# CHT Driver pics?



## christmclean (Feb 13, 2012)

It is great to see a CHT forum here. I have been following the company for awhile but one thing I have never really been able to find is a picture of the drivers used in the subs. It is nice to see what is making the boom and I am a sucker for a nice looking driver. Hoping that someone can post a picture of the CHT drivers here.


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

I'm sure soon after this Thread gets going there will be some pics.:T


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## tcarcio (Jun 27, 2007)

Why does it always have to be the subs? Doesn't anyone want to see what their main speakers use?


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

I would think yes to your quesion but i believe most folks buy there subs from what i see.:T


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## craigsub (Sep 9, 2006)

Hi guys - We have an agreement with our driver OEM that we cannot sell raw drivers, so we never post pics of the drivers out of the box.

Several guys on another forum have posted stock shots of other Eminence drivers, stating it's ours. I am not sure if anyone has posted a real pic yet.

I can tell you it looks rather plain on the "backside". But it does perform - Eminence does the whole "form follows function" model. It is a terrific driver, moves 19 mm of X-max and is tough to make it sound bad, regardless what one tosses at it. 

Perhaps one of our guys will post a pic. Just don't expect something like an LMS-5400. :hsd:


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## dsully444 (Apr 10, 2008)

I am not trying to stir the pot at all, but I am not sure why people are so concerned about what the driver looks like if it has been tested and performs. I remember the MFW-15 and people consistently bashing how cheap the driver looked, and yes I thought it looked cheap also. As soon as the driver was sold by itself for cheap, people couldn't get their hands on it fast enough. Just to note I have an MFW-15, but have not had any issues.


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## sbdman (Dec 21, 2008)

I've thought about taking out the driver for a gander, but why? It probably doesn't have a cast frame, or an 80 pound magnet with chrome and such. Or a neodymium magnet with super conductive voice coil and carbon fiber cone.

But oh boy can that driver keep up with the flashy big boys! I think Dale very well proved that, as well as my CHT sealed 18.2 pounding scariness proves to me.

I'm sure it's much better designed than the MFW-15 driver (many owners who've switched, will attest), and will probably if ever released never reach that price range.


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## auge.dog (Feb 13, 2008)

Sully, I think we were lucky to jump on the MFW-15s early on. The one I purchased along with yours has not had any problems whatsoever either. I actually bought another one, before I got the two of ours, and it has not had issues either. From what I've read, most of the ones from the very early batches have been mostly trouble free. I will also continue to keep my fingers crossed, however.


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## fitzwaddle (Aug 25, 2010)

tcarcio said:


> Why does it always have to be the subs? Doesn't anyone want to see what their main speakers use?


The subs use custom drivers, while the bookshelf speakers don't, so not as much mystery?


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## tcarcio (Jun 27, 2007)

fitzwaddle said:


> The subs use custom drivers, while the bookshelf speakers don't, so not as much mystery?


I get that but the same company that makes my DTS 10 drivers make my Sho 10 driver and I just think that people should want to know what is in their mains also. Just my 2 cents.


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## sbdman (Dec 21, 2008)

tcarcio said:


> I get that but the same company that makes my DTS 10 drivers make my Sho 10 driver and I just think that people should want to know what is in their mains also. Just my 2 cents.


For the SHO-10, it's been revealed in the past by the owner, the parts can be bought on parts-express. He even listed out the total price for all the parts, except for the enclosure. For instance, here is the Eminence 10" woofer;










Now if you feel you can modify an off the shelf crossover, and come up with the correct enclosure with the right port design, you too can be a speaker designer!


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## spurdarren (Jan 11, 2012)

I dont understand why everyone is so concerned with what the drivers look like. I could care less as long it sounds good and is reliable.


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## christmclean (Feb 13, 2012)

I think it is just nice to know what is in the box when I am listening to it. Kind of like a car and what is under the hood. I read that if the subwoofer was purchased seperately that it would run about 350, this should make it a nice mid range driver pricewise. I will look forward to some real pictures.


