Home » Audio » Speaker » Suitable tweeters for LA.
Suitable tweeters for LA. [message #24259] Sun, 13 April 2008 19:51 Go to next message
Armand is currently offline  Armand
Messages: 2
Registered: May 2009
Esquire
I am in the process of planning my listening room. After reading Mr. Griffins paper I decided to go for "in-wall" line arrays. Since I am Norwegian (and a patriot I have already bought 24 5" Seas Excel drivers. I am now looking for suitable tweeters. The Bohlender Graebener RD75 seems llike a good choice and would simplify mounting. Or will I run into problems above 12-15kHz ? Is it possible to solve that with an addition of a single supertweeter per array?
Other suggestions of good drivers? NEO 8 ?? Price up to about 1500$. I have planned the tweeter line to be around 120 cm. (50 inches)

I plan to use software based filtering and EQ and a firewire 16 channel DA and lots of Hypex UcD400 amps. I am also playing with the thought of digitally delay the outer drivers in the LA to compesate for propagation delay. Has this been done before? Thoughts?

This was maybe many questions, but I am curious to hear the thoughts of other dedicated line array enthusiasts.

best regards
Armand

Re: Suitable tweeters for LA. [message #24260 is a reply to message #24259] Sun, 13 April 2008 22:43 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Aaron D is currently offline  Aaron D
Messages: 18
Registered: May 2009
Chancellor
The BG's generally aren't the best choice. They do have the high end deficiencies that you mentioned but they also do not have the sensitivity necessary to match the Seas line. In my opinion the Fountek NeoCD2.0 is the best choice for most La's when budget isn't the primary concern (w/in reason of course). At current prices it will run about $1800 to run 8 drivers per side (just over 50"). Rick at Selah audio has done several designs w/ these, and at least one w/ Seas woofers I believe.

Check out www.selahaudio.com

Keep us updated on your project.

Good luck,
Aaron

Re: Suitable tweeters for LA. [message #24261 is a reply to message #24259] Mon, 14 April 2008 10:23 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Rick Craig is currently offline  Rick Craig
Messages: 115
Registered: May 2009
Viscount
The RD-75 will work but you sacrifice quite a bit of sensitivity. I like the Founteks best.

Re: Suitable tweeters for LA. [message #24262 is a reply to message #24259] Fri, 18 April 2008 15:54 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Danny Richie is currently offline  Danny Richie
Messages: 36
Registered: May 2009
Baron
Hello Armand,

There are better choices than the large RD series drivers. One problem is the really low sensitivity. Power handling limits the overall output as well. The use of Multiple Neo 8's are a much better choice. The moving mass is much lighter and control is much better as well. The smaller Neo's also sound much better than any other alternatives. Plus they can be crossed fairly low in the 800 to 1000Hz range and distortion is still kept really low.

The pdr version will give you better dispersion but gives up sensitivity.

I had a custom version built for our LS-6 and LS-9 models that utilized a dense felt on the front side like a pdr version but not on the back side. I also had them leave in all 5 rows of magnets to keep sensitivity high. Then I had them make me a 8 ohm diaphragm so that more of them could be paralleled and less of them in series. These are good from 800hz to 40kHz. The price is the same as a standard Neo 8.

Since you are using a metal cone woofer I wouldn't recommend running them up very high as they tend to ring in the upper ranges. I wouldn't want to push those past 2kHz. In fact they will sound much better if you can limit them to 1kHz or less.

The true ribbons really aren't capable of crossing that low as their power handling goes away quickly and distortion shoots up in a hurry if they exceed anything below the 2kHz range. They are also quite fragile, and I wouldn't recommend them in a line source application.

Danny Richie

Re: Suitable tweeters for LA. [message #24264 is a reply to message #24262] Sat, 19 April 2008 18:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Rick Craig is currently offline  Rick Craig
Messages: 115
Registered: May 2009
Viscount
If the true ribbons by Fountek are so fragile in a line array application Danny then why have I not had one failure? For the record I probably have used more of them than anyone in the USA outside of a large pro audio company that uses them in sound reinforcement arrays. Reliability is paramount in PA speakers and I'm sure they wouldn't be using them unless they were very robust.

Re: Suitable tweeters for LA. [message #24265 is a reply to message #24259] Sun, 20 April 2008 14:22 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Armand is currently offline  Armand
Messages: 2
Registered: May 2009
Esquire
Thank you all for your help and suggestions. It seems the best option is to go for Neo2. 1800 dollars is quite expensive, so I will have to save some mosy first. I will post a new message when I have some progress.

best regards
Armand

Re: Suitable tweeters for LA. [message #24266 is a reply to message #24264] Sun, 20 April 2008 21:30 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Anonymous
Which pro sound company uses ribbons ?



Re: Suitable tweeters for LA. [message #24267 is a reply to message #24266] Sun, 20 April 2008 22:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Rick Craig is currently offline  Rick Craig
Messages: 115
Registered: May 2009
Viscount
Here's the link http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Versa112/

SLS also uses the planar magnetics.

Re: Suitable tweeters for LA. [message #24269 is a reply to message #24265] Tue, 22 April 2008 10:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Danny Richie is currently offline  Danny Richie
Messages: 36
Registered: May 2009
Baron
What would make you lean towards the Neo2 as a best option?

The BG Neo's sound considerably better, they have lower distortion, can be crossed much lower and will considerably improve the imaging by the use of the lower crossover point. They are also less expensive.

Re: Suitable tweeters for LA. [message #24270 is a reply to message #24269] Tue, 22 April 2008 14:39 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
Rick Craig is currently offline  Rick Craig
Messages: 115
Registered: May 2009
Viscount
If the BG tweeters are superior Danny then why did you choose to use the Aurum Cantus true ribbons in your top-of-the-line Criterion monitors instead of the Neo3PDR? Did you change your opinion after you failed in your quest to become the sole Aurum Cantus USA distributor?

Previous Topic: Useful Speaker Accessory
Next Topic: Neo10
Goto Forum:
  


Current Time: Fri Apr 19 12:24:15 CDT 2024

Sponsoring Organizations

DIY Audio Projects
DIY Audio Projects
OddWatt Audio
OddWatt Audio
Pi Speakers
Pi Speakers
Prosound Shootout
Prosound Shootout
Smith & Larson Audio
Smith & Larson Audio
Tubes For Amps
TubesForAmps.com

Lone Star Audiofest