The area is not beyond the capabilities of a rookie, but don't expect as a rookie to make great results unless following a proven plan.
To repeat a semantic difference: "Sub" means below, by definition. If something is located in a satellite, it can't also be below it.
If the driver that produces the lowest frequency output is located within the same cabinet as the rest of the drivers, it is not a "sub" woofer, it simply reproduces a frequency range.
The range is divided by the type of drivers in the cabinet- a two way has a "woofer" and a "tweeter", barking dog, tweeting bird.
A three-way adds a "squawker", for a duck-like quacking mid-range sound.
Unfortunately, those terms don't help describe the drivers used, a "low" range of 20-100Hz or 20-2000Hz would dictate use of drivers with quite different parameters. Choosing a driver appropriate for "subwoofer" use would not be the best choice if a 2kHz x-over is chosen, but may be fine if a low "mid" crossover is chosen.
The crossover frequency choices for a 3 way system are infinite, the frequency choice decided upon narrows down the driver choices that will be most appropriate for the range they are to cover.
Art
Actually the term sub-woofer doesn't refer to location ... it refers to frequency.
A sub-woofer reproduces a lower frequency range than a woofer... doesn't matter where it's located.
It's not unrealistic.
Whether it's beyond your capabilities or not remains to be seen.
If your plan is for a 3 way system --woofer, squawker, tweeter-- then it's actually a pretty standard thing. There are lots of 3 way speakers to study and learn from.
The isolated woofer chamber is not new and the high excursion sub-bass driver isn't new either... although I don't believe I've ever seen them combined.
As a little point of history, many of the classic --and now much desired-- speakers from the 1970s and 1980s employed large, high output, woofers. I had a pair of Klipsch Heresys that could make 10hz felt in a room. (You don't hear at those frequencies, you feel the vibration in the air.)
So, yes, I would say your plan is doable.... and I wish you good outcomes!
It all sounds like a traditional big 3-way to me. Speakers like that (with 10" or 12" woofers around the 90 dB efficiency mark) were very common 30+ years ago. The midrange generally needs its own volume anyway (ones with closed back often have to be crossed over higher than I really like), though the usual way of doing this would be providing an enclosed space within the volume used by the woofer, which generally can't be big enough. Tweeters are generally closed at the back so won't mind either way.
When using, say, a 6.5" midwoofer, crossing that over around 200 Hz could relieve it of a lot of excursion, bringing down IMD substantially along the way.
The one disadvantage of integrated woofers is that you lose the flexibility in positioning that may be needed to flatten out the response below the room's Schroeder frequency. Mind you, you could still add additional (real) subs at this point.
When using, say, a 6.5" midwoofer, crossing that over around 200 Hz could relieve it of a lot of excursion, bringing down IMD substantially along the way.
The one disadvantage of integrated woofers is that you lose the flexibility in positioning that may be needed to flatten out the response below the room's Schroeder frequency. Mind you, you could still add additional (real) subs at this point.
No, not unrealistic and quite doable. It is however a common rookie outlook to focus on low frequency extension without noticing the bigger picture (and yes, I've done it too).
Very few will go anywhere near that high. One with good extension might be usable to 200-250 Hz (CSS SDX10 for instance).
They are often called atmosphere generators for a reason.
dave
Why does it matter? Where the (sub)woofer is has nothing to do with if it is a subwoofer, it is abut how low it will go.
dave
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