Downward Firing Subwoofers vs Neighbors

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On Mon, 22 Aug 2005 23:50:42 -0700, hoarse with no name <no@2spam.com>
wrote:

>
>My first question is, what is the advantage to a downward firing
>subwoofer? If there is no musical advantage, then why are they built?
>
>I currently live in a first floor apartment, below me is the parking
>garage, however I may move in the future. Do downward firing subwoofers
>bother downstairs neighbors significantly more than other types of
>woofers?

I suppose it's easier to keep a speaker's suspension centred if
gravity is acting on-axis. What particular unit are you looking at?
What would happen if you turned it sideways?

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"hoarse with no name" <no@2spam.com> wrote in message
news:no-A086A6.23504122082005@cnews.newsguy.com...
>
> My first question is, what is the advantage to a downward firing
> subwoofer? If there is no musical advantage, then why are they built?

If there is no disadvantage, why not ?! Less chance of getting kicked in,
and you can put a cup of coffee on top .


geoff

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In article <no-A086A6.23504122082005@cnews.newsguy.com>,
hoarse with no name <no@2spam.com> wrote:

> My first question is, what is the advantage to a downward firing
> subwoofer? If there is no musical advantage, then why are they built?
>

Safety (harder to damage cone than front firing), free end table and/or
coffee table (depending on sanity), stealthy.

> I currently live in a first floor apartment, below me is the parking
> garage, however I may move in the future. Do downward firing subwoofers
> bother downstairs neighbors significantly more than other types of
> woofers?

Any correctly built and installed subwoofer should move alot of air,
buildings as well. Self control should be employed.

Double check for driver sag:
http://www.adireaudio.com/Files/Te [...] tation.pdf

hth,

--
Cyrus

*coughcasaucedoprodigynetcough*

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On 24 Aug 2005 11:21:47 +0300, Tomi Holger Engdahl
<then@solarflare.cs.hut.fi> wrote:

>I see no specific musiscal advantages...

There's one little beneficial side effect: such a configuration adds low
pass filtering, reducing harmonics and/or vent shuffle by a few dB's.

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"Arny Krueger" <arnyk@hotpop.com> wrote in message
news:BZKdnehOvNIavZPeRVn-1g@comcast.com...
> > Do
> > downward firing subwoofers bother downstairs neighbors
> > significantly more than other types of woofers?
>
> No, most of the sound transmission comes from sound that is
> radiated throughout the room.

The correct answer will depend on the type of flooring. If there is a solid
concrete floor, it will probably make little difference. If there is only a
wooden floor, it will transmit more noise when being directly hit by a
woofer only a few inches away. Things like carpet and underlay will also
make a difference.

MrT.

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Laurence Payne wrote:

> I suppose it's easier to keep a speaker's suspension centred if
> gravity is acting on-axis.

Rotate heavy membrane units every year or every second year, other than
that simple playing recenters the units because of the suspension
geometry.

> What would happen if you turned it sideways?

Quadruple life expectancy except that a foam front suspension may need
some service every 10 years.


Kind regards

Peter Larsen

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