I recall some time ago reading about a midbass sub designed/ intended to give things like gunshots etc more punch in a home theater settings. it did not replace, but supplemented a regular subwoofer and the mains.
Is this a "bad" concept? I mostly read suggestions to get multiple identical subs- but my goal is not to get more super deep bass. BTW mains are magnepan 1.6 so they may benefit from this concept more than non-planars, IDK. Sub is sealed Rythmik 15.
I should add I have a pro level DSP XO so I could cross this into the lcr at 100hz and then pass off to the sub at 50 hz or whatever.
Thanks.
Is this a "bad" concept? I mostly read suggestions to get multiple identical subs- but my goal is not to get more super deep bass. BTW mains are magnepan 1.6 so they may benefit from this concept more than non-planars, IDK. Sub is sealed Rythmik 15.
I should add I have a pro level DSP XO so I could cross this into the lcr at 100hz and then pass off to the sub at 50 hz or whatever.
Thanks.
Last edited:
The use of multiple subs is often to smooth out the bass response throughout the room.
Given you have DSP and are probably going for maximum sound quality, sealed mid bass would probably integrate better with your Magnepans and sealed Rythmik 15.
For imaging, a mid bass near each of your mains would be better than a single, a sealed 8" or 10" per side probably has plenty of output to outrun the sub and Magnepans.
Purifi Audio have perhaps some of the best drivers for your application, but very expensive.
Many "PA" type woofers could do the job with less cost.
What's your driver budget, amp power, and what SPL do you want the gunshots at?
So thinking for a pair of drivers, $150 each or so? I have a B&K 2x125 that may? Be enough, if not I can use 2 channels from a B&K 5x200...
Maybe Dayton Audio RSS210HO-4 8"?
Or SB Acoustics SB23MFCL45-8..
SPL nothing crazy. Small treated theater...
Maybe Dayton Audio RSS210HO-4 8"?
Or SB Acoustics SB23MFCL45-8..
SPL nothing crazy. Small treated theater...
I saw people recommend the behringer 1200, but they released a new 8 inch I may try once they are back in stock..
No, just good design having either a wide BW sub or discrete woofer system to fill in the ~63 - 250 Hz BW that includes the ~100 - 175 Hz 'boom-punch' BW for a whole slew of instruments or at least this narrow BW added to an 80 or 120 Hz LFE sub system. 4th-6th order BPs are ideal alignments and done right don't need any XOs, just some in-room EQ.
Ideally we'd want (8) 15" 😈 strung across the sound wall for most life-like reproduction, but a single corner loaded 15" (~8th space) is near enough equal, so dual 8" in a corner to match it or use 10-12" if doing a 'stereo' pair out away from the corners.
In your situation - I would say 90% yes. ;-)
Midwoofers come from PA systems with horn midranges which only can play down to 200Hz with full power. So you need something to fill the gap down to the subwoofer, especially some horn systems can't go to high before they show resonances.
In a home setup ... it is very easy to use a wide band subwoofer system. And in a normal room that's often even beneficial! A multi sub arrangement produces low frequencies way more even as your stereo speakers - use it as high as possible in your system. And then just stack as many as you need to achieve the SPL level you need. Crossover/phase/room response/amplification - everything get's simpler with such a concept.
What do you miss in your setup? What do you want to improve?
I found this measurement of magnepan 1.6: https://www.hififorum.at/node/173
https://www.stereophile.com/content/magnepan-magneplanar-mg16qr-loudspeaker-measurements
So there should not be a lack of SPL level in the 50-100Hz area? Did you do measurements in your room?
For me it looks like you have an unideal speaker plavement and sub crossover. It's very easy to loose a wide frequency range to SBIR and not perfect phase between sub and speakers. Also when the sub is too loud the upper bass range suffers.
Can you perform and show a few measurements of your system in your room?
I am looking for a little more punch? In the mid-bass. I watch a lot of action movies. I don't want to eq it into Maggie's for fear of damaging the 20+year old panels. With this I can relieve the lower burden to the 8 inch mid bass subs. And maybe run those a little hotter if needed.
I'm not putting 12-21 inch drivers behind the seats for slam...
I'm not putting 12-21 inch drivers behind the seats for slam...
