Recommend a subwoofer?

[ecbmxer]

So I am in the process of building my 5.1 system consisting of Tritrix speakers. Sealed MTM center, sealed MT surrounds, TL MTM mains. I started with the center and surrounds (will serve as a 3.0 system until I buy the other stuff) and I just received all my speakers and crossover components yesterday. Enclosures are pretty much finished, and I just need to install drivers and put together my crossovers.

However, I am in need of a subwoofer still. I was wondering if anybody could recommend a good subwoofer to match my planned system? I am planning on either (1) a DIY Dayton sub or (2) an Elemental Designs ported sub. Obviously it will be cheaper to go DIY, depending on what I do, so that's where I'm looking for some advice. I still have almost a whole sheet of 3/4" MDF, so I should be good on major materials. I'd like the sub to be able to go low, having usable output at 20 Hz. Also, I saw the 240W Dayton plate amp is on sale for $109 now , so if it would provide enough output I'd like to use it.

I had the initial though of using a Dayton Classic 15 in a ported enclosure, but am unsure still.

Thanks for any help! Also, if you have a link to a recommended design that would be very helpful!

[kmibb]

So I am in the process of building my 5.1 system consisting of Tritrix speakers. Sealed MTM center, sealed MT surrounds, TL MTM mains. I started with the center and surrounds (will serve as a 3.0 system until I buy the other stuff) and I just received all my speakers and crossover components yesterday. Enclosures are pretty much finished, and I just need to install drivers and put together my crossovers.

However, I am in need of a subwoofer still. I was wondering if anybody could recommend a good subwoofer to match my planned system? I am planning on either (1) a DIY Dayton sub or (2) an Elemental Designs ported sub. Obviously it will be cheaper to go DIY, depending on what I do, so that's where I'm looking for some advice. I still have almost a whole sheet of 3/4" MDF, so I should be good on major materials. I'd like the sub to be able to go low, having usable output at 20 Hz. Also, I saw the 240W Dayton plate amp is on sale for $109 now , so if it would provide enough output I'd like to use it.

I had the initial though of using a Dayton Classic 15 in a ported enclosure, but am unsure still.

Thanks for any help! Also, if you have a link to a recommended design that would be very helpful!

There's a 10" Dayton RS in the classifieds as well as a 15" Dayton Quatro.

Both are better and for cheap right now!

[Dirttracker73]

The Dayton 18" DCS450-4 looks good in a 9.5cu.ft. net volume box with a 6" dia. x 6.5" long vent tube tuning it to 24Hz. Big and powerful for small dollars, especially if you take advantage of the 240watt plate amp sale. Take a look at the attached models. Not very many drivers can come close to this at 200watts.

[Pete Schumacher ®]

So I am in the process of building my 5.1 system consisting of Tritrix speakers. Sealed MTM center, sealed MT surrounds, TL MTM mains. I started with the center and surrounds (will serve as a 3.0 system until I buy the other stuff) and I just received all my speakers and crossover components yesterday. Enclosures are pretty much finished, and I just need to install drivers and put together my crossovers.

However, I am in need of a subwoofer still. I was wondering if anybody could recommend a good subwoofer to match my planned system? I am planning on either (1) a DIY Dayton sub or (2) an Elemental Designs ported sub. Obviously it will be cheaper to go DIY, depending on what I do, so that's where I'm looking for some advice. I still have almost a whole sheet of 3/4" MDF, so I should be good on major materials. I'd like the sub to be able to go low, having usable output at 20 Hz. Also, I saw the 240W Dayton plate amp is on sale for $109 now , so if it would provide enough output I'd like to use it.

I had the initial though of using a Dayton Classic 15 in a ported enclosure, but am unsure still.

Thanks for any help! Also, if you have a link to a recommended design that would be very helpful!

The Quatro 15, in 5 cubic feet, tuned to 20Hz, is a very capable system, not too expensive, and not too large.

Add a 240W amp and you'll have over 107dB at 20Hz and over 110dB at 30Hz.

[kmibb]

I modeled the Quatro 15" with an SA240-B in an 18" cube (2.53 cu ft) and got

F3 26.11Hz
F6 23.37Hz
F10 20.17Hz

I'll look for some good modeling with vented where the Quatro is supposed to model better.

[kmibb]

15" Quatro with SA240 in 5 cu ft 25Hx18Wx25D and a 4"Dx20"L port yielded

F3 24.71Hz
F6 18.56Hz
F10 15.01Hz

The SA240 is sold out right now but skim through the forums because I saw a guy on there saying he had 2 for sale a few days ago.

