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Is WO32 a true horn just without efficiency? (Read 6798 times)
audiomind
Ex Member



Is WO32 a true horn just without efficiency?
02/20/13 at 13:53:17
 
I have been trying to learn about the WO32 design and from what I gather it has all the benefits of a conventional large bass horn such as the speed, dynamics, etc. but minus the efficiency.

The size of the WO32 is fantastically appealing compared to usual bass horns that get as low as the WO32 so I would imagine something has to be given up.

Now there are some curmudgeons on the web grumbling that it is not really a horn because it is too small for the frequency range it is doing.

Can any explain what is going on with the WO32 design, is it a real "horn" that trades efficiency for size?

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McCallGabriel
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Re: Is WO32 a true horn just without efficiency?
Reply #1 - 05/16/13 at 04:33:51
 
I think that the thing that has been given up is the traditional box design. To answer your question, lets look at what a horn does, al it really does is convert a small high pressure sound wave into a big medium pressure sound wave.

A vent on the other hand, would be different in that the main purpose of a vent is that it transforms a sound wave into air reverberating in a cavity that produces captures a certain frequency and slows it down till it changes phase.

This box, if I remember right is either severly truncated horn or a vent that is loaded by the driver. In reality I think it is a little of both. The other reality is that this box way outside the norm and gains cool points just for that.
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DirtDawg
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Re: Is WO32 a true horn just without efficiency?
Reply #2 - 05/16/13 at 19:13:00
 
You may be confusing the two enclosures.


For instance, a simple, unmodified WO is a band pass enclosure with a flared port. It just happens to work like a banshee or hellbent for all to hell or something using a number of suitable drivers. It works!

The WO32 is a bit different.

It is actually a truncated horn. Small throat with very high compression, small mouth, depending upon the "floor" to extend the "virtual mouth" to some degree. It also takes into account  how well a "closed environment" can work to enhance lower response from a bass enclosure.

Only a few drivers are capable of performing in a truncated horn, due to the high pressures required and the excursion which may be needed once we approach the lower reaches of our hearing.

Proximity also adds to the equation.   ...  keep it close to you!

If you are to build one, I would suggest that you buy your drivers from the range of custom drivers that Steve offers specifically designed for this enclosure.

Hope that helps.
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DirtDawg
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Re: Is WO32 a true horn just without efficiency?
Reply #3 - 05/16/13 at 19:25:27
 
Just to reflect my own area of experience, I would like to add another fold to the WO32, making the mouth huge at about 1/4 wavelength at 35Hz or so and then stack them in fours or eights as I used to do with my old design dual  18 horns.

Then crank up like hell, using my racks of McIntoshs, Crowns or Yamahas from the old school days.

Grin
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Lonely Raven
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Re: Is WO32 a true horn just without efficiency?
Reply #4 - 08/29/13 at 13:57:53
 
That sounds amazing!

For a while I was thinking about extending the horn myself...just never got around to it.
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