KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
I noticed that Polk has a 10" in-wall sub for $500 via Accessories4Less ($900 MSRP). Seems like this could be a useful solution for people with unique restrictions.
This product piques my curiosity on several points:
1) That is more cost than I normally associate with a Polk sub. Does Polk make any decent subs in the upscale market? I know better than to ask if they represent good value compared to ID subs! I am only asking whether they suck at any price or might they be good subs for music (at 10"...and not being JL Audio drivers, it also seems like the depth of the driver has to be limited to the 3-1/2" depth of a wall stud I would rule out HT)!
2) What competition is out there? Who else makes in-wall subs?
3) Anyone try/have one of these (Polk or otherwise)? How do you like it? Was integration an issue (seems like a real hit or miss proposition as you can't really do the subwoofer crawl - or maybe you can by just listening close to the wall where you would install it?
4) Thoughts on the viability of generating bass coupled to the wall structure? It seems like you might want to avoid deep bass as it might get well out-of-hand fast with wall resonances and room gain (why it would be great to hear from people with real experience!

Interestingly, this looks like a totally different item than the other pic! I guess they added some strips of foam to prevent vibration from the sheetrock.
 
slipperybidness

slipperybidness

Audioholic Warlord
I have personally been curious on the PE slim-line subs (I'm sure you are familiar with them, or at least seen them on PE).

Specifically, it seems that they can be wall-mounted! Not quite the same as in wall, but I have been similarly curious about this option.

Included floor stands and on-wall mounting brackets facilitate a variety of mounting schemes
 
KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
I have personally been curious on the PE slim-line subs (I'm sure you are familiar with them, or at least seen them on PE).

Specifically, it seems that they can be wall-mounted! Not quite the same as in wall, but I have been similarly curious about this option.

Included floor stands and on-wall mounting brackets facilitate a variety of mounting schemes
I assume you saw Brent Butterworth's evaluation in this article (I guess you could say it rated second):

The "low-profile" sub is the red line on the graph.

 
Last edited:
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
That sub has an F3 of 36 Hz, so not really a sub. It seems to be a straight sided box with a port opening. The box is 5 ft. tall, so I bet the design has a very nasty honk at 110 Hz as the standing wave will have a wave length double the height which is 10ft. So that is how you calculate the 110 Hz honk.

If you are going to make a satisfactory slim line sub then it absolutely needs to be a properly designed TL. Then you properly harness that standing wave. You get the wave length longer by folding the line and properly damping it.





This sub is a real performer and takes little power. Bass is really tight.

 
DigitalDawn

DigitalDawn

Senior Audioholic
You would be surprised at how effective it is -- especially with two of them for larger rooms. I have one in my 16 x 14 foot bedroom and it's surprisingly good.

Now if someone is looking for a bigger solution there's the InWall Silver/15 but it won't fit in normal walls.
 
Alex2507

Alex2507

Audioholic Slumlord
You would be surprised at how effective it is -- especially with two of them for larger rooms. I have one in my 16 x 14 foot bedroom and it's surprisingly good.
I'm gonna do my best TLS impersonation, here goes:

"Take two SVS Ported Cylinders and call me in the morning." :D

I'm glad to know the in wall approach works for you.
 
annunaki

annunaki

Moderator
In wall can be done properly. Typically the limiting factor is the woofer used due to depth.

it is extremely important to start at the end product and work your way back from there. What I mean by that is how do you want the final finished look to be? That will help determine your options.

Is your wall 2x4 or 2x6 construction? Is your wall load bearing? Have you been able to sample the response in room from that location?

It is best to answer these questions appropriately before you even think about the product used.
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
In wall can be done properly. Typically the limiting factor is the woofer used due to depth.

it is extremely important to start at the end product and work your way back from there. What I mean by that is how do you want the final finished look to be? That will help determine your options.

Is your wall 2x4 or 2x6 construction? Is your wall load bearing? Have you been able to sample the response in room from that location?

It is best to answer these questions appropriately before you even think about the product used.
Great to hear from you again annunaki.

Your second paragraph is right on target.

This in wall system will not fit in a 2 X 4 or 2 X 6 wall. This build is for new construction, or old, if a false wall can be placed. This is not a load bearing wall. The load bearing wall is right behind it, but it is not a stud wall. This house in an insulated concrete form home (ICF) home. The home is built of polystyrene block like a Lego construction with lateral and vertical reinforcement. The pumper truck then comes on site and fills the 6" space between the inner and outer layers of polystyrene. You then have an enormously strong and insulated house that a a very high R factor in one shot.



This is a link to the rebuild from Benedict to Eagan MN.

The reason behind all this is that my wife wanted "her own" system in the main level lower great room. She wanted it to be a good system but did not want any "boxes' in the room. I think it is the latter that women object to most about sound and AV systems. So I have always tried to oblige in many of my designs.

So I decided to build out by extending the fireplace chimney breast.



Most of the depth is required for the pre/pro and power amps.

This is the size of the Sub.





Then you get my wife's directive fulfilled.



This is the model of the sub. George Auspurger published his mathematical model of the TL in 2000. He was king enough to share his software with me.

There are a number of models out there, but George Auspurger's is the correct one. I have used it enough now to know that it is highly predictive of the final result.



Because of room gain the bass extension seems always a bit better than the model.

I have not had a chance to measure this sub. But it is highly efficient and power has to be reduced 10 db relative to the other speakers. I have listened to a lot of material through it including large pipe organs. They are produced with tremendous authority and the bass is really tight with no overhang or boom. The space is large and open, but this one 10" driver fills the space evenly, even at power. This is actually a very potent system with very high powered drivers. The total amp power available is 1000 watts. Even driving the system hard with a lot of deep bass content, I have not heard the woofer bottom or show any signs of distress.

I have not had a chance to measure it yet, but I will get round to it and put them up here.

Subjectively it is a potent sub with a very accurate and controlled bass. For certain I have never heard another 10" sub come close to the performance of this sub.
 
Sheep

Sheep

Audioholic Warlord
It's also 17.75 inches deep, that's not fitting in any normal wall. Velodyne used to make in wall subs using 6.5 in drivers with ovan passive radiators, and AH reviewd the sealed racetrack system before.


SheepStar
 
Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
It's also 17.75 inches deep, that's not fitting in any normal wall. Velodyne used to make in wall subs using 6.5 in drivers with ovan passive radiators, and AH reviewd the sealed racetrack system before.


SheepStar
Unfortunately, Velodyne is going through so much turmoil with the sale of the company to Audio Reference that there's no way I could recommend anyone buy one of their products for the time being.
 
Sheep

Sheep

Audioholic Warlord
Unfortunately, Velodyne is going through so much turmoil with the sale of the company to Audio Reference that there's no way I could recommend anyone buy one of their products for the time being.
Yeah but if you could find a used example some how it would be a good buy. It just needs an amplifier, and if you're going through the hassle of installing in wall subs, you'll have one already anyway. I do realize it will be really hard to find though.

SheepStar
 
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