[KidHorn]

I bought a new Mirage MM6 off ebay (from vanns) for $199. It's has a 6.5" woofer but is rated at 600 watts. I wanted something with a small footprint (it's 8"x8") that sounds decent at lower volumes.


My room is 24' x16' with an arched ceiling but the sofa will only be about 10' from the TV/front speakers/sub.


I know generally speaking the sub is too small for the room, but since I don't plan on blasting the volume, will the sub sound OK?


The reason I'm asking is I'm thinking of picking up a second sub for the same price.

 

[warpdrive]

that little sub is way too small for that room. If you are just watching TV at lower volumes, it will be ok, but it's not going to be very clean sounding at higher volumes. Getting a second one should help out but you are still going to be lacking a lot of the deep bass that a slightly bigger sub would have.

 

[buzzy_]

Well, you might be able to manage, for music ... put the subs near the sofa. But usually in a room that size, there's room for a larger sub or two.


And in terms of impact for HT, not the way to go.


The 600 or 800 watts is how they (sort of) make up for the small size, to get it to begin to equal a larger sub. That is, it's only making up for the small cabinet size. You're not getting anywhere near what a larger sub could deliver with that many watts, you're getting the equivalent of a slightly larger normally powered sub.


It's a nice piece of gear, but really designed for people with very tight space constraints.

 

[KidHorn]

Thanks for the replies.


I thought it would definately be too small, but from reading reviews, it seems to produce a lot of sound.


Outside of having a 800 watt amp, they have 3 6.5" woofers. 2 of them are passive (I don't know what passive means in this case. Are they peaceful?). So instead of having a large 12" or so woofer, they have 3 smaller woofers that have a surface area equivalent of sqrt(3*6.5*6.5) = 11.25" woofer.


I realize there's more to it than this since there's no way a 6.5" can generate the low frequencies a larger woofer can produce, but it's rated down to 42 Hz and outside of elephants, that can't be heard. But, I suppose it can be felt.


Anyway it's supposed to arrive tomorrow and i'll hear for myself.

 

[buzzy_]

Hearing it yourself - in your own room, the way you would use it - is the best way.


Passive means it has rubber surround kind of like a speaker, but no driver/magnet/coil - just a solid piece that moves when the air inside the sub moves.


As far as your calculations, one 6.5" cone = 30% of the area of a 12".


And if you really wanted to go there, look into some of the DIY subwoofer discussions, there's a lot more to it. Just a couple things you missed:


- Displacement - you can have all the surface area you want, but if it's not moving back and forth, no sound. And those passive radiators don't really count, not a lot of displacement.


- Porting and cabinet size - IIRC this is small, sealed cabinet. Again, if you're looking to move air, those work against you, so a lot of the watts get burned up making up for that.


Another way to think of it - even just comparing the MM6 and the MM8, because it's easy to find the specs:


MM6: Max SPL: 97dB @ 30Hz, ground plane, 1m

MM8: Max SPL: 102.6dB @ 30Hz, ground plane, 1m


So almost 6 db difference, even just with the MM8. Turns out that with decibels, 6db is TWICE the sound pressure and 10db will be perceived as twice as loud. That's a lot. Imagine what a bigger sub could do.

 

[KidHorn]

The room I plan to put it in doesn't exist yet and probably won't for several months.


I have 4 other systems with subs, so I can swap them around to get the best fit if necessary.


I'm not looking for something that will shake the house. I already have a system that can blast louder than anyone could possibly stand. I want something that sounds good in the room it's being used in, but doesn't bother someone taking a nap upstairs. I want to be able to hear it without it being loud. Clarity is more important that wattage.

 

[buzzy_]

It's always bizarre when someone asks for advice, and their every post proves they need it, but then they argue with the advice they get.

 

[warpdrive]



Quote:
Originally Posted by KidHorn /forum/post/20769469


Thanks for the replies.


I thought it would definately be too small, but from reading reviews, it seems to produce a lot of sound.

a lot of sound is different from quality sound.

Quote:
(I don't know what passive means in this case. Are they peaceful?). So instead of having a large 12" or so woofer, they have 3 smaller woofers

no, the other two drivers are passive radiators, not drivers. They are there to allow the speaker to be tuned for better low frequency extension as they effectively act like tuning ports. You can't add their surface area together as it's still the powered driver which is pushing the air.

