Sound Advice by Brent Handy Contributing Writer December 09, 2006

While the science is highly guarded, the technology may be generalized. There is a very long horn inside of a "Box-Free" cabinet. That sounds like a complete contradiction but it is not. The horn is not in a sealed box. This eliminates the rapid roll-off of frequencies. You will notice that this is common in other designs. You will hear the kick, but not much defined, musical bass. There is no box resonating used to increase or sustain bass output. The driver maintains it's loading across the bass spectrum, yielding the response mentioned above, because the box is not vented.

Have you ever been on stage and listened to your current subs? Have you listened to how much bass comes from the back of the cabinet? Some manufacturers have placed an extra driver in the rear of their cabs, out of phase, to offset the rear firing bass. Bassmaxx systems are 9dB down in the back from the front of the cabinet. Considering 10dB is half in volume, that is an amazing feature. Imagine dropping your onstage subwoofer bleed to almost half. Wouldn't that make mixing easier, cleaner?

The only place that you should consider locating any sub woofer is on the floor. There is acoustic coupling with the floor, and in some cases the walls, that is beneficial to the dispersion of the bass waves. There are some unfortunate instances where flying the sub is the only option. Bassmaxx subs will be offered in a flying, arrayable format to meet those needs. But remember that you will need twice as many subs in the air, as you would normally use on the floor. This is due to lost coupling. This will also require amplifier power and more expense.

David Lee quickly emphasizes that sub placement is crucial. You should consult a contractor and/or experienced engineer. There are room dimensions and boundary angles, finishes, etc that provide reflection points and null points. There is a science to it folks. That's for another article.

David sees the Bassmaxx fitting in well with the modern church market. He recalls the traditional church of the past. The large churches of early America, with ornate artwork, stained glass windows, huge pipe organs, etc. Feeling the 32Hz wave of the pipe organ was part of the listening experience. That power, depth and energy is gone from modern services. He would like to hear that dynamic energy return in todays music productions, and provide a way to reproduce it.

Today's seekers are not like any other generation. The modern seeker is technically advanced, attends concerts, may have a high-end home theater system, etc. The youth of today have a higher quality sound system in their car than most 30-40 year olds have in their home. The kids know what real bass is, what it sounds and FEELS like. David believes that the ability to provide a professional presentation and/or worship experience is condusive to reaching the youth and young adults of a generation that is entertainment hungry. Why not provide the same production values, with the same gear that is used in the entertainment industry?

I agree with that point. I also maintain that the production does not validate the message. If used correctly, it is a tool to attract, relate and deliver a message. Don't take my word for it. Go experience it for yourself. Visit some other churches with a capable system and staff. Make note of the demographics. The next time that you are in a home electronics store, concert, or IASCA car finals show, see if those same people are there. You would be surprised. Contact:

Rhino Acoustics, Inc. 2010 Commerce Street, Houston, TX 77002-2314
www.bassmaxx.com

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Clarification Re: the rear firing woofer. As stated in my article, the woofers such as those used in the Meyer Cardioid sub are NOT for anything other than cancelation on the rear. Sorry if I lead you to believe otherwise.Re: the 10dB down statement. It take...more Submitted by: Brent Handy Location: Tulsa, OK Sub Woofer design Hi Brent,I enjoyed reading your article and thank you for the time you took to write it. Being a audiophile speaker designer and builder myself, I can relate to some of the dissatisfaction of sub woofers that you described. However, as you know,...more Submitted by: John White Location: Orange CA

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