Taking the IB plunge this summer

**FlashJim** · **04-02-07, 02:45 PM**

I just sent a deposit for a pair of the new Mach 5 18" IXL-18.4.

Now I just have to patiently wait.

**WillyD** · **04-02-07, 02:52 PM**

Cool. How big is your room? Have any idea about placement?

**FlashJim** · **04-02-07, 03:34 PM**

Quote:

WillyD wrote:

Cool. How big is your room? Have any idea about placement?

I believe it's roughly 3600 cf. I can fit it in front of the TV, dead center.

**Sonnie** · **04-02-07, 03:42 PM**

So is our summer meet going to be at your house this round...

**FlashJim** · **04-03-07, 09:34 AM**

Quote:

Sonnie wrote:

So is our summer meet going to be at your house this round...

LOL ... Man, I'd actually have to finish a couple of projects before I had guests.

**Sonnie** · **04-03-07, 10:21 AM**

We aren't in a super big hurry... we can wait a few month...

**Wayne A. Pflughaupt** · **04-03-07, 02:54 PM**

Quote:

FlashJim wrote:

LOL ... Man, I'd actually have to finish a couple of projects before I had guests.

The only one we care about is that IB! We’ll be too enthralled to pay any attention to other projects that are still in the works!

Regards,
Wayne

**Sonnie** · **04-03-07, 03:27 PM**

So what date do we need to set?

**kesa32** · **04-04-07, 04:42 PM**

Hi Flash jim, have you been over to the "cult" for advice at all?......those are good drivers , another 2 ( 4 total ) would be great for your room size......l run 4 x18"ava's in a similar sized room and love it!
All the best with the project jim.........cheers ken

**Chrisbee** · **04-05-07, 02:53 AM**

I think two of these 18" IXL-18.4s will run to about ten liters total displacement.

That's slightly less than my four budget AEIB15s which have rather limited Xmax.

If you want to move the earth I'd seriously consider making space in your manifold for 2 more drivers. Or think about a second manifold.

A 2 x 18" IB may be very satisfying but with DVDs almost competing for subwoofer wrecking honours it would be nice to have just a bit more headroom.

Even showing off WOTW to friends at spirited levels could be the last sound your IB makes. You just don't get any warning on films like you do winding up a well known music CD. You can't even hear half of what is going on in the LFE track but the IB sub will try its best to reproduce it. The cones will move to follow any frequency that they are fed. Take my word for it. I'm a classical organ music fan and the cones are often very "busy" working on the silent infrasonics. The audible frequencies are always balancing on the tips of the infrasonic icebergs with an IB. (think "Titanic!")

More IB drivers means lower distortion, more output low down and lots more headroom. You can even use a BFD to lift the infrasonics without worrying about over-excursion.

4 x 18" will have an effortless quality so you need never worry about headroom regardless of future SPLs at ridiculously low frequencies. This is the route many DVDs seem to be following. 8Hz is becoming almost commonplace on LFE.

Easy to say when it's not my money at stake but possibly cheaper in the long run.

**Darren** · **04-05-07, 08:58 AM**

Saweeet! Another convert... I'm sure you'll love it. Can't wait to see the pics.

**FlashJim** · **04-05-07, 09:41 AM**

I'd love to host a get together, but I'm honestly about a year away from having something to show off. The drivers won't ship for about three months. Those of you in Houston can imagine what the attic will be like in summer.

The IB will be done at some point this summer. I hope to have the center and mains done by the end of the summer too. First order of business is a new hutch for my entertainment center. I need something sturdy to hold that 100 lb center.

Excellent point about headroom, Chrisbee. I'd much rather overbuild than break something. Of course, I've never had a problem of going bigger on anything I do. It's that whole Napolean Complex thing.

**FlashJim** · **04-05-07, 10:42 AM**

Ok, it's official. I have four of those beasts preordered. Today is the last day to preorder at the special price, so I thought I had better jump on it.

**htnut12** · **04-05-07, 05:20 PM**

IB is thinking outside the box. I love mine. (have four IXLs on pre order too).

**Wayne A. Pflughaupt** · **04-05-07, 11:56 PM**

Jim,

Judging from what we’re seeing at Rodny Alvarez’s IB Makeover thread, you might want to consider a LLT or SLLT installation instead. Check out his charts. Green is the IB previously, blue is after converting the IB to SLLT:

I’m certainly re-thinking my IB plans! Check out Steve Callas’ excellent LLT Explained dissertation.

Regards,
Wayne

**Chrisbee** · **04-06-07, 04:24 AM**

He can't have applied enough BFD boost!

Pick a colour! Any colour! Boom boom!

**htnut12** · **04-06-07, 07:40 AM**

IIRC he had attic propagation problems.

**FlashJim** · **04-06-07, 08:59 AM**

Quote:

Wayne A. Pflughaupt wrote:

Jim,

Judging from what we’re seeing at Rodny Alvarez’s IB Makeover thread, you might want to consider a LLT or SLLT installation instead. Check out his charts. Green is the IB previously, blue is after converting the IB to SLLT:

I may end up with an EBS alignment, but I'll be trying IB first. We'll see how it goes.

**Chrisbee** · **04-06-07, 09:24 AM**

It shouldn't be underestimated how domestically unacceptable a very large enclosure is to most partners. Or even their spouses.

The IB has almost zero domestic enclosed volume in most installations.

The LLT almost always consumes large volumes of domestic space.

Unless it is hidden under the floor or in the attic of course. Room for some imagination and further development here.

The LLT also requires carefully sealed construction of a very large cabinet which will usually require bracing.

Material costs are inevitably higher. Particularly if more amps are required.

Just thinking aloud...

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