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Best value subwoofer drivers

post #1 of 45
3/3/12 at 1:04am
Thread Starter 
All i care about is cone area and displacement when looking at value subs, feel free to correct me but these seem to be the best indicators of what kind spl youll get at 20hz. power handling is also important

$120 alpine 1243D 12". good klippel. solid driver 20mm xmax. The best bang for the buck imo
http://www.cartoys.com/products/prod..._12__Subwoofer

$200 alpine 1522D, 20mm xmax, ugly cone
http://amzn.to/A2HT9z

$160RE audio SE-X15 (YEP thats its name), 15", 18mm xmax, RE audio makes decent stuff, dont know much more about it. nice looking cone
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...o-SEX15D2.html

$126 JBL GTO1514D, 14.5mm xmax... its jbl, they know what theyre doing
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...-GTO1514D.html

The single coil version has a lot different specs, why is this?
http://www.jbl.com/resources/brands/.../gto1514td.pdf
http://www.jbl.com/resources/Brands/...GTO1514DTD.pdf

$305 re audio SX18, 18", 22xmax
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...io-SX18D2.html

$780 re audio xxx18 18" 54xmax. the king of all subs, surprisingly still a good value
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...o-XXX18D2.html

$707 21" B&C 15mm xmax, not an AMAZING value but very nice for the guys who are compensating for something
http://www.beachaudio.com/B-And-C/21...-p-473838.html
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post #2 of 45
3/3/12 at 5:51am
Dayton RSS315HO-44 12"
$156.34, 14mm Xmax
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...TR=rss315ho-44

Dayton RSS390HF-4 12"
14mm Xmax $172.69
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=295-468

Dayton Audio 15" DVC385-88 15" $159.29
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...&FTR=dvc385-88

And none of them look retarded, either.

Or, for the bling crowd:
FiCar SSD 18" ~$250, 18" with 25.4mm xmax
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post #3 of 45
3/3/12 at 9:25am
The Alpine 1522 and Dayton 15DVC are very good, non-flashy choices for moving some air. The Dayton/Tempest driver has been a mainstay for a decade, and the Alpine has some interesting motor innovations (particularly for the price.)
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post #4 of 45
3/3/12 at 11:39am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by djkest View Post

Dayton RSS315HO-44 12"
$156.34, 14mm Xmax
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...TR=rss315ho-44

Dayton RSS390HF-4 12"
14mm Xmax $172.69
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=295-468

Dayton Audio 15" DVC385-88 15" $159.29
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...&FTR=dvc385-88

And none of them look retarded, either.

Or, for the bling crowd:
FiCar SSD 18" ~$250, 18" with 25.4mm xmax

The dayton drivers are drivers that dont really belong in this thread. I dont want everyone just listing drivers they like, this is for the drivers that offer the maximum amount of performance for the money. The RE SEX15 has 3mm more throw and is the same price as the dvc (oh and the dvc looks WAY too cheap for my tastes, should stay out of sight in horns). the 12" dayton dont move nearly enough air for their price, the alpine type-r 12" blows them out of the water with its 20mm xmax (the klippel results of it are also fantastic so really i doubt the dayton has anything to offer in some vague "sound quality" realm)

The ficar ssd 18" is $280 without the cooling upgrade, and only has 20mm of xmax, im not sure where youre getting the 25.4mm xmax number. The SX18 appears to have vented cooling and it has 22mm of xmax. Well worth the $300.
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post #5 of 45
3/3/12 at 12:25pm
What about the Sundown/Obsidian drivers?

JSS
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post #6 of 45
3/3/12 at 12:32pm
I've used a bunch of subs in my car, and none of them have satisfied me more than the Dayton reference 15" hf model I just put in my car. It stays nearly flat to 20hz and moves some serious air. Shakes me harder than any 12" driver I've used. Best SQ driver for the price along with nice SPL IMO.

What's the point of hitting hard if it sounds like ass?
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post #7 of 45
3/3/12 at 3:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by djkest View Post

...

