopediae, my main source of knowledge regarding DIY audio, and my main pass-time now during quarantine 🙂 thanks for being awesome!
Would love to hear your input
Regards,
Raoul
P.S. I know that you guys sure do love your back-loaded horns… But let's stay clear of that topic for now 😀
P.P.S. Unfortunately I do not have the luxury to build both enclosures and see the difference for myself :/
P.P.P.S. https://www.commonsenseaudio.com/an12cfspecs.jpg
I recently got me some secondhand Audio Nirvana 12" full range drivers. I love 'em, just love 'em. Though I feel the enclosures built by the guy I bought them from are suboptimal. The sound is quite peaky/muddy/boomy at around 40hz. Besides, they're not aesthetically pleasing. So I am trying to come up with enclosures of my own. I have had e-mail correspondence with the owner of Audio Nirvana, David, and basically he bashed the enclosure that the guy built. I tend to agree. However, I asked him for his 2 cents regarding some enclosures that I was cooking up, and he told me that t/s parameters are the worst thing that ever happened to sound design; he advised against designing an enclosure of my own.
I tend to disagree. 😀
Of course, I am still going to build my own boxes anyway. At the moment, I am honestly still torn between sealed or vented. Before you roast me, please bare in mind that I am still much of a novice in enclosure design, and that I have no friends that are also interested in DIY audio and such I only have these forums to ride on... So I haven't got much experience listening to different drivers and boxes!
I have some WinISD simulations right here… Blue is closed and Red is vented (port at bottom of box). The curves turn out somewhat the same. Let's assume for now that WinISD is dead-on accurate and let's assume that I'll make the final frequency responses approximately the same with the help of some nifty EQing!
I am wondering though what sonic differences I can expect from sealed vs. vented.
So, this is disregarding small differences in the curves; I am now talking about differences in the character and qualities of the sound. I have read that vented boxes tend to be a bit more rumbly and closed boxes a bit more punchy and fast. Can I expect these sonic differences to come through in the final sound, despite the fact that the frequency curves of sealed and vented would be the same?
Again, please excuse the noob question that probably has been answered many times before
You guys are my encyclopediae, my main source of knowledge regarding DIY audio, and my main pass-time now during quarantine 🙂 thanks for being awesome!
Would love to hear your input
Regards,
Raoul
P.S. I know that you guys sure do love your back-loaded horns… But let's stay clear of that topic for now 😀
P.P.S. Unfortunately I do not have the luxury to build both enclosures and see the difference for myself :/
P.P.P.S. https://www.commonsenseaudio.com/an12cfspecs.jpg
IMO, sealed boxes + EQ is a good approach to home HiFi, so long as you're certain there'll be enough SPL.
Ported boxes get louder by providing more LF efficiency and simultaneously reducing excursion.
In any case, the effects of your room will be considerably stronger than the difference between the graphs you've posted.
IMO, one of the best things you can do is invest in some measurement gear. You can get started pretty cheap, with a Behringer UMC202HD, ECM8000, and REW.
Chris
Ported boxes get louder by providing more LF efficiency and simultaneously reducing excursion.
In any case, the effects of your room will be considerably stronger than the difference between the graphs you've posted.
IMO, one of the best things you can do is invest in some measurement gear. You can get started pretty cheap, with a Behringer UMC202HD, ECM8000, and REW.
Chris
As a general rule, high Qt, Vas drivers are best overall in a somewhat aperiodic cab or vented TL [aka MLTL] to get some of the extra bass of the vented while still getting the superior sound of sealed.
GM
GM
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Joined 2009
Paid Member
I have the 15” and I tried sealed and open backed box - with no obvious difference in sound. The Vas is huge, making modelling a bit of a corner-case.
It doesn't. It just means that they require a relatively large enclosure in comparison to most current wideband drivers.