Are big subwoofers viable for 2 channel music?

4 12s and 1 15" active, can be tuned with a single 15 passive.

I'm saying 4 ea 12" active drivers,  and 1 15" active driver, can be tuned with a single 15" passive radiator, without over excursion of the passive. The reason, column can have a much larger volume, like 8-12 cf. or more.  It's easier to tune to a given room, and the roll off is much quicker mechanically. It's much more controlled, like an infinite baffle, but can go very low, without the ever present noise from ports.

Columns are just better, but they are not usually partner pleasers and they cost more to build, The units I've seen and built can be very heavy, 3-500 lbs. BUT you get what you pay for, when it comes to bass.

Just because there is a lot of it, and it's everywhere, doesn't qualify it as good bass. I've heard a lot of that over the last couple of years, now all of a sudden it's the big craze. walk on subs through a room. LOL

What I don't see is the blending, between low mids, MB, Bass and Sub
ALL are very important to address, not just squat and grunt out a sub/bass unit,  like a pile of dung.. Geezzz. That's "a way" though.. for sure..

Regards

Well OK.

@ oldhvymec --

... column can have a much larger volume, like 8-12 cf. or more. It’s easier to tune to a given room, and the roll off is much quicker mechanically. It’s much more controlled, like an infinite baffle, but can go very low, without the ever present noise from ports.

I friend of mine has spoken very highly of a set-up he’s heard a number of times that comprises bass columns (not IB). Some day I’ll have to hear them - I’m sure they hold great potential and coupling to-the-room capabilities, and with multiple drivers should have a nice amount of headroom.

Port noise can be a problem, and mostly is, but given enough capacity (i.e.: sheer radiation area and number of cabs) can be practically avoided, unless +120dB levels are your daily cup of tea. I prefer horn subs (make that 20 cf. per horn for a tune just above 20Hz), and while they’re less than easy to integrate in one’s listening space the coupling of the driver to the air (via the horn) is a vital part in them sounding the present and effortless way they do. Tapped horns, that I use, are also bandwidth limited, so knowing what you’re dealing with is paramount. Moreover the want for extension comes at the cost of sensitivity and adds size tremendously, so for me the "sweet spot" sits with a tune between 20-25Hz for a 20 cf. volume and 97dB sensitivity. In-room and corner-loaded a pair of them can output ~130dB’s, and this (i.e.: SPL envelope) is not trivial re: headroom.

What you don’t face with horn subs is port, or rather mouth noise. Theoretically I guess you could provoke mouth noise, but at that point the more dire urgency is that of dealing with blurry vision, structural instability and a desire to leave the building.

Columns are just better, but they are not usually partner pleasers and they cost more to build, The units I’ve seen and built can be very heavy, 3-500 lbs. BUT you get what you pay for, when it comes to bass.

Whether columns are truly better- to my ears, that is - remains to be heard, and I don’t agree paying large sums of money will necessarily grant you bass heaven. You get what you’re willing to house size-wise, and the effort and sense you’re willing to invest with design choice and implementation. Going the DIY-route (which is mandatory in the first place, I guess) this mayn’t be excessively expensive, certainly not compared to the über-offerings from the likes of JL Audio and a few others. The material quantity needed for bass columns I’m sure would not be cheap, though.

Just because there is a lot of it, and it’s everywhere, doesn’t qualify it as good bass. I’ve heard a lot of that over the last couple of years, now all of a sudden it’s the big craze. walk on subs through a room. LOL

What I don’t see is the blending, between low mids, MB, Bass and Sub
ALL are very important to address, not just squat and grunt out a sub/bass unit, like a pile of dung.. Geezzz. That’s "a way" though.. for sure..

Different ways to skin your cat. I’d agree an open mind with regard to bass augmentation isn’t always the most prevalent mindset on this forum now that the DBA approach in particular has taken hold on a sought consensus. Must make my acquaintance with bass columns, as you should with horn subs, be they Tapped Horns of Front Loaded Horns - if you haven’t already.

Must make my acquaintance with bass columns, as you should with horn subs, be they Tapped Horns of Front Loaded Horns - if you haven’t already.

I agree with you here. My first real system had a Jensen imperial sub a 
a pair of Imperial horns. LOL A local lumber company sold the cut lumber from 1" marine ply, and the drivers were optional. You could build your own or they would do it for a small fortune. Took most of my earnings from my after school job for over a year.. I built those things and lined them with shag carpet of all things.. tamed them right down...

Met a guy named Brian C had a little start up company called VMPS he was the guy that told me about the shag carpet...

Took 2 pick up loads to move 3 speakers and 4 strong fellas to lift the sub..

Those three speakers were ran on a pair of 20s and a 30 watt mono block kit, 2 C-4s, all Mac gear.. Had Altec XOs. They would fill a whole indoor basketball court, with ease... and did.. HS dances...

I think I had a whoppin' 850.00 dollars in that system. I know I tripled my money, 4 years later or so. late 70s.

I been making bass for a long long time.. it's one of my personal favorites...BIG bass, low distortion...

I also like a 15" active, firing up, with a single 18" HE alu passive.. firing forward paired, then face to face, 6 feet apart.. kids call it "in da chamber".. It will concuss if your not careful. 130-140 db..Nose bleed material.. 2 12k behringers.. to run that set up..3500 watts per voice coil
1800.00 total with amps, 2496 OXO, drivers, MDF, Ply, thick FG batting, and finish. 140 db.. when you face the actives, 120 with the passives face to face. Source is a 10 dollar broken G3 smartphone..2 20 amp breakers, too. It can trip 15s when its heated up..and were breakin'
glass, in the lab...

Big bass is easy. Great bass.. can be really tough with boundaries involved...

Columns ... Boom Boom, in the Room Room

Has anyone directly compared Rel offerings to JTR, PSA or Rhythmik and specifically to the 18 inch subs of the last 3 companies to smaller rel subs? What was the difference in speed and resolution in the bass?