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## engtaz (Jul 9, 2010)

Your are starting to sound like a person with a agenda. Remember, what you type can come across negative so saying "not an 5400 ultra as Craig stated" comes across as saying someone lied. It's just the way you word things.


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## christmclean (Feb 13, 2012)

I believe that I accurately said that Craig stated that we should not expect the pictures to look like a 5400 ultra. I think that the CHT design of a larger box and a more high efficiency driver is a good way to build a subwoofer. The 5400 is not a high effeciency design and needs a very powerful amp. It is nice that the CHT does not require such a powerful amp so you can run two of them off one 15 amp circuit that would be hard with two 5400 ultras. Maybe I should have a little more specific in my representation of what Craig has stated but a person can always review it, and maybe I should have. I will try to be more aware of that for future posts.


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## Rijax (Jul 20, 2006)

christmclean said:


> I read that if the subwoofer was purchased seperately that it would run about 350, *this should make it a nice mid range driver and not an 5400 ultra as Craig stated*.


 IMO, the most common cause of miscommunication is a statement which could be interpreted more than one way. That is what, unintentionally, happened here. 

The confusion about your meaning of the above sentence centers around the fact that it could easily be interpreted as implying that Craig stated the driver was a 5400 Ultra which, of course, he did NOT. 

Your explantion, in the post above, clarifies that you meant Craig stated the driver would not look like a 5400 which he DID say. It would have been less confusing if you had said "..."this should make it a nice mid range driver and, as Craig stated, it would not look like a 5400 Ultra." No harm, no fouol. It's all good.

Sorry. Didn't mean to give an English lecture. Just trying to be helpful.


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## sbdman (Dec 21, 2008)

christmclean, the picture you posted from a post on AVS was the photo Craig was referring to as not being the one used in the CHT subs, and was used to prove a point that was not the truth. 

The "what's under the hood" is not a great measure for performance. Wouldn't a better measure of performance be a review like Dale performed, or all of the frequency responses that have been posted, or the maximum SPL at multiple frequencies listed for the sealed subs on the CHT product pages? Craig has mentioned the 19 mm xmax of the Eminence driver - half of what the Ultra will provide, and as you state with much less power required to reach that travel. Which is why a dual 18" setup is offered with only 1 Dayton 950 Watt amp, either ported or sealed. This setup would come very close to what an Ultra produces using a more expensive higher power amp. And since you can get the dual setup for less than an Ultra system, is this not a good value?

I think you should reserve any judgment until the new offerings of an Utra system (both a sealed 18" - the Mariana, and a ported 15") is released by CHT which is scheduled to be next month. Craig is introducing this premium line for those that like the looks and highest quality components available for the person that wants the best. There will be a GTG to review the new subs, and compare to the current offerings that will be very interesting to hear the results!


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

I understand the point of wanting to see what the Driver looks like (that holds points in my book as well) but there are some hard hitting subs out there that don't look tuff at all but will knock your socks off. I still remember my first set of car audio speakers, Kicker Comps, they didn't look impresive or beefy but they would shake the rear view mirror off the windshield. Or when JL Audio first came about, same story there too. so you can't judge a book by it's cover on most terms.:T


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## christmclean (Feb 13, 2012)

I have edited my post and removed the picture I had posted that I had copied from an AVS post as someone stated above. This was the only picture I had seen that claimed to be a CHT driver. I apologize for posting it and will not be doing so again. It is disapointing that someone would put a picture like this together stating this is the CHT driver when it is not.

I do have an agenda, I want to see a picture of the driver. All the reviews give the subs great reviews and I am sure the driver will match with those so I will wait.

I currently have a kicker CVT 8 in my car that I replaced for the OEM. I am pretty impressed with how much it puts out especially for a little 8.


