Danley TH-Mini Users ?

Matt Lillie

Sophomore
Jan 11, 2011
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Question for TH-Mini users: What is the "biggest" event you have used a pair of TH-Mini for? I have some but have only dared use them for corporate stuff, playback things at sane volume, drum fill, etc. I would like to use them more 'cause they're small but I'm being a big chicken about it.

All comments appreciated.
 
Re: Danley TH-Mini Users ?

Question for TH-Mini users: What is the "biggest" event you have used a pair of TH-Mini for? I have some but have only dared use them for corporate stuff, playback things at sane volume, drum fill, etc. I would like to use them more 'cause they're small but I'm being a big chicken about it.

All comments appreciated.

How happy were you with them for drum fill?
 
Re: Danley TH-Mini Users ?

How happy were you with them for drum fill?

They seem fine, no complaints from drummers and I haven't blown one yet. I haven't done stoopid loud with them as a drumfill, either, though. I have found they are happier with BW/24 high pass at 50 rather than 40. They fart out pretty quickly below 40 with playback in my testing.
 
Re: Danley TH-Mini Users ?

The real beauty of the Mini is that the size makes is possible to build compact directional sub arrays. Think "end fire array, 3 elements."

That's a thought....

Here's another (crazy?) one, thanks, Tim!:

I'll try this at the shop before I would ever try for real, but WHAT IF I could get phase to match 2x18s at 63 or so and put the minis behind 2x18s? Save space in the truck and on site... Could work until the mini runs out of gas? I'll report results if I ever get bored enough to set it up.
 
Re: Danley TH-Mini Users ?

That's a thought....

Here's another (crazy?) one, thanks, Tim!:

I'll try this at the shop before I would ever try for real, but WHAT IF I could get phase to match 2x18s at 63 or so and put the minis behind 2x18s? Save space in the truck and on site... Could work until the mini runs out of gas? I'll report results if I ever get bored enough to set it up.

Unless you're an expert at phase measurements and correction with a dual FFT program such as Smaart, NO.

The THmini performs as well as a decent single 18" sub at half the size.
 
Re: Danley TH-Mini Users ?

That's a thought....

Here's another (crazy?) one, thanks, Tim!:

I'll try this at the shop before I would ever try for real, but WHAT IF I could get phase to match 2x18s at 63 or so and put the minis behind 2x18s? Save space in the truck and on site... Could work until the mini runs out of gas? I'll report results if I ever get bored enough to set it up.



There are 12" drivers built into the D&B B4 and V-Subs, seems to work out well for them(although I'm sure there's a great deal of engineering taken into account). It would be great for small/mid-size operations if they could use their smaller subs as the cardioid element instead of worrying about losing a few boxes of their big rig, I'm really interested to hear how this turns out if you get around to it.
 
Re: Danley TH-Mini Users ?

I'll try this at the shop before I would ever try for real, but WHAT IF I could get phase to match 2x18s at 63 or so and put the minis behind 2x18s? Save space in the truck and on site... Could work until the mini runs out of gas? I'll report results if I ever get bored enough to set it up.

Matt, my concern here wouldn't be so much getting the phase to match - that can be done well enough if you have time and measurement. However, I would definitely avoid using different elements in a directional array because when one starts to reach limit the pattern is going to get really weird. Especially with the TH-Mini as the rear element, you're not going to hear that they're stressed, but on output peaks you're going to get some very strange non-linear distortion that will change your pattern for a fraction of a waveform. By the time it's making the pattern funny for a large enough portion of the waveform that you might notice that sub is going to be seriously distressed.
 
Re: Danley TH-Mini Users ?

The dumb idea of attempting to use the mini as a rear element has failed. Phase is easy, slope is consistent and with delay I got them to line up nicely. However... Had to lose 8.5dB on a QW218 to match amplitude @ 63. Which is distressing enough, but the mini is also down 5dB @ 40 from a tired old QW218 with same BW/24 HP filter @40.
 
Re: Danley TH-Mini Users ?

Matt, my concern here wouldn't be so much getting the phase to match - that can be done well enough if you have time and measurement. However, I would definitely avoid using different elements in a directional array because when one starts to reach limit the pattern is going to get really weird. Especially with the TH-Mini as the rear element, you're not going to hear that they're stressed, but on output peaks you're going to get some very strange non-linear distortion that will change your pattern for a fraction of a waveform. By the time it's making the pattern funny for a large enough portion of the waveform that you might notice that sub is going to be seriously distressed.

Yep, the mini runs outta gas too soon.
 
Re: Danley TH-Mini Users ?

