Planning to get a horn loaded subwoofer to replace your old bass reflex sub but not sure if is better. Or maybe you are thinking to try out new things and want to find out more about horn loaded subs. Then you are at the right place to get the necessary information you will need to make an informed decision.
Not only for commercial/PA purposes, but subwoofers have also become a necessity for home theater system owners as it gives you the immersive movie experience, from heart-thumping bass to the deep rumbles and that pressure you feel at various movie scenes. Even for some owners who own a stereo setup, they will also include a sub to supplement the lower frequency region. There are so many subwoofer types out there, and today we will find out more about the horn loaded subwoofer and the bass reflex subwoofer.
Table of Contents
What is Horn Loaded Subwoofer?
A horn loaded subwoofers are highly efficient, a well-designed horn can transfer more of the electrical energy in the voice coil into the air, and also takes lesser power for more output. But because of their efficiency, these subs need to be run at a lower frequency with more directivity. To make it more practical in terms of space usage, most horn-loaded subs use a folded design to minimize their size. Such design has the benefit of eliminating the resonance created by the enclosure and also reduces nonlinear distortions. The usual applications of horn loaded subwoofers are used for large indoor venues. They are a few home theater owners who use them but usually those who have very a large room and are acoustically treated.
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Cerwin Vega EL-36C 18 Inch Black Carpeted Earthquake Subwoofer
This is an example of a folded horn loaded subwoofer made by Cerwin Vega. It is a large subwoofer mainly used for PA/playback/disco purposes. The output is incredible, due to the design of the 6 1/2 feet of folded horn chamber length, it can reproduce a bass frequency extension similar to a 36-inch driver. The frequency response of this model is 39 Hz -310 Hz (-3dB) / 35 Hz – 350 Hz (-10dB). At 35 Hz, it is considered very low for a horn loaded subwoofer of this range. Like most horn-loaded subs, you will require a power amplifier to drive them, and for Cerwin Vega EL-36C, you will need an amp that has a recommended power output of 750W – 1000W at 8 ohms. You can use a mono class D power amplifier, as they are cheaper and smaller than class AB.
More Information at Amazon – Cerwin Vega EL-36C Subwoofer
What is Bass Reflex Subwoofer?
A bass reflex subwoofer has a hole or vents been cut into the cabinet where a port tube is affixed to it. By using ports, it will increase the efficiency and bass output of the subwoofer. It can have multiple ports or just a single one. The diameter of the port will vary as well, as larger ports will decrease subwoofer port chuffing. Flaring the port on both ends will decrease port noises as well. Bass reflex subwoofers are more commonly used in a home theater setup as some ported subs can go as low as 15 Hz and can deliver body-pounding bass. It is also because of the ported design enclosure which allows engineers to build smaller subwoofers that can have the same bass output as their bigger counterparts.
SVS PB-2000 Pro 12″ Ported Subwoofer
This is an example of a bass reflex subwoofer for home usage, for this case, it has dual ports. SVS is a brand that is famous for its high quality and yet affordable subwoofers. Their SVS PB-2000 Pro is a newer model with improvements over its predecessors. It is a front-firing 12-inch high-excursion SVS driver, with a frequency response of 16 Hz – 290 Hz (±3 dB). PB-2000 Pro has the SVS legendary and powerful Sledge Power Amplifier that can go 550 watts RMS and 1,500+ watts peak. Not only it could shake your room with bass but also with incredible detail and accuracy. It also features a smartphone app that you can use to control the volume, DSP functions, and more, which is very convenient as you can just sit back and enjoy the movie.
More Information at Amazon – SVS PB-2000 Pro 12″ Ported Subwoofer
JBL Professional PRX818XLFW
This will be an example of a bass reflex subwoofer designed for PA. JBL is a reputable brand in both the home and professional audio world. This 18-inch subwoofer comes with an integrated 1500 watt Class-D power amplifier coupled with JBL’s patented differential drive woofer technology, JBL Professional PRX818XLFW is able to produce clear and high-quality audio at high volumes. Another amazing feature will be the wireless control via Wi-Fi, along with a free custom-designed application, this will allow you to set up and run your sound system in any room easily. This is a powerful tool especially if you are in a difficult acoustic environment as you can easily make your system sound pristine in this type of situation.
More Information at Amazon – JBL Professional PRX818XLFW Portable Subwoofer System
Final Verdict
Usually, a horn loaded subwoofer is meant for commercial use in a disco or PA, there are a few cases where HT owners use them at home but only in very big spaces as it is not easy to tame the bass. For home theater use, bass reflex subwoofers are the better option as most of them are designed and built for home-usage. Most ported subwoofers are already paired with an integrated power amplifier and can go very low into the subterranean bass region, unlike a horn loaded subwoofer. There is also bass reflex subwoofer designed for event halls, DJ systems, clubs, musicians, etc. Even for PA purposes, a bass reflex subwoofer is only suitable for smaller venues, and as the size of the PA increases, this is when the differences will become smaller till the point where horn loaded subs have become more efficient in terms of output for size.
