[BrandonB]

I just wanted to start out by saying I love coming to forum to read and learn about a subject that I find interesting and fun.  I also want to thank everyone for posting, answering, and taking time to teach people like me that hasn't been around that long and it is  deeply appreciated and please forgive my grammar.  I am awful at writing but I do my best to get my thoughts across.  That said my question is  about servo subs compared to woofers.  In the new MTM otica design with three 8 in servo subs.  They are taking over where the 4 M165 woofers play in the NX-otica.  Danny always talks about the quality of crossover parts and speaker build.  How does the quality of the 8 in. servo speaker compare to the 4 M165 woofers in the ottica?  I know that the M165 are lighter and can probably move much easier but the 8 in sevos subs has the servo technology.  Please let  me know your thoughts.

[BrandonB]

I guess my question didn't make much sense so maybe if I ask in a different way.  If you cross over a sub at a higher frequency will it sound as good as a smaller woofer that would normally play in that frequency?    I was giving an example above with an 8 servo sub crossing at a higher frequency where an M165 woofer would usually play.  I am debating on which speaker to get.  The NX-otica or the  new baby NX-otica with the 8in servo sub without the 4 M165's. 

[mlundy57]

The one with the 8” drivers will have a better overall presentation, especially if you are not going to have the separate sub towers. That’s the one I would go with as long as it fits your budget

[DannyBadorine]

I'm not a fan of crossing subwoofers over at higher frequencies. I've never worked with open baffle subs though so maybe they would work better with a higher crossover.  I tend to like to have my main speakers go as low as possible.  The M165 woofers are capable of going pretty low.  I haven't heard the NX-Oticas, but I have a homemade speaker that has 2xM165's in the same sealed configuration as the low drivers of the X-Statik and my F3 in the room is around 45Hz.  I would always go for keeping as much low end in my main speakers as possible then supplement with a sub.  With subwoofers playing higher frequencies, you start to be able to locate the sub position in the room and that sounds weird to me.  I try to keep my subs around 60Hz and down for the most part.  But again, the open baffle stuff is not anything I'm very familiar with.

[mlundy57]

In the Otica design, the servo 8" drivers are part of the speaker cabinet and function more like mid/upper bass drivers than a traditional subwoofer. With the Wedgies (Neo3 tweeter & LGK midrange drivers), they crossed at 200Hz and blended perfectly when properly dialed in. The same will be true when paired with the Neo3 tweeter and M-165NQ midrange drivers. The Otica with servo triple 8s will be a speaker with rock solid output flat to at least 30Hz. The triple 8s will produce a much higher performing speaker compared to 4 M-165s. However, this improvement will come at a cost as six 8" servo drivers and two servo amps will cost a lot more than eight M-165s.

Open baffle subwoofers, especially with Rythmik's direct feedback servo control, behave differently than traditional box subwoofers. Cone material and proximity to the drivers the subs are being crossed to also comes into play. Paper cone drivers can be crossed higher and the higher the crossover point, the closer the sub drivers need to be to prevent the isolation effect. Taking everything together, servo controlled, paper cone drivers, in the same cabinet right next to the midrange drivers they are crossing to will not have any localization effect.

[Danny Richie]

When I get a pair up and playing then we'll find out.

[BrandonB]

When I get a pair up and playing then we'll find out.

I can't wait...