As a concert producer, I am frequently asked which subs I'd suggest. Subwoofers, like mains, are selected by the kind of music you'll be playing though them, and how they are going to become utilized. For the purposes of this article, I'm going to restrict the conversation to just Dubstep, and Drum and Bass.

Dubstep and Drum and Bass possess a big quantity of content material in the 20hz - 50hz variety, and if you do the math, you're going to need about 5000 watts devoted to a that frequency variety to generate sufficient of that sound to be heard in addition to the rest of your music.

My setup

My bigger setup is (five) QSC HPR181s across the front from the stage, (6) Martin Blackline dual 18's for the residence, and 2 Bag Finish Dual 18's operating 8000watts through an ELF processor committed to the 8hz - 50hz range via a lab gruppen amp. When I play smaller sized shows, I just use my QSC HPR181, that are 700 watts every single, but excellent for ultra higher volume bass. The QSC's are self powered and take all of five minutes to setup, which also assists. Now I've heard the prevalent wisdom, don't mix subwoofers, but in reality, I've but to discover one sound manufacturing firm that does it all, short of a tour package that is made for a provided show, in lieu of a type of music (an essential distinction). That said, crossover points and maintaining every subwoofer and the general system in phase is very critical when mixing subs.

Setting the crossover

Conventional crossovers, like the pretty prevalent dBx DriveRack PA possess a very good and pretty adjustable crossover that also contains the potential to modify the slope of your roll off. When matching and tuning subwoofer frequencies, I've noticed that even though the crossover claims to possess rolled a frequency off, a few of the content material continues to be transmitted to the sub. Clearly, when two brands of subwoofers are creating the identical tones, distortion is designed. I, consequently, separate the frequencies by about 5hz. Visually on the crossover, it appears that I'm losing musical content, nevertheless, with the amplification obtain, actually I am not, in addition to a RTA mic will confirm that the setting are appropriate.

Sealed box enclosures and subharmonics

Bag End is truly the go to here. You will discover other sub systems that do subharmonics, but Bag Finish was initially, so I'm writing about them. The Infra processor, and just before Ron Wickersham left, the Elf Processor are the two important components. Dubstep and Drum and Bass require a massive presence within the 20hz - 50hz range. Most of the people can't hear music within this range, but it is possible to really feel it, and also you can really feel the distinction amongst 20hz and 40 hz when the signal is clear and totally free of clipping. The Infra processor is obtainable in two forms. The very first a single features a flat response down to 18hz, the second a single to 8hz. 18hz is far more effective for bigger systems. In case you have an additional 20k to burn, then go for the 8hz integrator and (4) dual 18's. You'll need a substantial volume of AC Energy to run the amps too, commonly an added 20amp 220 circuit to get a Lab Gruppen or 4 20amp 110 ciruits for 4 QSC amps bridged into every sub. My Bag Ends generally pull about 3000 watts per dual 18 when generating content material STRICTLY Restricted towards the 18hz - 50hz range. I really should note that generating adjustments for your crossover at complete volume can immediately destroy all your gear, so be careful, and know your equipment frequency response and energy handling ratings.

Pricing

Subs vary tremendously in price tag. In the reduce value range, I've heard the Peavey blackwidows, which are technically louder, but considerably much less musical. When you are mashing up two tracks, or promptly transitioning from 1 to a different, it's difficult to hear much difference using the Peavey subs, they may be just loud, not so much musical. JBL and Cerwin Vega subs are fart cans, and I believe many people know this. They could rumble and shake, however they don't have an articulated sound - a clarity inside the low finish that may be certainly required for Dubstep and much more so for Drum and Bass.

Some other equipment that I've tried, Should you be wealthy, the D&B (not db technologies) audioteknic Q2 subs are killer, EAW 218z subs are pretty fantastic, McCauley does a pretty decent sub with superior all around specs for Dubstep, and Bag End kills. All of these cabinets demand extremely expensive amplification although. You are able to get 12,000 into amps alone just before you may even turn on a mid-sized program of this caliber.

Home Construction

An additional alternative, is to build your own box. This is not a beginner project, but in the event you love wood working, and have a spare 2500 bucks, you can build some pretty amazing cabinets. The best way to do this is to get on the forums and look at designs, then read the threads by means of. Often individuals post reviews over the course of years.

Look for any design that includes a superior frequency response down to 40hz, plus a driver that has exceptional frequency response. OHM (brand) makes a pretty incredible driver, and you will find a couple of higher finish RCF subs that are bad for the bone.