[mattp]

Hey guys. I'm a long time lurker and rarely post. I am actually a Parts Express employee of about 12 years and have been designing and building everything I've owned since I was about 13. Some of you may have talked to me on the phone in tech support when I worked in the call center. I usually just float around here looking and drooling at half of the builds I see here but I thought I would share mine.

Short backstory...I used to have a pair of sealed Ultimax 10's powered with an EP4000 and FBQ1000 for DSP. In my apt they were great since I never turned it up. Now that I am getting a house they just cannot handle the output AND low end I have them EQ'd for which I expected, so I've decided to upgrade.

Like I said, I have built everything up until this point. I have to build so many prototypes, kits, you name it for my job now I just didn't want to deal with a build of this scale so I recruited a local CNC guy to cut and assemble these for me. MDF dust is no bueno.

They will be a pair of UM18's powered with the same amp and DSP as before. I threw together a CAD drawing with the enclosure I came up with for a low Q sealed design, threw a bunch of cash at Scott (CNC dude) and this is where they currently stand until I close on my house later this month. Pretty average for half of the builds I see here but the biggest boxes I have owned personally. Externally they are 27"H x 22"W x 28"D, 1" MDF shell, 2" baffle and 3/4" bracing all dado'd in place. Neutrik Speakons. I had to do the routing and prep before I put two thick coats of Duratex on them. I will post full system pics once they are installed.

That is not me pictured FWIW.

 

[Gdaddy]

The internal bracing is amazing. Best I've seen, love it!

 

[tripplej]

Congrats! Very nice..

 

[theJman]

Yup, that should be an upgrade from the 10's...

 

[RTS100x5]

FYIW the SI 24 inch series will put a pair of UM 18's to shame.... I now have one IB 24 and my ported UM 15's dont even compare....the output below 25hz is astonishing....

Of course I realize its a different price range.... But to be fair my SI IB24 is the roughly the same price as 2 UM18's

 

[mattp]

FYIW the SI 24 inch series will put a pair of UM 18's to shame.... I now have one IB 24 and my ported UM 15's dont even compare....the output below 25hz is astonishing....

Of course I realize its a different price range.... But to be fair my SI IB24 is the roughly the same price as 2 UM18's

Obviously a 24" will put an 18" to shame when comparing the numbers...although I don't get free samples of the SI subs 0

Not to mention I represent Dayton Audio.

 

[mattp]

Well they are done and installed. I finally got the house, closed and moved in over the weekend so I turned the second bedroom into a home theater (the living room didn't work). I need to put up some acoustic panels but otherwise...these are insane as I'm sure you could've guessed. That is a 65" TV for scale and those towers are 41" tall.

I've owned A LOT of subwoofers. There is something about the impact you get from an 18" that nothing else can compete with. And they do it so easily. Average levels, the bass just travels through you. It really is something else. I spent a couple hours listening to music last night and I haven't even bothered trying a movie yet. These pressurize the room like nothing I have experienced before.

Now for the fun part - flat to 11 Hz with only 2dB of boost at 20 Hz on the EQ. Everything else is cut. I have so much headroom it's not even funny. Who doesn't like a little house curve?

I will take better pics and screen shots showing full system response once I get panels up and get furniture delivered. These are all prelim measurements.

 

[theJman]

I'll bet that's a lot of fun! Congrats on the build, those came out very nice.

 

[RTS100x5]

congrats on the new subs... try the first 1 minute of LIVE DIE REPEAT / EDGE OF TOMORROW for a real ultra low LFE test

 

[mattp]

congrats on the new subs... try the first 1 minute of LIVE DIE REPEAT / EDGE OF TOMORROW for a real ultra low LFE test

Nice...thanks for the recommendation. I need to add a few movies to the repertoire.

 

[carlthess40]

That's a great build
I'm 52 and got my first order from parts express at the age of 13
I love all the work you guys does they to help all of us diy guys
Now I need one of you tech guys to fix my 1000 watt plate amp
I sent it in one time last year( it was out of warranty) but your guys handled it without any charge other then shipping. And it's the first plate amp of 1000 watts without the heat fins. But I think PE is the only and the best when it comes to taking care of us did guys. And great job of the subs. Most people don't understand that the larger the driver the longer the throw of the sound
What I mean is this
A 10" sub will have the sub best at around 3 to 10' A 21" sub will be better at 25' to over 80'. So the sound at close range will be not so good in a home setup. I personally like to use multiple 10" drivers in a room that's around 20' by 16'. And 2 or 4 12" in a room that's larger. Let's face it. Not many HT / living rooms are much larger. Sure your going to rattle the walls and everything else in the house with all of these crazy sized drivers that are coming out
I'll make a bet that I can make a sub cab with two 10" drivers for a room that is 16' by 20' with a 9' ceilings and you can use your 21" or 30" driver or drivers and I will get better sound quality then your over sized drivers. Trust me, I've been doing this for 40 plus years and can and will prove you wrong
I have a muse model eighteen 6th order sub with only 125 watts and it goes lower, sounds better in my room then two of my svs 12" ported subs and any of my 12" and up to 18" Klipsch home and commercial subs that I have or had
I've had the kpt,ki,pro line subs. CV sugar Scoops with 18" drivers
18" tuba and folded horn subs


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