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## HuskerOmaha (Jan 19, 2011)

christmclean said:


> I have edited my post and removed the picture I had posted that I had copied from an AVS post as someone stated above. This was the only picture I had seen that claimed to be a CHT driver. I apologize for posting it and will not be doing so again. It is disapointing that someone would put a picture like this together stating this is the CHT driver when it is not.
> 
> I do have an agenda, I want to see a picture of the driver. All the reviews give the subs great reviews and I am sure the driver will match with those so I will wait.
> 
> I currently have a kicker CVT 8 in my car that I replaced for the OEM. I am pretty impressed with how much it puts out especially for a little 8.


Christmclean- I owned a pair of CHT 18.1s and I have pulled and looked at the drivers. The driver picture you posted looked just like, if not exactly the same, as the drivers that were in my 18.1. Unfortunately at this point I cannot post a picture as I sold them to Technosponge.

I'm not sure what the big deal is, they are what they are. A solid performing driver made by Eminence for the money paid. Sure, they are like 1/3 the magnet of my UXL-18s, but you pay for what you want to get. They both work fine in their intended applications.............., pull a Submersive driver and they look pretty similar just a 15".............I don't get why people get so defensive around here when you were just doing your homework.

Here is the picture: As you can see the person who took it owns at least 2 of the subs...he has installed screws where the legs were on the CS18-1 version that is now discontinued. (look in the background and foreground of photo)


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## christmclean (Feb 13, 2012)

HuskerOmaha - Thank you for posting that and putting a little more info out there. I agree that they are fine for there intended application. I am looking forward to the new CHT ultra series as I have said I do like a nice looking driver. Especially for the GTG to test the subs against each other. Wish I could be there but I will down in Florida on the beach. It is too bad as the GTG is only a couple of hours from me.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

HuskerOmaha said:


> Christmclean- I owned a pair of CHT 18.1s and I have pulled and looked at the drivers. The driver picture you posted looked just like, if not exactly the same, as the drivers that were in my 18.1. Unfortunately at this point I cannot post a picture as I sold them to Technosponge.
> 
> I'm not sure what the big deal is, they are what they are. A solid performing driver made by Eminence for the money paid. Sure, they are like 1/3 the magnet of my UXL-18s, but you pay for what you want to get. They both work fine in their intended applications.............., pull a Submersive driver and they look pretty similar just a 15".............I don't get why people get so defensive around here when you were just doing your homework.
> 
> Here is the picture: As you can see the person who took it owns at least 2 of the subs...he has installed screws where the legs were on the CS18-1 version that is now discontinued. (look in the background and foreground of photo)


Good post, HuskerOmaha, and thanks for the pic. :T

I'd like to add driver specs:

- 18”, 8 ohm driver
- X-Max (not X-mech) is 1.5 inches peak to peak
- Fs is 19.4 Hz
- Power handling is 800 watts RMS

I don't recall what the voice coil inductance (Le) is on the custom driver, but it's very low, which is key to the CHT sound.


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## engtaz (Jul 9, 2010)

Thanks for the pic HuskerOmaha.


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## craigsub (Sep 9, 2006)

Greetings from Golf School. First, the good news. The PRO here says that if I work REALLY hard, I can get to the point that my game merely STINKS, rather than being totally HORRIBLE. :foottap:

Husker - Thanks. The picture I had seen on AVS looked like the same frame, but not the same woofer cone and surround. 


When I first saw the 18 from Eminence, I was also underwhelmed at the look. Then I heard the first SS-18.2, and was hooked. The driver is a low inductance driver - about the same as an LMS-5400. When I return from Vacation, I do have Apollonio's measurements, including inductance, and will post it.

To the OP - I did not find anything you asked about to be even remotely offensive. Personally, I love looking at raw drivers, too. I think it's time I asked Eminence if they still mind if I post raw pics. They may be relaxing about Chase Home Theater. When we order drivers, we pay for them before they ship. The same goes for the custom built crossovers for SHO-10's, the 10 inch SHO-10 woofers ... all of it. I think they are getting more comfortable with us as a business. 

