Anyone interested in a 22" IB3?

**Fi Audio** · **11-18-08, 10:30 PM**

We just received our first proto of the 22" 12 spoke basket and Im rather happy with it

Got me thinking that the IB crowd might be interested in a 22" version. Currently the surround and rubber gasket are being tooled and I should have a surround sample in about 2 weeks. But... cone bodies are going to be done in house with composites (initially this size was geared towards high power autosound). But I might be able to do a curvilinear cone that isnt using a core to keep the costs lower.

Let me know if this sounds interesting... definitely could make it happen

**bonehead848** · **11-18-08, 11:14 PM**

yes yes and more yes. I, for one, am still quite satisfied with my 2 18's but a few years down the line if you still had these available they would be my absolute first choice in an upgrade. FI forever

**Sonnie** · **11-18-08, 11:17 PM**

Will these only be for IB or do you have plans to build them for other applications?

**Ricci** · **11-19-08, 03:17 PM**

Bring it on...

...and post up a pic of that frame next to an 18 " when you get a chance...22's...

**jagman** · **11-19-08, 05:29 PM**

I think practical questions have to come to mind:

1. How difficult and expensive will it be for you to make them? 22 in drivers are not common... I would imagine it might be a headache to design and manufacture.

2. How much volume will they displace?

3. What will the SQ be like?

If one 22 displaces roughly the same amount of air as two 18's, but costs more than two 18's, you might have a hard time selling it. Given that 22" drivers are not standard, everything would have to be machined, and because everything is unique, my guess is getting it to sound great will be difficult and costly. I'm sure it can be done, and I'm sure bass heads will buy it just to have a 22 inch driver. I just wonder if it is a sound business strategy. The reason I say this is I know other manufacturers have tried and so far the efforts have resulted in vaporwear. As I said, I'm sure you can do it... I'm just not sure it is worth your time and effort. Sorry for being negative, guys.

**tjambro** · **12-03-08, 11:01 PM**

I am in the planning stages of building a basement theater and planned on building a 4 Fi Q IB behind the screen in a dedicated chamber...ie...a very big box that would be about 10X VAS. I would be interested in a pair of 22" if they would move the same amount of air as 4 18's and cost no more than 4 18's. Also, I would like to be able to run the pair as a 2 ohm load per channel. I have a Carvin HD1800 pro amp that outputs 900wpc into a 2 ohm load and don't want to loose power by driving anything more than a 2 ohm load...

-Tom A.

**Fi Audio** · **12-04-08, 08:47 PM**

We have already tooled the basket. This isnt being done solely for IB applications as it is such a niche market and the tooling costs would never be recovered. We should have gasket samples for it in a couple more weeks and the surround sample after that.
IB seems to be a natural fit for a 22" driver as enclosure volume is of little concern (hard to aesthetically integrate a "refrigerator" of an enclosure into the living room).

VD is equivalent to a pair of 18s. We will havet o go to the Q series motor to keep qts in line, but still a good way from being twice the cost of the current IB3 18s.

Only have the one basket to approve now... so I have other samples to make with it before the IB first... but Ill get to it

Thanks,
Scott

**jagman** · **12-04-08, 09:20 PM**

So you're saying the Vd of one 22 is the same as two 18's, but cost should be less than two 18's? Nice

. If a second version is spec'ed for IB applications, I wonder what that would do for the ultra low frequencies vs the response of a pair of IB3 18's. Time will tell

. One of the things that I like about the IB3 is the excursion plot in an IB application (it is much more difficult to bottom compared to other high excursion drivers). Hopefully the 22 will plot similarly.

**tjambro** · **12-04-08, 09:56 PM**

The 22" IB3 sounds interesting! Will Fs be lower than the IB3 18"? I guess we should all just wait for the specs.

-Tom A.

**thxgoon** · **12-04-08, 10:55 PM**

Quote:

Fi Audio wrote:

VD is equivalent to a pair of 18s. We will havet o go to the Q series motor to keep qts in line, but still a good way from being twice the cost of the current IB3 18s.

Wow! You certainly have my attention

**stidrvr** · **12-05-08, 02:06 PM**

Quote:

Anyone interested in a 22" IB3?

NO!

Only because I still havent installed the 4 18" I bought a month ago

**kryptonitewhite** · **12-05-08, 02:32 PM**

how did i miss this thread....

im guessing this is completely different than the Sicko? The Sicko I believe is trying to implement the Parthenon motor and a whole different basket approach??

