Help with 15" TC Sounds LMS 4000

[donpisto]

Hey everyone, new over here. I am new to home audio. I am currently running a 15" LMS 4000 in 5 cubes sealed corner loaded running off a Dayton amp (forgot the model, but I got it from parts express and it puts out 1,024 @ 4 ohms. I have had 2 10" IDQ's in under 2 cubes sealed and it seemed to put out much more output. Just wondering if the enclosure size needs to be adjust, or even go ported, or it needs more power. Any tips would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[funky_waves]

Donpisto, Welcome to the Shack

The LMS's are geared for good low end output with low distortion, large vented boxes are the best to take advantage of there capabilities. A large sealed box will give good low end extension as well with the LMS4000's but not near the output. Eg. compared to your 5 cubic foot sealed box a 13 cubic foot tuned to 16hz would give you almost 8db more at 20hz, 4db more at 30hz, and 2db at 40hz. 1024watts should be enough for the 15" LMS4000.

Do you have the LMS in the same location as the IDQ's were? How large is your room? If you can you should get REW and measure it, and try moving the sub around the room.

Also are you using the sub for music or moves, the LMS with its good low extension is great for movie effects but there are better options that can be tuned higher in smaller enclosures to get higher output for music.

One thing you will find about the home audio environment, coming from car audio, is that you will likely need several massive subs to even approach what you may be used to in a car.

[donpisto]

Thanks for the response Nathan. I had the IDQ's in the same location as the lms 4k. My room is quite small, a little over 144 sq. ft. I really don't have many options of moving the sub around. I would only be able to along one wall since I have a bed, shelf, closet and dresser along the other walls.

I primarily watch movies and play video games, but every now and then I'll listen to music, so music isn't as important.

Excuse the noobish question, but what is REW? Again, appreciate the help. Seems the solution here is to go ported, but 13 cubes would be a bit large for my room.

[funky_waves]

That is a nice small room, it shouldnt be too hard to get some good output. REW is a measurement tool to show you if you have any room modes/nulls then you can move the sub and measure agian to find the best location, sometimes very little movement can improve the response dramaticly. 13 cubes is about the smallest the LMS 4k will work nicly in, but you could go as small as 8-9cubes but then is starts getting harder to tune low enough(below20hz), unless you go with a sonosub or passive radiator design, but then you dont gain as much output from sealed.

[donpisto]

Thanks for the info. I think I'll hold onto this driver and use it in the future when I have a dedicated home theater setup and in a larger room. Then I'll build a nice large ported enclosure tuned low as you mentioned. This might give me reason to use either my Focal 10v1 subs or eD EHQS 8's...just don't know which to go with.