Sealed, Ported, or Passive Radiators?


What do you use? And more importantly, why? Since my setup is made up of a Sh**load of left overs, I use all three. Do you think that would be better or worse? When I built them I tuned all of my sub boxes to cover specific frequency ranges.

For instance two 12" ported subs (in a very large box of about 18 cubes or so) handle 45Hz and below, four sealed 12" subs handle 35Hz to 80Hz, six ported 6" woofers (tuned at 50Hz) take care of the 50Hz to 120Hz range, and four ported 8" subs (tuned to 20hz) handle super low quick transitions, two 12" subs in a band pass box (tuned to about 38Hz) and a single 12" sub with a 15" passive radiator (tuned to 45Hz).

Yeah I know, overkill, but like I said I had a lot of left over equipment.... and I was bored.

I don't drive them with tons of power and only the subs in the same frequency ranges share amps. The super large two 12" ported box gets its own amp. I mean three amps just for the subs is already ridiculous.

Sure it is powerful but that wasn't my goal, I was simply doing what everybody else does with mid-bass drivers and super tweeters, just kinda in reverse.

So should we be splitting up subs like we do with the upper frequency ranges?

Shahinian's Diapason setup uses many drivers aimed at specific frequency ranges. And I have yet to hear anything as good as his design. So I tried the same with my sub woofer setup and at least in my opinion it worked. I can still refine it down to something less insane. But it is the idea that I can't help but think this would work well, even scaled way down.

I don't know maybe I'm just a little loose in the screws.

Please let me know what you think of the concept and if anyone's tried this already.
Thanks

Andrew
Synesthesia Studios
dynami28
I am thinking that the newest Thiel designs have dropped the passive radiator?
No, the new 2.7 use passive radiators very nicely.

Andrew, have you tried stacking subs? Sometimes this "blends" four subs into a room well. Also, some stack subs with a footer under them to get them away from the floor some (two subs have ample extension way low without floor reinforcement).

I LOVE subs in systems, too. I have C4's and use two subs! Why? They are good, but not to 30 Hz flat. Every speaker I really like has either been built with TWO subs, or have them added. Once you hear effortless DEEP bass, it's hard to go back. I use two DD10+ subs for stereo. Movies are OK but the subs won't kill you when a bomb goes off (my wife say I should have gotten bigger subs!). There are 50 ways to leave your lover. Big subs might have been one?

01-27-13: Rower30, Actually I have all my subs stacked into a small 10 foot by 6 foot area, I was aware that using so many subs in a system can cause a lot of phase issues. So I tried to keep everything on a wall radiating together, along with adjustable gains I can dial everything in.

Also I definitely agree that once you've experienced effortless low end, especially below 30 Hz, there is no going back. Since I come from a large military family I have had some of the experiences expressed in today's movies. And I honestly do not believe, that most systems out there, do justice to the air disturbance caused by battlefield munitions. I've heard it before, having a system that could liquify you like in I.E.D. isn't appropriate. But I propose at least an approximation of the aforementioned battlefield duress.

Andrew