Hi again, long time no post...

I have a new project I'd like to get worked out.

I have tried unsuccessfully to build a fan sub.  Yes, I can build one that is terribly powerful, but the fan motor and blades just make too much noise for my satisfaction.

Now that I've been messing around with a KLH plate amp an a 10 inch driver stuck in a board, (open baffle) I don't think I can do better.  In fact I don't know why I want to keep going except that I just want something to do.

I've been thinking about OB a lot lately.  So smooth and nice, effortless and full.  How to do better than that?

Well for starters I'd like to try making a bigger, more efficient driver.  Yeah, there's nothing wrong with the one I already own... well almost nothing.  Where is the big slam of bass when using satchel charges to blow enemy tanks into the air on my computer game?  It's there... kinda...

So I was looking at drivers.  Lots and lots of drivers, and they all seem to have the same problems.  If you can find an 18 or 15 inch driver they all seem to think they need to withstand thousands of watts.  Why?  Won't 100 work find?

This is my theory.  If I keep the motor of the 10 inch, but wrap my own VC with thinner wire, but more wraps that increases efficiency right?  Then I thought I'd adapt a cone/basket from an old 18" driver and mount the motor onto it.  The only thing is that the cone is a little warped and It will need a new surround.  

So because it needs a new cone and surround I thought maybe I would play with the cone shape a little.  I threw around some ideas and then was looking at Steve's Radial tower design.  What if my new OB sub had a cone shaped like that?  What would that sound like?

A board with an 18" Radial driver stuck in it?  Would it eliminate dead bass zones in my bedroom?  The best place to listen to bass in music right now is lying in the bathtub in the next room. (Not for lack of trying room treatments and special placement... etc!)
The soundstage in there sucks, but the bass really rocks! LOL!

What do you all think?  Huge radial OB?  Worth the time and effort?

Hey buddy! Long time no see!

Considering the length of the sound wave for bass frequencies, I don't think the radial cone would really help anything. I don't think it would hurt, but would rather be a waste of effort. The main reason for radial and omni-directional design is to eliminate the high frequency directional effect and make it more realistic.

With that being said, I don't know much about open baffle design for bass. I have learned a bit about mid and high frequency in an open baffle. Steve even has a new OB design with a chamber to accentuate the low freqs with some pretty cool ideas. He has a white paper or three on it on the site somewhere too. I know the hawthorne speakers referenced above are specifically designed for what you are seeking as well.

As far as high efficiency subs. There are plenty of them out there. I used a pair of 15" pioneers that only cost something like $50 a peice from PE and they are awesome. I don't know how well they would work in OB though.

Hope things are going well for you man! Keep in touch!

Robert