Poultrygeist
04-23-2010, 02:56 PM
Down here in Dixie we're all about screen porches as we only have two seasons and winters rarely get worse than flannel shirt weather. My Yankee wife wanted a gazebo but I held out for a screened porch as I knew it was like adding an additional room and we all know that adding another room gives one more audio options. I didn't tell her that. Instead I told her the skeetters would eat us alive in a gazebo so I won that round.
Well the screen porch was completed last Sept. and I quickly placed some el cheapo BB outdoor Insignias on a set of those plaster plant stands that are usually reserved for ferns. I hooked them up to a 75 watt garage sale Marantz 1150 from the golden age of audio. They sounded ok but as you might expect from a 5 1/4 two way they lacked any semblance of a bottom end in open air.
I have lived with the bassless Insignias for months now, even placed a big Christmas tree on that screened porch and played Christmas carols for the neighbors who walked the paved trail behind our house. But yall must know the sound was so thin and lacking that I didn't spend much time out there.
I knew that I needed to get some bass out on the porch so I borrowed the Velodyne from the bedroom system and tried it. Wow what an improvement but there was no way I could weather proof the Velo.
As luck would have it I happened to peruse the Parts Express website and saw they had a close out on the Marcato 10 inch outdoor sub for only $29. Heck I pay more than that when I take my fine Yankee wife to dinner.
I ordered the Marcato a couple of days ago and it came today. I didn't expect too much as it is not self powered and connects only via speaker levels. Surprise surprise, this thing fills out the bottom end way better than I ever expected. It really sounds as good as the Velo when paired with the Insignias. With the 75 watts from the Marantz it really doesn't needs a dedicated amp. I understand that the 10 inch Marcato woofer is made by Eminence of Kentucky which is a good thing.
I have a fairly long run from the Marantz to the sub but the Marcato has large clip style terminals which easily accept 12 gauge wire. I don't know what the crossover is but it sounds like the Insignias run full range.
For those of you with a porch or patio this all weather sub is a killer deal. With this meager combo and a couple glasses of wine on my porch I swear you'd think you've reached audio nirvana.
Well the screen porch was completed last Sept. and I quickly placed some el cheapo BB outdoor Insignias on a set of those plaster plant stands that are usually reserved for ferns. I hooked them up to a 75 watt garage sale Marantz 1150 from the golden age of audio. They sounded ok but as you might expect from a 5 1/4 two way they lacked any semblance of a bottom end in open air.
I have lived with the bassless Insignias for months now, even placed a big Christmas tree on that screened porch and played Christmas carols for the neighbors who walked the paved trail behind our house. But yall must know the sound was so thin and lacking that I didn't spend much time out there.
I knew that I needed to get some bass out on the porch so I borrowed the Velodyne from the bedroom system and tried it. Wow what an improvement but there was no way I could weather proof the Velo.
As luck would have it I happened to peruse the Parts Express website and saw they had a close out on the Marcato 10 inch outdoor sub for only $29. Heck I pay more than that when I take my fine Yankee wife to dinner.
I ordered the Marcato a couple of days ago and it came today. I didn't expect too much as it is not self powered and connects only via speaker levels. Surprise surprise, this thing fills out the bottom end way better than I ever expected. It really sounds as good as the Velo when paired with the Insignias. With the 75 watts from the Marantz it really doesn't needs a dedicated amp. I understand that the 10 inch Marcato woofer is made by Eminence of Kentucky which is a good thing.
I have a fairly long run from the Marantz to the sub but the Marcato has large clip style terminals which easily accept 12 gauge wire. I don't know what the crossover is but it sounds like the Insignias run full range.
For those of you with a porch or patio this all weather sub is a killer deal. With this meager combo and a couple glasses of wine on my porch I swear you'd think you've reached audio nirvana.