[filcord]

I have used the existing HU of my SX4, taken the speaker outputs and fed them to a 4-channel amp. The front speakers are JBL 6 inch components, and the rear JBL 6 inch coaxials.
While the sound is vastly better now, I would like a little more bass, and have been considering the Bazooka BTA10100 BT Series 10-Inch 100-Watt Amplified Tube Subwoofer. Ideally I would like to feed this off the RCA output from the amp, and place it under the driver's seat.
I don't want to rattle the neighbourhood, just to feel that rounded bass sound.
Has anybody got any experience with this Subwoofer?
Any suggestions?

[Samridh]

Filcord, I am no expert on audio but see if you read around on this forum or elsewhere you will find a lot of unanimity amongst audio enthusiasts on this topic. Generally speaking, for louder set-ups with muddy precision, bass tubes are ok. But if you want a wholistic (read rounded) experience and want your bass to ping when the musician intended to, then go for a cube woofer. Bass tubes are and will continue to be boomy coz. a majority of the area is used to create room for sound to reverberate. Umm in simpler words, have u tried shouting in a tunnel or say an empty room of an empty flat. The hollowing and reverberation caused is the basic principle in tubes. So if you are looking forward to a better, more crispier listening experience look further and audition a few cube shaped sub-woofers.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by Samridh

... cube woofer. Bass tubes are and will continue to be boomy coz. a majority of the area is used to create room for sound to reverberate. Umm in simpler words, have u tried shouting in a tunnel or say an empty room of an empty flat. The hollowing and reverberation caused is the basic principle in tubes. ...

Err... while your observation about tubes being boomy (there are a few which are not) are generally correct, the reasoning is bit different.

Tubes are predominantly (cheaper) implementations of bass-reflex or ported enclosures - whose inherent nature is boominess due to lack of damping on the cone by the air mass behind it to prevent that. While the benefit is almost twice the loudness for the same power input to the sub, the downside is the muddiness. Subs mounted in well designed sealed boxes do not have the boominess, but need more power to produce the same loudness as a tube. An ill-designed / larger than necessary sealed box also sounds louder but muddy.

The internal reverberations in the sub enclosure are easily cut down by using damping (conveniently avoided to save cost).

@filcord, are you sure the Bazooka will fit under the driver's seat? Please peep underneath and check the dimensions with a tape measure.

[filcord]

Thanks Der Alte. I better check the exact dimensions. Thing is, I don't want to put it in the trunk as it means I'll have to cut a hole in the rear shelf to let the sound through.

[Samridh]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

The internal reverberations in the sub enclosure are easily cut down by using damping (conveniently avoided to save cost).

Though I completely understand where u are coming from and agree with the most part. Re the portion quoted, I am only wondering if you meant this:

In the event, adequate damping was used in the cylindrical enclosue of a tube, sound reverberations will be cut down considerably. If that be the case won't most tube manufacturers try this simple alternative to bring their products at par with cube type (up & down firing) subs?? I still have a strong hunch that the inherent -circular- nature of the enclosures makes them more boomy. So I assume, if a normal cube sub when powered by the same amplifier will sound more muddy in a spherical/cylindrical enclosure when compared to a cubical enclosure (assuming that the enclosure volume is same in the spherical/cylindrical enclosure and the cubical enclosure). I also think that though sound does not travel in straight lines and most (or infact all subs are either up or down firing) the posibility of sound wave oscillations (read rebounding) should be much lesser in cubical enclosures.

May be you could help me clear my doubts!! Thanks Der Alte!!

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by filcord

... I don't want to put it in the trunk as it means I'll have to cut a hole in the rear shelf to let the sound through.

Oh no, you need not (unless you want to use that as a hair dryer for rear seat passengers )! Save boot space, hang it by straps tightly to the bottom of the parcel shelf. The rear seat backs are (almost) transparent as far as bass transmission is concerned. You might have to set the gain a tad higher if you want it louder.

Originally Posted by Samridh

... I am only wondering if you meant this:

In the event, adequate damping was used in the cylindrical enclosue of a tube, sound reverberations will be cut down considerably. If that be the case won't most tube manufacturers try this simple alternative to bring their products at par with cube type (up & down firing) subs?? ...

No, I meant the boominess is due to the ported box (a tube is a cylindrical box), not because the box is cylindrical. It is NOT in the interest of the tube manufacturers to do what you imagined, simply because it is cheaper for them to produce subs with a rolled paper cylinder than an MDF box AND give customers something that goes loud BOOMMM BOOMMM. For the customers is it bass at a lower cost, so everyone wins.

Originally Posted by Samridh

... I still have a strong hunch that the inherent -circular- nature of the enclosures makes them more boomy. ...

No, incorrect! Please do read up on ported v/s sealed subs. Geometry of the box does not play a role there. A run of the mill cuboid ported box still boommmms! You have got to accept the fact that some people prefer boommmmmy bass, especially those who are into rap, hip-hop, techno, etc.

[Samridh]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Geometry of the box does not play a role there.

I do understand the difference between ported and sealed sub woofers. I also appretiate the rationale of equipment manufacturers behind using cheap enclosures. What I don't agree/understand is this:

Assuming that a similar driver (powered with the same amplifier) when planted in an enclosure of identical volume will sound more boomy in a cylindrical/spherical enclosure than in a cubical enclosure due to better dynamics (in cubical enclosures). This is because sound waves will have to travel longer distances (in cylindrical/spherical enclosures) before they reverberate back out of the port. Thus the probability of bass pinging in (when intended by the musician) will be lower and will thus create a -more- muddy effect in cylindrical/spherical enclosures.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by Samridh

... What I don't agree/understand is this: ...

You are most welcome *not* to, but ...

1. 'How things work' and 'how things have been made to work' relies on mathematics and physics, not 'intuitive visualization'

2. All of what you are trying to dispute is knowledge common enough to be available on the internet - nothing is 'rocket science'

3. It would help in the understanding process if you work with diagrams to illustrate your theory

4. It would also help if you equalize your terminology with the commonly used terminology, so that we talk of the same things

5. Last but not the least, you need to understand that the 'boom' is more due to deficient control on the cone than due to the 'reverberations' in the enclosure. Those reverberations, whether more or less in a cuboid or a cylinder or sphere, are *obviated* by simply using a means to cancel them. As a simple test, try stuffing a couple of small cushions into your tube sub to see how much of the 'boominess' it reduces by cutting out the 'reverberations'

[Samridh]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

1. 'How things work' and 'how things have been made to work' relies on mathematics and physics, not 'intuitive visualization'

^^ This part I love DerAlte!!