Inexpensive (< $50 ) 12 inch Driver for 9.5 foot (2.89m) TL

[justinzane]

I'm wondering what would be a relatively inexpensive 12" driver to use in a 9.5' basically straight horn/TL? I'm just experimenting (playing ) now, so I'm not interested in excellent but expensive. I've been using a cheap Goldwood GW212/4 that I have and I'd like to try something with different performance characteristics. The current driver is very high Qts (~1.15), low Xmax (~3.5mm), specs here: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=290-330. I'm also using a relatively low power amp, either an old yamaha or a lepai, as convenient which I assume means that anything with exceptionally low sensitivity just won't work well.

Thanks for the input, and, remember I'm a novice who is looking to learn and have fun, not achieve aural perfection. Oh, and looking around, it seems like $75.00 is a better cap than $50.00.

 

[Brian Steele]

Depends on how low you're trying to get with that TH.

The Dayton PA310 is worth a look if you're not looking to get below 40 Hz or so.

I used one for my TH build.

 

[justinzane]

I was looking at that and the bravox PXW12D-4/2 since it is a PE buyout for almost the same money. Any input on which to pick?

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS Power Handling (RMS) 230 Watts Power Handling (max) 480 Watts Impedance 4+4 ohms Frequency Response 25 to 2,500 Hz Sensitivity 88.3 dB 2.83V/1m
THIELE-SMALL PARAMETERS Resonant Frequency (Fs) 26 Hz Voice Coil Inductance (Le) 0.88 mH Mechanical Q (Qms) 3.90 Electromagnetic Q (Qes) 0.47 Total Q (Qts) 0.42 Compliance Equivalent Volume (Vas) 4.10 ft.³ Maximum Linear Excursion (Xmax) 7.3 mm
MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION Cone Material Poly Composite Surround Material Santoprene® Voice Coil Former Kapton® / Polyimide Basket / Frame Material Steel
MOUNTING INFORMATION Overall Outside Diameter 12.125" Baffle Cutout Diameter 11.125" Depth 6"

 

[Brian Steele]

I was looking at that and the bravox PXW12D-4/2 since it is a PE buyout for almost the same money. Any input on which to pick?

Use HornResp to model them both in the design you're thinking of, and choose the one that seems to be the best match.

 

[18Hurts]

I have four of the Bravox 15" versions from PE

Like the design so I'm making two push pull slot loaded boxes out of them since I have the boxes. It will be interesting to hear how well the 12" version works in a TL...I'd like to eventually use those four woofers
in two TLs to get down into the teens.

I start making sawdust this weekend and should have a report how well they work by Monday.

 

[justinzane]

Use HornResp to model them both in the design you're thinking of, and choose the one that seems to be the best match.

I've already built it, and, I'm Windows-free, so hornresp is not a practical option. And, it is a wierd contraption so I'm not sure what to model without getting into the details of the simulations in Octave or SciPy.

 

[justinzane]

I have four of the Bravox 15" versions from PE

Like the design so I'm making two push pull slot loaded boxes out of them since I have the boxes. It will be interesting to hear how well the 12" version works in a TL...I'd like to eventually use those four woofers
in two TLs to get down into the teens.

I start making sawdust this weekend and should have a report how well they work by Monday.

Awesome. Love to hear what you think of them.

 

[18Hurts]

I start tomorrow and should be done by the weekend

The Bravox get my "That is different" award. They have vented pole pieces, vented magnets and a vented spider (suspension coil) The spider itself is Santropene to match the surround, not cloth or anything woven. The tinsel leads are attached to the spider as they molded tubes into the spyder to route the leads through.

I'll keep you posted, at least the speaker has an interesting twist so I'm curious (a bad thing for DIY)