Woofer question: One big versus several small?

[kevintomb]

I do believe that several smaller woofers obviously can equal one or two much larger woofers, just a matter of cone size and xmax.

But, I also believe that many smaller woofers, usually can not be as cost effective as one good much larger woofer also. Or, something must be compromised beyond just matching the cone sizes, to keep the price equal.

[AEIOU]

That's not actually the case. Since sensitivity goes up by 6dB/volt with each doubling of driver count the opposite can be true. But the no free lunch rule applies, the driver cost will usually be higher with multiple drivers, and that's why they don't own the marketplace. As for the lack of large driver 3 ways, that's the result of using 2 way mains with 1 way subs. It's still a 3 way system, contained in more than one box. Since that offers the option to place the low frequency sources and higher frequency sources where each works best, which is almost never within the same footprint, it's by and large a better way to go.

Yeah, even if four 6.5 inch woofers have the same surface area as a 12 inch woofer, the 12 inch woofer still reproduces half an octave or more of deep bass, since the fs of a 12 inch woofer is obviously lower and the 12 inch woofer was designed to move a lot of air.

[billfitzmaurice]

The size of a woofer has no direct relationship with Fs.

[fpitas]

The size of a woofer has no direct relationship with Fs.

Yes, exactly.. The 8s I used (Peerless 830869) in a quad array have an Fs of 30Hz, and are in a box tuned to 28Hz. They respond smoothly up to the 800Hz crossover, too.

[fpitas]

Yes, exactly.. The 8s I used (Peerless 830869) in a quad array have an Fs of 30Hz, and are in a box tuned to 28Hz. They respond smoothly up to the 800Hz crossover, too.

I'll add (since I can't edit anything !@#$%^&) that they respond smoothly up to the 800Hz crossover.