Does a 1x15 have any advantage over a 1x18?

[seamonkey]

Powersoft M-Force for big subs. Moving magnet design.
It's like the new brushless motors in all the power tools everywhere - except now in a sub.
They take huge amounts of power for those who want to use up huge amounts of power.

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

@prater try setting up your cabinets as you usually do but leave the 18 disconnected. See how you like the tone and clarity.

The problem OP will run into is that with the 1x18 disconnected, he'll lose floor coupling, so he'll think he's losing "bass".
That's what the bottom cab does, which is how (and why) mixed cab lovers can say that their mixed cabs have better low end.

What OP should do is put the 1x18 on top of the 4x10, see how that goes.
He likely won't dig it, which will tell him that he really doesn't like the 1x18.
Buuut people are people so it'll just be assumed that the 4x10 on top is better and the 1x18 is fine on bottom.
Sigh.

 

[BassmanPaul]

He may have to change his EQ settings to compensate but the typical 4x10 is far more capable to reproduce lows than either a typical 15 or 18. Very often floor coupling brings artefacts that lead to more bloom. it's why many players elevate their cabinets.

I also have to admit that I have a dislike for 18" drivers. I've yet to play through any that I liked.

 

[beans-on-toast]

Does a 1x15 have any advantage over a 1x18?

It depends on who is carrying it.

 

[beans-on-toast]

The coil material can make a difference in terms of SPL, other than aluminum and copper there are magnesium alloys. Being lighter it allows more oomph.

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[Turn Em Loose]

No. A 1x18 is three more better than a 1x15.

It's just simple math.

 

[Basshappi]

Is there any advantage the 1x15 would have over a 1x18?

Not as much as 2 - 2X15's.

 

[Rick James]

The problem OP will run into is that with the 1x18 disconnected, he'll lose floor coupling, so he'll think he's losing "bass".

If you mean mechanical coupling it doesn't exist, outside of the advertising for devices that claim to both increase it and decrease it. If you mean acoustic coupling you only lose that when the cab is 1/4 wavelength or more off the floor. At 100 Hz that's about 3 feet, so you can lose midbass, but at 60 Hz that's 4 1/2 feet, so you're not likely to lose low end.

That's what the bottom cab does, which is how (and why) mixed cab lovers can say that their mixed cabs have better low end.

The bottom cab increases system sensitivity and adds driver displacement, so that's why two cabs, almost any two cabs, will have better low end than one cab.

 

[agedhorse]

I put that in there mostly as a joke. However.. it was my understanding that rotary "woofers" were pretty much the only thing that could do real infrasonic. (<< 20 Hz). Not that it's all that useful unless you're communicating with elephants or doing scientific experiments. Now you're going to tell me that Santa Claus isn't real either.

There's plenty of ways to generate and reproduce infrasonics, even suitable cone speakers but the enclosures get kind of large, heavy, and the high frequency extension suffers greatly due to the mass, compliance and inductance involved with this kind of driver. They also tend to use active compensation, mostly variants on Bag End's ELF processing.

 

[baxter_x]

I'm not really into those big woofers. I've owned a 18" combo in the past. All I remember is it was slow and lacked definition

 

[MobileHolmes]

I guess I've never played a higher end 18 (I'm assuming people make these) but the cheap ones I used to encounter in the late 80s-early 90s were generally pretty mushy sounding

 

[MobileHolmes]

But how about 2x32!!!??? Running at .5 ohm?? The TROUBLEMAKER. 650 OZ NEO MAGNET.


DS18 TM-SN32 Troublemaker 32-Inch Neodymium 20,000 Watts 1-Ohm Subwoofer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HS8QJOM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_UAXUAb48W80S3

Just the speakers in that are 428Lbs. And I can't imagine how much cab you'd need

 

[monsterthompson]

It depends...

Quoted for truth.

Brand. Cabinet dimensions. Driver excursion. Porting. Etc. The list of meaningful factors, beyond woofer diameter, is pretty extensive.

 

[Munjibunga]

Yes. Fifteens sound better.

 

[Onepack]

I use a 4x10 stacked on a 1x18 currently. Recently I plugged into a friends 2x15 and thought it sounded incredible. This has me really eyeing a 1x15 to replace my 1x18 in my rig.

Is there any advantage the 1x15 would have over a 1x18?

Yes - it's lighter! BUT . . . .
try a Barefaced SuperTwin if you can get your hands on one. 2x12 and unbelievable!! 18Kgs and 1200w ' 4ohms

 

[redneck2wild]

My cabs are a Fender rumble 410 over a PA sub containing an Eminence Sigma 18a2.

Eminence Sigma 18A2 Specs:
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The sensitivity of the Rumble 410 is not listed on the Fender site.
Fender uses Eminence OEM speakers in some of their cabinets.
The Rumble 410 may use speakers similar to a BP102, B810 or B102.
http://www.eminence.com/pdf/Legend_BP102.pdf
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The sub with the Eminence Sigma 18a2 may have a sensitivity close to a 410 using any of the above 10" speakers.

 

[agedhorse]

The coil material can make a difference in terms of SPL, other than aluminum and copper there are magnesium alloys. Being lighter it allows more oomph.

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The practical problem with using magnesium (aside from fire if the coil becomes intermittent or burns open) is that it has about twice the resistance per foot yet the weight isn't 1/2 that of aluminum (for a given wire geometry). I can't see any real world benefit.

Note that in the JBL example, they are using 3.5% Magnesium as an alloying agent to change the thermal coefficient of the voice coil, but the resistivity will change much less than 100% Magnesium.

The reason Al works so well compared with copper is that the resistivity goes up less than the weight goes down. This is (in part) where the improvement comes from. The challenge with aluminum is expansion/contraction with heat, but it's pretty well controlled. Adding a SMALL amount of Magnesium in the alloy changes the coefficient of thermal expansion faster than it increases resistivity. They are not looking for a meaningful change of weight.

 

[beans-on-toast]

The practical problem with using magnesium (aside from fire if the coil becomes intermittent or burns open) is that it has about twice the resistance per foot yet the weight isn't 1/2 that of aluminum (for a given wire geometry). I can't see any real world benefit.

Note that in the JBL example, they are using 3.5% Magnesium as an alloying agent to change the thermal coefficient of the voice coil, but the resistivity will change much less than 100% Magnesium.

The reason Al works so well compared with copper is that the resistivity goes up less than the weight goes down. This is (in part) where the improvement comes from. The challenge with aluminum is expansion/contraction with heat, but it's pretty well controlled. Adding a SMALL amount of Magnesium in the alloy changes the coefficient of thermal expansion faster than it increases resistivity. They are not looking for a meaningful change of weight.

I take it they were trying to address the change in the coil wire resistance with temperature.

A search turned up one reference to it being used, the 2213Nd-2 woofer, in a bookshelf speaker:

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[Nick Thorpe]

Maybe. Most 18's are more of a sub to compliment the more full range cabs. My 18 goes to about 2Khz. Good if you like super dark. 15's tend to be more full range. Full range bass fundamentals that is.

Dear OP, what cabs do you have and what 2 x 15 did you play/like?

Agreed. I use a 2x10 and a 1x15 now. Only thinking about using an 18 with a crossover because one of my bands wants a super low "chest shaker" option for heavy drops. Not something you'd need in most popular music unless it's some kind of metal or electronic type stuff with super lows.

 

[diegom]

You and me both. I actually saw a 22" driver once. Made my mouth water.

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Enjoy!!!
WORLD'S BIGGEST SPEAKER 80 Inch

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