New sub project - driver choices

[Pete Alcock]

I need some meatier subs for the forcoming summer season, and since I have a circular saw, some skill and a bass box design program, I'm going to make them and save a fortune.

 

I've been looking at what's on offer from the premium manufacturers and see that D&B C7 Subs and Q Subs can achieve around 134dB from a single 18" driver. This is the kind of thing I'm looking for and have now been researching suitable drivers. I'm going to use the best I can (B&C, PD or PHL) and will take the necessary care over port tuning etc.

 

Now when I look at drivers on PHL's website I see their 1000W driver (type 7010, and purportedly one of the best in the world) will deliver a peak spl of 124dB - a long way short of where I'd like to be. 7010 datasheet.

http://www.phlaudio.com/images/photos/SP7010F2.526.jpg

 

I know that well-known manufacturers like Turbosound, and I think Nexo, use PHL drivers and their boxes are achieving 130dB+.

 

So, are PHL being very conservative with the ratings of their drivers, or are the likes of D&B being "optimistic"? ( I can't see that somehow, given their stature). We're talking a difference of 10dB here!

 

Anyone in the speaker industry care to give some insight here? Appreciated as always.

 

Pete.

[wilkee]

It looks like they are being honest and taking into account the "Power Compression".

 

Do not forget Beyma and BMS drivers both widely used in more upmarket boxes.

 

Tony

[ChazHS]

RCF drivers are also very good.

[smalljoshua]

Take a look at Speaker Plans, it is probably the best place to talk about this kind of stuff.

 

Josh

[Rob_Beech]

The 7010 seems to work better in boxes that it wasn't designed to work in. They work fantastically in the old Turbo TSE118 though sound very one note and loose in the Thunder Ridge SB2000 which coincidentally I was using a pair of last night. The latter being a box designed for this driver. The 2 box designs are similar too. (apart from 1 being a dual driver)

 

Expensive, power thirsty and fragile. Lots of magnet problems with PHL drivers. A shame really as in the right box they really do their stuff and sound good.

 

Remember that the figures posted on the d&b site are maximum figures, with lots of processing. There is nothing wrong with stating this figure, and they do tell you how it is obtained so there is nothing hidden here.

 

Also remember that manufacturers spend alot of time and money and select the right box design for drivers, or design drivers and boxes together. Designing a box that works as efficiently as one off the shelf from the high end manufacturers is something that rarely happens.

 

You need your software to recognise the driver details and characteristics and design a box.