Dayton RSS390HF-4 12"
14mm Xmax $172.69
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=295-468

...

Dayton RSS390HF-4 is a 15" driver.
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post #8 of 45
3/3/12 at 4:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bushi View Post


Dayton RSS390HF-4 is a 15" driver.

..and a damn good one. The titanic mkiii is also good and would provide more slam, it just isn't as accurate.
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post #9 of 45
3/3/12 at 4:28pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bhazard View Post

I've used a bunch of subs in my car, and none of them have satisfied me more than the Dayton reference 15" hf model I just put in my car. It stays nearly flat to 20hz and moves some serious air. Shakes me harder than any 12" driver I've used. Best SQ driver for the price along with nice SPL IMO.

What's the point of hitting hard if it sounds like ass?

Car stereo has nothing to do with home audio.. cabinet gain is immense in car audio so a 14mm 15" sub goes a long way.

What kind of measuring equipment do you employ in your home and what kind of EQ do you utilize that allows you to determine that the drivers i listed will "sound like ass"??

"hitting hard" in the car audio world is usually means your box is tuned to prove a 6db gain at tuning, or worse a high qtc sealed box. Meaning a peaky as hell FR.
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post #10 of 45
3/3/12 at 5:09pm
I still think the DCS450 is one of the best "cheap build" options because you only need a 240W plate amp to max it out in a massive 20hz ported box. $250 for driver/amp and 110db at 20hz.

If the IXL18.2.2 ever gets in stock, I vote that as best overall deal. 18", 22mm xmax, $230.
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post #11 of 45
3/3/12 at 5:14pm
By next year this list will grow significantly, but you can sort on any driver parameter on the top columns.

for example, xmax:

http://www.data-bass.com/data?page=d...rt=desc&mfr=-1

We'll probably only add the pricier drivers since its more of a time issue, but we'll also try and snag common drivers too.
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post #12 of 45
3/3/12 at 5:51pm
kyle, you and ricci have a great site in the works. you might consider adding a derived data column for swept volume (2x xmax * sd), as there are lots of folks who would like to sort on that.

also, in order to spread the work over a larger group, is there a format that you could accept additions to the list, such as a comma delimited text file or something using the data-bass standard units?

i'd be happy to kick in a few.

edit...nevermind, i just checked and winisd files can be opened as text files. all you need is a simple script to extract the data and you can have every winisd file moved into your databass. a rent-a-coder should be able to write the script to extract the data for $25 or so. then just copy all the drivers that you want into a directory, run the conversion script, and you are done.
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post #13 of 45
3/4/12 at 7:06am
John...measured data only. with impedance and response in a sealed enclosure of known size.
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post #14 of 45
3/4/12 at 9:44am
I am not trying to be disrespectful, but without further context that the OP has not yet provided, the original question is incomplete as it stands.

Best value for what? For home or for car? These are two very different situations that dictate different parameters for different goals. If this is for home, are you seeking drivers for a sealed or a ported enclosure? This too, will dictate different parameters for different applications.

What is a great value (I interpret as "bang for the buck") for a sealed box for home use is not even a contender if I am looking for a ported box...

I think you might get more thoughtful and useful answers if you define your intended domain...
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post #15 of 45
3/4/12 at 10:30am
If this list is purely based on displacement then the only real number relevant would be $/L. If you don't plan on crossing above 70-80hz then you can debate on the value of inductance, shaping, placement, power handling, etc in another thread. Obviously there are more factors to value than sheer displacement for most, but those who want low end performance value is all about dollars per liter IMO.

Obsidian 18 - $46.28/L
JBL GTO15 - $52.34/L
Fi Q - $54.45/L
RE SX18 - $57.12/Liter
RE XXX18 -$59.68/Liter
Fi SSD - $59.71/L
Alpine 1243 - $62.50/liter
Dayton 15 HF - $74.13/Liter
TC LMS 18 - $100.62/Liter
Dayton 12 HF - $116.67/Liter
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post #16 of 45
3/4/12 at 1:02pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric2000 View Post

I am not trying to be disrespectful, but without further context that the OP has not yet provided, the original question is incomplete as it stands.

