MLs with Maggies for base

[bonzo]

This thread on WBF http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?14525-Summit-X-revisited
has a person who "For bass I disconnect the woofers and
use Magneplanar Tympani IV woofer panels and below 25 hz a TRW rotary sub!
This combination gives one bass that is truly coherent, powerful, with depth and a huge
sound-stage that is stunning.
In my opinion no box loudspeaker can match the realism that this combo can achieve."

"it takes a large room (my room is 29'L x 20'W x 11'H) with great acoustics.
(2) Many ASC bass and midrange traps around entire perimeter of room.
(3) I have the speakers across the long wall, with seating distance 12' away.
(4) A huge amount of space behind the speakers and sidewalls.
(5) Tympani IV bass panels are braced and bolted together and the floor.
(6) The bass panels are driven by a Audio Research D400MK II power amp
and levels are controlled by a Mark Levinson 380s preamp (.1 db increments)
(7) Velodyne SMS-1 Bass management, adjustable xover and slopes.
(8) Rotary woofer Controller and fan speed controller to adjust for total
volume of room
(9) Large opening in floor (4' x 4') and I utilize my very large basement for
venting the rotary woofer.

I have had this arrangement for 6 years and is very coherent and integrates very well.
Great imaging, huge sound-stage with enormous depth, bass transients are awesome.
No worries about overdriving (superb head-room)
Low level detail and transparency are superb.
No need to upgrade the loudspeakers, Electrostatic mated with Tympani's and rotary
sub are a match that, in my opinion, can not be improved upon!"

 

[JonFo]

Bonzo, that's member rasmaudio's system featured in this thread here at MLOC http://www.martinloganowners.com/forum/showthread.php?11776-The-Only-Subwoofer

Full pics of the wonderful Thigpen Rotary Woofer and all that.

Now, the concept of a planar woofer has always intrigued me, but I keep coming back to the challenge of physics with rear wave cancellations. I believe planar woofers would require an infinite baffle installation to really show what they can do. That is, construct a wall splitting the room and install woofer and HF panels into it. The wall creates an infinite baffle alignment (assuming enough rear chamber volume to actually reach minimum for IB).
I keep toying with plans to actually do that in my room using 2x the number of DualForce elements from the CLX bass section for each channel and my Monolith panels for the HF.