IB-Infinite Baffle subwoofer...do they work?

Woodsea · « **on:** 24 Jul 2003, 01:29 pm »

I read about these before, but cannot remember the exact reason for dismissing it from my list. Here is one and a positive review http://home.tampabay.rr.com/kraushome/IB.html
Anyone with experience? My brother is now thinking this is the route to take.

JoshK · « **Reply #1 on:** 24 Jul 2003, 02:58 pm »

If I owned a home and had an attic this would be the first thing I would do. Get the big sub boxes out of the room. Certainly a high WAF upgrade.

gotmikey · « **Reply #2 on:** 24 Jul 2003, 03:55 pm »

I will have two 15" tempests powered by a Rythmik 350W plate amp ready to roll by this Saturday (tempests arrive Friday)! From what I've researched, these (IB's) are supposed to provide the "smoothest" low freq. response sans the enclosure like sound. Search "Cult of the Infinitely Baffled" on yahoo if you haven't done so already. This is the most comprehensive website I've found dealing with this stuff. As for me, my room is 21" x 18" x 8" with a huge attic. I'll be mounting mine directly above the RPTV flush with the two main's baffles. I'll post more about sound quality on Sunday or so.

Tyson · « **Reply #3 on:** 24 Jul 2003, 04:00 pm »

I've heard ThomasW's 12 shiva's dancing IB sub. Very impressive indeed. Very clean and able to go very loud and low w/very little distortion.

I still prefer a pair of new original VMPS subs (in stereo) for music though. . .

gotmikey · « **Reply #4 on:** 24 Jul 2003, 04:11 pm »

Quote from: Tyson

I've heard ThomasW's 12 shiva's dancing IB sub. Very impressive indeed. Very clean and able to go very loud and low w/very little distortion.

I still prefer a pair of new original VMPS subs (in stereo) for music though. . .

Tyson,

What drivers are the VMPS subs using? Also, are the VMPS subs the best you've heard so far?

Tyson · « **Reply #5 on:** 24 Jul 2003, 05:11 pm »

VMPS builds their own drivers (largest woven carbon fiber vwoofer I know of). WCF as a woofer material has a few advantages over most, in that it is stiffer than paper (and MUCH stiffer than polypropylene), and has much better self-damping than aluminum or other metals.

Throw in a very compliant natural rubber surround and a large/powerful magnet. Put it all in a sufficiently sized box, and it is indeed the best sub I've heard (easily) for music. For movies, I like a couple of the DIY subs out there better, but only because they play louder in the VERY deep bass, not because the sound better or are more accurate.

For a 2 channel setup, or even a combo HT/2-channel setup, the VMPS subs are pretty much a no brainer. Brain should charge a LOT more for them, based on how they perform. . .

OBF · « **Reply #6 on:** 24 Jul 2003, 08:03 pm »

So you think the VMPS sub is more satisfying than an IB setup for music? Personally, I'd like to go the line array route to do away with room modes and I was going to ask how you think the LA you heard would compare base wise to a good sub, but since the array you heard was designed for sub use, it's not a valid question. Now you need to go hear an Alpha

Tyson · « **Reply #7 on:** 24 Jul 2003, 10:21 pm »

a line array is not an IB. I agree that Line Arrays do load the room better than a point source does (most especially for bass). But most IB's I've seen are essentially point sources, not Line arrays. Problem w/a line array sub is that it would be HUGE. Of course, I think someting like this would sound pretty incredible:

I was thinking of one day routing out my RM40 cabinets and putting in a line array of 10 inch woofers, and moving the mid panels to a seperate, smaller enclosure. That would be very cool. . . . Something I've just been kicking around as an idea to implement in a few years from now. . .

OBF · « **Reply #8 on:** 24 Jul 2003, 10:42 pm »

I know an IB is totally different from a LA. I was kind of running two questions together. The first being how you think the VMPS sub compares to the IB sub you heard for music. And 2nd, how a good sub, like the VMPS, compares to bass from a LA, but since I don't think you've listened to a LA with 20hz extension, that part of the question was pointless.

Regarding your 40s, that would be a cool experiment, but you might be better off to keep the 40s intact and build/buy a pair of Alphas.

Chops · « **Reply #9 on:** 25 Jul 2003, 01:23 am »

I haven't had the pleasure to hear an IB sub or an LA sub, however, the DIY subs I have are kind of like both of those put together. They are twin 15" H-frame Dipole subs.

I have to admit, I have had and heard a lot of different subs, and these are by far the best I have heard yet! I don't think I will ever go with any other kind.

Here's a picture of them....