What's the biggest subwoofer driver? How big can you make them? (1 Viewer)

[Jonny K]

I know that a 15" is pretty capable of producing acceptable base, but what's the biggest sub driver out there? I know of 18" drivers, but are there larger yet? What size is used in large movie theaters?

What about building a huge driver in a huge sub? Maybe something that's 6 feet in diameter. What would that be like?

Just curious.


Jonny K.

 

[Alex-F-V]

I forget what magazine it was.... I think complex magazine.
But I've heard of a 34" sub.

It was really more of "how big can I build a sub" rather than an actual wanting of great sound.

 

[Randall Duncan]

Pretty big ones here: http://www.sounddomain.com/member_pa...=156997&page=9

 

[RichardHOS]

As far as any reasonable volume produced, Hartley made a 24" sub back years ago, and Clarion makes I believe a 32" or 34" sub, though I'm not sure how many of those they have produced.

And then there's the very limited runs or one-offs, with some examples in the link above.

 

[John Garcia]

I've actually seen a 40" (not sure on exact size, but it was around 4 feet) driver from a stadium speaker at a local shop. . I think it was blown, but they got a hold of it to have in the store.

 

[Justin Ward]

I saw a huge sub at a local car shop. It was like 30" I think. Made my Tempest look like a toy.

 

[Jonny K]

Haha, wow. A 60" sub huh?

"It imploded the truck"


Jonny K.

 

[Chris Sigua]

There was huge one in BTTF that Marty used

 

[Dave Moritz]

I may be wrong but I believe that EV or Magnavox at one time made 30" sub woofers. The airspace requirements where outragous and they did produce lots of earth moving bass. But again you have to ask yourself if you want to piss off all your surrounding neighbors when you litterly shake there windows, dishes etc.... I heard of someone that used two 30" woofers using his attack space as an enclosure. His neighbors did not like him very much. And as far as 18" woofers go have you ever been to Disneyland in CA? And gone into the Captain EOS theater? The low bass that was known to shake the concrete pillers outside the theater where multiple 18" JBL woofers. 18" woofers when placed in the proper enclosure powered with the right amplification. And crossed over properly can shake you out of your head. Just remember to take in consideration if you live in a apartment or house and how far your nighbors are and what is in between you and them. If you are looking for new woofers for subs i hope you find what you are looking for.

 

[Jack Gilvey]

I heard of someone that used two 30" woofers using his attack space as an enclosure.

Sounds like he truly used it as an attack space.

 

[Dave Moritz]

I just ran accoss a company that currently is making 34" woofers. But they are made for car audio, but I bet they would work for home use as well. Audiobahn makes a 34" woofer.

Size: 34"
Magnet Weight: 650 oz.
Power Handling: 5,000 watts rms
Frequency Response: 10Hz - 400 Hz
Voice Coil: 5" Dual 2 ohm
Efficency: 88.98 db

Just imagine dual 30's or 34's in a home theater :b , all I can say is dont play the movie Earthquake to loud, lmao.

 

[Dan Hine]

but I bet they would work for home use as well.

Any particular reason why you would think this?

 

[Dave Moritz]

Any particular reason why you would think this?

Well there is no guarantee that they would work. But it is still a speaker and the only major difference is the impedence of 2 ohms. Every model of woofer is different so it needs a certain air space and cross over to end up with the desired effect. So just because a speakers is produced for automotive use does not mean it can not be sucsessfully used in the home inviroment. We are not talking about a pair of 4 1/2 inch door speakers or a pair of 6x9's. These are 34" woofers that are built to run at 2 ohms. One would have to do some homework or ask an expert weather or not this woofer would acheive the goals of a great sub woofer. But it is possible that this woofer could work.

 

[Doug_H]

I think all you would need to do si cut a big hole in a side wall and mount the mega woofer in the wall. The ajoining room would be sealed and stuffed to create the enclosure

Yes honey I just turned your sewing room into a sub enclosure...

 

[Brian Bunge]

Without seeing some Thiele/Small parameters for the driver I wouldn't attempt to use it in a HT. Just because it's big and can handle a 2 ohm load says nothing about it's Vas, Xmax, Qts, etc. Without knowing those specs and more, it's really not of much use to me other than as just a big paperweight or doorstop.

 

[Kenneth Harden]

Totally

 

[Alex F.]

Yes, indeed, Electro-Voice once produced a 30" bass driver. I remember it as a kid back in the 1960s. The unit was available for a long time but I don't recall exactly when they discontinued it--possibly in the late 1970s. Buried in one of many boxes that I have in storage is product literature for it. I wish I could easily lay my hands on it to read the specifications.

 

[Dan Hine]

One would have to do some homework or ask an expert

Or ask the manufacturer for the TS specs that Brian spoke of. If they sell the drivers then certainly they should provide these.

- Dan Hine