Bass Driver Size - how much better is an extra inch?

I believe it's largely fashion.

Not everyone wants to, or is even able to accommodate speakers with huge 15 inch bass units like me. 

Drive unit size is certainly a contentious subject with various arguments for and against large and small drivers.

It's certainly not a question of bass content either as some small units can dig lower than some larger ones. Depending upon factors such design (greater number of long throw units) and cabinet loading.

However there do seem to be differences, size does matter.

Permit me a gross generalisation if you will, but I'd say that smaller units sound noticeably quicker with transients.

On the other hand, larger units tend to have a far greater sense of ease as they go about their work.

The 15 inch Dual Concentrics on my Tannoys are easier on the ear than the slimline Revolution 3s that they replaced, if perhaps surprisingly a little lighter in the bass.

If I had to chose, and if I wanted a more relaxing sound, I'd take the second option. 

@bigjohn1995,

"So in my experience albeit limited bigger woofers can provide bigger sound but not always deeper bass."


Mine too. My 15 inch Tannoy DC drivers certainly have a big sound but I don’t think it goes down as deep as the slimline floorstanding Tannoy R3s with their twin 6 inch drivers.

It’s not always easy to be sure as most of the music I listen to hardly features much, if anything below 40Hz. Besides it’s a common misconception to think that 60Hz is where real deep bass is. That's why a lot of small speakers seem to give perfectly adequate bass without disturbing the furniture.

Horn loading like your Klipsch Cornwall’s will result in a different bass sound than ported designs which will sound different to sealed boxes.

As @mijostyn said earlier, real deep bass (sub 40Hz) is where you start to feel it rather than hear it. A key difference I think between live and reproduced sound.

Live sound is often equally felt as it is heard.

@phusis ,

I rather suspected that my front ported Tannoy Berkeley's didn't go down that far despite their 15 inch drivers.

According to one site their frequency response is 35Hz - 20kHz. I strongly suspect that it barely scrapes 35Hz let alone being flat.

Come to think of it, wouldn't FR stats be far more meaningful if they showed only the flat range, as opposed to -2db down or even worse?