IMO. HT NEEDS a sub or two.
How do small woofers produce large bass?
Hi All,
I am looking at loudspeakers... I currently own the Arendal 1723 THX Monitors. 2 8" woofers each. I listen to probably 80% home theater and 20% pure two-channel music of all sorts. I am contemplating upgrading the speakers, and there are a number that I am very interested in. The Arendals are killer for music and home theater. In fact crazy amazing at home theater. I have also 2 SVS SB-3000 subs.
But as we all know, wanting to upgrade. blah blah ad nauseum. :)
And most everything I’m looking at has 6.5" bass drivers, usually 2 per speaker. I am looking at the Acoustic Energy Corinium, the KEF R11 Meta, the Dali Opticon 8 MKII, and the PSB T600.
I have a fear that the bass will be plenty for two-channel music, but won’t have that bad-ass slam of the Arendal’s dual 8" drivers. So my question is sort of a scientific one or a physics one. I am baffled as to how the 6.5" drivers in all of these new speakers are going to produce home theater sized bass. I’ve watched every video, read every article about those 4 contenders (above) - and everything/everybody says essentially "no worries, the woofers are lighter and faster, and since there are two of them, they make a great deal of bass. I just think I’m not seeing the "science" or "physics" of that. Like how are these 6.5" drivers going to handle something incredibly powerful/dynamic (bomb blasts/gun shots/thunder/explosions etc etc??? I’m afraid I’ll be let down by something like the PSB T600’s or the KEF R11 Metas when head to head with the dual 8" drivers in my Arendals. I’m hoping people can assure me and/or run through the science.... thanks to all. Oh, and yes, I do cross over to my two subs at 60Hz.
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- 66 posts total
I read some of the responses ( 30 at the time ) and while I think that all of the answers are well meaning, and some are very good, all the ones that I read completely forget this statement: I have also 2 SVS SB-3000 subs. Unless you are not going to use those subs, why are you worrying about how much base is to come from your main speakers. I have a single SVS SB-2000 PRO with a set of Maggies, with the 3 db down point for the sub set at 65 hz, and if there is base in the recording, IT COMES OUT. |
@audiotruth wrote:
You’re definitely on to something, and my advice would be for you to stick with your gut feeling about the physics requirements. With that in mind: Given you’re apparently much more invested in home theater vs. music (80/20%), I’m surprised to see you single out speaker items that are, how shall I put it, on the anemic side physically and more exclusively linked to or associated with two-channel music reproduction. Have you investigated into speakers like JTR? Their home theater series appear to be addressing what you may be after and aren’t shy in the displacement and efficiency side of things which, from my chair, are equally important with both music and home theater use. It’s interesting, not to mention sometimes infuriating seeing the lengths marketing departments will go trying to convince potential buyers that small sized woofers and speakers overall are close to the equivalent of the second coming. To my mind anything below 12-15" shouldn’t be called a woofer, although much smaller drivers for domestic use are nevertheless used as exactly that with low fs, low efficiency and all to suit a small physical framework and still wanting fairly deep extension - with all that implies. Small size in speakers isn’t a design incentive brought forth with the primary intention to what suits or accommodates good sound; largely it’s about selling speakers more easily while invariably being faced with the obstacles small size produces, and yet it’s almost being sold off as the opposite: an advantage. From a buyers perspective, why would you fold to such a claim with little to no basis in physics? In audiophilia size of speakers has become incredibly expensive. Small 2-way stand mounted speakers easily cost north of $10-15k/pair (ridiculous when you think of if), turning their larger floor standing brethren into very costly affairs - and even they rarely accommodate physics in a desirable fashion. This, among other things, is the primary reason why I’ve looked elsewhere for years, i.e.: in the direction of the pro segment of speakers to gain both size, efficiency and developments in driver design at a considerably lesser price than anything found in domestically oriented products that would even attempt a similar feat (usually with no success). |
I would't disagree with the possibly of using HT speakers in this application. But I disagree with people using the term physics and science as if it's a complete equation.
A 12-15" HT driver can be room overload for many homes above 80Hz. Thus to get the most clean and beautiful sound for mid-range and music with the lease room mode, smaller drivers could be more appropriate. |
- 66 posts total

