Smallest woofer for bass? curious

basscooker · #1 02-03-2012, 03:05 PM

Here's a question for the gurus

at what point does a driver become too small to coax any useful low frequencies out of? in the real world. including any tuning or cabinet tricks being on the table, when do you reach the limit on it? and arrays included, how small can you REALLY go? i'm just thinking into the keyboard here and wondering.
that is all.
thank you.

**jbybj** · #2 02-03-2012, 03:13 PM

Phil Jones uses 5" drivers, and the different PJ cabs I've heard have plenty of bottom.

Grabow · #3 02-03-2012, 03:25 PM

not the smallest (jbyby is correct) I run an 8 x 8 Traynor cabinet
lots of Bottom, even run my 5er through it
not so much about speaker size as it is cabinet design

majortoby · #4 02-03-2012, 03:43 PM

I don't think there is a minimum, per se, so much as there is a point at which producing such a small woofer would be too impractical to bother doing so.

basscooker · #5 02-03-2012, 03:43 PM

yeah. even though it was a practice amp roland went with 4's. i was thinking no more than say 16 speakers? could a cab be designed with 3's or 2's or something that sounds insane? even if only as a higher powered practice peice, not like 20 watts, like 75-80. USEFUL with extremely small drivers. i'm dying to hear a cab by Phil Jones, i haven't had the opportunity. same with a NY 4x6.

seamonkey · #6 02-03-2012, 03:54 PM

You can get them that fit in your ears - AKA ear buds/head phones

basscooker · #7 02-03-2012, 03:55 PM

i'm not sure i'd want 80 watt headphones

billfitzmaurice · #8 02-03-2012, 03:57 PM

Eights are as small as you'd want to go. It's not that you can't use smaller, but you have to use so many of them that the cost becomes a major issue. If you look at similar eights through fifteens (like the Eminence Beta series) there's not a huge difference in their prices.

basscooker · #9 02-03-2012, 04:03 PM

Not even with your sourcerers handbooks and design majik? if i wanted to pool the collective knowledge of the world to make a single cab just to satisfy my curiosity, where would the physics finally defeat the design? could 100000 earbuds give you a fat thump? just typing out of nether regions here... humor me?

StuartV · #10 02-03-2012, 04:10 PM

You CAN build a full-on PA, with a full bottom end, out of piezos, if you want to.

I think Bill has actually done work in this area.

I remember reading something a while back about building PA systems out of huge arrays of piezoelectric speakers where some of the speakers put out a reference frequency of something like 20,000Hz, and then the rest put out anywhere from 20,020Hz to 40,000Hz. The sound wave interference produced audible frequencies of 20Hz - 20,000Hz.

Or something like that.

billfitzmaurice · #11 02-03-2012, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StuartV

You CAN build a full-on PA, with a full bottom end, out of piezos, if you want to.

Electrostatics, yes. Piezos, no. They only go to about 2kHz, no matter how many you use.

jungleheat · #12 02-04-2012, 01:51 AM

What? BFM is making delineations about speakers based on size? Is it a full moon?

And just as I was gathering all the necessary materials to make my new stereo cabs with 21" tweeters and 2" woofers. I may have to reconsider my design now.

Avezzano · #13 02-04-2012, 04:36 AM

Quote:

Eights are as small as you'd want to go.

Legitimate opinion. Myself I've built this beautiful 2x6,5" with two Ciare CM161 in series and it delivers all the lows you want and an overall juicy, very usable and absolutely good tone.

This is THE ultimate cabinet.....

Arjank · #14 02-04-2012, 04:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jungleheat

What? BFM is making delineations about speakers based on size? Is it a full moon?

Piezo's just do not go that low, they are limited mechanical wise. They do not have a voice coil that moves in and out. Even if you would enlarge the paper cone that is attached to the piezo element it will not extend the region below 2khz much.

blindrabbit · #15 02-04-2012, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grabow

not the smallest (jbyby is correct) I run an 8 x 8 Traynor cabinet
lots of Bottom, even run my 5er through it
not so much about speaker size as it is cabinet design

+1. I tried out this cabinet with my 5 string bass when amp shopping, and it sounded amazing, by far my favourite cab. If it wasn't for the size/weight, I would have bought it. If only Traynor made a 2x8"...

Anyway, point is that as a 5 string player, I've always loved anything with 8" speakers in it, and never had a problem with low end from them.