In fact, they have shipped us two "new drivers" to test out for future projects. By this fall, I anticipate we will have 7 subwoofers in the "serious subwoofer" class. 

Sbdman was correct on the SHO-10's. The only thing custom about the SHO-10's is the driver and enclosure. The rest you can buy at PE.

Of course, saying "only" about the enclosure and crossover is a bit understating the importance of each. 

Thanks for starting this thread and for being cool about some of the ... "stronger questions" CHT owners have posed. They are a great group of guys, but sometimes, we get a little defensive. :innocent:


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## Muzikal-JRNE (Jun 8, 2009)

I own (2) CS-18.1 subs. (They are the original/older enclosure design). I removed the drivers last week while I was working on modifying the enclosure finish. I can say from personal experience that the subwoofer drivers are solid and well-built, and have performed flawlessly.

Cheers, Joe


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## Technosponge (Oct 28, 2011)

If anyone is really interested in pics of 18" driver I can post multiple very high resolution pics and video. I will be doing rearranging in cinema room and will have them out in good light this weekend. I plan on removing feet and front facing my 18.T at front stage and getting another pair for near field as I enjoy the LFE tactile sensation.


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## Muzikal-JRNE (Jun 8, 2009)

Technosponge said:


> I plan on removing feet and front facing my 18.T at front stage...


I ran tests for room response with my subs down-firing and front-firing, and found that in the same locations the down-firing configuration gave a slightly smoother response. It got rid of a dip in the response caused by the distance from the face of the subwoofer driver to the front wall against which the subwoofer was placed. The null was in the mid/upper-bass region. They do look good forward facing though  Just food for thought.

Cheers, Joe


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## Technosponge (Oct 28, 2011)

Which means that if they indeed do better down firing I will be forced to raise my screen!


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## Muzikal-JRNE (Jun 8, 2009)

Technosponge said:


> Which means that if they indeed do better down firing I will be forced to raise my screen!


I wouldn't be to concerned about the difference, especially if you are using Audyssey XT/XT32. I am an audio fanatic and enjoy learning/tweaking/measuring/listening in an effort to move towards audio nirvana. 

If you have a laptop and a RadioShack SPL meter, the free REW (Room EQ Wizard) software that is heavily supported here at the Shack is AWESOME! It has closed many gaps between what I thought I knew and what is really happening. It has also helped to refine my hearing/listening and knowing my personal preferences for great sound.

Cheers, Joe


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## dsully444 (Apr 10, 2008)

I also did not mean to offend anyone about asking the question of why people need to see the raw driver. It is all just audio fun I guess. Maybe I am used to reading threads on avs that get totally out of hand. I like this forum much better, i rarely visit AVS anymore. I look forward to the future of CHT.


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## Larry McConville (Oct 20, 2007)

I think most guys (and gals) enjoy seeing the drivers; it's like a couple others have mentioned, auto enthusiasts like to pop the hood even if all you see are emission controls, fuel rails and valve covers.

I love cars and will pop the hood every time - regardless of make, model or year. It's all part of the fun.

You certainly have nothing to be concerned with and your curiosity is shared by the majority - folks join and participate in online forums because they are enthusiasts; so naturally, one is curious about all of the components that make up the gear we love.

If memory serves me correctly, and this has been - ahem - a few years ago; Craig is a car guy at heart, and has (likely still does) owned some beautiful cars - think he ever popped the hood on one of his vettes


Larry


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## dsully444 (Apr 10, 2008)

Based on the size of Craig's garage (he has posted several pictures in the past when he was doing his craigsub list over on AVS showing how nice it was) I am guessing he is a car guy. I think he may even own a dealership. Who knows, he is as asset to all when it comes to providing great sounding bang for the buck products.


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## Larry McConville (Oct 20, 2007)

Agreed.


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