[ecbmxer]

Thanks for the suggestions! I like the Quattro 15, but it's almost the same price as a Dayton Reference 10 or 12. How is it that those Reference 10s model so well? I did a 4 ft3 box tuned to I think 21 Hz and it was super flat to below 20 Hz. I really like them, especially being able to use such a small box!

Whats the general consensus of the max port air speed you want to stay below? Also, how do you handle over excursion in some frequencies? Like is there a certain % above that is OK, or what do you do to make sure the woofer isn't damaged? I modeled a few subs and everything looked good. I put 240W input power into WinISD, and it showed some over excursion in the 20-30 Hz region. Now, I know that Dayton amp isn't going to put out 240W all the time, so should I use a different value in the program?

Thanks! Still trying to learn how to use WinISD.

[kmibb]

Thanks for the suggestions! I like the Quattro 15, but it's almost the same price as a Dayton Reference 10 or 12. How is it that those Reference 10s model so well? I did a 4 ft3 box tuned to I think 21 Hz and it was super flat to below 20 Hz. I really like them, especially being able to use such a small box!

Whats the general consensus of the max port air speed you want to stay below? Also, how do you handle over excursion in some frequencies? Like is there a certain % above that is OK, or what do you do to make sure the woofer isn't damaged? I modeled a few subs and everything looked good. I put 240W input power into WinISD, and it showed some over excursion in the 20-30 Hz region. Now, I know that Dayton amp isn't going to put out 240W all the time, so should I use a different value in the program?

Thanks! Still trying to learn how to use WinISD.

I always avoid over excursion, but also have had it modeled below the high pass on the amp, which is okay. I think I think the rule of thumb is chuffing kicks in at 17 m/s on port velocity.

The RS series of subwoofers is better than the quatro, hands down. They are very heavy, very nice subs. I only recommended the Quatro because it was available for much cheaper in the classifieds.

Kevin

[ecbmxer]

Yea, I will probably get a new one since I'm building everything from scratch at the same time. I may very well go with one of those Ref 10s. Anybody have a good proven design they can link me to? I mean I can come up with something from the model, but I figure why reinvent the wheel if somebody already has a ported enclosure design that works well. Thanks!

[lunchmoney]

I may very well go with one of those Ref 10s. Anybody have a good proven design they can link me to?

YES

Dayton 10" Ref HF

1 cubic foot sealed PE enclosure (or roll your own)

Dayton 240 watt plate amp "with boost" (SA240B)

About 1 lb of stuffing, no need to line the walls with anything.

I built this based on my own calculations in Winisd... Roman Bednarek (speaker design guru, far more experienced than I) also built the exact same sub, completely by coincident, using other software (I forget which).

Anyways, I'm using this sub in my home theatre with Tritrix mains and center (high passed at about 90 hz), and it performs beautifully... no complaints from the wife either, since it's reasonably small.

Highly recommend! (So does Roman! )

[Stowbari]

I'm thinking about putting together a similar system. How low can the Tritrix TL cross to the sub?

[ecbmxer]

YES

Dayton 10" Ref HF

1 cubic foot sealed PE enclosure (or roll your own)

Dayton 240 watt plate amp "with boost" (SA240B)

About 1 lb of stuffing, no need to line the walls with anything.

I built this based on my own calculations in Winisd... Roman Bednarek (speaker design guru, far more experienced than I) also built the exact same sub, completely by coincident, using other software (I forget which).

Anyways, I'm using this sub in my home theatre with Tritrix mains and center (high passed at about 90 hz), and it performs beautifully... no complaints from the wife either, since it's reasonably small.

Highly recommend! (So does Roman! )

Hmmm, I like that but with such a small sealed enclosure, I can't imagine you get much useful output down around 20 Hz (maybe I'm wrong though). I like the way it models in a 4 ft3 vented box tuned to 20 Hz alot more I may go with that type of a setup. Anybody else?

[kmibb]

Hmmm, I like that but with such a small sealed enclosure, I can't imagine you get much useful output down around 20 Hz (maybe I'm wrong though). I like the way it models in a 4 ft3 vented box tuned to 20 Hz alot more I may go with that type of a setup. Anybody else?

If you go ported don't use the boosted amp.

[lunchmoney]

If you go ported don't use the boosted amp.

+1

[ecbmxer]

Yea, I would go with the regular one for ported. Which is now out of stock until after the end date of the sale