The issue of large verses small speakers. While a large speaker can and does move lots of air, the larger the speaker, the more compromises which are designed into the speaker. Larger speakers have less ability to reproduce higher frequencies, and it becomes harder for the larger speaker to control the mass of the cone. The magnetic motor (the coil and magnet structure) moves the cone back and forth, to produce sound waves from the cone surface. Ideally, the cone needs to have a mass of zero (but no cone has this characteristic) so that the motor part can start and stop the cone at will. Because of the mass of the cone and the coil structure, which is connected to the cone, raises the total mass, the cone therefore has inertia. Therefore, it does not start moving exactly when it is told to move, and it does not stop exactly when it is told to stop. With smaller speakers, there is better control over the cone movement by the coil and magnet structure. Also the cone needs to be relatively stiff and not flex over the surface area. This is the problem with large speakers (cone cry for example). In general, several smaller speakers will produce better quality sound than a single large speaker.
Could be I was using the circumference calc by mistake but even so it's close enough as Jim points out. One of the nice things about multiple speakers is the 3-D stereo type of effect you get verses a single speaker. 8" guitar speakers generally don't have the efficiency that a low watt Blue Celestion, S75 PVC & Scumnico Scumbacks, Blue Dog Weber, Red Fang Eminence, to name a few and many others have - but when you put smaller speakers together oftentimes good things happen. Also, if you use a poorly made & sized cab than you will be losing a lot of the low freq response even if the speaker is up to the task otherwise. IMHO, it cannot be overstated that the cab is at least as important as the speaker inside of it. Below doesn't get into open, ported, closed types, phase cancellations, low & high frequency roll off parameters, etc.. but a lot of info for wood choices alone.
Here is a little reference sheet that was built up a while ago showing the relative densities and elasticity of woods. The velocity of sound in a piece of wood is a function of it's modulus of elasticity to it's density. It effects how quickly the wood can react sympathetically to frequencies... it works kind of like capacitive reactance, in that it affects how much resistance there is at certain freq. The slower the wood, the more coloration generally, but you have to take into account thickness, grain of the cut and density too. Also the more porous the wood, the more frequency combing, and woods like Spruce or Swamp Ash that have internal chambers & a harder exoskeleton will act like two simultaneous different typed of woods, reacting differently. For cabinet purposes, MDF, and harder Oak, Rock Maple, Birch, White Ash, Teak, Zebrawood, Rosewood, etc will all sound pretty similar (unless they are thinner then they'll impart more character), and effect the tone of the cab minimally, which is why many audiophile speaker companies offer those woods as upgrades to MDF. Pine, Mahogany, Poplar, Alder, Spruce, Swamp Ash, Walnut, etc will all color the sound uniquely, and definitely make a noticeable difference, even if they are as thick as 3/4".
Topic: best cab setup for small amplifier (Read 5158 times)