Re: Upgrading Subs – New Driver or new Sub –What would you do?
It is, Tom has been quite an innovator for his entire career.
That is great, I'd encourage building subs at this point. Just remember, when or if you decide to sell them, don't expect any more money than what the used drivers would fetch in your local market. The reality is that you may easily make something that is a good performer, but it will have little resale value-use them to make money providing sound hire is the real object.
As suggested earlier, save them as is, and sell them at some point.
Single 15" sub enclosures might be very handy for transport, depending on what your main vehicle might be, otherwise, dual 15" cabinets.
Also, remember that a subwoofer design, all other things being pretty equal to your existing subs, with lower response, will also sound louder(and better) once integrated into your system. If you don't(or can't, because of size restrictions since lower responses require larger cabinet designs typically), then looking at designs that are higher in sensitivity/efficiency and power handling are the way to go.
Given the budget restraints you've indicated, I'd tend to look at more efficient drivers with greater excursion capacity than the stock Wharfedale drivers you have now. Although buy the best drivers you can afford. I think if you can deploy a dual 15" cabinet design, it should be fairly easy to come up with a design that outperforms the Wharfedales.
It's been a while, but I seem to recall modeling some decent designs with the Eminence 15" Kappalites, but B&C certainly have a nice range of drivers, and you should be able to find very suitable drivers from them as well.
Best regards,
John
