Thinking of building your own sub?

[gatemplin]

If so check out this new company:

www.ascendantaudio.com

No affiliation. This is a new company that has licensed the XBL^2 motor tech from Adire Audio. They have some really cool new drivers that are much cheaper than the other XBL2 drivers. They also do their own engineering.

If I could afford one, I would get this Avalanche 18. 27mm of one way Xmax and huge Sd. hubba hubba
http://www.ascendantaudio.com/Avalanche-18-rear.gif

There are more flat BL drivers coming out from Stryke Audio (Acoustic Elegance) and *maybe* TC Sounds (supplier of some SVS woofs) and there will probably be more news of uber woofers next week during CES.

It's a good time for DIYers.

Edit: added the maybe before TC, the developer of their LMT technology has apparently left the company. I personally dont like the idea of LMT anyway, it doesn't look like anything new. The VC is huge and it needs dual spiders. Maybe AE will have a better approach.

[bolson]

Nice looking drivers! But, how does the 12" Atlas compare to the Shiva? I was looking to build an 85 liter vented enclosure tuned to 20 Hz with the Shiva. I am not up on all the technical stuff, but I noticed that the Fs for the Shiva is 21 Hz vs. the Atlas at 23.2 Hz.

I would really like to build the 214 liter vented Tempest, but space is a critical to the WAF.

Granted the Atlas driver is better looking, but what is the better performing of the two?

[gatemplin]

The Atlas would be better than the current version of the Shiva. It has more Xmax and more clean output. That said, there is a new version of the Shiva coming out soon with XBL^2. Adire Audio will have about 60 sub drivers very soon so keep your options open. I'll post some pics and specs of the new drivers at CES.

Overall these drivers have very similar specs and should be similar when modelling. The outputs and efficiencies should be similar aswell. The difference is the adjustable Qts of the Atlas which is the tendency to resonate at the Fs. This means you can have a sub driver that does well in large ported boxes and in small sealed boxes just by making adjustments to the little 2 ohm coil. I am not sure how much a difference in Fs will make because of the tunable Qts, there will be more info on the site as soon as Chad has the time.

I built the EBS 340L Tempest myself and really like it (I dont have to worry about WAF, I'm a nerd). Hard to beat for the money, but a new Tempest is coming out soon.

[tryrrthg]

Very cool drivers!

Do you know if the new Shiva and Tempest will be as easy to power as the current models? I'd love to upgrade my DIY sub with another DIY design. To have an XBL2 driver would be GREAT but I don't want to shell out a ton of cash to power the thing.

[gatemplin]

I dont know anything about the new versions of the Tempest and Shiva. You will probably see them first at www.diycable.com or at the newer website for Exodus Audio. The efficiency will probably be lower with XBL^2, but that is speculation on my part.

The driver I am exited about seeing is the Tumult 18 and I hear there are other big displacement drivers (+40mm each way).

The problem with these new drivers is that driver distortion goes down, but power requirements go up and distortion produced by the boxes will go up. People will need HEAVY boxes to contain these drivers and dedicated circuits to power them.

[tryrrthg]

Cool, I'll keep my eye out for them. I'm not in any real hurry, but I am getting the itch to build something again...

[Mjr7531]

Originally posted by gatemplin
Adire Audio will have about 60 sub drivers very soon so keep your options open.
:eek: Dear god! That isn't a typo? 60! goodness... That's a pretty big amount to add on to their lineup.

[gatemplin]

Not a typo. Anyone familar with Adire Audio probably knows about driver shortages, it's the only bad thing I have heard about this company. They have had trouble meeting the demand for their drivers and were relying on other suppliers to make them. I know about this problem first hand as do probably many down in the car audio section.

Recently Dan Wiggins of Adire opened a state of the art driver manufacturing plant in Chile. He says he can make up to 5 MILLION drivers a year! That should take care of the shortages.

Anyway, this is what he had to say about the direction the company is going:

Essentially we're going from ~6 car audio subs (Shiva, Tempest, Brahma 10, Brahma 12, Brahma 15, Tumult) to around 60 models. So you'll have a LOT more options to play with...

[gatemplin]

Here is an update for more DIY drivers. These all have the XBL^2 motors mentioned before. These are all designed by and made by Adire Audio.

For those that dont know, XBL2 uses two gaps and one small voice coil. The result is a flatter BL curve and low distortion. I have heard them, they sound great.

Here is some info on some new drivers coming out soon:

Shiva. Two inch diameter voice coil, overhung design, 14.5mm one way Xmax. 10", 12", 15" sizes, dual 8s and dual 4s available. Basic entry level SQL sub, low cost, easy to use, good performer.

Tempest. 2.5 inch diameter voice coil, overhung design, 18.5mm one way Xmax. 10", 12", 15" sizes, dual 8s, dual 4s and dual 2s available. All around banger. Will play deep, good SQ, get loud, budget SQL weighted to more SPL than SQ.

Maelstrom. Three inch diameter voice coil, overhung design, 24mm one way Xmax. 12", 15", 18" sizes, dual 4s and dual 2s available. Monster big driver. Handle lots of power. Real SPL monster, high BL (29 N/A), high stroke, still retain some decent SQ.

Koda. Two inch diameter voice coil, XBL2 motor, 18.5mm one way Xmax. 10", 12", 15" sizes, dual 8s and dual 4s. Basic entry level SQL sub, low cost, easy to use, better SQ than the overhungs with output around the Tempests. Like the current Koda 10s.

Brahma. 2.5" diameter voice coil, XBL2 motor, 26mm one way Xmax. 10", 12", 15" sizes, dual 4s and dual 2s. midline SQL sub, competitive price, similar to the current Brahmas in SQ and SPL.

Tumult. Three inch diameter voice coil, XBL2 motor, 34mm one way Xmax. 12", 15", 18" sizes, dual 4s and dual 2s. Top of the line in output, great SQ. Like the current Tumults, just more options.

That's the starting lineup.

[goingganzo]

the Maelstrom olny has 13 mm of x max.
i just ordered 4 Avalanche 18 Subwoofers and they are the bomb i cant wait to get them running.

[Willow]

all I can say is MASSIVE !!!!

[tryrrthg]

Originally posted by gatemplin
That's the starting lineup.
SWEET! Any info on pricing?

[hoosier21]

I got two of the 15" Atlas drivers at home needing a cabinet, hoping for a warm weekend to get the ball rolling on my subwoofer project. Here is a picture, very nice looking drivers.

[gatemplin]

Originally posted by goingganzo
the Maelstrom olny has 13 mm of x max.


Yep, but that was the old one. The new ones made in Chile have 24mm each way.

The sub drivers look great guys. Gotta love the carbon fibre dust caps!


tryrrthg,

I haven't any info on pricing yet. I think that they will be about the same as the current line ups from Adire and Ascendant.

[goingganzo]

here is a pic of my suround

[gatemplin]

Originally posted by gatemplin
Here is an update for more DIY drivers. These all have the XBL^2 motors mentioned before.


Doh! Just realized that the new Shivas, Tempests and Maelstroms are still overhung, not XBL2. What's up with that?

[Lonewolf32]

I just wanted to thank you for turning me on to some new subs. I have never heard of them before. I just hope the dealer in my area still existslol

[gatemplin]

Your very welcome Lonewolf. I dont know of any dealers in TX anymore but you can get most of the subs (when they are available) from http://www.acoustic-visions.com/ or www.diycable.com .

[Chewie]

I got the Atlas 12" two months ago when the Shiva fried after a week of use. The Atlas has been working great. Their customer service is first rate too.