Re: Flown Subs, Ground Bounce, and People in 1/2 space
Just to add to the discussion, there are a couple of other issues that make ground subs "louder" than flown subs.
First is the inverse square law. When the subs are on the floor they are closer to the listener (at least up close) so they are louder. Of course this is exactly why I prefer to fly the subs in a install situation. It provides a more even front to back coverage-because the people up front are not "plastered" by the subs. In the back of the room the distance between the floor and installed subs is less, so there is not as much difference there-but the floor will still be closer-so therefore louder-how much depends on the particular distances involved.
Of course in some situations this is preferable (plastering the people up front)and I do subs on the ground. It really depends on the particualr situation and the customers needs.
The other thing is the "tactile" sensation of the subs sitting on the floor. When you couple the vibration to the sound it is often more preferred. When they are flown, the direct coupling is essentially lost and the only vibrations are from the SPL itself. So you have to push the subs harder to get the same "feeling" as if they were on the floor. And people often mistake this "feeling" with pure SPL. We like to "feel" the bass.
That is why butt shakers work for home theatre-although I really don't care for the discontinunity of butt shakers alone.
