BWC (Big Woofer Club): Why Big Woofers Matter

@Psalmanazar



1236A


I bet these don't have a lot of these usual monitor limitations.

This reminds me, I want to listen to 12 or 15 inch 3 way gens. from the main field series.

 

Small monitors suck for full range... You want a sub (a compromise I know) or proper woofers.


To be honest, Id rather listen to good closed HP which imitate big driver bass quite well rather than small monitors for full range. I get you can have whatever for you computer speakers and casual listening. But you cant fool me with your KEF LS50 bs.

 

I have my brothers 8050As on my table and I have them on loan for months but these arent full range. Ever. They cant do drums like proper big woofers. The end.

They are decent speakers that's it.

 

I want a big room with these inside the wall.

4x15" ought to be enough?

 

Dude. Afte hearing proper (by my standard anyway) 3 way system with good drivers... There is a caping hole between proper 3 way and everything else.

Maybe I havent heard the ultimate 2 way systems but thats my experience anyway. 2 ways with big woofers have lackluster mids. They cant do everything.


Subs cant't do that slam which is up to 400Hz or where the designer decides the XO needs to be.

 

Lol I wasn't talking a 1" driver. For daily use if it can get down to 30hz I'm OK. Not much music in my collection that has pipe organs or tubas or contrabassons. And what would improve the bass performance of that record? The lowest note being played is what, maybe B1? No issues here. Plays Massive Attack's Angel with effortlessness and accuracy.

 

I believe it, one day i'll get some nice Tannoy's.
Not sure i can get a normal 3 way with a 15" to blend well in nearfield(2m distance). My room size, listening position and acoustics are kinda locked in.

 

Btw. I don't want to spread some half-truths and bias. If you read the between the lines. Decent 5-to 6 inch monitors make a lot of sense. Just get good ones and add subs if you wish. If you want bigger sound get bigger - but there are no free meals here. 3 ways are at least 2x to 3x times as expensive.



P.S small speakers are great for vocals and delicate sounds to serve your quiet lounge(small living room, chill space).

P.S.S Never look at the bass extension on speaker datasheets for some ultimate truth. Who gives a crap if some 5 inch digs really low. It is pushing it anyway. Not a lot of win, probably. It isn't doing the big driver's thunderous tone anyway.

Some 12 to 15-inch woofer systems reach only 35-40 Hz neutrally. Who cares. You get the big sound and actual info in the bass. Which is, you have probably never heard bass if you have relied on 5 to 6-inch drivers for the full range.

 

If you have to stick your face 2 feet from the monitor, a traditional 6-7” two way is great And one of the best compromises for getting shit done. NS 10, KRK 6000, ATC 20, Proac 100 are all 6-7” and incredibly useful get shit done memes for a reason. They’re also great in a walk in closet. The amount of 8” that don’t have a midrange dip Is limited to quested and Yamaha. If you’re not doing audio work, stop watching porn, stop playing video games, and save your money. get the big 8” Monitors (KRK V8, JBL 708, Dynaudio BM15, 9” Genelecs, tons of sick hifi passives) and don’t bitch about it like Rob. Take the big shit.

if you’re 2m back, deffo get the 8” good shit or go appropriate three way like ATC 25 or 50. Further back? Go big! If you go small, you’re lame.

 

IMO, it would make sense to try these better 5 to 8 inch montiors and add a sub. Sub gives you that growling lower end. Moving mass and lower note tone. If your nabers whine a lot then you need to switch spaces or have these at a summer home.

Or turn it louder, as you do.

 

BWC dynamics. Comparison is like if you have never been to a firing range and heard big rifle rounds go off. In movies guns are like water pistols, even in cinema where there are good sound systems(Edit. this is because of soft mastering etc. Some movies have decent dynamics too so It isnt black and white). That how much more dynamics proper full-range systems can have if you have experienced some of this. They aren't toys anymore. But also really delicate, they really disappear.

I haven't heard it but read Marvs Rockna's description. A good system should do everything without flavor. If it cant do summer wind breeze blowing against your ears delicate, they are no good. If they can't do high hats and drums that pop and strike like thunder then they are no good. Tone also.. some speakers have their distored tone over everything and can't imitate real sounds and tones.

 

Right now i have 6.5” with two properly integrated 10” subs taking over at 100hz. Don’t get me wrong i’m very happy with my setup. It’s just fun to look at the good stuff and go hmmm that’s some mighty green grass there...
V3110 baby.

 

Yeah, that's where you really want to be at guys.

 

I care more about the accuracy of representing the sound of a drum and hi-hat. If your woofer can't whack at the speed of a drum hit, (bad step response) it will sound slow.

 

Why does this whole thread feel like we're whipping things out and measuring things?

I think there's a caveat here that's not being mentioned. BWC requires large(r) space and there might be situations where a 6-8" woofer pair do actually "adequately" provide enough pistonic motion with low enough distortion to pressurize a room with "high fidelity" lower frequencies. It's like the mixup over what frequency range/technical capability "SLAM" is. Too subjective.

Not all music requires Jurrassic Park water glass scene, or U271 depth-charge scene dick-wagging to be enjoyable.

 

Yet an other experience I might want to have. I'd like to go to a big concert with good sound system with massive arrays, Haven't been for a long time...

I bet there are 15 inch sub arrays hidden below stage though.

 

I get your intention but your first statement isn't accurate imo. It is about quality and how much detail and information comes out of the speakers. Bigger isnt better for like power hungry, I have massive SUV good (they are good for space, i know). It is only about quality actually. You can try 10 to 12 inches for smaller spaces. For smaller living room maybe. You will be surprised.



Big driver does more for less movement. It automatically has less distortion and idk about that but it can do big sound, darkish tone (more gamut if you will). Everything sounds smallish by nature and tone out of smaller speakers. I tried up to 15 inches in 15 - 18 square meter room and they are fine in this space.