Re Audio Xxx18

**ISLAND1000** · **06-13-07, 12:15 AM**

Does anyone have experience with the RE Audio XXX18? Anybody ever seen one?

**Sonnie** · **06-14-07, 10:33 AM**

I've only heard of them for car audio. I'm sure if you gave these guys all the TS parameters that they could tell ya how it would probably fair.

**SteveCallas** · **06-14-07, 10:52 AM**

It would fair amazingly in a structural LLT like Rodny's - the ideal volume would be somewhere around 1400 liters per driver if I'm not mistaken, based on a simulation from a few months ago. The cheapest quote I heard on that driver was $1200. That's in the price range where I feel one is definitely better suited by going with multiples of less expensive drivers, but if somebody despeately needs a single driver solution, that one would be at the top of my list....I'm not too hot on the LMS 5400 18.

**ISLAND1000** · **06-14-07, 08:30 PM**

I did some preliminary modeling with the T/S parameters and it looks capable of some great 20Hz and below in an LLT. I'll go to the car audio forums and see if anybody there has first hand experience. Does it really weigh 78lbs. and are the posted T/S stats real?
Thanks guys.

**95Honda** · **10-03-07, 08:27 AM**

I have been using a pair of them for about a year now, they replaced my Adire Tumults after the second set of recones. I am using the last gen of XXX18 before RE went to the non XBL2 motor. They are in large vented boxes and are each fed by 2600 watt class-H amplifiers and an Outalw ICBM crossover. They sound very good, the XBL2 motors have very low distortion. I dod not think there is really anything else out there that compares, I am not sure if you can even buy a set of subs that comes close to this for anything but a ridiculous amount.

**WillyD** · **10-04-07, 12:03 AM**

Quote:

but if somebody despeately needs a single driver solution,

Yeah, if they so desperately need a single driver solution that they're willing to go with one 1400Liter enclosure over two 700 liter enclosures, well...they're clinically insane.

In my eyes, this driver is equally as undesirable as the 5400. At least the 5400 had smaller enclosure size going for it.

**Bradley** · **10-04-07, 12:17 AM**

Yeesh... this thing is insane!

**bamaboy** · **10-04-07, 07:51 AM**

i have an older 05' XXX sitting here in my room, it has 1 blown coil though, it was a beast of a sub for the lows compared to other stuff ive heard

**ISLAND1000** · **10-04-07, 09:53 AM**

I chose the TC Sounds LMS-54 18" and it's proven to be a terrific sub in my sealed box enclosure.
Ilkka is preparing to use an LMS in another thread. The preliminary "free air tests" look very good.

**95Honda** · **10-04-07, 12:49 PM**

Here are my XXXs getting ready to be dropped in the enclosures, they are pretty big boxes and tuned around 17Hz... I haven't heard too many bass systems that match a pair of 18s like this with over 5KW of power on tap... It can blurr your vision as you sit at the listening position 8' in front of them at 25Hz... I have grown really fond of the way the XBL2 motors sound. If these take a dump on me and I cannot re-cone them, I would look into an LMS. I have been using TC sounds subs since the early 90s.... I would also consider the Aura subs..... My XXXs are slightly different than stock, they are geared a little more twards H/T duty.... They sound better than my Tumults did.

**ISLAND1000** · **10-04-07, 06:23 PM**

The XXXs and your boxes are impressive. What's driving them?

**Mike P.** · **10-04-07, 06:34 PM**

What size is the port?

**SteveCallas** · **10-04-07, 10:03 PM**

Those look VERY similar to Avalanche 18s - identical except that that driver is using double stacked magnets.

**95Honda** · **10-05-07, 12:12 AM**

There are actually a lot different than the Avalanches. When Dan designed the motors for the Avalanches, cost was more of a concern and a lot less steel was used, the Tumult/XXX motors have alot more steel in them, higher motor strength and much more mechanical clearance.

The port is about 40in2 I think and about 60ish long, it's been a while. That may seam small, but all edges are rounded inside and out, and there is no port noise.

They were being driven by a pair of Peavey 2600s (2600 watts each bridged @ 4 ohms). I had to upgrade the internal circuit breakers to 25 amp units as the stock 19 amp ones would pop when I really put a whooping on them. I had dual 40 amp circuits run just for the sub amps on #8 THHN wire in my old house. I just moved to Germany and am looking at 230V amps. The Crown XTI4000s may be my next purchase in a few days...

**Ilkka** · **10-05-07, 02:07 AM**

That XXX looks A LOT like the Tumult MK1.

