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Are there any aesthetically beautiful subwoofers? (with photos)
- Thread starter Talisman
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- aesthetics subwoofer waf
Which drivers for highly custom, small enclosure?
Hi All. I'm re-doing my main setup and need to build a new pair of decorative subs with more oomph for a new, larger living room, about 2500 cu. ft. The subs have to sit on a thick walnut bottom shelf, 12-1/2" deep by max. 18"h. The room opens up broadly to another living area, and standing...
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I blush. There are stout baltic birch boxes inside. The used books cost about $400! Then I cut them up one by one with a jigsaw and glued them all together.
xNORgate
Active Member
Has there ever been a subterranean sub-woofer system, to provide that floor-rattling audio?
Wouldn't a full-range, floor standing pair of speakers solve the desire for aesthetics, invisibility, as well as WAF?
Possibly. I was able to get a pair of these past the WAF sensor... they essentially have a Revel Ultima Sub30 built into them.
So yes, it is possible, but I'm lucky that my better half allowed me to put these rather large speakers into our living room. Most of my friends' wives would never give up that much real estate.
MattHooper
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They look good in a real setting to here’s mine in black
Pictures
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That’s a great set up! Beautiful room, beautiful view. Tastefully done.
That’s about as good as you get if you can’t actually hide the subs. But of course, I think it would look even better without the subs.
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Nathan’s craftsmanship is one thing, but exposed drivers are IMO the opposite of easy-on-the-eye.
Here are two I designed and had commissioned, with a Nelson thin-edge vibe.
Both have 85L closed boxes as well as functional space. One currently holds a BMS 18n850 (was built for an Aurasound NS18-992-4a but that died; I have a JBL 2288 and Aurasound MR18.4 to replace the BMS (long story) but I’ve been lazy and honestly there’s nothing wrong with the “humble” BMS. The other has 2 Aurasound NS15-992-4a drivers.
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And they don't give them away either. I've seen and heard a few but for the money and quality of sound, I'll stick with GRs OB servos. I
have been building subs and bass towers for 40 years. GRs are hard to beat for the money. The number one reason I use them, they are
easier on the ears over protracted periods of listening.
The Funk Audio subs I've listened to were in the 3-5k range EACH. Birds Eye maple was an extra 1000.00 per cabinet. The guy insisted
on having it too. He was at 13K for a pair of 18" sealed subs. I gave him a good pat on the back. I used earplugs the whole time I was
listening. BTW he sold them, I don't know what he is using now.
3 doubles of GRs 12" 8 years ago were about 3K total and I've NEVER lost a driver or a plate. Drivers are tough as nails. I'm pretty sure the
price has at least doubled. I use Queen Ann legs on both Bass towers and the doubles. I like the look, the price and performance.
Regards
Has there ever been a subterranean sub-woofer system, to provide that floor-rattling audio?
People have built infinite baffle subwoofers into ceilings, basements, crawlspaces, and adjoining rooms. I remember years ago seeing photos of huge bass horns actually built into the concrete structure of a home. (I cannot find the photos.) Ones imagination is the only limit.
Martin
Like this horn loaded sub?Has there ever been a subterranean sub-woofer system, to provide that floor-rattling audio?
That whole project was pure insanity. If you’ve ever seen the actual finished listening room it is nucking futs!
Impressive, to be certain, but bewilderingly crazy.
There are no aesthetically beautiful subwoofers. Either they are small and cleverly crafted so as to look pretty but do not get low enough to be called "sub woofer" (physics gets in the way of the pretty) or they are huge ugly boxes you just live with, or they are built-ins, as above or IB Subs. Subwoofers are fugly, which is in part why we hide them.
Keith_W
Major Contributor
I think my subwoofers look OK. They were designed to blend in with the furniture, so they don't really look like subs until you look closely.
Buckchester
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Have you ever tried to commission custom furniture?
No but I've built a few pieces through the years. I actually built a roll-top in the 70s with a jointer, plainer, table saw, drill press and
several jigs I made. I used it in a warehouse/machine shop I built in 1972. The shop I had some help but the roll top I went through
a heck of a learning curve and quite a bit of black walnut before it was all said and done. I made a little over 100 pairs of cabinets
for speakers and built cabinets for 4 different kitchens through the years. I built at least 8 large entertainment centers too.
Chairs, tables, beds, chest of drawers and general furniture I left that to the wife to pick out.
I'm quite happy with a workshop environment and prefer to sleep on the ground in the summer. I'm still a bit of a caveman in some
respects. A shade tree is just fine most of the time as long as the mosquitos or flees aren't a problem and both can leave an animal
running for cover/water in the delta. I hate both personally. At least flies have a job, to eat $hit, I haven't figured out the purpose of fleas
or mosquitos yet.
Regards
Westsounds
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It's absolute crap, but yes it does look rather nice.