DIY Ripol Subs

Jazzman53

Member
Thread Starter
Joined
Jun 14, 2018
Messages
29
Write-up, parts list, and drawing: Jazzman's DIY Ripol Subs

008.jpg
 

Jazzman53

Member
Thread Starter
Joined
Jun 14, 2018
Messages
29
The Ripol's have a cardroidal radiation pattern (not a true dipole) and a unique sound-- very musical.

I should point out that Ripol's are NOT very efficient below about 50Hz due to their dipole rolloff, and they won't take a lot of power before the SLS woofers bottom out at X-max. That said, they blend with my hybrid ESLs much better than my previous sealed box subs, they play very clean without exciting any booming room modes, and they play loud enough to suit my tastes.

They are also completely un-localizable, as my ears can't perceive their location in the room-- their notes just seem to rise up from nowhere on the attacks and recede to nowhere on the decays (kinda spooky).

Even so; I'm always hesitant to recommend Ripols to others who may not have experienced dipole bass. Many people love their clean unobtrusive sound and others are disappointed in their low efficiency and the fact that they can't pump pressure into a room for chest thumping bass like conventional mono-pole subs can. Personally, I've grown to LOVE my Ripol's.

In my system I cross them in using a digital crossover at 50Hz with a 48db/octave slope. Most music doesn't contain a lot of energy below 50 Hz but when I play something with profound bass, like "Flight of the Cosmic Hippo" by Bela Fleck, I really like what I feel and hear.
 
Last edited:

NBPK402

Moderator
Staff member
VIP Supporter
Joined
Apr 17, 2017
Messages
1,701
Location
San Miguel de Allende Mexico
Thanks for the info... I wish that they would work in my situation, but with 114db efficient horns they would be lost. If I still had my ML Sequel 2s I think they might be a great sub for me.
 
Top Bottom