Bass — low frequency audio — is something that you really notice, especially if it is missing. You know bass, that deep rich sound; the lowest notes from a church's organ; thunder in an operatic storm; that deep rumble in your chest at a concert. Subwoofers are a large bass driver built into a separate cabinet that reproduce the lower end of sound. Subs are typically located in front of the audience and that's usually where space is at a premium. But subs don't have to be large anymore, thanks to Bag End Loudspeaker Systems.
Bag End responded to pleas from sound designers and contractors who were faced with very tight space restrictions, particularly in churches and theatres, and designed low-profile models of its subs to fit into tight spaces. They have recently introduced the double-10 (in other words it contains a pair of 10" subwoofers), designated D10E-DA. The double-10 joins the double-12 D12E-DA, and a double-18 D18E-AD that have been available for a few years now.
The D10E-DA is a high output INFRA™ subwoofer system designed to provide high fidelity extended low frequency audio reproduction from a relatively small enclosure. The D10EDA provides perfectly flat response down to 8Hz when used in conjunction with the 8Hz Integrator. The D10E-DA is loaded with a pair of full-sized 10" subwoofers. But its unique design, featuring angled cones, provides a vertical measurement of only 6.75" high while retaining all the performance attributes and specifications of a standard D10E. Designed for permanent installation, the D10E-DA offers a flat black painted finish and a black-coated steel grille.
INFRA and Infrasub represent Bag End's second generation dual integrator bass extension technology. Utilizing surface-mount technology, the Infrasub technology provides improvements over earlier dual integrators through modern manufacturing. The extended low frequency approach ensures that the lowest three octaves of the audio and sensory spectrum are reproduced acoustically in the same time and frequency relationship as the electrical input to the system.
How It Came To Be:
“Our low-profile cabinet series is a direct response to requests from sound designers, sound contractors, and consultants for a solution to what seems to be a problem they face constantly: lack of space for subwoofers,” says Jim Wischmeyer, president, Bag End Loudspeaker Systems.
“We started with the low-profile double-18 about five years ago,” Wischmeyer continues. “One of the consultants needed one to fit under some platforms. Our regular model was 22" high. We designed one to be 15" high, which turned out to be quite a hit. Then a few years later, the same consultant wanted one even shorter and we made the double-12 at 9.5" high, which has been well received. So now we introduced the double-10 at 6.75" high. That's getting pretty thin, but there are a lot of applications for it.”
Bag End's research and development actually figured out a way to design a double-10 cabinet that's only 6.75" high. The height of the double-10 is key because that is also the height of most stair risers, so it can actually slip between stairs, for instance, in steps going from an auditorium floor to the stage. And the best part is that sound quality has not been compromised — the specs of the low-profile cabinets are identical to the specs of the standard square-shaped subs.
“You pay a premium for that lower-profile — compared to the square boxes — so you use them where they are appropriate,” says Wischmeyer. “If you have the space, you put in the square or rectangular box. The low-profile, thinner box is bigger, since it has the same cubic volume as the standard versions.”
“We make subwoofers like tools for the designers to choose what is appropriate,” comments Wischmeyer. “We have a lot of different sizes to choose from. The point is they all have the same fidelity and frequency response. The single 10 goes just as low as our double-18. With our bass approach using the INFRA processor, they all have the same flat, coherent response and it's just a matter of how loud they play…. The double-10 is the next tool in a whole series of tools to fit our bass into the applications.”
What's Next:
“We have recently put amplifiers into just about our entire line. Most of our product line is now available powered or non-powered,” Wischmeyer says. “That is new within the last year. We will be working toward making our entire line either self-powered or passive. It gives you the choice. It falls into our thinking about our stuff as tools. We also have some additional subwoofer systems that we are working on, expanding the range of what we offer.”
What End Users Say:
Peter Robinson, sales manager and senior consultant with Harvest Productions of Kansas City, MO, has used the Bag End low-profile double 12 and double 18s “quite a bit. For us, they work extremely well. We do a lot of theatres and churches and they fit very well under a stage. From my measurements — I use TEF [Time Energy Frequency analyzers] predominantly to EQ and check for phase — I don't see any dB drop off at all. The clarity is still there. They work extremely well.” Robinson likes that the 6.75" height for fitting underneath a stair riser. “They would fit underneath a stair, which is just absolutely incredible. I have a lot of applications that I would love to have the double-10s. I think we're going to sell a bunch of them. Pretty much all of our installs have Bag End subs on them.”
“We have found the low-profile series of boxes to be invaluable in our design work,” says Erich Friend, senior project engineer for Fort Worth-based Electro Acoustics & Video, Inc. “We frequently install subwoofers under the front edge of stages and have found them to be very convenient for architectural integration. The small face opening they require keeps the architects happy because they can design grilles that are unobtrusive yet allow service access. Also, when we can't fit subwoofers into or under stages, we can sometimes work the low profile boxes into faux wall columns in a vertical orientation where they can use the floor/wall junction to couple the bass energy to the room effectively. Regardless of driver size or cabinet type, we can always count on the Bag End products to provide a solid foundation for a robust sound reinforcement system.”
Patrick Nunnally, design and sales, professional systems division of All Pro Sound in Pensacola, FL is also a firm believer in the low-profile series of subs. When asked what he thinks of them, his answer is simple, “Fantastic. Not only are they hard hitting, but they are very tight; great response. Good solutions for many applications.” He hears no difference between the standard and low-profile subs and is looking forward to the low-profile double-10s. “They are going to be very versatile and very useable and it's going to solve a lot of application problems,” comments Nunnally. All Pro Sound handles AV integrated systems for churches, theatres, and sporting venues — “anything from a 90,000-seat arena to a 200-seat church.”
For more information about Bag End Loudspeaker Systems, visit www.bagend.com.
| Low Frequency Transducers: | Two 10" INFRA Extended Low Cones 2.5" Voice Coil 60oz. Magnet |
| System Type: | INFRA Sealed Chamber (1.4 ft3) |
| Impedance: | 4 ohms Nominal |
| Sensitivity: | 92dB SPL @ 80Hz (1W@1m) |
| Power handling: | 400W Continuous Sine Wave 400W Instantaneous Peak |
| Crossover Network: | Requires INFRA Integrator |
| Frequency Response: | 8Hz to 95Hz +/-3dB (2š Steradians with 8Hz Integrator) |
| Connectors: | Cinch 142 Screw Terminal Barrier Strip |
| Grille: | 16 Gauge Black Powder Coated Perforated Steel |
| Finish | Black Textured Paint |
| Enclosure: | 11mm 9-ply and 18mm 13-ply Birch Plywood |
| Dimensions: | 6.75"H × 30.25"W × 24.25"D (17cm H × 77cm W × 62cm D) |
| Weight: | 46lbs. (21kg) |
| Shipping Weight: | 54lbs. (24kg) |