# How musical is the CSS Quartet-10



## billyo (Nov 14, 2011)

I'm seriously considering getting the CSS Quartet 10 kit, as I want deep bass extension in a small(ish) box.

The only think holding me back is that I also want the bass to be "musical" rather than just plain loud - since my system is mainly for music at the moment.

Can someone please give an opinion on how the Quartet 10 suits for musical listening in comparison to a sealed box design?


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## fusseli (May 1, 2007)

There is no reason a vented sub can't sound great with music. A much bigger consideration should be the room/environment the sub will be used in. Let that choose the alignment. You only really should consider vented/PR subs for big and open rooms.


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## billyo (Nov 14, 2011)

Thanks fusseli

Is that because of the extra volume that the PR design can pump out?

Also another slightly noob question: does a PR design generally have a better low frequency output than a similarly sized sealed box design?

b


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## fusseli (May 1, 2007)

Not quite, a PR sub typically acheives the same flat FR that a ported sub can, just in a smaller gross volume.


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## bgarcia17 (Jan 8, 2007)

billyo said:


> Thanks fusseli
> 
> Is that because of the extra volume that the PR design can pump out?
> 
> ...


Not sure I understand your question clearly, but a PR design will have the same lf advantages over a sealed design, that a 'normal' vented sub has. BUT, the woofer has to have good vented performance in a small box, to start with.

For example, the Dayton 12HO was designed specifically to work very well in small boxes. Its optimum vented performance is achieved in 1.5cuft. That's a small box for a 12" woofer! Tuning is also low for flattest performance, and here's where the PR advantage comes in. It is difficult to tune that small box down to ~25Hz using traditional porting (port length and noise), but it is easily done with a PR or 2. Of course, if you wanted to tune lower, it'd be even more difficult with a normal port.

BTW, optimum sealed box for this woofer is .74cuft, a tiny box by home standards! But as you know, output is less than the vented options.

Now, if you were to take a woofer and stuffed it into a box that was too small, it's lf output would suffer badly, as it would roll off much faster than an optimum sealed box. These are all factors that have be properly looked at when designing any subwoofer. So it's not like you can take a sealed box, slap some PR's on the side and magically get great vented performance. I wish it was that easy. 

Hope this helps.


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## billyo (Nov 14, 2011)

bgarcia17 said:


> BTW, optimum sealed box for this woofer is .74cuft, a tiny box by home standards! But as you know, output is less than the vented options.
> Hope this helps.


you mean the Dayton 12HO can work in a .74 cuft box?

Thats very interesting to me, has anyone gone a frequency response graph of that driver in that box? And what sized plate amp would be needed to drive it?


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## bgarcia17 (Jan 8, 2007)

Here's what the software says. These numbers are with 500W of ampage.

Dayton 12HO
Sealed Qtc	0.707 (0.74cuft)
Sealed Fc (Hz)	46.37
Max Output W/ Filter	109.41 (filter is 2nd order, 18Hz subsonic filter)
Relative -3 dB Point	38.12 Hz
Relative -6 dB Point	30.83 Hz
Relative -10 dB Point	24.71 Hz

CSS SDX10
Sealed Qtc	0.707 (1.03cuft)
Sealed Fc (Hz)	43.71
Max Output W/ Filter	110.00 (filter is 2nd order, 18Hz subsonic filter)
Relative -3 dB Point	36.74 Hz
Relative -6 dB Point	29.71 Hz
Relative -10 dB Point	23.81 Hz

The smaller SDX10 is no slouch either, matching (even bettering) the bigger Dayton in a slightly bigger box, thanks to its impressive XMax.

I'd hate to be the one making this decision.  Nah, I'd buy them both!


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## billyo (Nov 14, 2011)

bgarcia17 said:


> Here's what the software says. These numbers are with 500W of ampage.
> 
> Dayton 12HO
> Sealed Qtc	0.707 (0.74cuft)
> ...


I'm no expert, but that seems phenomenal in such a small box...!

Is the driver this one 1) http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=295-466

or this one 2) http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=295-467

I think that I've found my design! :clap:

Is there a downside to this driver? Immense volume is not high on my list of priorities, but I dont want it to be weak either.


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## bgarcia17 (Jan 8, 2007)

295-466 is the one. Only downside I can see is limited output, but you said that's not a high priority. Depending on the size of your room, you may be extremely happy or a bit disappointed. But I guess you can always move to a ported enclosure if you find it lacking. That's part of the fun!


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## billyo (Nov 14, 2011)

Believe it or not, its next to impossible to buy a plate amplifier in Australia! The only one I can find is $400 +shipping, which is more than what I wanted to pay. 

...this is very frustrating... can't get drivers, can't get amps,... I may as well go to the local electronics supacentre and buy a Yamaha sub or something.


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