Quote:
I realize there's more to it than this since there's no way a 6.5" can generate the low frequencies a larger woofer can produce, but it's rated down to 42 Hz and outside of elephants, that can't be heard. But, I suppose it can be felt.

You can easily hear below 42Hz. It's only when you get below 25Hz where you mostly feel the sound, not hear it. A good subwoofer should play down to 30Hz. Heck a lot of bookshelf speakers can hit down to 50Hz making this sub kind of pointless.

Quote:
Originally Posted by KidHorn /forum/post/20771058


I want to be able to hear it without it being loud. Clarity is more important that wattage.

You would have been better off with a larger subwoofer that is barely working hard than a small subwoofer like this that will be working hard to fill your room. The harder the sub has to work, the more distortion. With a larger sub like a Emotiva Sub 12, which would cost the same as two MM6, it would sound clearer and more articulate due to its sealed design. I find subwoofers with passive radiators more sensitive to placement because the radiators tend to add their own sound when placed too close to walls and corners.


I would recommend the MM6 if you are looking for a good computer speaker sub, but not as a anchor for a home theater system in a large room

 

[KidHorn]

OK, it wont sound good. I'll find another room to put it in.


Ay suggestions for something that will sound decent?


I'm going to match it with an old infinity center (2 5.5" woofers and a tweeter), 2 yamaha A636's (3 way 8" woofers down to 80hz) and 4 small infinity surrounds (tiny woofer and tweeter). Everything will either be wall mounted or on a shelf. I haven't picked a receiver yet since I'm guessing I can get a better deal towards the end of the year than now. Speaker prices don't drop like receivers, so I'm looking at speakers now. This won't be my main movie watching area, I just want something decent at a good price that my wife won't think is ugly (I know all subs basically look the same, but if there's a stylish looking one, all things being equal, I would lean towards that) and my kids won't destroy by dropping a toy on it. I'll probably balk at anything over $500. It doesn't make sense to have a cadillac sub with chevy speakers.

 

[warpdrive]



Quote:
Originally Posted by KidHorn /forum/post/20773615


OK, it wont sound good. I'll find another room to put it in.

It would make a kick-butt computer speaker sub. I have a similar sub (Velodyne MicroVee) for my computer system and it is perfect for that application


I would recommend the Emotiva Ultra 12. It will play very cleanly and tight (no boominess). Not too big and not tacky looking. If you find that it is too powerful, you can always turn down the volume of the sub alone.

 

[KidHorn]

Thanks. I looked at the emotiva. Seems like a decent deal for $429.

 

[KidHorn]

I received and hooked up the MM6 last night. The thing is tiny. It's like half the size of a bookshelf speaker.


I spent some time trying to adjust phase, frequency and volume to get a decent sound. I have no idea what I'm doing. Other than volume, everything sounds the same.


It sounds OK. I wasn't wowed or extremely disappointed. It's supposed to sound better once it breaks in. It clearly can't produce earth shaking tones, but it does make things sound better at the low end. It sounds better with music than HT. I have a 500 watt 15" infinity sub that blows this thing away, but it's also the size of a mini fridge.


I like the fact that it's easy to access the back since it's so small. I have it hidden under a corner table and I can easily pull it out and adjust as needed.


My wife wants to buy all new furniture in our family room and an obstacle has been where to put everything (including the old normal sized sub) and having a tiny sub that can be stuck pretty much anywhere is one less thing to deal with.

 

[Shift]

I finally got around to listen to the Mirage MM-6 Subwoofer.


I am wow'd on the size and performance of this little giant!


The guy at the Magnolia store was fine with me fine tuning the Onkyo receiver to listen to the MM-6 along with the MX surrounds. It was not in the concealed Magnolia room, but just outside of it where it was all open space area (huge area of Best Buy). It was hooked up with the 70" LED Sharp. I sat about 14' back and this sub was honestly pretty darn amazing for its footprint. I heard the MiniVee and to me this fits right in that category! I would not even think twice if I wanted a small sub footprint and put it in my open space living room (18' x 22' and opens into the kitchen).


If you can find the MM6 for cheap snag it!!


Note: If this tiny Mirage can perform like it did in the area I was listening to it, I would love to hear there bigger enclosure subs in the near future.