8" driver tower speaker replacements /diy project

i think i found some very good driver that would be good for diy projects or replacements..they met the following criteria:

-high sensitivity (98 dB SPL 1W / 1m average)
-high power handling (200 Watt continuous)
-water tolerant (Weather protected cone)
-standard bolt pattern (195-198 bolt circle diamter)
-reasonable price (coaxial version is $180 !!! waiting on the standard 8" price)

the manufacture is eighteen sound out of italy.. the driver itself is the 8mb400 and the coaxial model number is 8CX400F..

awaiting details.... this looks very, very promising..

http://www.eighteensound.com/index.aspx?mainMenu=view_product&pid=228


(Message edited by clubmyke on October 24, 2006)

Interesting there is a 3db drop when going to the 8 inch coax version which is 95 db 1w/1m which is still great. How about that 98 db 1w/1m on their 8 inch midbass driver!! Looks like some nice equipment by their specs that is priced right and the distributor is in Miami.

Did the $180 for the coax include their HF driver?

Possibly a great find clubmyke.

david,

it does include the coaf hf driver...

as you mentioned they have some other drivers.. the output from the 8m400 is crazy !!!!

also take a look at 8NMB420 High Output MB Neodymium Driver (super light weight @ 4.4 lbs)... i dont know how much it cost, but it specs looks really good..

Clubmyke,

When will you be able to share your "top secret" design? The suspense is building.

I'm confused. On the main page it shows "98db SPL average" Then on the Tech Specs page it shows "95db Average." When you look at the frequency response on the 'Curves' page 95db is more reasonable.

Still at 95db, it's still quite a speaker.

clubmyke do share your top secret design plans. send a pm to us if you do not want to post it. The only thing I am hiding is all the bills(from my wife) She has a good idea anyway and she's bought some stuff trying to see if we are even on our spending levels but she's not quite sure the exact numbers. I am not either--

Craig, there are two sets of db specs. The 95 db is for the coax and the 98 db is without the coax hole in the driver. This company has some ear busting horns too! like a small one at 111 db 1w/1m

Craig, you are right, I think they confused the 8m400 and 8m420 spec sheet. Or hoped that no one would notice that typo.

sorry about the hush~hush...but this is a biggie. once it out, it will pretty much kill anything out there.and it could be added to the majority of exsisting designs....you`ll know it when it comes out since it will be a departure from current designs and be pretty simple at the same time...

I don't mind sharing, but I would like make some $$ on this one... I have talked to a couple manufactures and need to get it going for the 2007 season (i am hoping it will be a wakeboard tower speaker exclusive mfg since it will involve a patent).

ì got to revise some paperwork going so we can move forward....

btw, one of the ideas did make it to the market (wetsounds enclosure)

Clubmyke,

Little confused here, in your reference to one of the ideas did make it to market (wetsounds enclosure)

Please elaborate on that statement, as I am not sure what you are implying.

Tim

the plot thickens.

no implication or association with wetsounds for the record..

just an idea for a different enclosre other than a tube(which is very good at dispersing enclosure energy but sucks for sound reinforcement....the reason they work good for subs is placement... bass tubes will pick up 12 db dependinng on placement)...a sphere is also very good at dispersing energy but kinda too big....so that leaves a hybrid of a sphere and a tube which is a egg shape enclosure (very strong when pressure is applied equally (back wave from the driver).this allows for a very lightweight but strong cabinet ~ ie what your designs are...

very, very, good..I applaude the design (this is how I would have done it...btw, I ran this idea past a couple manufactures before you came to market...it doesn't matter...)

it is very lightweight and efficent in this application. wetsounds did their homework on this one.

do I get an `A` ?


(Message edited by clubmyke on October 24, 2006)

OK.

Thanks,

Tim

well that was no fun.

I was hoping for a "I came up with that idea" and a "no you didn't, we did" etc....

oh well, guess I'll have to go start a fight at a bar tonight.

lol:))...the really cool thing about these threads is the breeding of ideas...btw, this in not one of the hush-hush top secret ideas...

here is another idea that mikeski sparked a couple threads ago regarding interior noise from the tower speakers (coaxials in paticular)... anyone who trys this and/or has any ideas please post them so we all can benefit)..

