Why do SSA subwoofers cost what they do?

[jcarter1885 995]

Meh..............

[Tirefryr 1,742]

Thanks Alton, that helps me understand somewhat.

There are many other brands I could ask this same question. I understand the DDZ is expensive as hell because of the neo magnets. It is good to know what you are buying, so with any product, research should be done on why it is worth the amount it is, no matter the cost.

My intentions are purely educational. You guys are so dramatic. I was hoping for a machinist point of view to say the materials are this and we do this which takes an extra week. Instead theres two pages of nonsense, yet I made this thread this morning so the big wigs haven't had a chance to put in yet.

The only one being dramatic is you. Your questions were answered, however, not to your liking. If you want specifics, then state that. Most people want a simple answer which was provided. I won't even bother with your nonsense comment.

Are you blind? The OP says PLEASE TRY TO BE SPECIFIC/TECHNICAL IN YOUR ANSWER

If I wanted a simple answer I would not have typed, PLEASE TRY TO BE SPECIFIC/TECHNICAL IN YOUR ANSWER

And the dramatic people are those defending SSA when noone is attacking SSA, and why are you guys so defensive anyways, is there something not being said?

90% of the answers I got were from people who do not know what they are talking about like yourself tire, saying because it is made in USA. Real good input and helpful to boot.....

So don't get butthurt and go banning me or something. There is what, 1 new thread here a week, and I now see why.

LOL. If you only knew half of what I know.

[///M5 2,833]

SGunnem, on 05 May 2013 - 06:39, said:

Tirefryr, on 04 May 2013 - 20:22, said:

SGunnem, on 04 May 2013 - 14:57, said:

Thanks Alton, that helps me understand somewhat.

There are many other brands I could ask this same question. I understand the DDZ is expensive as hell because of the neo magnets. It is good to know what you are buying, so with any product, research should be done on why it is worth the amount it is, no matter the cost.

My intentions are purely educational. You guys are so dramatic. I was hoping for a machinist point of view to say the materials are this and we do this which takes an extra week. Instead theres two pages of nonsense, yet I made this thread this morning so the big wigs haven't had a chance to put in yet.

The only one being dramatic is you. Your questions were answered, however, not to your liking. If you want specifics, then state that. Most people want a simple answer which was provided. I won't even bother with your nonsense comment.

Are you blind? The OP says PLEASE TRY TO BE SPECIFIC/TECHNICAL IN YOUR ANSWER

If I wanted a simple answer I would not have typed, PLEASE TRY TO BE SPECIFIC/TECHNICAL IN YOUR ANSWER

And the dramatic people are those defending SSA when noone is attacking SSA, and why are you guys so defensive anyways, is there something not being said?

90% of the answers I got were from people who do not know what they are talking about like yourself tire, saying because it is made in USA. Real good input and helpful to boot.....

So don't get butthurt and go banning me or something. There is what, 1 new thread here a week, and I now see why.

The ONLY technical reason is that the owners of SSA are too nice to put a real margin on their product. If they acted like other companies their products would be way more expensive.

I wouldn't call this defending SSA, hell almost ripping on them. I give them shit regularly about raising the prices as they are inappropriately low for what you get.

As for understanding marketing on how things are priced, there isn't a major audio manufacturer that my company hasn't been a critical cog in the design of the drivers. I've been in countless R&D and manufacturing centers and have an extremely good understanding of production cost. In the grand scheme of things it NEVER changes the selling price. You'd also cry at the markup's the big players can have as production is definitely an economy of scale and it is absurd how cheap things can be manufactured that way.

The whole topic is a prepubescent nightmare showing an obvious disconnect in the world of business.

[SGunnem 51]

From the 15" Xcon.....

 

monstrously bumped back plate - is this unique to SSA woofers only?  What exactly is this?

 

3" round, 2.6" long, 4 layer Aluminum voice coil - Is the 4layer of coil what makes the SQ apsect?  Is an aluminum voice coil better than copper for SQ?

