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Cheap and low distortion 8" or 10"?

Looking for budget 8" - 10" woofer options with lowish distortion from 400Hz down. Doesn't have to be an excursion monster. Hoping you guys know of some gems under $50. The RS225P is just about perfect, but trying to get a little cheaper.

Comments

  • Under $50? Maybe the Dayton classic sub or the GRS 8" sub.

    I have a signature.
  • MCM 55-5670

    rjj45
  • @jr@mac said:
    Under $50? Maybe the Dayton classic sub or the GRS 8" sub.

    Whenever I've seen the Dayton Classic line measured, distortion was pretty high through the midrange, even the lower midrange. I haven't seen the classic sub measured though. I have some of the 8" GRS subs and I like them for sub duty, but I'm looking for something a little cleaner up to 400Hz.

  • @PWRRYD said:
    MCM 55-5670

    That looks promising. How is the bass/lower mid distortion?

  • The classic sub has some extra copper in the motor, for what it's worth.
    I suspect if you want the MCM better grab while you can. I think Newark is in the process of killing off MCM Audio Select.

    DanPrjj45
    I have a signature.
  • I have liked the Dayton SD215 and SD270 in that price range. The SB Acoustics SB20PFC might be a candidate. I have a pair that I'm planning to try out.

    Keep an open mind, but don't let your brain fall out.

    Sehlin Sound Solutions
  • sb20pfc woofers might be ok for your application. I have a pair but have not done anything with them yet. If you would like some measurements I might be able to do some simple measurements with them.

  • edited October 2020

    Up in Canada there's a great deal on Peerless HDS 8"
    https://solen.ca/products/speakers/home-speakers/woofers/peerless-n205wr3308-830869-21cm-nomex-cone-woofer/

    Not much cheaper than RS225 is the Peerless SLS 8":
    https://www.parts-express.com/peerless-by-tymphany-830667-8-paper-cone-sls-subwoofer--264-1102

    Looks like the SLS is out of stock at PE and Mad, many in stock at Solen however, and Solen has a better price if you move up to the 10".
    https://solen.ca/products/speakers/home-speakers/subwoofers/peerless-s263swr3908-830668-26cm-paper-cone-subwwofer/

    DanP
    I'm not deaf, I'm just not listening.
  • Yes, SD215 or 270 are likely your best bet in the price range. Low HD in bass range.

  • Good suggestions, thanks guys!

  • I don't know about the distortion levels, but I used the SB16pfc - little brother to the SB20pfc - in a test two way and it sounds really nice. Frame shape is a pain to flush mount, but the newer versions have a round frame.

    Geoff

  • @Wolf said:
    Yes, SD215 or 270 are likely your best bet in the price range. Low HD in bass range.

    I'm liking the SD270. I had forgotten about that one. Got any links to distortion measurements? Not seeing it at my usual places.

  • If it's anything like the SD215 I measured in the Zingers, it should be really nice. I know Scotty used it in his Indium7, so maybe he took a sweep of it?

  • @Wolf said:
    If it's anything like the SD215 I measured in the Zingers, it should be really nice. I know Scotty used it in his Indium7, so maybe he took a sweep of it?

    I'm wondering now if I should just go with the SD215. I'm trying to match it up to the TC9 and the SD270 might be too sensitive. Or maybe I need to go MTM on top... Trying to do a super budget 3-way with the TC9 and DX20, which both exhibit remarkably low distortion from 300-3000Hz and 3000Hz+ respectively.

  • edited October 2020

    I could be wrong, but IIRC, the sd270 likes a big box while the sd215 can get away with a lot less. For what it's worth, I like the sd215, except for the really cheesy flex-o-matic frame.

    PWRRYD
  • edited October 2020

    I did a WMTM with my son using the 10" SLS woofer sealed (same woofer Paul used in the Tarkus except he went ported). The mids were the same TC9's you're talking about. I used a tiny NE19 peerless soft dome tweeter. Overall a very nice sounding project. It just took quite a few extra xo parts to tame everything down. My son and I changed our minds and direction so that project was scrapped and we are deploying those drivers in other designs.

  • 1-1.5ft^3 is all that's required for the SD215A-88.

  • Dang that's my budget 3-way, I'm looking at Peerless 830669 or 668

     John H, btw forum has decided I don't get emails
  • @PWRRYD said:
    I did a WMTM with my son using the 10" SLS woofer sealed (same woofer Paul used in the Tarkus except he went ported). The mids were the same TC9's you're talking about. I used a tiny NE19 peerless soft dome tweeter. Overall a very nice sounding project. It just took quite a few extra xo parts to tame everything down. My son and I changed our minds and direction so that project was scrapped and we are deploying those drivers in other designs.

