Torrent Audio Mistral 12 DVC

**eyekode** · **03-11-08, 07:55 PM**

Has anyone actually built a sub with this driver?

I have seen a couple db-500 builds. I know they are supposedly similar but I am looking for first hand experience with this driver and Torrent Audio.

(here is the link for reference: http://www.torrentaudio.com/mistral12dvc-p-73.html)

Thanks!

**Mike P.** · **03-11-08, 09:29 PM**

I haven't heard of any builds with the Mistral 12 DVC although a forum member was talking about getting one a week ago.

**jwh7399** · **03-13-08, 11:26 AM**

I puchased one of these subs a couple weeks ago. It looks identical to the db-500 I bought from another forum member. The difference is that the Mistral is a 4ohm DVC and the DB-500 is a 4ohm SVC. I was planning on building a sonosub but I've become so busy with work that I don't know if or when that will happen. I liked the idea of being able to use the Mistral in 8ohms and powering it with one channel of my XLS802 amp, but I'll probably use the db-500 and a plate amp with built in eq.

**eyekode** · **03-13-08, 06:41 PM**

This driver has me curious. I really like the 2 4 ohm voice coils. It means I don't have to go the prop-amp route. And it looks like 150W is all I need to get well over 100db at 20Hz.

So today I ordered the driver. I will start a build thread when all the supplies arrive.

**jwh7399** · **03-13-08, 06:52 PM**

What kind of enclosure and amplifier are you planning to use? I'm very new to this and really look forward to your build.

**eyekode** · **03-13-08, 07:11 PM**

Quote:

jwh7399 wrote:

What kind of enclosure and amplifier are you planning to use? I'm very new to this and really look forward to your build.

Current thoughts are:

3.4-3.8 cubic feet
1.25"x15" high slot port ~26" long. It will require a bend in the port.

For an amp I will use an old Rotel amp I already have that gives ~70Wx2 into 4 ohms.

I also picked up a BFD (Behringer DSP1124P) and will use it to reach a house curve (slight raise in spl as frequency drops).

My goals are not very aggressive. Flat to 20Hz at 100db without noticeable distortion.

WinISD says it will be good for 103.5db @ 20Hz without room gain. The driver will only be using ~half of it's xmax so it should be relatively distortion free. I won't hit X-max until ~16Hz. I will wait for the build to see if I need a subsonic filter to protect the driver.

I have built speakers before but never a sub. I think the hardest part will be to make a ~4 cubic foot box look nice

.

**jwh7399** · **03-13-08, 08:04 PM**

I found this a while back while looking at different types of enclosures. I don't know if you have already designed your enclosure, but I thought this might be of interest.

http://www.aespeakers.com/phpbb2/vie...php?f=4&t=1611

Jon

**eyekode** · **03-13-08, 08:41 PM**

Quote:

jwh7399 wrote:

I found this a while back while looking at different types of enclosures. I don't know if you have already designed your enclosure, but I thought this might be of interest.

http://www.aespeakers.com/phpbb2/vie...php?f=4&t=1611

Jon

Heh, I really liked this design. I am planning something very similar. I have a very specific place I want to put the enclosure so I cannot deal with 22" tall. Otherwise I would probably build exactly this. I should have my sketch-up done by the end of the night, stay tuned

.

**eyekode** · **03-13-08, 09:09 PM**

Ok, here are the profiles. The front will be covered with a grill. I have left a 1" recess for it.

The enclosure ended up smaller then I wanted and the port is longer then I would like (first port resonance is 200hz...), but I think it will turn out. Modeling this driver it doesn't seem to loose much when I reduce the volume.

Here is an image from sketchup with the necessary dimensions to make a cut-list:

**Mike P.** · **03-13-08, 10:29 PM**

On the bottom pic the port width is 18 inches. What is the height of the port?

Edit: I just noticed in the first pic the port height is one inch. 18 square inches of port area should be good.

**jwh7399** · **03-13-08, 10:43 PM**

WOW! That's an excellent looking design. The recess for the grill is a nice touch.

I certainly hope that you share pics and ideas as the build begins and progresses. I'm quite sure that I'm not the only person new to DIY that will really enjoy seeing this come to life.

Jon

**eyekode** · **03-14-08, 07:24 AM**

Quote:

Mike P. wrote:

On the bottom pic the port width is 18 inches. What is the height of the port?

Edit: I just noticed in the first pic the port height is one inch. 18 square inches of port area should be good.

I hope so. I am a little concerned with the port height. I don't think all port geometries with the same area are created equal. But I won't be pushing the sub too hard so I am crossing my fingers. And as the guy from Exodus audio says: MDF is cheap. If I don't like it I will build a different design

.

**jwh7399** · **03-15-08, 06:16 PM**

I was poking around the net and came across this thread from AVS. Thought you might find this interesting.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=911494

It's about a mistral 12 SVC build.

Jon

**eyekode** · **03-15-08, 07:20 PM**

Quote:

jwh7399 wrote:

I was poking around the net and came across this thread from AVS. Thought you might find this interesting.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=911494

It's about a mistral 12 SVC build.

Jon

Thanks Jon! It seems like all of the build threads I can find are for the SVC. I have figured out how to model subs pretty well in WinISD. But I don't know for example how SVC (different coil) would affect T/S parameters. And modeling the DVC using Torrent's specs looks sooooo good with respect to low end extension compared to other 12" subs I was worried there were typos in the specs.

Oh well, I will find out in a week when my driver gets here

.
Thanks again!
Salem

**jwh7399** · **03-15-08, 09:09 PM**

I'm really excited to see your build and the resulting performance. I don't really know enough about speakers and amplifiers to properly design/model a sub. My original idea was a 3.55 cu. ft. tube with two 3" ports 25" long. Sonosub.exe showed that it would be tuned to 20hz. That's about all I know. I guess there's only one way to find out!