 

What is a shorting ring?

 

Are NOMEX spiders something the other guys don't have?
 

Is the SSA woofer something designed from the ground up without using/paying royalties for patented designs?

 

 

These are thing that could be said that could give a more technical answer on why SSA is the top dog in its class.

[Impious 1,476]

The problem is that you are wanting to ignore the fact that being produced in small production quantities on a per-order basis in the USA is a major contributing factor to the cost of the driver.  They could take the exact same parts, have it produced on a large scale overseas and end up with lower production costs.  Economies of scale and higher production costs from being produced in the USA are real and considerable factors, even though they may not be "technical".

 

And as M5 said the actual selling price of the driver is determined more by what the market will bear than what the production costs of the driver are.  The issue for the company is that higher production costs mean lower margins. 

 

I think you are barking up the wrong tree.  Had you asked simply about the design features that should make you consider an SSA driver, then you would probably be more on track right now with the answers you've received.  But asking about the production costs of the driver brings up the ball of worms you are trying to ignore but add significant cost to the driver compared to overseas manufacturing, independent of materials used.

[SGunnem 51]

I guess I will repeat my OP question since it has obviously been lost in you guys saying I am asking about business and production costs......

 

I want to know what it is about them (the SSA woofer) that makes them worth it?

 

For example:

          Crescendo is worth it because they use military boards and are .5ohm stable daily

                      Fi BTL is worth it because they used neo magnets

 

and try not to argue my examples, as they are just examples you drama queens

 

You guys would rather post pointless shit then wait

for someone who knows the real answer to post

                   

I refuse to accept the answers of business and production costs in the USA as answers, as I am looking for why the SPEAKER is considered higher end

 

So excuse me for never heard SSA before and wanting more education on what I am potentially going to buy. 

[Impious 1,476]

monstrously bumped back plate - is this unique to SSA woofers only?  What exactly is this?

 

 

The backplate is the area at the rear of the driver behind the magnet.  It completes the magnet circuit that starts at the top plate then transfers over to the pole piece.

 

Bumping the backplate allows for higher mechanical rearward excursion clearance.  Since the Xcon utilizes a single magnet, it needs a lot more steel at the rear of the driver to allow sufficient mechanical clearance.  Some drivers use multiple magnets not for additional motor force but simply to allow sufficient rearward mechanical clearance since ferrite is cheaper than steel.  So yes, this is probably more costly for SSA since it's significantly more machining and higher material costs than had they used a simple flat backplate and more ferrite magnets to build up the rearward mechanical clearance.  My guess for their reason for using it would be that it allows them to machine entire the gap in such a manor to optimize the air flow for cooling within the motor and it probably allows a more efficient return path for the magnetic flux.  

 

 

3" round, 2.6" long, 4 layer Aluminum voice coil - Is the 4layer of coil what makes the SQ apsect?  Is an aluminum voice coil better than copper for SQ?

 

IMO neither is better or worse for any purpose as long as they're properly implemented.  All things equal aluminum is lighter which allows for a lower overall moving mass, but power handling is a little lower than copper.  That said the comparison is hardly ever equal.  Everything is a trade-off, it's all about finding the best set of compromises.  The Xcon uses a pretty long coil, my guess would be in their design the lighter coil was of larger benefit than any difference in power handling.

 

Forgot - Four layer is how many layers of wire are used to create the voice coil.  The more wire in the gap the higher the motor force (the voice coil is the "L" in BL) and generally the higher the power handling (although there are some other factors in regards to cooling that factor in as well).  It really has nothing to do with SQ, it has to do with achieving the correct motor force for the design and having sufficient power handling capabilities for the desired design.  4-layer is pretty common in higher power handling, higher motor strength drivers like the Xcon.

 

What is a shorting ring?

