Reaching 115dB at reference volume. Add more subs or?

[yepimonfire]

0dBfs on a properly calibrated subwoofer should theoretically equal 115dB, I generally watch movies very close to or at reference level. I'm currently using a Dayton sub 1500 in a 20x14 room. At a distance of 12', the maximum spl I've measured is 105dB. It seems I'm limited by xmax rather than power since attempting to exceed 105dB causes the vc to hit the pole piece. I'm considering getting a second sub and stacking it on top or placing it directly beside it, however this will only give me an extra 6dB. Corner placement might yield another 6dB, but that'd also mess up the in room response, which is flat +-5dB at the MLP with some mild equalization.

The other, more. Complicated option, would be to replace the driver with one with more xmax. The cabinet is approximately 3 cubic feet with a port tuning frequency of 23hz, so I could simply find a driver that would play well with the existing dimensions.

Spending several grand on a large, powerful sub is out of the question as it's way out of my budget. The dayton is probably the biggest and most powerful sub out there for under $500, and I really have no complaints about it.

Should I just add a few more subs or does anyone have another suggestion?

I have also considered using pro audio subs, however the majority of those begin rolling off at 40hz if you're lucky. The dayton is -3dB at 23hz and extends -6dB to 19hz.

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[lovinthehd]

I wouldn't bother putting a different driver in that cabinet. You just need better subwoofage if you want reference level comfortably (not just at max capacity). For your budget adding more sub 1500s probably the most cost effective way of getting up there....or learn to diy.

 

[TheWarrior]

What?

Dear forum member, please protect your hearing!

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I wouldn't bother putting a different driver in that cabinet. You just need better subwoofage if you want reference level comfortably (not just at max capacity). For your budget adding more sub 1500s probably the most cost effective way of getting up there....or learn to diy.

This...

 

[rojo]

0dBfs on a properly calibrated subwoofer should theoretically equal 115dB, I generally watch movies very close to or at reference level. I'm currently using a Dayton sub 1500 in a 20x14 room. At a distance of 12', the maximum spl I've measured is 105dB. It seems I'm limited by xmax rather than power since attempting to exceed 105dB causes the vc to hit the pole piece. I'm considering getting a second sub and stacking it on top or placing it directly beside it, however this will only give me an extra 6dB. Corner placement might yield another 6dB, but that'd also mess up the in room response, which is flat +-5dB at the MLP with some mild equalization.

The other, more. Complicated option, would be to replace the driver with one with more xmax. The cabinet is approximately 3 cubic feet with a port tuning frequency of 23hz, so I could simply find a driver that would play well with the existing dimensions.

Spending several grand on a large, powerful sub is out of the question as it's way out of my budget. The dayton is probably the biggest and most powerful sub out there for under $500, and I really have no complaints about it.

Should I just add a few more subs or does anyone have another suggestion?

I have also considered using pro audio subs, however the majority of those begin rolling off at 40hz if you're lucky. The dayton is -3dB at 23hz and extends -6dB to 19hz.

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You understand you're trying to reach reference levels with an entry level sub, right? Within your budget constraints, you could pick one or two used Premier Acoustic PA-150. Remember we discussed that one before? As an incremental improvement over your Dayton SUB-1500, it'll probably get you closer to your goal but still not quite there. You really ought to save up for a Hsu VTF-3 or Rythmik FVX15, or build one or two Dayton 18" HO. There are even vented flat packs available for the Dayton driver for easier building -- Cube | Stonehenge. Or you could move your existing sub nearfield.

Although a second identical sub can net you an additional 6dB, that's not the purpose of running dual subs. In practice, the two subs fill in each other's gaps where nulls are encountered to give more consistent bass across a wider listening area. If you're going for a flat response, then you'll still be limited to a single sub's max at those nulls, and therefore a single sub's max across the full LFE range.

 

[Steve81]

0dBfs on a properly calibrated subwoofer should theoretically equal 115dB, I generally watch movies very close to or at reference level.

For the LFE channel, yes. Most people also have to bump that up a few more dB to account for redirected bass (i.e. bass management) as well.

At a distance of 12', the maximum spl I've measured is 105dB.

Under what circumstances, and with what measurement equipment?

It seems I'm limited by xmax rather than power since attempting to exceed 105dB causes the vc to hit the pole piece.

FWIW, excursion limitations are frequency and consequently content dependent. Below port tune, it takes relatively little power to bottom a driver in a vented system. At tune, the driver is hardly moving at all. At higher frequencies, say >50Hz, power (and burning out a VC) tends to be much more of a limiting factor than Xmax.

Should I just add a few more subs or does anyone have another suggestion?

Turn down the volume and enjoy what you have

 

[j_garcia]

Hearing damage is cumulative and permanent.

 

[yepimonfire]

Hearing damage is cumulative and permanent.

115dB as an absolute maximum peak at reference volume only on the lfe channel. Low frequencies don't have the same impact, it's why A weighting is used in regards to hearing damage potential.
LAeq during an entire movie when added to the ISO time weighted average is entirely within limits.

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[j_garcia]

The frequency does matter and though lows are less likely to cause it, they still can. Primary factor is dB and length of exposure. Ref level is designed to give good sound levels without potentially causing damage, though that does not mean listening at reference is a good idea.

 

[mtrycrafts]

0dBfs on a properly calibrated subwoofer should theoretically equal 115dB, I generally watch movies very close to or at reference level. I..

You need to know the input signal level before coming to a conclusion. I bet most sources don't come close to 0 dB at full scale on the LFE .
Or, the system is not calibrated properly.

 

[yepimonfire]

You need to know the input signal level before coming to a conclusion. I bet most sources don't come close to 0 dB at full scale on the LFE .
Or, the system is not calibrated properly.

I've seen a good amount of movies reach it.

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[yepimonfire]

It's usually about 10dB below reference, though a good amount of movies (batman and iron man for example) have a larger dynamic range, with dialogue about 30dB below full scale. Dolby's dialogue normalization is supposed to adjust the level so that the dialogue is an average of -27dBfs. Unfortunately it's a crap shoot as to whether it works right or not. Despite being encoded in dolby digital, some tv shows and even a few movies set to reference level would results in quiet whispers hitting 90dB, while others 0dB is just barely enough to hear clearly. Those types of movies are the ones that blow you out of your chair when an action scene hits.

Keep in mind we're talking dBc here. I've never measured a peak higher than 95dBa on even the loudest scenes.