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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.   

audiotruth
deep_333
2,440 posts
 

Right, it will do your 30hz sitting at the wrong location in your room and a real sht sounding 30hz with that what size driver again? Further, if you have a woofer moving a lot to cover the lower octaves, it inevitably screws up the upper octaves. For a lackluster system or a guy with low standards, doesn't know what good sound is or bad sound is, none of that really matters, So, enjoy the music.

 

@bartsw  wrote

You are right; I mean 0.0007% or 1 octave from 15-30Hz (15/20kHz) because a good speaker can do 30Hz without help.

bartsw's avatar
bartsw
238 posts
 

@deep_333 

Right, it will do your 30hz sitting at the wrong location in your room and a real sht sounding 30hz with that what size driver again?

That’s all wrong theory and ’science’ you’ve been reading. In reality... real life, I have to knock down the lower frequencies by 7-9dB to reduce (not eliminate) the bass overload, F3 around 23Hz, 15"x35" room. Contrary, it sounds like your setup with four $100K 150" subwoofer and multiple $0.50 1" speaker is low standard.

https://mega.nz/file/7cAjwahR#mWahbLN7l33k3Ig2gzjPDvnUbNF6ll0-Yopm8Ignkpw

 

Subwoofers only needed below 40Hz, for most floor standing speakers, and almost any budget subs can do that job well.

fiesta75
1,535 posts
 

I agree with "squared", they don't and the cannot.

deep_333
2,440 posts
 

Hmm, almost sounds like some room modes excited by the f3 @ 23hz sbeaker rattled ther room and/or skeletal structure, the uninitiated might refer to it as overload, etc and try to knock 9db off the apparently ’full range’ speaker, he was sold, instead of nullifying those modes with strategic integration of a li’l sub.

Speaking of, what is this mighty speaker you speak of,  mighty lord moloch. Tell me what it is, so i too shall become eternal...

@bartsw wrote

. In reality... real life, I have to knock down the lower frequencies by 7-9dB to reduce (not eliminate) the bass overload, F3 around 23Hz, 15"x35" room. Contrary, it sounds like your setup with four $100K 150" subwoofer and multiple $0.50 1" speaker is low standard.

bartsw's avatar
bartsw
238 posts
 

@deep_333  you’re still making theoretical claims without actually trying it yourself. I mentioned earlier everything. Floor standing speakers combined with subs give you the best coverage and performance. You don’t need to break a budget on subs relative to speakers. btw there's a dip around 100Hz as the chart may show signs of the offset, which... tada overloads the frequencies below it.

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