For those who are interested in seeing my construction journey my build thread is here.
This afternoon I basically gave the the THT a run. No measurement equipment just my old ears.. I decided to play stuff that my ears were accustom to hearing with my EBS/LLT. For music I used Elton John and The Pussy Cat dolls, both live concerts. For movies, Transformers 1 & 2, Die Hard 4, Star Wars EP 1 PodRace scene DTS, and Bolt.
The first thing I noticed about the THT was it's efficiency. Everyone has told me it gets loud but me being a bass fanatic assumed it would be relatively loud but not CRAZY loud. Well.. You guys were right. This thing is crazy loud. It took me awhile to get acquainted with just how loud it gets. I am so used to the limits of my EBS/LLT there were sometimes I was running for the remote thinking the DVC in the THT was about to bottom out. But it never did. Only after did I started measuring the voltage did I get more confidence in cranking it up more.
Even without an SPL meter in hand I can easily say the THT dominates the EBS/LLT all day long. One of the main reasons I wanted to build the THT was because of its claim for great midbass (40 - 100hz). This was a goal for this project, to get back the midbass my EBS/LLT lacked. It was such a pleasure to feel a very tactile kick in the chest while playing both live concerts from Elton John and the Pussy Cat Dolls. It hit like I've never heard a home theater sub hit before. As for the ultra low bass below 40hz, I feel (no pun intended) the THT again dominates my EBS/LLT in this area too. As mentioned I am still getting used to crazy output of the THT and to prohibit any bottoming of the driver I configured an extremely conservative 48db/Butterworth @ 25hz highpass using my DCX2496. Steep slope, yes but the THT has so much output even crossed over this aggressively I still felt the lower octaves had ALOT more tactile effects. Once I get used to the sub I'll be lowering or removing the high pass. <Spoiler alert> Lets just say in Transformers 2 when Optimus dies and falls to the ground my vision blurred like I have never felt before (1:02 into movie). If I had to gauge, again with my ears I'd say the THT is at least 5x louder than the EBS/LLT.
As most who already have horns know, the major benefit to horns is that high output can come with low distortion without alot of power. I can't reiterate this enough. The bass is so smooth and in all of my demos this afternoon I never seemed to run out of headroom. I'd turn it up, think that was as good as it gets, than turn it up more and it continued to impress me without producing audible distortion. Lets just say I am easily able to find the limits of my EBS/LLT but have not found the limits of the THT yet. It's a bass nuts dream
As my wife was gone all afternoon. When she came back, she immediately ran down and gave me hell saying that the bass is so loud outside that it may upset the neighbors. Maybe I am evil, but I grinned..
To say I am extremely impressed is an understatement. I'll be doing some more tweaking this week with hopefully some measurements by next weekend. I haven't finalized my placement yet. For now it sits right next to my EBS/LLT.
My biggest worry now is what I am going todo with my EBS/LLT as it really is no longer needed.
Die Hard 4 YouTube Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kBHxasi8ko
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kBHxasi8ko[/youtube]
Pussy Cat Dolls YouTube Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgRL9218th8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgRL9218th8[/youtube]
121db @ 22hz Video 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIBdkXW_jns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIBdkXW_jns[/youtube]
121db @ 22hz Video 2 Followup With Couch Moving!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--7My1qU1Eg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--7My1qU1Eg[/youtube]