The dumb idea of attempting to use the mini as a rear element has failed. Phase is easy, slope is consistent and with delay I got them to line up nicely. However... Had to lose 8.5dB on a QW218 to match amplitude @ 63. Which is distressing enough, but the mini is also down 5dB @ 40 from a tired old QW218 with same BW/24 HP filter @40.

So two minis would still be 2.5dB down from a "tired old QW218" which would NOT make them better than most single 18s.
 
Re: Danley TH-Mini Users ?

So two minis would still be 2.5dB down from a "tired old QW218" which would NOT make them better than most single 18s.
Depends on what "most" single 18" sensitivity is, and what you mean by "better".

The Peavey QW18 is more sensitive than the TH Mini, but the TH Mini is way more sensitive than the JBL SRX718, and even more sensitive than the SRX728.
 

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Re: Danley TH-Mini Users ?

The Mini is best if size is the #1 criteria. IE, 1 or 2 subs at the most. If output or extension are the criteria, then there are better options out there (I happen to like the DBH-218's).

For a small, single 12" sub - it holds its own very well.
 
Re: Danley TH-Mini Users ?

Question for TH-Mini users: What is the "biggest" event you have used a pair of TH-Mini for? I have some but have only dared use them for corporate stuff, playback things at sane volume, drum fill, etc. I would like to use them more 'cause they're small but I'm being a big chicken about it.
I finally had a chance to open up my TH-Mini's last weekend at an outdoor venue on a four band charity gig. As it was freakin' hot and a free charity gig that they begged me to do last minute as otherwise it would be cancelled, I didn't want to hump my big 18" folded horns (Rog 186's). So I took my indoor rig that fits entirely in my Scion xA hatchback. The TH-Mini's were driven with a bridged NU3000 at about 1200w into each. Anyways they kept up fine with my RCF 310A's but balanced and not "sub hot". It sounded fine back 150' where I had some shade to mix in (DL1608 w/iPad wireless on 5GHz). Closer on the bleachers (set up for 300?) it was loud enough that you couldn't easily talk to anyone. The 310A's were in the red a bit as was the NU3000. Nobody said it wasn't loud enough.

BTW I didn't cluster the subs as it was going to rain a bit and I wanted then on the stage under the roof rather than on the ground out front - plus I wanted to see what they'd do set up as "stacks". A couple years back I used the Rog 186's there clustered and with just an IPR3000 on them (840w each, they have 4 ohm drivers) you couldn't get within 15 feet of them comfortably. I'd guess I had about 6 dB less with the unclustered TH-Mini's ?
 
Re: Danley TH-Mini Users ?

I finally had a chance to open up my TH-Mini's last weekend at an outdoor venue on a four band charity gig. As it was freakin' hot and a free charity gig that they begged me to do last minute as otherwise it would be cancelled, I didn't want to hump my big 18" folded horns (Rog 186's). So I took my indoor rig that fits entirely in my Scion xA hatchback. The TH-Mini's were driven with a bridged NU3000 at about 1200w into each. Anyways they kept up fine with my RCF 310A's but balanced and not "sub hot". It sounded fine back 150' where I had some shade to mix in (DL1608 w/iPad wireless on 5GHz). Closer on the bleachers (set up for 300?) it was loud enough that you couldn't easily talk to anyone. The 310A's were in the red a bit as was the NU3000. Nobody said it wasn't loud enough.

BTW I didn't cluster the subs as it was going to rain a bit and I wanted then on the stage under the roof rather than on the ground out front - plus I wanted to see what they'd do set up as "stacks". A couple years back I used the Rog 186's there clustered and with just an IPR3000 on them (840w each, they have 4 ohm drivers) you couldn't get within 15 feet of them comfortably. I'd guess I had about 6 dB less with the unclustered TH-Mini's ?

If you go outside and separate the subs, then compare standing in front of 1 vs standing in front of a pair of the same subs clustered-it will be close to a 6dB difference.

Inside it may not be as much of a difference-because all the sound is "contained" within the room. Outside it just keeps expanding away.

There are advantages and disadvantages to split vs clusted subs. Yes the clustered subs will have a smoother overall response-if that is all you are looking at.

HOWEVER it will also be much louder in the middle (where the subs are) than off to the sides-where the mains are. When you split them-you get some interference and a power alley (but when you cluster them you have a HUGE power area-in front of them (people seem to want to "forget" that little aspect). But with the split subs you generally get a more even "bass" (not looking at single freqs) coverage all around the venue-especially off to the side listening areas.

So it really comes down to "What am I here to to do" and what would work best for a particular situation.

Personally I use both-depending on the gig and what I have to work with-both gear wise and location wise. It depends--------------------------------------