On the Decware forum you wrote :

"I read Dave's post......I then went to ART and read Bob's post and replied to it. In a fairly "nice" manner. I simply disagreed with his premise and reasons and offered my thoughts and opinions. And that would have been it for me...........and BTW....my opinion seems to be holding there...no one there has slammed me at all yet, and a few even agree."

Shortly after posting your response on this forum, you provided a pointer from your own forum on AudioCircle. Then you enter into a discussion on the Decware forum where you argue your point of view in a number of posts. I can only conclude that you made the post here to stir the pot and also provide amusement for your followers on the other forums.

In one post on the Decware forum you make the statement above. You seem to be under the impression that since no decenting opinions have been offered, that people must agree with your initial post. While I agree with one or two of you minor points, I disagree with most of what you have stated as facts. Most of what you have stated is technically not correct.

I decided not to respond for two reasons. First, I find the tone of your posts unacceptable in particular where you state opinions as facts, most of which are incorrect. Second, I know that if I do respond you will immediately turn it into a cat fight like the one you have going on the Decware forum with Jeff.

There is no question that you are a unique character and some of your best supporters also seem to enjoy your over the top way of communicating on the forums. Based on what I have read your back loaded horn design is well recieved. Personally, I just don't want to be bothered entering into a posting exchange with you similar to the one on the Decware forum.

So for the record, I disagree with most of your statements and am just not willing to enter into a AA style of post exchanges. That is the reason I remained silent, not because I agreed with you.

Martin

• Quarter Wavelength Loudspeaker Design

D factor affects the low end.

Mike.e

Please read the last sentence in my reply to Bob's post. I clearly say " My opinions Ok, Guys". My response to Jeff was based on his first post to the Decware thread..(page2).he said something in it that I could simply prove not to be true. I have re read the post I made on this forum and I can back up my opinions........My only intention was to disagree with Bob's premise....single drivers can in fact do "Metal". That's all. Nothing more. No hidden agenda. The fact that you did not reply did not infer that you or anyone else who did not post agreed with me. Again, I stated a fact based on an observation....and I was thinking of no one in particular....not even you.

You wrote................
>>>>>> Shortly after posting your response on this forum, you provided a pointer from your own forum on AudioCircle. Then you enter into a discussion on the Decware forum where you argue your point of view in a number of posts. I can only conclude that you made the post here to stir the pot and also provide amusement for your followers on the other forums. My opinions on the subject are just that. I'm not trying to cause trouble but thought I might give my .02. I simply disagree with the subject line. And a few other points as well, but not on everything. Bet you can guess which ones if you try! A hint....my PSTL is much happier with my X150! Thought some of you might be interested.....
Ed

Dave

Dave

I think the interchange of ideas is great.

But I will say that I think the high school BS is, well, high school BS. Seems to me that if a person has a reason for chosing a particular mechanism, an idea that they think is worth using, they could articulate it. If it can't be described, it probably isn't worth doing. So to rely on an emotional argument for me is hollow words.

When kids brag about how fast their cars are, it's usually because they're scared to go to the race track and get a time slip, lest their fantasy be smashed.

I read the two private e-mails and the posts above and on the Decware forum. I'll answer with a few thoughts but there is too much stuff in all of these to address each topic without spending a ton of time and ending up in a huge debate. I don't have that much time or care that much about the topic, I am not upset or mad at anybody and really don't take this whole debate that seriously. Life is too short.

1. You seem to have a strong reaction to Jeff's post at Decware and have interpreted this as a "back handed slam" and a few other descriptive phrases. I reread his post and don't see anything that should have caused this reaction. He doubts your findings and I can understand why, I'll elaborate below. From my experience on the Internet and in life, whenever you lay out a theory or very strong opinion you have to expect people to respond. You are inviting comments and some people are not going to agree. You have to deal with that. Many people have built my speaker designs and/or used my software and for the most part have been very happy with the results. Some have not like my designs or software results and have expressed their negative opinions on open forums. They are entitled to their opinions and to express them. I don't jump on them or respond unless a specific concern is identified that I can help clean up. A guy on TNT audio built my Lowther ML TL design but with a few of his own "changes" and then reviewed the result as being my design. In my opinion he compromised my design. I never responded and he never gave me the opportunity to comment before posting the project. Oh well, such is life. Somebody expressed some doubt about your claims and you went off the deep end, claiming to be a victim of a lie and insulting back handed slam. That person had the good judgement to just walk away while you ranted on, in my opinion you did not look good and came across as very immature. You detemine how people will view you, if you want to be though of as the "redneck jackle" that is fine. If you want to be thought of as a speaker professional and taken seriously you need to think about how you want to come across when somebody voices a negative opinion about you or your product.

2. In one of your posts you present the following observations.

"With My X150 playing Enter Sandman and my speakers in corners I can show you 105 dB peaks all day long. This is 8 feet from the speakers not at "1 meter". I have demonstrated this to many people. With My F1 the peaks are limited to 100dB or so. And with my Audio Note 300B about 98 or so. The sound is not compressed and you can understand the lyrics easily....including the kid whispering."

Lets think about these statements. Your speaker can produce between 98 to 105 dB at 8 feet in your room depending on the amp used. OK, I'll buy into these claims. The question I would ask is at what frequency? Putting out 105 dB at 1 kHz is very different then claiming 105 dB at 30 Hz. Without a measurement, it is not clear what the frequency response of your speaker really is in your room. I would agree that corner loading them in your room helps the bass but I have my doubts that you are producing 105 dB flat down to deep bass. The speakers play loud but I ma not sure I believe that a small driver is capable of that level in the frequency range 30 - 100 Hz without severe distortion, compression, of self destruction. This seems to also be the result obtained by the TNT review linked from your site, I think he noted that above 100 dB the mids did not increase in volume but the bass continued to rise, this is impressive but does not sound like a real desirable linear result to me.

A couple of shorties :

3. Two claims were made about the low frequency roll off on the Decware forum, 20 dB/octave and 30 dB/octave. A back loaded horn rolls off at 24 dB/octave.

4. You wrote "Modeling the enclosure will not give an accurate picture.". Obviously I cannot agree with that statement. A computer model can go a long way to helping understand the way a speaker works and how to improve the design, but it has to include all of the important contributions. Garbage in generates garbage out. I believe that my latest MathCad back loaded horn simulations are getting closer and closer to providing a reliable design tool which includes reinforcement from room boundarys.

5. Based on my recent back loaded horn modeling, I believe that your speakers are acting like a TL at the lowest frequencies and transition into horn like behavior probably above 100 Hz. Nothing wrong with that design method and it is the one I am exploring for my own back loaded horn speakers. Having the strong undamped TL resonance helps the bass output. Corner loading helps the bass output. But the only way I am going to believe 105 dB at 8 feet with extended low bass output without any severe distortion or compression is through scientific measurements. Opinions and postulating are not going to convince me, but that is just me.

Maybe I am just a cynic.

Martin