Well, I broke down and brought the TT into my room and corner loaded and hooked her up to the rest of my system, I crossed the sub at 110hz and the mains at 125hz with a wide slope. I had planned to wait to move the TT into my room until it was painted and Duratexed, but I couldn't resist. On a side note, my small room has terrible room modes, the bass is almost nonexistent in the middle of the room (no bueno), but is immense in the corners. Anyway, I then proceeded to play some Mord Fustang house music at war volume. Remember what I said about it not digesting my food?
it doesn't like, digest my food or anything.
Boy, was I wrong.
I played it at
only 1/3 volume, anything else would have alarmed the entire neighborhood. Next to the sub, everything on me was dancing like it was alive. The hair on my arms and legs felt like it was being blown around by a leaf blower, and my eyes felt like they were being pressed into my head with my thumbs. The bass was resonating inside my chest with a reverberation, that feeling I've always searched for since a loud concert years ago. I'm 100% sure that this could cause nausea after a short while. I only listened for 5 minutes and felt a little sick, though this was just from the evil happiness I got out of finally getting to play this monster at war volume.
The drywall opposite the horn mouth was visibly fluctuating about 1/16", and things on my desk were walking across the surface. I then went into the next room. The plates hanging on the wall were
visibly bouncing off the walls about 1/3", it was like the Hulk was slamming the palms of his hands on the opposite wall. I then went outside to see how loud it was outside. The gutters
on the opposite side of the house were vibrating like crazy, and so were the front lights at the front door. I went over to where my room was (my room is downstairs). The window was visibly vibrating, and the side panels of the house felt like they were about to crack with vibration, and the gutters on this side of the house were shaking like there was an earthquake.
This project has been a complete success for me, but for all the lurkers reading this that hope to do something similar, read and heed:
First: This project is not practical in a quiet suburban neighborhood such as the one I live in (Germantown TN, a suburb of Memphis). This sub will
never go above 1/3 of its volume potential, it really creates that much noise outside the house. If this thing doesn't get the cops called within 20 minutes of blasting it at a house party, I'd be shocked. For nice low and loud bass in a suburban neighborhood a single loaded T18 or AT would be more than enough. I picked the TT because of its low end extension for the dubstep and DnB I like, which commonly drops below 40hz. And the TT hasn't missed a note yet.
Second: This thing
can do property damage, right on par with Gregory East's predictions. At full volume I would expect damage to the drywall, and certainly damage to things falling of shelves, etc. I get things falling off shelves at 1/3 volume corner loaded, and stuff around the house is walking on the shelves as well. (Forgot to measure the average voltage at 1/3 volume, sorry.)
Third: This thing is big. If you want low and loud you have to go big, this was the sacrifice I made for getting the lower extension of the TT. Pictures can't prepare you for its size, but a cardboard model can. I would highly suggest building one (again right on par with everyone else's predictions); I did not make one, and was greatly surprised by its massive bulk once it was finished. I can't even imagine how big a 36" wide THT is.
Fourth: Listen to the advice of the fellow forum members here. As Radian once told me, "No one here is handing you a line of bull." These guys know what they're talking about. They share their similar experiences and what works and what doesn't. My build was much quicker and easier with the help of the forum members to discuss tips and tricks I would not have found out otherwise. The plans provide a construction process geared towards those who do not have many tools at their disposal, and those who aren't good woodworkers. The forum members here provide tips for those who want an easier or faster way to do things if they have the right tools, skills, experience, etc.
Fifth: Although this horn box is definitely not as easy to build as a sealed or ported enclosure, it is not much more difficult, and the rewards are huge. The TT is a pretty straightforward and simple construction process, as long as you are careful, measure twice cut once, be accurate, and
Follow The Plans. The TT is rated as a 3 for build difficulty on the main page. For comparison: I am a teenager in high school with not much time on my hands, and I was able to build this in less than two months, with a table saw, circular saw, jigsaw, electric screwdriver/drill, a box of drywall screws, plenty of sandpaper, a couple of clamps (the one handed ones are invaluable), and a whole
41 ounces of PL. I extremely overused PL, but it's all about getting the warm fuzzy that you've done it right the first time anyway.
.
(read: will take quite a long time). Cut mouth braces and sand to fit, carefully. I don't want to have to repeat this step. Then, paint inside of the horn mouth dark red, simultaneously paint the mouth braces black outside the cab. Wait to dry, then install mouth braces and clean up. Then, first coat Duratex. How long in between each coat of Duratex can anyone suggest? I will paint it inside because it's about 70-75 degrees F upstairs all the time.
