Tube Subwoofers...

SniperXX · 10-11-2004, 12:43 AM

Ok I ran a

but didnt get much. I heard some people saying they didnt like them. I am curious are they any good. Most dont seem to be high RMS wattage

either. I am asking cuz a friend of mine could hook me up with one but I dont think they are as good as a normal woofer.

Also, is it hard making a enclosure for a normal subwoofer?

I am new to car audio but am big into stereos and music quality, thanks.
Thanks.

Tidder · 10-11-2004, 12:46 AM

Naw, just make sure it's the right volume for your woofer, and seal it up proper. I had a tube sub for a while, it was basically a round band-pass box. Sounded ok, but only had an 8" woofer in there.

My bro has a 12" tube, and it is LOUD. I guess it depends on design and quality. Though I think all sealed boxes have a cleaner sound than tube, vented, or band-pass boxes.

gospeed.racer · 10-11-2004, 01:23 AM

Its like anything else, there are good ones and bad ones. The bad ones suck and the good ones rock. If you spend the money and have one properly designed for THE speaker you are using, it should rock. Unfortunately most are just a shotgun design made to "fit" just about any woofer. Talk to someone with bassbox pro or a similar program, and get the spec sheet for your sub. From there you can design a proper enclosure. An off the shelf one from KMart will suck.

SniperXX · 10-11-2004, 01:39 AM

Speaking of off the shelf I just saw this.
http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2....PROD_ID=661440

Metrik 12-in. 480-watt Powered Tube Subwoofer
Features include:

* 12-inch tube speaker with amplifier
* 300 mm paper coated cone foam edge woofer
* 480 watts peak power
* 120 watts RMS
* 20-200Hz frequency response
* 80-120Hz(adjustable) outlet
* DC12V-14.4V negative ground power source

I never heard of the brand either. One of my friends is looking for something for his 98 Ranger XLT. He needs the back seats parts of the time so wouldnt a tube woofer fit his needs? Because arent they able to be taken out quick/easy?

For me, I think I will just stick to a normal woofer.

Thanks for the help/info so far guys.

gospeed.racer · 10-11-2004, 01:44 AM

yea, that 480 watts is BS.

anyone that has ever owned a Orion 225 hcca amp (2 channel 25w per channel, I had 2

) knows what a TRUE 50 watts is. And its no joke! Their 480w is "creative math".

SniperXX · 10-11-2004, 01:49 AM

I never look @ peak anyways, I know better than that. But hows the RMS tho? And does anyone know the answers to my other questions?

danon · 10-11-2004, 04:12 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by SniperXX

Ok I ran a

but didnt get much. I heard some people saying they didnt like them. I am curious are they any good. Most dont seem to be high RMS wattage

either. I am asking cuz a friend of mine could hook me up with one but I dont think they are as good as a normal woofer.

the answer to your question is right there: "Most don't seem to be high RMS wattage". so regardless of the shape, the bigger, is the better.

Quote: Originally Posted by SniperXX

Also, is it hard making a enclosure for a normal subwoofer?

no, well depends on your previous skills. can you follow measurements? can you cut a piece of mdf in a straight as possible line? if you have lots of guts then you can sure able to built one.

i build my own sub (check the pic). it is a cheap 10" 130wrms in an airtight enclosure. with the correct volume i managed to make it sound really good. i can adjust the volume of the enclosure to accomodate a tube exhaust which can add 2db of loudness but i prefer the solid sound of an enclosed one.

.

SniperXX · 10-11-2004, 12:06 PM

Thanks for the info. I got a radial arm saw. Most ppl who work with wood probably have one. Think mitersaw but where the blade and handle part slides forward.

I can make perfect cuts @ all degrees unto like 2 ft wide, plus it converts to a table saw w/ the saw ontop tho.

Where can I figure out how much volume and the specifics I will need? Do I get it from the speaker manufacturer? Also, will a fully enclosed one give good "punch"? Or will I need a port on it?