Best value for what? For home or for car? These are two very different situations that dictate different parameters for different goals. If this is for home, are you seeking drivers for a sealed or a ported enclosure? This too, will dictate different parameters for different applications.

What is a great value (I interpret as "bang for the buck") for a sealed box for home use is not even a contender if I am looking for a ported box...

I think you might get more thoughtful and useful answers if you define your intended domain...

Well this is a home audio forum.. sooo

i also dont really see why any of my drivers wouldnt model well in a ported enclosure

but mainly these are going to be for people who want sealed, because i just dont see the point in ported when $1000 worth of the drivers i listed above and $600 worth of amps will easily get you to 120db at 10hz after room gain.
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post #17 of 45
3/4/12 at 1:11pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tgse3 View Post

If this list is purely based on displacement then the only real number relevant would be $/L. If you don't plan on crossing above 70-80hz then you can debate on the value of inductance, shaping, placement, power handling, etc in another thread. Obviously there are more factors to value than sheer displacement for most, but those who want low end performance value is all about dollars per liter IMO.

Quick #'s on the above mentioned drivers before shipping:
Obsidian 18 - $39.37/liter
Q 18 - $49.5/Liter
SSD 18 - $52.4/liter
RE SX18 - $57.12/Liter
RE XXX18 -$59.68/Liter
Alpine 1243 - $62.50/liter
Dayton 15 HF - $74.13/Liter
TC LMS 18 - $100.62/Liter
Dayton 12 HF - $116.67/Liter

Everything i listed has free shipping, so these numbers are misleading. Fi subs are not value leaders after shipping. I live 3 hours away and shipping to me is $35 for an 18" sub.

Tax is the only thing unaccounted for, most states dont get charged tax by sonic electronix or car toys so its not an issue.
Car toys only charges tax to WA i think, sonic electronix charges it for CA residents. Audio savings on ebay carries RE, doesnt charge tax for CA, people should use ebay best offer feature and try to match sonic electronix price to avoid paying tax.

The obsidian audio has good displacement but i interpret their klippel results as a good reasons why they only charge $200 for the 18"

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1397484
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post #18 of 45
3/4/12 at 1:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by omegaslast View Post

Everything i listed has free shipping, so these numbers are misleading. Fi subs are not value leaders after shipping. I live 3 hours away and shipping to me is $35 for an 18" sub.

Hence why I said #'s are without shipping. I guess I didn't realize the original list was all encompassing

I'll update to include shipping based on your $35 if that helps, but the general premise for 20hz value continues to be $/liter IMO.

Obsidian 18 - $46.28/L
JBL GTO15 - $52.34/L
Fi Q - $54.45/L
RE SX18 - $57.12/Liter
RE XXX18 -$59.68/Liter
Fi SSD - $59.71/L
Alpine 1243 - $62.50/liter
Dayton 15 HF - $74.13/Liter
TC LMS 18 - $100.62/Liter
Dayton 12 HF - $116.67/Liter
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post #19 of 45
3/4/12 at 1:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LTD02 View Post

kyle, you and ricci have a great site in the works. you might consider adding a derived data column for swept volume (2x xmax * sd), as there are lots of folks who would like to sort on that.

also, in order to spread the work over a larger group, is there a format that you could accept additions to the list, such as a comma delimited text file or something using the data-bass standard units?

i'd be happy to kick in a few.

edit...nevermind, i just checked and winisd files can be opened as text files. all you need is a simple script to extract the data and you can have every winisd file moved into your databass. a rent-a-coder should be able to write the script to extract the data for $25 or so. then just copy all the drivers that you want into a directory, run the conversion script, and you are done.

we do want to keep the data on the site officially measured by the site to keep the numbers relative - I think that's the real value, and again, the more we get the better!
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post #20 of 45
3/4/12 at 1:53pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tgse3 View Post

Hence why I said #'s are without shipping. I guess I didn't realize the original list was all encompassing

I'll update to include shipping based on your $35 if that helps, but the general premise for 20hz value continues to be $/liter IMO.