 

A shorting ring, also called a Faraday Ring, is an aluminum or copper ring or sleeve located within the motor of the loudspeaker.  They can be located at different places in the motor (or multiple places at the same time), such as (for example) a sleeve over the pole or a cap on top of the pole, and where they are located does have an affect on their use and effectiveness and depends on the designers goals.  Shorting rings, as the name implies, shorts out the eddy currents created by the moving voice coil.  Ultimately they lower overall loudspeaker inductance and help reduce flux modulation within the motor.

 

 

Are NOMEX spiders something the other guys don't have?

 

Nomex spiders are used by other loudspeaker manufacturers.

 

 

Is the SSA woofer something designed from the ground up without using/paying royalties for patented designs?[

 

It is designed from the ground up by Scott Atwell with the input of SSA and to their design specifications and performance objectives.

[Impious 1,476]

I guess I will repeat my OP question since it has obviously been lost in you guys saying I am asking about business and production costs......

I want to know what it is about them (the SSA woofer) that makes them worth it?

For example:
Crescendo is worth it because they use military boards and are .5ohm stable daily
Fi BTL is worth it because they used neo magnets

and try not to argue my examples, as they are just examples you drama queens

You guys would rather post pointless shit then wait
for someone who knows the real answer to post

I refuse to accept the answers of business and production costs in the USA as answers, as I am looking for why the SPEAKER is considered higher end

So excuse me for never heard SSA before and wanting more education on what I am potentially going to buy.

I'll quote your entire OP, pointing out the issues that gave rise to the responses in this thread:

I love the look of the SSA subwoofers but I wonder....
Why are they priced the way they are?

I don't doubt the pricing but I want to know what it is about them that makes them worth it?

Please try to be specific/technical in your answer. Thanks!

See where the problem is now? You asked about pricing, then followed that up by talking about pricing and asking what makes them worth it.

Apparently you don't even understand your own questions, or aren't articulate enough to actually ask what you want to ask.

We were answering exactly what you asked. You asked about why they are priced were they are, we told you why. Produced in small quantities in the USA is a big factor in their cost. What the market will bear is a large factor in their price.

Next time ask the question you actually want answered.

[SGunnem 51]

I guess I will repeat my OP question since it has obviously been lost in you guys saying I am asking about business and production costs......

I want to know what it is about them (the SSA woofer) that makes them worth it?

For example:

Crescendo is worth it because they use military boards and are .5ohm stable daily

Fi BTL is worth it because they used neo magnets

and try not to argue my examples, as they are just examples you drama queens

You guys would rather post pointless shit then wait

for someone who knows the real answer to post

I refuse to accept the answers of business and production costs in the USA as answers, as I am looking for why the SPEAKER is considered higher end

So excuse me for never heard SSA before and wanting more education on what I am potentially going to buy.

I'll quote your entire OP, pointing out the issues that gave rise to the responses in this thread:

>I love the look of the SSA subwoofers but I wonder....

Why are they priced the way they are?

I don't doubt the pricing but I want to know what it is about them that makes them worth it?

Please try to be specific/technical in your answer. Thanks!

See where the problem is now? You asked about pricing, then followed that up by talking about pricing and asking what makes them worth it.

Apparently you don't even understand your own questions, or aren't articulate enough to actually ask what you want to ask.

We were answering exactly what you asked. You asked about why they are priced were they are, we told you why.  Produced in small quantities in the USA is a big factor in their cost. 

 

Next time ask the question you actually want answered.

 

 

I understand, Thank you.

[///M5 2,833]

I guess I will repeat my OP question since it has obviously been lost in you guys saying I am asking about business and production costs......

 

I want to know what it is about them (the SSA woofer) that makes them worth it?

 

For example:

          Crescendo is worth it because they use military boards and are .5ohm stable daily

                      Fi BTL is worth it because they used neo magnets

 

and try not to argue my examples, as they are just examples you drama queens

 

You guys would rather post pointless shit then wait

for someone who knows the real answer to post

                   

I refuse to accept the answers of business and production costs in the USA as answers, as I am looking for why the SPEAKER is considered higher end

 

So excuse me for never heard SSA before and wanting more education on what I am potentially going to buy.

