What should be influencing my decison? (1 Viewer)

[Josh.L]

Hey everybody. This is just my second post here. Great forum. I'm going to do the DIY sub thing like a lot of other people here with the Adire sub and the PE plate amp. I'm new to HT, so what kind of questions should I be asking myself when choosing between the shiva and tempest, sealed or ported, and size of the enclosure. To start, I want to use this sub for both my HT and music. I don't want a gigantic enclosure (the smaller the better) Are there other factors that I should be taking into consideration like room size and other things like that? I'm from the car audio world, and I consider myself a sealed enclosure type of guy. Do the same attributes of sealed and ported enclosures apply to HT as they do to car audio?

Thanks for all your help,
josh

 

[Darren_T]

Well, from what I've learned you have the caveot of size vs cost and power. If you require a smaller enclosure you will need to go sealed or passive radiator. Ported enclosures are generally a bit big especially for the Tempest. Mine is 214L and is about 34" tall by 22" wide by 24" deep and has 2 3" ports. If you go sealed you might need more power to achieve the same SPL but will possibly be sacrificing low frequency extension.
So, a bigger amp will be more expensive, passive radiators are a bit more expensive also. Others will be able to really help you out, I'm just giving you my understanding as I'm fairly new to DIY subs also. I sure love my Tempest though, it's big but nothing else I've heard in the commercial market can touch it! Disclaimer: I haven't heard them all though
Darren
Darren

 

[Jeremy Stockwell]

Josh,
I suggest you read the Shiva Applications and the Tempest Applications.
If you're looking for a small enclosure, you'll probably want to go sealed. The smallest vented Tempest is 194L (6.8 Sq. Ft.). If for any reason, you decided to go vented, a Shiva in a Adire Alignment might suit your tastes: 85L (3 Sq. Ft.) tuned to 20Hz.
Otherwise, generally sealed allows for a smaller box.
The smaller and more isolated your room, the more likely it is that you'll gain some dBs down low due to room gain.
Read the info. at the Adire links above and you'll get a better idea of specific questions that will help you narrow your search.
JKS

 

[Chris Tsutsui]

If the size isn't a concern, a tempest will allow deeper extension and louder SPLs than a Shiva at a cost of $25 more.
The kind of question you should be asking yourself is:
Do you want louder levels at a cost of about $20 (for ports) and a bigger enclosure? If you want louder levels then go with a vented design, despite what some say, the sound quality won't be lagging with a good bass reflex design (vented enclosure).
Do you want bass that has some mid bass punch to it and can thump with movies and rock music? then go for a smaller box. Do you want bass that has a smooth response down deep for musical purposes then go for a larger box. If you want a compromise between the two you can choose one in between.
I built two tempest adire alignment subs with a design that is among the hardest to execute. Feel free to check it out HERE. I went with the parts express amplifier #300-794 which is the 250 watt plate amp I have as a separate.
I would like to add more to the site with reviews and finished pics but I need to find some spare time.

 

[Josh.L]

thanks everybody for the help. I think I'm going with the vented Shiva in an Adire Alignment (85L) It suits my size requirements along with being good for both audio and HT. Can anybody comment on this setup that has built it. I would love to hear your thougts on how it sounds.

thanks,
josh

 

[Jeffrey Noel]

Josh, I built the 85L or 90L(I forget) Shiva + Passive radiator design that Adire has but I used the Dayton 12" DVC which is about the same at the Shiva. It's tuned to ~22hz and this thing is great. It puts out a lot of deep bass and sound great for both music and home theater. I'm also powering with the 250W Parts Express amp.

I would highly recommend the ported design you are leaning towards as it should sound a lot like mine. Excellent sub!

I have pictures of the sub and its frequency response on my outdated web site. Just click the link above!

 

[Josh.L]

what is the passive radiator jeff is speaking of? Do I need this too or just the amp and sub?

 

[Griff]

Just the amp and sub for the 85l Shiva

 

[Jeffrey Noel]

Josh, the passive radiator takes the place of a port. They both act the same way, only the PR is a lot more expensive.