Diki,

Subs come in a wide range of sizes--it's the throw that makes the difference in subs. You can have a 4-inch sub with a long throw and generate sounds so low your fillings will explode. You can have an 18-inch sub that has a short throw and its frequency range is considerably higher. The construction of subs that some kids use in their cars darned near blow the trunk open and they're considered mid size, measuring just 6 to 8 inches in diameter, but the throw is incredible. The sub on my Yamaha YST-MS50 is only 6 inches, and when cranked it will blow the windows out of my office. If I recall the specs, the throw is just 1/2-inch. I guess what I'm trying to say is that speaker diameter does not translate into frequency response--it's the speaker design and throw that makes a huge difference in subs.

BTW: They party up here in the frozen north too. Lots of younger folks at the seaside resorts listening to DJs, KJs and really loud rock bands along the boardwalk and nearby beachfront bars. A significant number of the entertainers HERE have switched to the Standard L1s and L1 Model II systems. They get the volume they want, and the coverage has been far superior to when they used conventional speakers. Different stokes for different folks.

The type of jobs Tom referred to in his initial post didn't appear to be those requiring ear-bleed volumes. However, I suspect that if you took a Db Meter and actually measured the volumes of a similar conventional sound system and a Bose L1 of the same wattage with both set at 50-percent, the Bose would, in all likelihood, provide a higher Db level at distances of 50 and 75 feet than the conventional sound system. One day, when I have some free time, and get around to fixing my Db meter, or buying a new one, I think I'll try that out using the Barbetta Sona 32SCs and the Bose L1--should be interesting. Also, I'll ask my loving spouse to evaluate the sound quality at those distances--she can hear stuff that I cannot.

Party on gentleman,

Gary