[davepete]

It is going to be a standard Exodus product.    We have bumped the overall diameter up to 21", since 18" just wasn't SICK enough.   

Parameters are going to stay much the same except Sd is about 30-40% higher.   Vas goes up too and the box size the driver will be optimized around is going to jump about the same amount, 30% or so.     The PR version should still work good in 8-10 cubic feet and the sealed in even smaller so this driver will work in reasonable enclosures and deliver output unavailable in any single production driver on the planet.    In fact, I think it eclipses any TWO production drivers on the planet in terms of pure swept volume.   

Sounds great.  There's something I'm curious about, though.  Over on the Cult forum, you said this driver won't be good for an IB.  Is that still the case?  If it works sealed as you say above, there's no reason I can think of it wouldn't work fine in an IB unless it was optimized for small enclosures.  Could you elaborate on this?

[Kevin Haskins]

Sure.... and you are right, there is no reason it couldn't be used IB.    My statement, if I remember right, was aimed at someone asking about the Maelstrom-X in an infinite baffle.     The only basis for my statement was founded upon the cost per unit output in that situation.    For someone buying the Sicko-21", the value is probably not at the top of their priority list.   

I still think that if you are doing IBs, you should consider drivers firing in opposing manner.   In other words, you would want at least TWO Sicko-21"s mounted in a baffle firing at or away from each other.     You will also find, that as the driver size increases the baffle opening needs to increase also.    For those reasons I normally recommend people keep their driver size limited to a 15".   Four 15"s mounted in a baffle allows you to keep the baffle opening small, it fits between stud spaces and you would be better off in terms of in-room response by having multiple four driver arrays of DPL-15s rather than a single Sicko-21" manifold.   
 

[davepete]

Sure.... and you are right, there is no reason it couldn't be used IB.    My statement, if I remember right, was aimed at someone asking about the Maelstrom-X in an infinite baffle.     The only basis for my statement was founded upon the cost per unit output in that situation.    For someone buying the Sicko-21", the value is probably not at the top of their priority list.   

I still think that if you are doing IBs, you should consider drivers firing in opposing manner.   In other words, you would want at least TWO Sicko-21"s mounted in a baffle firing at or away from each other.     You will also find, that as the driver size increases the baffle opening needs to increase also.    For those reasons I normally recommend people keep their driver size limited to a 15".   Four 15"s mounted in a baffle allows you to keep the baffle opening small, it fits between stud spaces and you would be better off in terms of in-room response by having multiple four driver arrays of DPL-15s rather than a single Sicko-21" manifold.   

Thanks for the response, Kevin.  Actually I've kind of got something rather, uh, sick, in mind for my theater sub (assuming finances come through).  The theater will be designed around this sub, so no concerns about stud spaces or manifold openings or anything like that.  They'll probably be mounted right in the wall.  And what better driver to use in a "sick" installation than the "Sicko"? 
   

[Kevin Haskins]

Sure.... and you are right, there is no reason it couldn't be used IB.    My statement, if I remember right, was aimed at someone asking about the Maelstrom-X in an infinite baffle.     The only basis for my statement was founded upon the cost per unit output in that situation.    For someone buying the Sicko-21", the value is probably not at the top of their priority list.   

I still think that if you are doing IBs, you should consider drivers firing in opposing manner.   In other words, you would want at least TWO Sicko-21"s mounted in a baffle firing at or away from each other.     You will also find, that as the driver size increases the baffle opening needs to increase also.    For those reasons I normally recommend people keep their driver size limited to a 15".   Four 15"s mounted in a baffle allows you to keep the baffle opening small, it fits between stud spaces and you would be better off in terms of in-room response by having multiple four driver arrays of DPL-15s rather than a single Sicko-21" manifold.   

Thanks for the response, Kevin.  Actually I've kind of got something rather, uh, sick, in mind for my theater sub (assuming finances come through).  The theater will be designed around this sub, so no concerns about stud spaces or manifold openings or anything like that.  They'll probably be mounted right in the wall.  And what better driver to use in a "sick" installation than the "Sicko"? 
   

You are our target customer davepete!            I heard this whisper one afternoon...... "build it and they will come".    So I've been on a mission ever since. 

[davepete]

You are our target customer davepete!            I heard this whisper one afternoon...... "build it and they will come".    So I'm been on a mission ever since. 

Indeed they will!  Your driver sounds incredible.  It's cool to have someone pushing the boundaries and making such amazing products.  Keep up the great work and keep us posted on progress if you would. 