Obsidian 18 - $46.28/L
JBL GTO15 - $52.34/L
Fi Q - $54.45/L
RE SX18 - $57.12/Liter
RE XXX18 -$59.68/Liter
Fi SSD - $59.71/L
Alpine 1243 - $62.50/liter
Dayton 15 HF - $74.13/Liter
TC LMS 18 - $100.62/Liter
Dayton 12 HF - $116.67/Liter

The GTO is ugly but 4 of those in a room will destroy for $500 and about 10L of displacement

edit: for math suckiness (not sure where i got $700 and 14L)

The RE SEX15 is $54.98/liter, has a nicer looking cone, i know i would probably go for it based purely on that.

The RE SX18 is made in america, which is a plus, and it looks like decent cooling, the cone is also nice and plain. For $909 you get 16L of displacement, and only have to make 3 boxes.
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post #21 of 45
3/4/12 at 2:20pm
The Obsidian drivers need a real big enclosure for sealed.
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post #22 of 45
3/4/12 at 6:33pm
"John...measured data only."

"we do want to keep the data on the site officially measured by the site to keep the numbers relative - I think that's the real value, and again, the more we get the better!"

oh, that's cool.
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post #23 of 45
3/5/12 at 4:00pm
So basically what you are saying is: most displacement for the money. Because things like required enclosure size and sound quality are not one of your criteria. That too factors into "best value".

I think FiCar recently downgraded their claimed Xmax for the SSD drivers. Used to be 25 mm, now it's 20mm.
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post #24 of 45
3/9/12 at 1:19am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by djkest View Post

So basically what you are saying is: most displacement for the money. Because things like required enclosure size and sound quality are not one of your criteria. That too factors into "best value".

I think FiCar recently downgraded their claimed Xmax for the SSD drivers. Used to be 25 mm, now it's 20mm.

In the first sentence i say all i care about is cone area and displacement

This has a stamped metal basket but 18mm 15" sub for $112, really what more can you ask?!

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...o-SRX15D4.html
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post #25 of 45
3/9/12 at 8:26pm
Wow, I like that last sub. Dvc 4 ohm could be wired so many helpful ways. Eight of them would be very impressive hooked to an ep4000.
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post #26 of 45
6/15/12 at 11:52am
Great Thread - Bump back to the top...
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post #27 of 45
6/15/12 at 2:52pm
I have 14 of these drivers:

http://www.amazon.com/JBL-GT5-12-12-Inch-Single-Voice-Coil-Subwoofer/dp/B001CW8VN8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339796615&sr=8-1&keywords=jbl+gt5+12

Gets you 1.5Lt of displacement for 69 dollars! It needs around 4.4 cubic feet for a Qtc of .7, and around 6 cubic feet for a vented 20Hz box.

I have run it free air with 500 watts, could not bottom it, and thermally it held up too, Its Xmech is about 25mm, personally I think its a great sub for the money smile.gif.
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post #28 of 45
6/15/12 at 5:13pm
The Polk MM1540 driver is an interesting one. It's a 15 inch driver with a claimed xmax of 25 mm, available in single and dual voice coil versions. The single voice coil version can be had on ebay new for $153.89 with free shipping. Amazon sells the dual voice coil versions.
Edited by rock_bottom - 6/15/12 at 6:52pm
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post #29 of 45
6/15/12 at 6:01pm
Thread Starter 
Maybe i dont know what im talking about but it seems insane that a subwoofer that shallow would have a 25mm xmax.. id think its xmech wouldnt even be close to that.
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post #30 of 45
6/15/12 at 6:08pm
haha thought the same thing looking at that design. Supposedly its a neo motor so i suppose its possible but thats a driver that id like to see third party testing on.
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