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Woofing "Q"

Todays query pertains to sub matching to a stand mounted two or three way speaker. Irrespective of room acoustics and crossover over or underlaping points and levels. What are the effects of mis matching Q or damping. Is it detremental to match a acoustic suspension sub with a ported monitor or must they both have the same box alignment. This assuming that a sealed box is quicker than than a bass reflex box. I curently am using sealed Yamaha 10m monitors with a Yamaha sub that has two 8 in drivers and a port. It is matched pretty well. The Cary 805c is telling me I need to step up my game, but I don't want to lose my alignment match. Halp before I make a 'greener grass' mistake.
lewhite
lewhite OP
156 posts
 
I understand that level and xover point are adjustable and must be optiomised first but adjustable dampining Now that's a new concept . Marty: is it more noticible to have an over damped sub (lower number) compaired to the monitor or the other way around.
martykl
3,578 posts
 
I'm not sure I have a great answer for that. Slightly underdamping the sub can make the system feel a bit more dynamic and punchy, slight overdamping it can make it seem more transparent. Too much damping and things can go dry and lifeless. However, for me, extreme underdamping is probably the worst condition so, twist my arm, and I'll say that underdamping the sub is worse.
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shadorne
7,467 posts
 
If the Q of your sub is a lot higher than your speakers then you will lose detail in the bass and lower mids and the sound will not be as clean and tight.

Sealed subs are really the only way to go if you seek quality rather than an HT sound - but the investment in a sealed sub could be wasted if your speakers are designed with high Q (most speakers with impressive bass extension and small woofers with a port are tuned to a high Q)
lewhite OP
156 posts
 
Can you adjust the damping of a box,either sub or sat, acousticaly, by putting a 'brick' in the box or a 'sock' on the port? Thanks all for your patient answers

"And may powdered sugar fall gently upon your ears"
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shadorne
7,467 posts
 
Can you adjust the damping of a box,either sub or sat, acoustically by putting a 'brick' in the box or a 'sock' on the port?

You can but it may change the freq response in an undesirable way even if it improves the transient response (group delay)...some subs like the PBUltra13 can have the ports plugged. It is certainly an option but there is a rule of thumb for whether a woofer works best in a ported design or a sealed box...
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