Jon

**eyekode** · **03-15-08, 10:13 PM**

Quote:

jwh7399 wrote:

I'm really excited to see your build and the resulting performance. I don't really know enough about speakers and amplifiers to properly design/model a sub. My original idea was a 3.55 cu. ft. tube with two 3" ports 25" long. Sonosub.exe showed that it would be tuned to 20hz. That's about all I know. I guess there's only one way to find out!

Jon

Jon, I will be sure to post a build thread and I have all the gear to measure it. But I also have a new addition to the family due in ~10 days so don't hold your breath

.

**jwh7399** · **03-15-08, 10:46 PM**

Congratulations!

My youngest is 10 months old. Kids and work sure make subwoofin' tough to do.

I'de imagine that those are gonna be 10 very long days for your wife. I hope that everything goes as planned and everyone comes home happy and healthy.

Jon

**eyekode** · **03-26-08, 10:15 PM**

Quote:

jwh7399 wrote:

Congratulations!

My youngest is 10 months old. Kids and work sure make subwoofin' tough to do.

I'de imagine that those are gonna be 10 very long days for your wife. I hope that everything goes as planned and everyone comes home happy and healthy.

Jon

So... 2 things arrived last week. My Mistral and my 4rth child

. Just for kicks here are some high-res images of the Mistral:

http://photos.ganzhorn.org/album630

And cause I just cannot help myself... some pictures of my son too:
http://photos.ganzhorn.org/album632

**Mike P.** · **03-27-08, 07:01 AM**

Congratulations on the birth of your son. Nice pictures. And the sub looks good too!

**cassb** · **03-27-08, 08:07 AM**

Congrats! Beautiful pictures! And the sub looks just fine too. ;-)

I am thinking about this driver in a sealed enclosure. What do you think? It's made for the car audio market though... does that make a difference?

Bryan

**eyekode** · **03-27-08, 08:42 AM**

Quote:

cassb wrote:

Congrats! Beautiful pictures! And the sub looks just fine too. ;-)

I am thinking about this driver in a sealed enclosure. What do you think? It's made for the car audio market though... does that make a difference?

Bryan

I don't think this sub really is built for the car audio market. At least the T/S parameters that Torrent audio quotes look much more like a HT sub then an auto/SPL sub.

When I modeled it this sub needs ~2 cubic feet sealed. A very similar curve is produced with the Dayton 315HF. My _guess_ is the Dayton is the lower distortion driver. I picked this one over the 315HF because of the odd VC configuration. It is a dual VC 4ohm speaker. This works for me because it lets me get the most out of an old rotel amp lying around. But if I were buying a plate amp then the 315HF would be a better choice because it is a 4ohm load.

**cassb** · **03-27-08, 08:49 AM**

I dunno... they look like their hitting the car audio market to me, with this blurb from their web site:

WWW.TORRENTAUDIO.COM

Be the first in your neighborhood to own Torrent Audio Subwoofers! Torrent is a newcomer to the car audio industry who manufactures subwoofers that not only sound and look good in your car, but will stand the test of time.

Torrent subwoofers are sold exclusively on the internet so you will not find these in your local shop.

All products are designed and assembled in the United States, and backed by a full (1) one year warranty against defect.

The Mistral series Subwoofers were designed to keep distortion to a minimum, what this means to you is you can play it longer and louder with less failures!

In a proper car audio stereo system the subwoofer is just one link in a chain. in order to attain the full potential from your torrent driver a quality amplifier and enclosure are essential. Low quality amplifiers often create distortion that can damage a subwoofer!

But the Mistral is a 4 ohm speaker too. Here are the specs from the TorrentAudio site:

# 4Ω DVC
# 400w RMS
# High thermal four layer aluminum 2" voice coil
# High excursion 8.5" linear roll poly-cotton spider
# 1" wide long throw, highly durable NBR surround
# Recomended enclosure sizes: Sealed .7 - 1.5ft3, Vented 1 - 2.5ft3

Actually, I was considering the Dayton 10" version of their RSS HF line. But these are out of stock at PartsExpress until 4/23/08.

**Robert_J** · **03-27-08, 10:24 AM**

Quote:

cassb wrote:

I dunno... they look like their hitting the car audio market to me, with this blurb from their web site:

They can write anything they want on their web site. It doesn't change the Theile/Small parameters. TC Sounds supplied SVS with their Plus drivers for years until SVS took their driver manufacturing in-house. That left TC Sounds with surplus parts, so the DB500 was born. Torrent needed an inexpensive sub, so they had TC Sounds print a "T" on the dustcap and bought a bunch. The Mistral will have a little different T/S parameters due to the heavier DVC but not enough to impact anything. I'd love to get a pair of these and put them in a ported box with a PE 1000w plate amp - basically an SVS PB 12+/2 sub but I have over 30 sub drivers that still need boxes.

-Robert

**eyekode** · **03-27-08, 12:40 PM**

Quote:

cassb wrote:

But the Mistral is a 4 ohm speaker too. Here are the specs from the TorrentAudio site:

# 4Ω DVC
# 400w RMS
# High thermal four layer aluminum 2" voice coil
# High excursion 8.5" linear roll poly-cotton spider
# 1" wide long throw, highly durable NBR surround
# Recomended enclosure sizes: Sealed .7 - 1.5ft3, Vented 1 - 2.5ft3

Actually, I was considering the Dayton 10" version of their RSS HF line. But these are out of stock at PartsExpress until 4/23/08.

It has 2 4ohm voice coils (thus the DVC "Dual Voice Coil"). This lets me use both channels of my amplifier. So it really is not a "4ohm" speaker.

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