Sub Selection and Placement Help

[Magnus357]

Hello all!

I need some assistance in selecting a new subwoofer for a house I'm currently having built. It's almost done now and I'll be moving in a few weeks.

I want to discuss a few options with the experts here before I select a sub for the system. I have included a room layout below. The ceilings in the rooms detailed below are 10'. I calculate the volume of the living room and open kitchen at 4000 ft^3. Looking at the Room Loudness relative levels, that means I could likely get by with a VTF-2. I have shown the location I would keep that sub. The house is actually prewired for a sub at that location as well. Do you think it would work well? Would the fact that the kitchen is open to the rest of the house cause me to lose some impact from the sub?

The other option I'm considering is putting a VTF-3 in the cabinet indicated on the room layout drawing. I have some concerns that the wife unit will not like the VTF-2 at the location I've shown, despite it relative small size. She likes speakers to be the opposite of Victorian children, heard but not seen. I've included a scale drawing of the cabinet with the VTF-3 inside it. I would have to have the door remade to include perforated metal speaker grills (painted to match the trim of course, per the wife unit). I had to take some artistic license with where the driver is located relative to the external dimension of the box and with how tall the feet are, although I don't think the later dimension matters much. If anyone knows how far the center of the driver is from the back edge, I could update my drawing.

If I went for the VTF-3 in the cabinet, would I get good performance from it? I selected the VTF-3 because it's side firing, which I figured would be best for the in cabinet layout. What size metal perforations should I use? Does it actually matter? Will I have to come up with some sort of super door attachment scheme to keep them from rattling? I think I probably will.

I appreciate any input ya'll might have on which option would be better.

[Dr_Hsu]

Originally Posted by Magnus357

Hello all!

I need some assistance in selecting a new subwoofer for a house I'm currently having built. It's almost done now and I'll be moving in a few weeks.

I want to discuss a few options with the experts here before I select a sub for the system. I have included a room layout below. The ceilings in the rooms detailed below are 10'. I calculate the volume of the living room and open kitchen at 4000 ft^3. Looking at the Room Loudness relative levels, that means I could likely get by with a VTF-2. I have shown the location I would keep that sub. The house is actually prewired for a sub at that location as well. Do you think it would work well? Would the fact that the kitchen is open to the rest of the house cause me to lose some impact from the sub?

The other option I'm considering is putting a VTF-3 in the cabinet indicated on the room layout drawing. I have some concerns that the wife unit will not like the VTF-2 at the location I've shown, despite it relative small size. She likes speakers to be the opposite of Victorian children, heard but not seen. I've included a scale drawing of the cabinet with the VTF-3 inside it. I would have to have the door remade to include perforated metal speaker grills (painted to match the trim of course, per the wife unit). I had to take some artistic license with where the driver is located relative to the external dimension of the box and with how tall the feet are, although I don't think the later dimension matters much. If anyone knows how far the center of the driver is from the back edge, I could update my drawing.

If I went for the VTF-3 in the cabinet, would I get good performance from it? I selected the VTF-3 because it's side firing, which I figured would be best for the in cabinet layout. What size metal perforations should I use? Does it actually matter? Will I have to come up with some sort of super door attachment scheme to keep them from rattling? I think I probably will.

I appreciate any input ya'll might have on which option would be better.

Very nice drawings! I would definitely go with the VTF-3 MK4 in the cabinet. Do you need to use metal grille to please your wife? Otherwise speaker cloth would be less likely to buzz or rattle. Hole size does not matter.

[Magnus357]

Originally Posted by Dr_Hsu

Very nice drawings! I would definitely go with the VTF-3 MK4 in the cabinet. Do you need to use metal grille to please your wife? Otherwise speaker cloth would be less likely to buzz or rattle. Hole size does not matter.

There's potential I could go to speaker cloth. I just have to figure out how to build it into the cabinet doors.

You don't think I'll have an issue with the driver not being center on the "grill" area of a door? I think the doors will need to have at least 2" of wood forming the frame, as shown in the drawing.

Also, the furniture I have shown in front of the cabinet won't create an issue?

I really like the built in concept, but I want to make sure it'll be functional as I DEFINITELY know the wife will not let me keep the VTF-3 out in the open.

[Dr_Hsu]

Originally Posted by Magnus357

There's potential I could go to speaker cloth. I just have to figure out how to build it into the cabinet doors.

You don't think I'll have an issue with the driver not being center on the "grill" area of a door? I think the doors will need to have at least 2" of wood forming the frame, as shown in the drawing.

Also, the furniture I have shown in front of the cabinet won't create an issue?

I really like the built in concept, but I want to make sure it'll be functional as I DEFINITELY know the wife will not let me keep the VTF-3 out in the open.

No problem at all to have the door frame partially blocking the woofer. The furniture in front of it will also have no effect. Even if your wife do not mind having the sub out in the open, that location is still one of the best.