Forget the Maelstrom-X and IB18... 21" and 22" cant lose!

**Eskimo** · **12-05-08, 03:53 PM**

Initially, I was thinking no, because it would be hard to make a manifold whose size wouldn't restrict the performance, since most in-wall manifolds would be restricted to ~13" wide, but hey, it's just a stud.. cut it!

In a few years, I'll be doing theater 3.0, in which a 29"x48" window in the basement will be replaced with an IB firing to the outside... 4 18's is already overkill for this smaller 1850 cubic foot room, but mmm.. 4 22's.. that would be just lovely. the cones would hardly have to move to generate some impressive SPL, and that would keep the sound nice and clean... So you're thinking $300-350-ish? As long as it specs out well (which I'm sure it will), you guys are going to be kings of the IB...

Time to re-write "The subwoofer that shook the world"!!

**bonehead848** · **12-05-08, 04:35 PM**

Quote:

Eskimo wrote:

Initially, I was thinking no, because it would be hard to make a manifold whose size wouldn't restrict the performance, since most in-wall manifolds would be restricted to ~13" wide, but hell, it's just a stud.. cut it!

Just build it over the stud, go double wide! In fact, if you could use the middle stud to futher help brace then you would be all the better.

**Fi Audio** · **12-05-08, 04:58 PM**

Had no idea what a "Sicko" was until I saw the above post and searched...lol. Parthenon is definitely a cool design and I remember working on the first iteration with Dan several years ago for CES. Definitley fun to not be limited mechanically with the first unit, not that the current iteration has any where near normal mechanical limits either

Ill post some pics shortly of the basket and as other tooled parts come in. Hoping to have things ready to go about March for these, but the cone body is the biggest sticking point right now as we are doing composites in house for the other drivers that will be using this basket. Definitely a cost concern with what is needed for an IB setup. I will see if a simple E glass layup without a real core would work. Otherwise its one more tooling needed to get kraft pulp cone bodies going and that might delay things another month or so...

**kryptonitewhite** · **12-05-08, 05:28 PM**

I feel all funny inside... I have finally begun to get into 18's as of recent, and we're talking about seeing some actualy high performance 21's and 22's here... this seems like just another one of my regular daydream's... but... is this real??

**stidrvr** · **12-06-08, 12:26 AM**

You know, on second thought, 4 22's would fill my vaulted ceiling-open concept living room quite nicely.

**vinculum** · **12-08-08, 04:34 PM**

I'd like to see some NON IB variants for sealed applications. This has my attention!

A pair nearfield behind the sofa? 4 up front? Hmmmmm...

**SQCherokee** · **12-08-08, 04:47 PM**

now I like were this is going.

I like the thought of using them for IB but I think that also having one that can be used in a LLT sonotube would be awsome as well.

**bonehead848** · **12-08-08, 05:44 PM**

Quote:

SQCherokee wrote:

now I like were this is going.

I like the thought of using them for IB but I think that also having one that can be used in a LLT sonotube would be awsome as well.

haha, llt. The box would probably have to be the size of the room you were in.

**txsmoke** · **12-10-08, 04:20 PM**

Mark me down as interested in 2 for IB.

Mike

**SQCherokee** · **12-12-08, 03:21 PM**

whenever I can buy a house...I'm in.

**kryptonitewhite** · **12-16-08, 08:12 PM**

Is there any idea on specs yet? I am afraid that this will be another extreme difference in HT vs Auto again...
either you get a bad car impedance... single or dual 8ohm or 4 ohm, bad power handling, (normally I consider it better power requirement, but in this case, we are talking an IB sub that only has to move Mms and compliance vs. an Auto which has 8 super stiff spiders that will be in tiny super high tuned ported boxes) high Fs... as stated above in parentheses, and worst of all, less Xmax

Why can't we have some auto subs that have <20Hz Fs, more than 30mm Xmax, and more than 1000 watt power handling?

Then I could get 1 for the car and 1 for the house.... put them both in large low tuned boxes. Large and low tuned in car as in 15-30 cubes @ 16-20Hz, and LLT in home.

I hate having to look at all these IB subs that have almost everything I want, except the coils to handle the auto beat-down!

**Sonnie** · **12-19-08, 01:40 AM**

I am interested in seeing some specs as well... would love to model these...

**atledreier** · **12-19-08, 04:44 AM**

Forget it Sonnie. You can't even squeeze in a single 15" in your new room, let alone that monster!

Or is it your Sonata that's getting a massage?

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