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There's a lot more bass in a 6.5" driver than most of you think

One topic of discussion I often see new audiophiles touch on is whether to get larger speakers for more bass.

I usually suggest they tune the room first, then re-evaluate. This is based on listening and measurement in several apartments I’ve lived in. Bigger speakers can be nothing but trouble if the room is not ready.


In particular, I often claim that the right room treatment can make smaller speakers behave much larger. So, to back up my claims I’d like to submit to you my recent blog post here:

https://speakermakersjourney.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-snr-1-room-response-and-roon.html


Look at the bass response from those little drivers! :)


I admit for a lot of listeners these speakers won’t seem as punchy as you might like, but for an apartment dweller who does 50/50 music and theater they are ideal for me. If you’d like punchy, talk to Fritz who aligns his drivers with more oomf in the bass.


erik_squires
asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
4,264 posts
 
...the interesting thing about line arrays is when all those small speakers combine for bass lines.  If one doesn't get too enthusiastic with the drive levels, they respond quite nicely...

I remember my 901's of eons past....not all that accurate, but plenty of it...;)
erik_squires OP
15,657 posts
 
Thank you all for participating so actively, especially those who can share personal, specific experiences and who read the nuance in my original post.

I was thinking of something that I think has helped this discussion: I used a DIY speaker as my example, otherwise many would accuse me of shilling for a particular brand. At the same time, I don't mean to imply only this speaker can output this much bass in a modest listening space, I'm sure many others can as well.


kenjit
1,771 posts
 
 I used a DIY speaker as my example, otherwise many would accuse me of shilling for a particular brand
you used your own DIY designs. And all the effort youve spent making that response curve as flat as a pancake has been a waste because that was the wrong curve. You will need it completely retuned now. We need to examine the off axis curve too.
adameos
66 posts
 
I think I read somewhere (KEF I believe) that the natural resonant frequency of a 15” woofer is lower so therefore it generates lower frequency bass with more ease? Is there truth to the notion that a smaller bass driver (6.5” - 10” etc.) will be quicker sounding / more resolving than 15” drivers? I’ve heard many biG horn / compression driver JBLs with 15”woofers that sound very fast and agile in the bass. I had a pair of KEF Maidstone R109 that had huge 15” drivers that sounds very agile and ‘big’ too.
erik_squires OP
15,657 posts
 
Hi @adameos
Is there truth to the notion that a smaller bass driver (6.5” - 10” etc.) will be quicker sounding / more resolving than 15” drivers?

No, but that’s what we are touching on here. Less bass = low risk.


I’ve heard many biG horn / compression driver JBLs with 15”woofers that sound very fast and agile in the bass.


There is simply no substitute for surface are when it comes to deep bass and high output levels, especially in a test chamber or outdoors with no reflection points.

The trouble really is the room. Small rooms, untreated are much friendlier to smaller speakers with limited bass output. And that’s the blog post. :)
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