TB 5.25" and 6.5" Passive Radiators - Who Would Want?

[Taterworks]

One thing that's bothered me about the high-excursion Tang Band 5.25" and 6.5" subs is that they tend to like small enclosures with long, snaking ports. Yet I'm not aware of any 5.25" or 6.5" passive radiators with the ability to displace as much air as the 5.25" and 6.5" Tang Band high-excursion subs. Peerless has a 5.25" and Seas has a 6.5", yes, but neither one can quite keep up with the Tang Band subs' displacement capabilities, even when doubled up.

Parts Express has been known in the past to order completely custom drivers from Tang Band, and has also been known in the past to be responsive to the community when a certain product becomes popular, so here's my thought: perhaps with Parts Express' buying power and the right persuasion, they could source a couple of passive radiators from Tang Band to match the W5-1138 and W6-1139 subwoofers.

These passive radiators would make miniature cube-subs viable, and would also be useful for compact full-range loudspeakers where it is not desired to use multiple passive radiators or larger side-firing PRs to make up the necessary displacement. So if such a thing were available, who would want it?

[Thezeek]

I would.

[tomzarbo]

If the price was right, 2/3 the price of a driver or less, with adjustable mass I'd be in for a few.

TomZ

[diy speaker guy]

I'd be very interested if they were about $10 each.

[HareBrained]

You could always step up to an 8" or 10" PR, especially for the 6.5" TB. That adds a few more options. The Velodyne Mini-Impact uses a 6.5" driver with an 8" PR. I know this because Fry's has a pile of them on sale for $199.

[Wolf]

I've OFTEN thought these were missing from their lineup, but know the 'Ace-Bass' unit to have a TB 10" PR with 4x 1138's running active. There are also smaller PR's in the Logitech stuff.

Should we storm the gates, and demand TB PR's??

I THINK SO!!!!

Good post, Rory,
Wolf

[Wolf]

You could always step up to an 8" or 10" PR, especially for the 6.5" TB. That adds a few more options. The Velodyne Mini-Impact uses a 6.5" driver with an 8" PR. I know this because Fry's has a pile of them on sale for $199.

The 8" Dayton will not work with the 1139. You require a 10" SD PR to do the deed well. 8" with the 1138 works.
Later,
Wolf

[Taterworks]

You could always step up to an 8" or 10" PR, especially for the 6.5" TB. That adds a few more options. The Velodyne Mini-Impact uses a 6.5" driver with an 8" PR. I know this because Fry's has a pile of them on sale for $199.

Off-topic, but I own one of these. (It's used at my PC with a NuForce Icon-1/S-1 system, and it's pretty competent for its size and price. I also own a MiniVee.)

So, what kind of PR diaphragm would you want? Would it be just the existing cone and suspension with a paperboard tube instead of a VC former? Or would you prefer a flat MDF or aluminum honeycomb diaphragm?

[critofur]

I usually prefer my PRs to look exactly the same as the (sub)woofers - from the front, at least.

I'd say you'd want at least two (if they're of equal size) PRs per active driver.

[PunkSweeper]

YES! POOR MAN'S SUNFIRE AUDIO SUBS!


It could even be done with same-sized PRs, lots of mass, loss of transients compensated for by extremely small cab volume, some EQ on the low end...

I've got an 1139 just sitting around, waiting for something this awesome....


*froth froth*

[arlis_1957@yahoo.com]

i already have the 6.5 driver, im in for two too.

[tomzarbo]

Now that I think about it more, how cool would a tower MTMPSP look with the bottom three drivers being a 6.5" passive, neo sub, passive?

An all Tang Band mini tower speaker reaching down to the 20's or below would be entirely possible.... AND, most of us have at least a few of those neo subs floating around somewhere in the house. Run the sub off of a 70 watt plate amp and use the bi-amp unit for the MTM and it would have a chance to take the unlimited class at DIY Dayton 2010. Plus it could run off a portable MP3 player or such.

We could reduce our driver inventory -AND- build a cool new project. My wife might go for this if I sell it right!

TomZ

[tomzarbo]

Something like this...

TomZ

[christianb]

Something like this...

TomZ

I would think a downfall to a design like this is the very low sensitivity in the upper 70's after you compensate for baffle step loss. Though, Wolf has a design with the single 6.5" TB neo and it sounded awesome at the Dayton DIY a couple of years ago.

[Wolf]

I would think a downfall to a design like this is the very low sensitivity in the upper 70's after you compensate for baffle step loss. Though, Wolf has a design with the single 6.5" TB neo and it sounded awesome at the Dayton DIY a couple of years ago.

I'm also working on an 8" 4-way "Athos" project. :D:D

It should be capable of the same performance, and THEN some!
Later, and thanks again for raving the 'Icthus',
Wolf

[Taterworks]

I think for the two-way, having a built-in Dayton SA70 amp to power each woofer section would be essential to such a tower project, but it would be awesome. I'm mostly interested in the mini-Sunfire-style sub, or another cube-type sub.

PE, are you listening?

[jonpike]

You could always step up to an 8" or 10" PR, especially for the 6.5" TB. That adds a few more options. The Velodyne Mini-Impact uses a 6.5" driver with an 8" PR. I know this because Fry's has a pile of them on sale for $199.

Hmmm... Wonder how much the 8" TB sub minus it's magnet assembly would have to cost? To use the basic cone, basket and spider would satisfy the "cohesive look" requirement... and as Wolf brings up, you need more PR size typically than the driver you're working with. That would give you more PR Sd to work with. Not to mention huge excursion.

So having the 8" PR (or a pair) would work well with the 6.5". Do they have a 10" in the series?

[jonpike]

The 8" Dayton will not work with the 1139. You require a 10" SD PR to do the deed well. 8" with the 1138 works.
Later,
Wolf

Ever model two of the 8" Daytons for one 1139, Wolf? I did some modeling, looked possible, but haven't tried it yet. (bought 4 of those long ago on a DOTD) Much skinnier on the excursion than a TB PR might be, but 2 8"s is a goodly amount of cone area...

Might have to dust off some boxes and actually TRY something... ;-)

[Wolf]

Ever model two of the 8" Daytons for one 1139, Wolf? I did some modeling, looked possible, but haven't tried it yet. (bought 4 of those long ago on a DOTD) Much skinnier on the excursion than a TB PR might be, but 2 8"s is a goodly amount of cone area...

Might have to dust off some boxes and actually TRY something... ;-)

By the time you get it tuned low enough, the PR's are overexcursing, and they have too much mass attached and overload them. It's mainly that they can't support the mass required.
Later,
Wolf

[PunkSweeper]

Yeah, you may aswell build a Triska sub. Those are great.