Dude, stop being a moron.

Using military boards and being .5ohm stable was a marketing decision. Unrelated to final price.

Neo magnets add NO VALUE to a subwoofer. Sure some cost, but it doesn't make anything worth anything.

If you want education on why it is a great woofer, fine, but relating it to what they set as their selling price is fucking moronic.

[SGunnem 51]

I guess I will repeat my OP question since it has obviously been lost in you guys saying I am asking about business and production costs......

 

I want to know what it is about them (the SSA woofer) that makes them worth it?

 

For example:

          Crescendo is worth it because they use military boards and are .5ohm stable daily

                      Fi BTL is worth it because they used neo magnets

 

and try not to argue my examples, as they are just examples you drama queens

 

You guys would rather post pointless shit then wait

for someone who knows the real answer to post

                   

I refuse to accept the answers of business and production costs in the USA as answers, as I am looking for why the SPEAKER is considered higher end

 

So excuse me for never heard SSA before and wanting more education on what I am potentially going to buy.

Dude, stop being a moron.

Using military boards and being .5ohm stable was a marketing decision. Unrelated to final price.

Neo magnets add NO VALUE to a subwoofer. Sure some cost, but it doesn't make anything worth anything.

If you want education on why it is a great woofer, fine, but relating it to what they set as their selling price is pucking moronic.

 

 

annnnddddd here is a noob picking on my examples after i said they were just examples and try not to argue them, you sir are an offtopic mess.  go back to spamming ihop.

 

frickin rich guys put your mobile devices down, not everyone on this forum is like you.

[jcarter1885 995]

Awe look at ///M5 junior with the cute signature, haha

[altoncustomtech 773]

Dude, I don't have ANY idea why you posted up on the status updates about me being a moderator, but you should be glad I'm not one.  

 

You've done a lot of insulting and aggravating throughout this thread and I for one, if I were a mod, would have issued a warning and closed it before now.  Whether you're getting the answer you want or not there's absolutely NO reason to be responding the way you are.  Impious has given about the most technological answer that can be given without being the persons who designs and builds them.  There's no need for any other response at this point IMHO.

[Tirefryr 1,742]

Truconcept v.2.

 

PHd in douchebaggery.

[sweendog 3]

lol

Edited May 5, 2013 by sweendog

[jonbearsmt 919]

Truconcept v.2.

 

PHd in douchebaggery.

 thats what i was thinking,  seems how he was not IP banned  i was thinking he just started a new account changed some facts and boom. back to getting the attention his momma never gave him

[AXEHAMMER 16]

^this

[SGunnem 51]

Many of the SSA subwoofer look totally bad ass, is the basket some kind of special design that is optimal for the cooling needed to produce SQ bass for hours on end? 

 

It looks like the cone is out farther than most subs, does this result in a tighter response?

 

I like the evil too but if someone wanted direct leads, would this be possible in the factory?

 

So many of the con series look to be efficient but I suppose it all depends on your size limits.  What is the cone made of anyway?  I like aluminum cones but I have never heard carbon fiber.

 

Oh and sorry Alton, I just appreciate your posts as they are always helpful.

[pmureika 31]

Still trolling?

[AXEHAMMER 16]

Trolls gonna troll as long as they are fed

[jcarter1885 995]

the invisible force field around the sub is what produces SQ bass for hours on end.. fyi

[pmureika 31]

Trolls gonna troll as long as they are fed

lol 

[nem 2,019]

the invisible force field around the sub is what produces SQ bass for hours on end.. fyi

 

It uses the Force!

[pmureika 31]

the invisible force field around the sub is what produces SQ bass for hours on end.. fyi

Let the force be with you!

[Jason Witt 65]

Don't feed the trolls!!