What size driver?

Matt_C

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Possibly a slightly misleading title, as I'll actually only consider an all in one active sub, and not a home build...

But anyway, currently I have an all Mission set up, with a little (6" I think) active sub. I mainly only watch things with DTS or DD 5/6.1 - haven't got the hardware for any HD audio formats - and 2ch stuff where the amp outputs 2.1 (as the Sony AVR isn't really hardcore enough to drive enough low end to my front floorstanders, so I need to the sub to fill it out a bit)

Now, I'm looking to upgrade the sub, as although it does it's job, it just doesn't seem to be able to go low enough or rumble enough. It does a good job of explosions, but just doesn't seem low/rumbly enough (although I find it quite accurate for mortar fire, etc - seems to do a pretty damn good job of the beach scene from Saving Private Ryan)

So whats the recommedation - a 10incher? 12? From who? How much? Will it blend in with what I have now?
 

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Sub Woofers

10" is the minimum for your average sub, that doesn't have multi drivers.

And blending in is more about setup imo.
Any good sub, decently setup will blend in fine, especially if the emphasis isn't on music.

So it's basically a question of how deep your pockets are :D
 
Not very deep :(
 
£200-250 gets you into second hand Monolith or maybe SVS territory.
Proper subs :smashin:

But both are as rare as hen's teeth, so you'd have to bide your time.

I'm not quite sure why you wouldn't go with a home built sub, myself :confused:
The value you could get S/H could be excellent.

The sub that Moonfly is building for me for instance, has a £300 driver and a seperate amp costing the same. Then there's the box etc.
So it's run out at around a grand.

If I wanted to sell it, I dread to think what I would get for it.
 
My brother did build his own sub (he has a lot of knowledge of sub box building as he's been in car audio for many years, won a few comps too) with an 18" JL and a stage grade power amp. It was pretty good!

But I just CBA with it all myself - having just the single box with everything in and ready to go, already set up, hooked in and working out the packaging is my idea of easy/convenience. Plug in a coax and off I go.
 
Fair enough :smashin:
But that costs.
It's why people build their own; you get more for your dough.

Can't you get your bro to make one for you?
 
I'm not sure that "that does cost". I mean I could buy a much better sub than I have now for a few hundred quid (second hand of course). Or I could spend near a grand building one like Moonfly did. I mean there's an REL Quake on here at the mo for a couple hundred.
 
I was the one who suggested you go S/H :)

Personally I'd pass on the Quake and bide my time.

Easy at my age though (I'm a lot more patient now :)), when I'm currently using an Ultra.
The one Moonfly is building has taken over a year down to various reasons :eek:
But I know it'll be worth the wait :smashin:

I think I'm beginning to lose the point of what the thread is about, tbh.
How much dough can you afford to spend on a sub?

Does the BK range not appeal to you?
 
I always knew it was likely to be s/h to be fair, as I don't have / can't justify the money of a new one anyway.

Financially, nothing, unless something comes up that catches my eye and is a bargain. I don't know if I'd want a Quake or what, all I know (or think) is I can do better than what I have now. It's GAS more than anything to be fair - my sub does work and it does play it's part (although it often buzzes when it's been switched on all day, which is annoying) so it doesn't NEED replacing, I just want that extra oomph ;)
 
I always knew it was likely to be s/h to be fair, as I don't have / can't justify the money of a new one anyway.

Financially, nothing, unless something comes up that catches my eye and is a bargain. I don't know if I'd want a Quake or what, all I know (or think) is I can do better than what I have now. It's GAS more than anything to be fair - my sub does work and it does play it's part (although it often buzzes when it's been switched on all day, which is annoying) so it doesn't NEED replacing, I just want that extra oomph ;)

Absolutely.

Superfi - WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 10.MX SUBWOOFER

That would be a good move for a start, even though you could do a lot better S/H.

Sadly a 6" driver in a small box is never going to cut the mustard mate.
Hence going back to your original point, "the bigger the better" probably isn't far off the mark.
 
Going back to size, where would you start loosing performance? Ie, when it gets less "focused" and too "boomy". I like how my current one is very accurate, but it lacks in low end rumble. So I want low end rumble but without it being "wobbly" (if that makes sense)
 
Going back to size, where would you start loosing performance? Ie, when it gets less "focused" and too "boomy". I like how my current one is very accurate, but it lacks in low end rumble. So I want low end rumble but without it being "wobbly" (if that makes sense)

Well that's the eternal question isn't it?
Me, I'm going from a 13" to an 18", which Moonfly assures me will be better at the top end.
That's why I've paid £300 for the driver; it's all about quality, which as I suggested, costs.

I know what you mean though and with Saving Private Ryan, my bigger speakers don't do as well with that beach scene compared to the videologic setup I had many moons ago.
Change to music though and they're worlds apart.

Most of it is about setup imo, hence I use EQ, as in a BFD.

But if you can't be arsed with that, that REL might well suit you.
 
Going back to size, where would you start loosing performance? Ie, when it gets less "focused" and too "boomy". I like how my current one is very accurate, but it lacks in low end rumble. So I want low end rumble but without it being "wobbly" (if that makes sense)

Why not stick with what you have and just add a tactile transducer?
 
Because I've never heard of one of those, or even know what it is! What is it, and can it make my 6" Mission perform like a much bigger, and better, sub?
 
Badger, I must admit my speakers were mainly chosen with a leaning towards music. The floorstanders are definitely overkill for movies, although the rears and centre are surround sound speakers. The sub was acquired just because I needed the .1 and it matched my set up. The amp was got because a friend had one similar, and I went through a few before I found one I liked. Granted, a proper stereo amp would really set my fronts off as far as music goes, but it does the job and I'm happy with the overall sound.

I just want that bit of extra horsepower for the low end - even though my neighbours probably dont!
 
Because I've never heard of one of those, or even know what it is! What is it, and can it make my 6" Mission perform like a much bigger, and better, sub?

Its a device you plug into your system then bolt to your sofa. It provides the low end rumble effect but without any noise.
 
Oh like a buttkicker? Not really what I'm after I don't think
 
Don't knock it til you've tried it. They're awesome. However it's not really the solution here as to get a proper setup you spend a lot, in the region of £600. If I were you if your budget is tight I'd just buy a secondhand monolith for about £250.
 

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