Any help is appreciated.

Adam432823 · 10-11-2004, 12:54 PM

How good are you at math? This page: http://www.diysubwoofers.org/ has some formulas to help you get the right dimensions for you subwoofer. Bear in mind that you need to pick out your woofer cone first so that you can use the woofers specs in the calculations. Once you have your dims you can cut your wood and start putting it all together.

Ported vs Sealed is entirely up to your preference. Ported will use a lot less power but you'll be giving up sound quality. If you can affored more power, the sealed generally sound better. Your results may vary and everyone has a different opinion.

SniperXX · 10-11-2004, 02:10 PM

I read through alot of that stuff but theres alot to learn, lol. Well my uncle is a audiophile and knows about construction so I guess my best luck is just to ask him.

Also, danon why didnt you put carpet on your sub?

danon · 10-13-2004, 03:18 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by SniperXX

I read through alot of that stuff but theres alot to learn, lol. Well my uncle is a audiophile and knows about construction so I guess my best luck is just to ask him.

Also, danon why didnt you put carpet on your sub?

i dun'no, i guess i'm just lazzy.... well actually this is my first attemp sort of a trial but i didn't know the result will be awesome so i kept it for a while until i find some time, i was thinking of doing a new one with some kind of a shape so that i don't need to take it out of the car everytime i charge the tank battery.

.

Superduck · 10-14-2004, 03:51 AM

The thing is, asking that question is like saying what's better, four quarters of a pizza or the whole pizza. Either way, you're stuffed afterwards. There's good pizza and there's bad pizza, doesn't matter how you cut it.

Everyone's favorite bass tube is Bazooka, plus you can get one that looks like a Nitrous bottle.

I've seen people win SPL competitions using Bazooka Tubes before, so you can't say that all "tube" sub boxes suck, since the sub doesn't care what shape the box is, as long as it's the right size.

I used to have a couple of Earthquake 8" subs. The bloody magnets were bigger than the baskets. I threw them in a couple of old junk bass cannons (Collins Audio Productions, if anyone's heard of them) and they still pounded. The tubes were these horrible things looked like they were made of cardboard (actually particle board, I think) but the speakers still pumped.

Anyway, I still think the shape of the box isn't nearly as important as the design. If the cylinder shape is easier for you to haul around, go with it. If you need huge, make-your-vision-blurry bass, then you might want a box bigger than any of the cannons offer. Try a demo at a stereo shop to make up your mind.

Regards,

Kris

wysocki · 10-17-2004, 08:06 PM

I'm planning on putting in a 10" Bazooka in my hatchback (Focal speakers and Diamond amps). I need to have the sub portable so I can move it either behind the passenger seat or in the back of the hatchback if I have more passengers. What are the tradeoffs of using the Bazooka with built in amp vs using a separate amp? Is the internal amp good stuff and does it affect the quality of the speaker by taking up space in the tube?

danon · 10-18-2004, 07:18 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by wysocki

I'm planning on putting in a 10" Bazooka in my hatchback (Focal speakers and Diamond amps). I need to have the sub portable so I can move it either behind the passenger seat or in the back of the hatchback if I have more passengers. What are the tradeoffs of using the Bazooka with built in amp vs using a separate amp? Is the internal amp good stuff and does it affect the quality of the speaker by taking up space in the tube?

if you have something inside the sub enclosure the calculated volume should add that extra stuff inside (and the sub manufacturer knows this) as long as it's fixed properly without rattling caused by vibration it should be alright. are you sure the amp is inside the enclosure? crossovers are fine but not the amp itself, not only sounds wierd, it also generates heat.

.

Quattro · 10-18-2004, 12:08 PM

I just finished making tube subwoofer enclosure of my subs. I think i came out decent, It's the first time I used fiberglass or did something like this. I went with a sealed enclosure for sound quaility. I still have to tested them for leaks but still have to test them with the subs. I'll let you know how they sound.

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