I think NOT all EQs & DSPs are created equal. But based on my experience, I'm just skeptical. I mean everyone thinks his version is the ultimate best.
I keep saying this over and over. But here is a bit of background on why I say the following:
Closest thing to a proper front loaded horn.
Background:
A front loaded horn done correctly with proper sizing and driver choices is the closest thing to being there I have every created. I have done quite a few over the years. They are forces of nature in their ability to move air in absolutely enormous volumes with exceedingly low distortion.
Nathan designed this dual 18 box, I worked with him providing design checks and some balances. We tuned it in together while we were measuring it outside. I had the opportunity to listen to it for over a week and it is indeed a beast.
I hate the sound of almost all commercially available subs. They have such a large degree of harmonic distortion that they drive me away. I can't listen to them. The old Velodyne servo based designs were pretty clean. And I have heard a few DIY systems done by knowledgeable gentlemen that were very clean sounding.
What I describe as clean sounding is simple.
Remember I was a musician, away back when I had hair! Been there and done that. I have the ability to remember tones and pitch. To this day I can tune an instrument with the tones that I remember in my head. I still review music for a friend of mine who has a website. classicalmusicsentinel.com
So the following is from a great many years of listening to, and playing music.
There are bass notes all the way down to 16 hertz. And there is perception of pitch down to that level providing that there is not a masking of the note ( the fundamental ) by harmonics ( distortion in the form of multiples of the fundamental 2nd 3rd 4th etc. ). Many subs have enormous amounts of second harmonic distortion that we find pleasing. In fact most instruments make great use of this to create gravitas and sonority in the music we listen to. Composers have known this for many centuries. Even the mighty pipe organ when played on the lowest stops has some oomph. But couple together a 32 foot stop and a 16 foot stop and everything changes in terms of loudness. ( Organ stops are listed by their lowest tone usually a C. A 32 foot pipe speaks roughly at 16 hertz and a 16 foot pipe speaks at roughly 32 hertz. Think for a second that there are 12 tones in an octave and we can discern tones in the lowest octave that are little more than one hertz apart! ) The lower stop modulates the higher stop and the resulting beat frequency is the second harmonic. This harmonic is actually louder than the fundamental.
