Project L100 - Too Much Bass

[Ralphh]

For those of you who haven’t read my thread on constructing a pair of L100’s please see the following thread under the DIY forum:

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=5766


After listening to these speakers for several months, I have some comments and a question to the experts out there.

My previous speakers were a pair of L-26's, which I still enjoy. My L-100 creations have more low end and a fuller mid range, which was expected, and are very enjoyable. However, with some music, they have too much bass to the point of sounding "muddy". For this music, I have turned down the bass in my receivers equalizer. Is this the nature of the L100's, or is it my creation? Would adding additional fiberglass insulation help? (I have 2" on the sides and back inside the cabinet)

Thanks to everyone for your constructive input.

[duaneage]

The L100 woofers are high Qts drivers and when vented there will be a pronounced peak in the bass response. Without getting too technical as to cabinet interactions and driver testing, I would try adding polyester fiberfill in the cabinet.




You can get polyfill at craft stores, even K-mart, for about a 1.00 a bag. Add about 1 lb to each cabinet. Loosen the fill up and place it behind the 12 inch woofer.


The fibrefill will effectively enlarge the box by increasing the absorption inside the enclosure. Fibrefill has slightly different characteristics than fibreglass and they should complement each other.


If I were to build cabinets for the 123A drivers I would use a sealed design. Better transient response and no bass hump. But that is only my opinion so it does not count.

[GordonW]

Another trick that might help, is to extend the length of the port, slightly. This may require the use of an elbow (90 degree pipe bend... plumbing elbows seem to work fine), but it can sometimes mitigate the "boom" a bit.

You might just want to try putting on the elbow, with no other length added. If the bass now sounds "weak", then shorten up the pipe, maybe 2" or so, to "bridge the balance" between where the port length was, and where the elbow addition increased it...

Be careful with fiberglass or polyfill... you don't want to stuff the cabinet or get it too near the port opening, in a vented box. You can definitely over-stuff a vented cabinet and "castrate" the bass response. However, the suggestion of mixing polyfill and fiberglass is a very good one, that has been held up in practice, on many occasions...

Regards,
Gordon.

[Zilch]

Is this the nature of the L100's?

Yes. And boomy bass is only part of it.

Plug the ports....

[Rusnzha]

Get them off the floor. If floors are hardwood, put some carpet underneath them.