Tumult MK1:

**95Honda** · **10-05-07, 06:16 AM**

The motors are exactly the same, and interchangable. Those motors started out as Tumults, then I had them built into XXX18s. For a while the motors for the Tumult and XXX were coming from the same buildhouse, and used for either driver.

**ISLAND1000** · **10-05-07, 10:36 AM**

"then I had them built into XXX18s."
What changes were involved in the rebuild? Spiders the same? Cone? T/S parameters? Surround?
I'm considereing doing a rebuild on an inexpensive 18" speaker trying to improve on it's original specs and performance.

**95Honda** · **10-05-07, 01:44 PM**

I removed the motors from the Tumult frames and softparts and shipped them to RE audio. There they attached 18" baskets and XXX softparts with a different spider arrangement than stock a little more suited for my application and power levels. I had the Tumults turned into XXX because I had gone through 4 of them up to this point and wanted drivers with a little more displacement so they wouldn't be taxed so much... 2 of the Tumults suffered coil miss-alignments do to damaged spiders and the other 2 had triple-joint failures, all of which were my fault. They were in large efficent boxes and I played them hard... Alot.... The XXXs actually worked out very well for me, I have increased low end output, better mechanical power handling and an improved sound quality to my ears. I have tried literally a hundered different subwoofer systems in the last 15 years, and this by far is the best so far. If I were going to do anything different, I would build the boxes slightly larger (10 ft3 ish) and use a little more port area and build the cabinets thicker, not that there is any problems now, each sub weighs close to 300 lbs, but just for s**ts and grins I guess...

Remember the Tumult and XXX had identical motors, it is not always wise to go mixing and matching softparts and motors, sometimes it works great, but other times you end up with a mess that doesn't work well. Coil geometries are matched to the feilds inside the motors and are optimized together, sometimes it is tough to improve.... Alot of times your best bet is to step up and buy a better driver...

**ISLAND1000** · **10-05-07, 02:00 PM**

I'm trying to avoid unnecessary and useless experimentation with a rebuild but I'm such a curious idiot. You're right, there ARE many other BETTER sub units available for a little more money than I'll end up spending on the best rebuild.
What I do often times makes sense only to me. LOL

**Chrisbee** · **10-06-07, 03:32 AM**

95Honda

What sort of SPLs are you getting on typical programme material?

**95Honda** · **10-06-07, 08:47 AM**

Funny you should ask that, I never have tested the XXXs. I did some testing when I had the Tumults installed though. I also tested in an accurate manner using a Termlab pressure sensor, not a dynamic mic. I set up with pressure sensor at the listening position about 8' in front of the subs and I cannot remember the exact number but we were getting something like 125db @ 20Hz and 130db+ 30Hz on up with around 5Kw playing a sine wave, before any noticably audible distortion. I know the XXXs are a little louder, how much I have no idea. I also had a seriously stiff AC mains supply for my sub amps, so when I save 5Kw, I mean 5Kw.... The XXXs are serious and will beat you down if you let them loose. We would have to be carefull playing movies, the train in Polar Express is responsible for several pieces of china that have fallen off of shelves in the kitchen, and a few mirrors that have rattled off the walls....

**Chrisbee** · **10-06-07, 11:36 AM**

Sounds good.

While I've easily gone right off the scale on the RS meter with my 4 x 15" IB on sinewaves that's certainly not typical of bassy film effects with the sub calibrated slightly hot. Which is why I was wondering about your peak SPLs on films. You've obviously gone to a lot of trouble to get the bass you want. I'd rather have huge dynamic peaks than a constantly high level. It is the shocking contrast with comfortable listening levels which makes LFE sound realistic and exciting.

**95Honda** · **10-06-07, 11:54 AM**

Well I never have measured them that way. Honestly, during movies, I very seldom notice them, but when I do, in a big way. They are crossed over 6th order at 40Hz from my mains..... I never have even thought to measure them with any type of program material other than a sine. I guess I'm at a loss for what you are asking.... I'm not sure why a high sustained SPL would have anything to do with lack of Dynamics. Look at the Le and motor strength of the XXX, probably better transient reponse of any other 18 out there with decent stroke.... And in a large, low tuned box, Group Delay is very low in the usable range of the system.

IB would never work for me, I am in the military and move often, I just moved to Germany this month and there is no way to easily do that here. I have no attic or basement....

**Chrisbee** · **10-06-07, 12:04 PM**

Given the performance of your system it is probably just as well that you keep moving.

**95Honda** · **10-06-07, 01:04 PM**

If you saw the rest of the system, you would laugh...

The mains are MTMs with Focal 8Vs and Ceretec 1 3/16" Ceramic domes, driven by my home built 100 wpc amp that weighs over 100lbs.... They keep pace with the subs very well...

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