Seeking Advice
I have acquired a Kicker F15C subwoofer (which is the 15" model in Kickers Freeair range). It is very solid unit , designed for car audio, but I want to use for home theatre. What would be the best enclosure:
1. Sealed box
2. Ported
3. Bandpass (4th or 6th)
4. Transmission line (eg El Pipe-O)
What are the pros and cons of each?
Also, I am a bit confused as to why Kicker has recommendations for a ported enclosure sized between 68 to 102 litres, whereas WinISD recommends a 2,000 litre box and shows a nasty peak with a smaller box. Kicker recommends tuning the port between 32 and 39 Hz (depending on box size), whereas WinISD recommends 14Hz.
Many thanks
Nicwix
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Info from Kicker shown below
The specialized design of KICKER Freeair woofers allow these speakers to work effectively in infinite baffle applications. This does not mean, however, that the driver doesn't need an enclosure. What it means is that the "enclosure" can be of very large volume, such as a car door, dash, rear panel or trunk.
KICKER Freeair woofers are also well suited for use in vented enclosures. When used in their recommended enclosures, these woofers exhibit a "boosted" bass response which is often popular for rap or rock music.
THIELE-SMALL PARAMETERS
Model: - F15c-4
Nominal Impedance: - 4
SPL dB 1W/1M: - 89.6
Displacement, cc: - 2677 (163 CuIn)
Revc: - 3.43
VC Inductance, mH: - 0.35
Sd, SqM: - 0.0845
BL: - 9.9644
Vas, Liters: - 247 litres (8.75 CuFt)
Mms, gms: - 138.575
Fs: - 27.348
Qms: - 10.881
Qes: - 0.823
Qts: - 0.765
Pmax, watts: - 500
Xmax, mm: - 7.68
RECOMMENDED ENCLOSURES
The table below shows suitable enclosures for Competition and Freeair drivers. F3 values listed indicate the -3 dB "down-point" of the system. Fb represents the tuning of the vented enclosure. Remember that while a vented speaker has a slight theoretical advantage in output, a sealed enclosure produces more low bass because of its much slower roll-off below the -3 dBpoint. In addition, cone motion is more controlled in a sealed box, reducing the chance of mechanical damage to the woofer. Stillwater Designs has been using sealed enclosures in its show vehicles for a number of years. They have proven to be very reliable, with highly predictable performance, even under extremepower demands. The sealed enclosure sound is very tight and controlled, yet very "full" and solid,with extended low bass response. Note that a large box improves low bass performance and a small box produces more mid-bass"bump". A vented box also produces lots of "bump" because of the output from the vent. Someprefer this "boosted bass" sound, while others favor accuracy of the sealed enclosure. Consider the type of "sound" you want, and choose your enclosure to produce it.
I have acquired a Kicker F15C subwoofer (which is the 15" model in Kickers Freeair range). It is very solid unit , designed for car audio, but I want to use for home theatre. What would be the best enclosure:
1. Sealed box
2. Ported
3. Bandpass (4th or 6th)
4. Transmission line (eg El Pipe-O)
What are the pros and cons of each?
Also, I am a bit confused as to why Kicker has recommendations for a ported enclosure sized between 68 to 102 litres, whereas WinISD recommends a 2,000 litre box and shows a nasty peak with a smaller box. Kicker recommends tuning the port between 32 and 39 Hz (depending on box size), whereas WinISD recommends 14Hz.
Many thanks
Nicwix
========================
Info from Kicker shown below
The specialized design of KICKER Freeair woofers allow these speakers to work effectively in infinite baffle applications. This does not mean, however, that the driver doesn't need an enclosure. What it means is that the "enclosure" can be of very large volume, such as a car door, dash, rear panel or trunk.
KICKER Freeair woofers are also well suited for use in vented enclosures. When used in their recommended enclosures, these woofers exhibit a "boosted" bass response which is often popular for rap or rock music.
THIELE-SMALL PARAMETERS
Model: - F15c-4
Nominal Impedance: - 4
SPL dB 1W/1M: - 89.6
Displacement, cc: - 2677 (163 CuIn)
Revc: - 3.43
VC Inductance, mH: - 0.35
Sd, SqM: - 0.0845
BL: - 9.9644
Vas, Liters: - 247 litres (8.75 CuFt)
Mms, gms: - 138.575
Fs: - 27.348
Qms: - 10.881
Qes: - 0.823
Qts: - 0.765
Pmax, watts: - 500
Xmax, mm: - 7.68
RECOMMENDED ENCLOSURES
The table below shows suitable enclosures for Competition and Freeair drivers. F3 values listed indicate the -3 dB "down-point" of the system. Fb represents the tuning of the vented enclosure. Remember that while a vented speaker has a slight theoretical advantage in output, a sealed enclosure produces more low bass because of its much slower roll-off below the -3 dBpoint. In addition, cone motion is more controlled in a sealed box, reducing the chance of mechanical damage to the woofer. Stillwater Designs has been using sealed enclosures in its show vehicles for a number of years. They have proven to be very reliable, with highly predictable performance, even under extremepower demands. The sealed enclosure sound is very tight and controlled, yet very "full" and solid,with extended low bass response. Note that a large box improves low bass performance and a small box produces more mid-bass"bump". A vented box also produces lots of "bump" because of the output from the vent. Someprefer this "boosted bass" sound, while others favor accuracy of the sealed enclosure. Consider the type of "sound" you want, and choose your enclosure to produce it.
BTW, note this driver has an unusually high Qts of 0.765 - which I understand means the suspension is really stiff (and Fs is fairly high for a 15" at 27Hz). With reference to thread Why not more downfiring subwoofers?, that probably means down or up firing is OK?
In the thread Choice of driver for El Pipe-O, planet 10 replied "Idealy you would like a driver with 0.5<Qt<1.0" - so it would seem ideal for an El Pipe-O - but I have not found any explanation as to why?
Comments, comments???
In the thread Choice of driver for El Pipe-O, planet 10 replied "Idealy you would like a driver with 0.5<Qt<1.0" - so it would seem ideal for an El Pipe-O - but I have not found any explanation as to why?
Comments, comments???
There are no recommended setups for ported alignments with Qts over 0.56 or so-and most people don't go much over 0.5.
You will get a big peak in the response. In a car, that is what some people want. For HiFi, forget it.
With those specs, even a sealed system under 6 cu ft or so will have something of a "hump".
How big of an enclosure can you stand? there is one thing-an aperiodic enclosure, which can give you decently flat response in perhaps a 4 cu ft enclosure. I've never built one, but Dave, (Planet 10), has built several. It takes the "hump" out of the response somewhat.
You will get a big peak in the response. In a car, that is what some people want. For HiFi, forget it.
With those specs, even a sealed system under 6 cu ft or so will have something of a "hump".
How big of an enclosure can you stand? there is one thing-an aperiodic enclosure, which can give you decently flat response in perhaps a 4 cu ft enclosure. I've never built one, but Dave, (Planet 10), has built several. It takes the "hump" out of the response somewhat.
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