    What needed taming? That mid seems pretty smooth and it doesn't seem like the other drivers would be problematic.

  • @jhollander said:
    Dang that's my budget 3-way, I'm looking at Peerless 830669 or 668

    Is this something you've been keeping under wraps or did I miss that you were already doing it. I'm not trying to steal anyone's thunder!

  • @Kornbread said:
    I could be wrong, but IIRC, the sd270 likes a big box while the sd215 can get away with a lot less. For what it's worth, I like the sd215, except for the really cheesy flex-o-matic frame.

    I used the SD270 sealed in the Indium 7. F3 was about 48 Hz. Plenty of bass. Volume was between 1.5 and 2 cu. ft.

    Keep an open mind, but don't let your brain fall out.

    Sehlin Sound Solutions
  • @DanP said:

    @Wolf said:
    If it's anything like the SD215 I measured in the Zingers, it should be really nice. I know Scotty used it in his Indium7, so maybe he took a sweep of it?

    I'm wondering now if I should just go with the SD215. I'm trying to match it up to the TC9 and the SD270 might be too sensitive. Or maybe I need to go MTM on top... Trying to do a super budget 3-way with the TC9 and DX20, which both exhibit remarkably low distortion from 300-3000Hz and 3000Hz+ respectively.

    Sensitivity would be a close call with the 270 and TC9. I crossed to the dome mid in the Indium 7 at around 750 Hz. You would probably have to do something similar so the 270 would take the baffle step.. The SD215 would give you a little more flexibility.

    Keep an open mind, but don't let your brain fall out.

    Sehlin Sound Solutions
  • @DanP said:

    @jhollander said:
    Dang that's my budget 3-way, I'm looking at Peerless 830669 or 668

    Is this something you've been keeping under wraps or did I miss that you were already doing it. I'm not trying to steal anyone's thunder!

    Haha, think, planning etc. doesn't count. I've got a dozen ideas, sims and drawings that may never happen. I was planning all Dayton or all Peerless under $200, so you are good.

    Not giving away my mid idea yet, but you can probably figure that out as you're building all the speakers in my head.

     John H, btw forum has decided I don't get emails
  • @ScottS said:

    @DanP said:

    @Wolf said:
    If it's anything like the SD215 I measured in the Zingers, it should be really nice. I know Scotty used it in his Indium7, so maybe he took a sweep of it?

    I'm wondering now if I should just go with the SD215. I'm trying to match it up to the TC9 and the SD270 might be too sensitive. Or maybe I need to go MTM on top... Trying to do a super budget 3-way with the TC9 and DX20, which both exhibit remarkably low distortion from 300-3000Hz and 3000Hz+ respectively.

    Sensitivity would be a close call with the 270 and TC9. I crossed to the dome mid in the Indium 7 at around 750 Hz. You would probably have to do something similar so the 270 would take the baffle step.. The SD215 would give you a little more flexibility.

    Yeah, after a little simming I like the SD215 better. If I get ambitious, I can probably pull off a TMW bookshelf version and an MTMWW tower. They model well in 1 and 2 cu ft respectively with a 34Hz F3.

  • @jhollander said:

    @DanP said:

    @jhollander said:
    Dang that's my budget 3-way, I'm looking at Peerless 830669 or 668

    Is this something you've been keeping under wraps or did I miss that you were already doing it. I'm not trying to steal anyone's thunder!

    Haha, think, planning etc. doesn't count. I've got a dozen ideas, sims and drawings that may never happen. I was planning all Dayton or all Peerless under $200, so you are good.

    Not giving away my mid idea yet, but you can probably figure that out as you're building all the speakers in my head.

    Ha! Good, glad I'm not stepping on anyone's toes and honestly you may get to it first. As good as I am at building speakers, I'm better at buying drivers and talking shit. I just recently saw the TC9 and DX20 on HiFi Compass and was surprised by the low distortion in a reasonable band. I know the TC9 has been a value leader for a while, but holy crap, for $25, you can cover 300 - 20kHz with outstanding distortion performance in a pretty svelte package. Too cheap a combo not to explore. Of course my DX20s are on back order for another few weeks.

  • TC9 is the poor man's 10F :) The TG9 is just as good and comes in 4 ohm for a bit more voltage sensitivity, and lacks the gasket on the front of the frame. I really liked the TG9, apart from the directivity the top end sound I got out of it rivals many dedicated tweeters.

    For my use, I retrofitted an old Realistic Optimus-5. Re-used the cabinet and nice woofer, I think that one was 11". I didn't use a tweeter in that build to keep the directivity of the cone tweeter that it originally had.

    DanP
    I'm not deaf, I'm just not listening.
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