| Thoughts for Steve's Speaker Plan [message #18206] |
Fri, 28 October 2005 14:02  |
Manualblock
Messages: 4973
Registered: May 2009
|
Illuminati (13th Degree) |
|
|
Looking at your question made me think out loud about loudspeaker building and answering posts.
Let me say in your initial post you asked two very specific questions.
One; you wanted high efficiency.
Two; you wanted reference quality;
And at the same time you wanted small because you stated the Pi Three's were too big for your listening room. Oh; and imaging was important to you.
Well; thats a conundrum since the size and imaging constraints leaves out big horns such as the larger Pi's/JBL/Altec etc. Those are the types of speaker you find many people building if they need high efficiency but they are large and definately intrude on the decor'. They also are not champion imaging devices.
SD speakers are definately doable for you especially if you go T-Line; but they are not good with many types of music; although they are great with some music.
To find a smaller than Pi 3..high efficiency...good imaging..reference quality speaker you can build yourself is a true puzzle.
That is why I suggested the Orion but you are correct it is very involved with EQ and Solid State signal processing.
There are sites on the net that describe clones of older but very high quality speakers that may fit your purpose. But you have me intriqued now. With those constraints you require; have you seen or heard something that is close to what you describe?
Have you checked the new plans for high efficiency two way DIY speakers on the Bottlehead site?
What about Nutshell Audio and the Ariel Speaker? That is most definately reference quality but it is expensive and requires good woodworking skills.Other than that what else is there?
|
|
|
|
| Re: Thoughts for Steve's Speaker Plan [message #18208 is a reply to message #18206] |
Fri, 28 October 2005 20:17  |
SteveBrown
Messages: 330
Registered: May 2009
|
Grand Master |
|
|
Thanks for the interest and response to my questions. Yes, physics may get in the way of what I'd like to accomplish. I guess of the parameters I've set, size is the one I am most likely to bend on. I have not seen or heard anything that meets the bill, but I've heard (and built)speakers that hit different parts of the requirements. I have heard the Ariel's at VSAC 2003 (IIRC), sounded nice but I many agreed they needed a bit more power than a 300B to really wake up. In fact, I had a PP 300B amp in the Craftsman room that we hooked to the Ariel's, and that made a big difference.
My quest for new speakers really started when we moved into a new house and my main listening room became the finished basement. There is more space, lower celings, and concrete walls: all very different from my prior space (big open vaulted loft). The speaker I had been using (Fostex FE167E in a box, on a sub, like the Bottlehead idea) just didn't seem to work as well in this venue. For one thing, it's been really hard to get bass right, seems like it is lacks impact, or becomes boomy. I may need to look at additional room treatments. But I do feel I'm getting closer to what I want, but lacking efficency. My OB A-25's (with the updated Morel MD20 tweeter and a LEAP crossover) sound really nice. Maybe lack a bit of air, but the midrange weight is really nice. I've supplemented that with a high eff 12" vintage Utah on each side in a 2 ft sealed box. These have a simple crossover of just a 4mh coil. I'm finally getting a good bass impact without boom. But overall system efficency is only about 90db, and I'd like it more in the 96 range. Maybe I should just be happy with what I've got?
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Thoughts for Steve's Speaker Plan [message #18214 is a reply to message #18211] |
Sun, 30 October 2005 19:13 |
SteveBrown
Messages: 330
Registered: May 2009
|
Grand Master |
|
|
The best sound? Hmm... I've listend to some commercial speakers over the last few years, but can't really remember models. All had significant flaws. The best I've heard recently was a non-commercial speaker made by Gary Pimm, and I can't remember what he had stuffed in there, but it sure was sweet. Great overall tone, and excellent soundstage. Of course, being Gary, it was being driven by an amp that was beyond state of the art, and that's an important part of the equation, too. The wood horn is an interesting idea. I wonder if, being wood, that takes some of the shrillness off the horn? Know of any commercially made wood horns? I'll be they ain't cheap.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Here is another idea [message #18217 is a reply to message #18206] |
Mon, 31 October 2005 08:09 |
akhilesh
Messages: 1275
Registered: May 2009
|
Illuminati (3rd Degree) |
|
|
I also have a 3 way setup with a HSU vtf2 sub till 90 HZ, stephens trusonic 8 incher from 90-3500 HZ and a vifa dome tweeter over that that goes till 25000 HZ.
Unequalized, it sounds very good to me. NOt totally flat, but nothing too offensive. Granted I run it triamped in a small room, that is quite dead. But it is VERY involving and very clear. YOU could consider that. IT certainly sounds better to me than any commercial speaker I have ever heard in any hoigh end audio store.
-akhilesh
|
|
|
|
Posting Rules
Members
Search
Help
Register
Login
Get a T-Shirt!
