For mobile DJ (college parties) and club use, I was thinking of using Cerwin-Vega V-Max 12s or 15s. Would these still work even though they are for car use?

I'm brand new to this whole speaker design. Should I wait then for the SO design that is coming up?

I do not agree with what you said!
Flame War!  :-X

Nobody would dare. If it says "audiophile" in the description, avoid it for pro sound use ........... PEROID!
Get something stronger, designed to accept all the punishiment you can throw at it.
While some audiophile gear is heavy duty, you will end up using it "heavier duty" than it's capable of withstanding. No qualifying politically correct legal statement needed here.

Thats "(single 18)" after Imperial SO's.  Don't know how the smiley face got in there.

DanK

Dan,

That's the most exciting thing I've heard since all the hullaballoo concerning adsence of posts about the Decfest got started. One man with both Imperial and SO version side by side for comparison. You da man!
My statement might have been a little strong with regards to Imperials, but I'm standing by it, hoping the Imperial SO is the one exception.

Dawg,

I have been using the Imperials for PA for a while now and they are definitely up to the task sonically.  I understand your statement about ruggedness and I think they could be build to be roadworthy (physically tough) and also electronically tough with the right drivers.  I do baby ours a little, mostly because the $30 mid-tweeters we use are not bullet-proof.  With more $$ the Imperial's drivers could be made heavy-duty enough for any application and still be classified as audiophile grade.  I don't know enough about the SO version to comment on its pro-audio applications.

Jim P

ps  Dank, how'd you get so lucky to get the SO plans pre-release?  Send us pics of the build and finished product for sure!

Thank you all for your responses, I'm learning every second. I actually was going to simply use 2 boxes, each with 2-15" V-max's in them and use them as dance platforms too. But from what I've heard I can use half the speakers and get wayyy better output from this newfound design. Sooo..with 2 of these Imperials layed down on their sides for girlies to dance on, am I buying plans for PA or waiting for SO???

now your talkin JJ
thats my choice.. In  my dream world

Dank I have only two words for you ( I hate you) well I guess thats three words.  
You have the SO plans.  :'(
I talked to Steve the other day and he was not forward in offering them when I asked about them. I was actually asking a couple questions on the WO32 and I mentioned the SO in conversation when they are available, he said soon.
I will not be building one to the plans now, I don't think I need to and I have no place for another one anyway.

-and here we go again-

DD-I would use Steves modified Imperial design for a PA BUT the caveat is I can hardly wait for Dank to evaluate both.  Being lucky enough to have both to compare is the greatest resources any of us have right now.

Gex

Say above 80Hz or so, not much as long as the box is big enough for the 15s to move easily. It's below that range where the difference is going to be most noticeable, since that's where most of the Imperial's horn loading benefit happens. Guessing, since many, many years have past since I last heard one, I would say 6 or 8 dB in the bottom octave over a large BR cab. Maybe one of the guys who has a pair can put some measurement figures down for you. If I had a job in a week I'd go with what I know and build the Imperials next week.

Yep I am really interested what Dank has to say. I am all ears so to speak....  :)
You know if I build another garage in the back I could fit   Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

djdj-  car subs would work in a SO better than a Std Imp because of there intended use.
But I don't think a SO is your answer. I wonder why a full range Imperial can't work for you. You could always add a Imperial sub after. your getting pretty high quality sound with both.

I think if I had a "gig" I and I wanted to move a substantial sound wave I would use an  decware Imperial sub.
I think it would serve the purpose better than a SO. You want punch and thats what DD's talking about.
I have not built a full size Imperial the 63" high one but I would think that a Well built full size with a single 18 and horn would do  the job.
if a a sub is needed a decware Imperial with dual 15'
I am sorry that it has come down to the wire for you in time, and if I was using a car sub for PA I would build a Bass reflex box tuned like DD mentioned. that would be fast and easy.
there is always the next "gig".
then build them and ( test them) with time to spare

I think a car sub in a horn will work but how well so you need it to work?

I sadly only have a opinion on this

DD-The Imperial SO would not be my choice for PA use. My little obsession with it and a version of what I think it is does not at all lend itself to PA use.
my building spree has come to an end with the exception of a WO32 in the next couple months.
I just don't have the room to dedicate to the Imperials which I really want to mess with.

Good luck djdj.
I guess you did not get the answers you needed in time.
But hey! theres always tommorrow.

there ya go!
see all you need is someone who has tried it to know for sure.
I do know a car sub works because I have one in my modified sub corner cab.
I do know that it is not ideal because some drivers work better in enclosures that they are designed for.

thanks  stvcmty I know you have put the time in on these things. I would go with your assessement

We thank you. and really nice work!

80 hours? Wow thats alot of time. The next one will be faster.
Ziggy likely uses nicer equipment than most of us do.

EDIT: well better than me anyway. I have not seen much of your shop but looks like your well equiped.

For a non-sub woofer for the mismatched speaker pair for an imperial, a good bet is a peavey scorpion:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=294-313

They work well in an imperial.  The scorpion is reasonably priced, and has good power handling for PA use.

If that is too expensive for you, you could use a GW1558.  http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=290-384
The specs for the 1558 don’t make it look good for horn loading, but it has worked well for me.  Its power handling is not quite as impressive which might be a vote against it for DJ use.  380 watts max is not bad, it is just a bit low.

A tricky part will be the crossover for the tweeter, but getting the cabinet built is a larger concern than the crossover.

Stv

I Hope Dan K is nice enough to invite em to see his Imp SO when they are done! He let me see his imperials before.

And if he does,  :D

I am using an Imperial with two 15's as a sub in a building that is 20x30 by 16' tall.I have a 250 watt sub amp which does not usally get turn up past halfway on the volume dial.
I have had reports of the bass being heard three houses away and I live in an area with 2-5 acre yards and alot of trees in between.
Now I realise people are searching for the ultimate BASS (myself included)but sometimes I wonder if we go beyond what we really need for good sound.My one Imperial will put out more bass than I will ever need.It is the most defined and relaxed sub I have made yet!!
I'd love to hear an objective comparison between the SO and the imperial

[quote author=djdj  link=1129093914/15#27 date=1129601683]I'm thinking 2 Imperial SO boxes with 15" V-max's. How much more would I notice over the standard dual-15" box? [/quote]

Absolutely heaps!

Typical Car 15" 87dB/1watt
Typical sensitivity of basshorn with 40hz cutoff,and 600L volume : 101-106dB/watt

+ Better quality.

[quote author=djdj  link=1129093914/30#31 date=1131061588]Thank you for the input! I ended up building the dual 15" standard bass-reflex box. Haven't finished it yet though. What would I expect with 2 Cerwin-Vega V-Max's in a regular Imperial? If it would level a building thats what I'm looking for! [/quote]

If the imperial is designed for an 18", the two CV15"s you have wont quite be the right cone area for the horn,but it should still be very effective!

The imperial will be way more efficient than the bass reflex.
Bass reflex with this woofer - probably about 90dB/1watt/1metre
Basshorn - 100dB atleast,typically 105dB/1watt/1metre.

Mike.e