- to decrease the output of the towers speakers "in the boat" - run them out of polarity as compared to the cabin speakers (ie run one set in correct polarity and the other in opposite polarity so cancellation will occur in the boat cabin).

i noticed this decreased the level of the tower speakers in the boat and was further enhanced when i fine tuned the phase via my eclipse deck...

there are a couple ways to further enhance this effect (cancellation.... btw, the military uses this principle quite a bit and has furthered it)

1. wire one system out of phase
2. add a seperate speaker (s) out of phase
3. " " and a phase control to fine tune it...

in speaking with mikeski, we came up with the idea of mounting a seperate driver(piezo) in the tower out of phase to cancel out the overly loud "problem" range (estimate 2.5k-4k)...i

i have played around with this and it does work however (theoretical stage) it needs a seperate(maybe 2) drivers to really make it happen....

so here is "freebie idea" that does work and theoretcally should work better if more drivers are added...

please feel free to post your thougts and any outcomes if you deceide to check this out... like anything...YYMV...

disclaimer...a similair idea was introduced by nelson pass in the mid 80"s with a microphone, servo, and feedback system to overcome standing wakes..

(Message edited by clubmyke on October 24, 2006)

huh... That's actually a pretty smart idea.

I've never looked at phase controls, what manufactures make phase controls that provide more than just a 90, 180, 270 adjustment?

So...you're saying I need a second set of Rubicon 450s pointing down into the cabin and wired out of phase?

craig,

the most one can adjust is 0 to 180...135- 150 is about right.. the audiocontrol 24xs has a phase adjustment, i am sure there are more...

and you dont need a extra set of tower speakers, that would be overkill and effect the output out to the driver (lessen it)... all you is the bare minimum to quench the "interior overspray" as best possible..wether by wiring one set out of phase or by adding another speake (or both)..

(Message edited by clubmyke on October 24, 2006)

yes...a second set of 450s was a joke. My tower would rip a hole in the fiberglass where it's mounted as the 450s weigh a ton at 44lbs each.

So something like this?
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=270-011

I guess I'd have to run extra wire up the tower to power these guys. I do have a little pup of an alpine amp that might fit the bill.

Maybe I could build an L-Pad and wire them parallel to the Rubis. If I were pushing 500 watts to each Rubi and I parallel one of these in there, it'd get 250 watts. Add 3DB of attenuation and we're down to 125, 6db=62.5, 9db=31.25 watts. The only problem is that the Rubicons are already at 3ohm and I'm running them bridged on a four channel 4ohm stable amp, I don't want to reduce the impedance anymore.

Could be a fun cheap experiment.

It shouldn't need much power. If your deck has powered outputs that could be a source for the power. Cost of power: FREEBIE, my favorite!

any ideas on mounting externals ?

Good idea, though, I control stereo volume via my Audio Controll Three.1. So the deck amplifier is not available.

i heard back from the dealer that the distributor is NOT importing the 8" 18 sound drivers (only the coaxial)... this is a bummer since it looks like a reasonable priced, outdoor pro audio driver...

that is not great news- obviously they do not realize potential lost sales or there is another issue they are not disclosing. It does not make sense from a marketing or selling view. There is more to this story than disclosed by the distributor.

When mounting externals, this can become very cool and quite custom. It all depends on what is there as a base starting point location. I have taken lots of things apart to make them fit into places they would not fit as a whole. By separating the components into bite size pieces they sometimes will fit. example- I used to put tweeters into A/C and defrost vents also Headrests (totally hidden from view). Most boats have dash space that can used. Tweeters can be dash mounted near the windshield to bounce the signal back into the boat.

chances are the distributor already is already importing a couple of 8" drivers and doesnt want any more...

they can be ordered from europe but there is shipping,euro exchange, and maybe vat...

does anyone have realatives in italy ?

update on the 18 sound 8" drivers (ignore the previous post..)

Hi Mike,

I've just shipped a container to our distributors containing also several 8M400, the container will arrive to Miami towards end of November......

Best regards,
Paola Riccò

Did you ever figure out what the cost will be on them??

later
Shawn

It could be awhile until that shipment arrives and clears to the distributor.

I hope the price is reasonable...

when I checked the european sites it was 120€ / $150 us...if were lucky, it will be $120 us (this was for the super trick 8NMB420~the high output, lightweight, weather resistant driver)...the 8m400 is the middle model, this still looks good but the 8NMB420 specs and design looks awesome..i will see if the 8NMB420 is coming over

btw, I found another possible driver from p audio (good specs, reputation, and price).

I wonder why there are no usa mfg`s who make upper end pro audio...

(Message edited by clubmyke on October 26, 2006)

found the 18 Sound 8MB400 shipped to usa for $120 each driver from n-joy music in the netherlands...

email me if you are interested..