Coming soon. FW18.0

[funky_waves]

Here is a peek at a new product the FW18.0

[ccmviking]

Nathan, that is looking fantastic. Any more details?

Chris...

[Mike P.]

I'll guess it's the Acoupower 18 in 6 cubic feet sealed!

[funky_waves]

Finished in textured black. Response graphs at listening position(13'away) before any eq, 1/3 octave smoothing, no lowpass or highpass. In a 950 square foot room with 8-11 foot ceilings. Blue line is vented 340L@16hz Red line is 130L sealed.

[Mike P.]

Looking good as usual, Nathan! What is the height of the cabinet?

[funky_waves]

The cabnet is 24.5" diameter 19.75" deep(not including driver), and 25" tall.

[Ricci]

Have you decided on pricing for these yet? A pair would be an awesome set-up I'm sure. Is this one your personal Nathan?

[funky_waves]

As shown will be $1425+shipping This is just a prototype/demo

Btw, I may have some minor changes made to the driver, when I get more. Mostly cosmetic.

[vinculum]

Looks great as usual Nathan!

Subjective observations on sealed vs. ported with this driver?

Was the same power level used during both sweeps?

I'm kind of curious now how the driver would have looked with a "wet" finish.

Dr V

[funky_waves]

Sound quality is about the same a lot more bottom end with ported, but sealed is definitly very good as well. Level was the same for both tests.

I will probably be getting them with the "wet" cone with aluminium dust caps. Mainly for cosmetics.

[Ricci]

I think it looks good anyway. Are you talking about a polished, or spun aluminum dust cap, or painted black? What other modifications?

[funky_waves]

Carlos and I havn't realy discussed the mods yet so its still very up in the air.

Here is some max output #'s

340L@16hz;
105.6db @10Hz
114.4db @15Hz
125.5db @20Hz
118.7db @25Hz
117.7db @30Hz
123.7db @ 40 Hz (amp limited)

Sealed 130L net, never clipped the amp.
104.6db @10Hz
107.4db @15Hz
116.5db @20Hz
111.5db @25Hz
112.7db @30Hz
120.6db @ 40 Hz
(the numbers above 20hz seem a little lower than expected I may check things over and do them agian and see if I can't get more)

also for comparison the FW15.3 with EDLT1300 amp did;
102.6db @10Hz
108.4db @15Hz
118.8db @20Hz
112.0db @25Hz
113.8db @30Hz
116.0db @ 40 Hz

So far impressions around here are they both sound very good, the 15.3 is a little "softer" "smoother", the 18.1 is "harder" "louder"(even with the levels set the same) But with a little Eq to bring up the bottom end of the Acoupower to match the 15.3 they seem even closer.

With low frequency sine waves the Acoupower seems to have a little air turbulence noise coming through, not at all noticable with real material though.

[Ricci]

Different placement maybe affecting the output? I wouldn't expect it to be anymore than a few DB's off from the ported.

[vinculum]

The best data to date on Acoupower sealed vs ported.

Whats next, the 18.3?

We've got to keep in mind these are in room readings and you got a little hump @ 20Hz. Are these corner loaded by any chance?

Dr V

[anidabi]

funky_waves wrote:

Finished in textured black. Response graphs at listening position(13'away) before any eq, 1/3 octave smoothing, no lowpass or highpass. In a 950 square foot room with 8-11 foot ceilings. Blue line is vented 340L@16hz Red line is 130L sealed.

Nice work Nathan. It looks really cool enclosure.

[OT]Too bad that the cone looks like a really cheap paper cone with ugly dustcap. Cone with same glossy look as the surround and with inverted dustcap would make it über cool driver. [/OT]

[funky_waves]

Here is another response with the 18.1 2 feet from where it was. My rooms big resonace at 20hz seems better here.

Btw I will have an outdoor response tomorrow.

[funky_waves]

I moved the 18.1 into exactly the same place I tested it in the vented box and the LMS5400 in the vented box(in the corner). And I got some better max output numbers, and more accuratly compares with the vented box, amazing what difference moving the subwoofer 2 feet over makes(it was directly beside before). Of course the better FR was 2 feet the other way, without an improvment in output. can't have your cake and eat it too I suppose.

340L@16hz;
105.6db @10Hz
114.4db @15Hz
125.5db @20Hz
118.7db @25Hz
117.7db @30Hz
123.7db @40 Hz (amp limited)

Sealed 130L net.
112.6db @10Hz
112.9db @15Hz
119.5db @20Hz
113.7db @25Hz
116.0db @30Hz
124.6db @40 Hz


Ps; Ricci's XXX sub had the driver in one spot and the port in the other, seeing as it was twice the size so figure that one out.

[vinculum]

Outdoor measurements will set apart the room from the driver. Then you will have data on both your room and the driver itself. Cant wait to see those!

In room sealed is delivering all but 120dB @ 20Hz. Lets see. x4=132dB@20hz , 124dB@10hz.

"With low frequency sine waves the Acoupower seems to have a little air turbulence noise coming through, not at all noticable with real material though."

Was this noise from the sealed box?

Dr V

[funky_waves]

Max output at 1m ground plane;

Sealed 130L net.
102.0db@10Hz
106.0db@15Hz
108.9db@20Hz
113.7db@25Hz
117.1db@30Hz
120.7db@40 Hz

FR at 1m ground plane;

[Ricci]

That's a nice looking FR outdoors. Moving it into the corner helped the low end out a lot! A lot closer comparison to the vented sub now actually giving more output at 10hz than the vented sub. Looks like you are getting about 10db of room gain at 10hz in the corner. Nice.

Let's see...now if I assume that the XXX was where the LMS was in the corner and the port was where the Acoupower sealed was tested initially...Then I average the 2 Acoupower readings to get a variable modifier and then apply the variable to the XXX #'s...It tells me....There was a lot of bass!

[Ilkka]

funky_waves wrote:

Max output at 1m ground plane;

Sealed 130L net.
102.0db@10Hz
106.0db@15Hz
108.9db@20Hz
113.7db@25Hz
117.1db@30Hz
120.7db@40 Hz

FR at 1m ground plane;

What amplifier was used? How did you measure the absolute SPL? SPL meter or by calibrated microphone? If SPL meter, which?

[funky_waves]

Ilkka

I used an Spl meter Galaxy CM-140 I applied correction, don't have a mic setup yet, working on it. Amp was QCS PLX3602, was putting out 100(10hz)-120(40hz)v rms. Only fed that much just long enough to get a reading.
Does it look like you will be getting an Acoupower for your next round of testing? I would like to see how my testing compares with yours.

[funky_waves]

vinculum wrote:

Outdoor measurements will set apart the room from the driver. Then you will have data on both your room and the driver itself. Cant wait to see those!

In room sealed is delivering all but 120dB @ 20Hz. Lets see. x4=132dB@20hz , 124dB@10hz.

"With low frequency sine waves the Acoupower seems to have a little air turbulence noise coming through, not at all noticable with real material though."

Was this noise from the sealed box?

Dr V

The noise was comming through the dust cap.

[anidabi]

funky_waves wrote:

Ilkka

I used an Spl meter Galaxy CM-140 I applied correction, don't have a mic setup yet, working on it.

What kind of mic are you working on?

[funky_waves]

We are thinking of doing a preorder, if there is enough interest, for the FW18.1 preorder price would be $1400+shipping(reg ~$1600), with a crown XTI4000 preorder price would be $2400ea+shipping. in textured black. Other finishes are avialable on request.Contact us through our website.

Here is a picture of the new look. Not the best picture but thats all we have right now.