[toddbagwell]

Hi Kevin, I've been following the threads here and at AVS with a lot of excitement. Thought I'd throw my opinion into the mix. I'm planning to replace my SVS PB Plus/2 and Titanic 15 inch subs this winter with a DIY pair of 18in sealed drivers. I think the Sicko would be great (with an LT EQ and Face audio amp) for what I want to achieve.
My vote for the production sequence would be biased in favor of the 18 in driver first, followed by either the 15 or the 21.

However, if the market pushes one of the other drivers to be released first i could always build a pair of opposed dual 15in drivers 

Thanks for the look inside the development of this amazing driver!
Todd

[Kevin Haskins]

We will probably do the 21" first, with the 18" following within six months.   

[Larry McConville]

Hi Kevin,

Really exciting stuff here; I'm pleased we're seeing enthusiasts coming on board, this will certainly be a great product! I may be tempted to bump my order up to two units.

btw - the F1200TS' want to know where their playmates are:-)

Best Regards,

Larry

We will probably do the 21" first, with the 18" following within six months.   

[Kevin Haskins]

The playmates should be on the boat by Monday next week.   

[Larry McConville]

Hi Kevin,

Have you decided upon the cone material and configuration yet? I believe you were previously looking at various honey-combed designs, perhaps having a one piece approach as opposed to a cone/dust cap implementation. Also, are you still considereing a 'flat' piston, or are you now looking to a more conventional cone?

Good stuff here; btw - the Face gear is great!

Larry

[Kevin Haskins]

Hi Kevin,

Have you decided upon the cone material and configuration yet? I believe you were previously looking at various honey-combed designs, perhaps having a one piece approach as opposed to a cone/dust cap implementation. Also, are you still considereing a 'flat' piston, or are you now looking to a more conventional cone?

Good stuff here; btw - the Face gear is great!

Larry

No... we have been working on the basket and carving some weight out of the motor.

I've not made any hard and fast choices at this point but I'm leaning towards carbon fiber with a traditional cone shape and an inverted dust cap.   The cone itself will proably be some sort of composite foam with the CF skin.   

From an engineering standpoint it doesn't matter much.   Our next focus is suspension design and the cone material/construction will be the last thing we tackle.

[Kevin Haskins]

Here is the latest.   This is the 21" basket, 14" spider landing and the motor using a 5" voice coil.   

[klh]

Looks very innovative.

[JohnR]

Crikey!

[Kevin Haskins]

Crikey!

Can you translate that for us Yankees John?   

[jr1414]

Kevin,

You know I've been trying to avoid going bigger with my sub!!!  You've got to stop showing me this stuff!!!!

Basket looks very well engineered and that looks to be one impressive motor!!!  Can't wait to see what the actual paramaters of the first samples are.

[Kevin Haskins]

Kevin,

You know I've been trying to avoid going bigger with my sub!!!  You've got to stop showing me this stuff!!!!

Basket looks very well engineered and that looks to be one impressive motor!!!  Can't wait to see what the actual paramaters of the first samples are.

I can give you a pretty close estimate.   We have as much BL as we need, the suspension compliance is easy to scale and the Sd is going to be around 1500cm^2, up about 25-30% from a typical 18" driver.    Box size scales in a linear manner with Vas (for the same F3) so if we aim at T/S parameters like the Maelstrom, it would still be extremely usable with dual 21" PRs in 9-10 cubic feet.    The sealed would work easily in 6-8 cubic feet and a simple LT circuit allows complete flexibility with your system Q.     

My primary target in the 9 cubic foot with dual 21" PRs.   Most people can easily fit that in their home theater install.   

[davepete]

Kevin, I'm not sure you'll be able to answer this yet, but using the stated 9-10 cu ft box, do you know roughly what kind of tuning point you're shooting for?  With a driver of this kind of raw output capability, a good low tuning point would make the best use of it.  Will it work well tuned to, say, the 10-12 hz range or so in an EBS alignment?  If so, will it do that in 10 cu ft, or is more volume needed for use as an EBS? 

[Kevin Haskins]

Kevin, I'm not sure you'll be able to answer this yet, but using the stated 9-10 cu ft box, do you know roughly what kind of tuning point you're shooting for?  With a driver of this kind of raw output capability, a good low tuning point would make the best use of it.  Will it work well tuned to, say, the 10-12 hz range or so in an EBS alignment?  If so, will it do that in 10 cu ft, or is more volume needed for use as an EBS? 

The PRs are the only viable method and I'd aim for 15-16Hz.   I'm not one of the advocates of 10Hz tuning frequencies. 

[Kevin Haskins]

Some more Sicko eye-candy.