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Re: Baffled by Baffles.... [message #21975 is a reply to message #21974]

Mon, 16 June 2008 18:20

Martin
Messages: 220
Registered: May 2009

Master

Yea, my kids love their iPods. I like their iPods too because it keeps them quite in the car. Their generation has no interest in audio or equipment, maybe it is because the recordings of the popular music thay like are all acoustic garbage.

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Re: Baffled by Baffles.... [message #21976 is a reply to message #21964]

Wed, 18 June 2008 00:55

Duke
Messages: 297
Registered: May 2009

Grand Master

Normally, I would say mount the drivers in the center. The diffraction from the cabinet edge can cause image shift, but I think it's less likely to if both edge diffractions arrive at the same time (so the effect, if indeed real, would vary with toe-in).

Now with a dipole, reducing bass cancellation might be the higher priority. So for instance if your dipole is going to go right up against the side wall, well that side wall in effect extends the baffle on that outer side quite a bit. In this case, you might want to offset the driver(s) to the outside (closer to the sidewall), which would increase the average wraparound path length as compared to center-of-the-baffle placement.

I'm in favor putting the tweeter over the woofer, rather than to the inside or the outside. That way the drivers sum pretty much the same way in the crossover region across a reasonably large frontal arc. With the tweeter at 2 o'clock or 11 o'clock, the drivers will sum differently depending on where you are across that frontal arc because their relative distance from your ears will change across that arc.

Duke

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Re: Baffled by Baffles.... [message #21977 is a reply to message #21976]

Wed, 18 June 2008 11:36

gfederys
Messages: 46
Registered: May 2009

Baron

Thanx Duke for the explaination and suggestions. Do you think there's any merit, though, to the "better imaging" thought by placing the tweeters towards the center? It seems like that was in vogue back in the early 90's by some manufacturers. By the way, if it matters, or is of any interest, the drivers are a pair of the original Fostex Sigma's, (with the "wizzer cone"), and EV T-35 tweeters.

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Re: Baffled by Baffles.... [message #21978 is a reply to message #21977]

Thu, 19 June 2008 06:04

Duke
Messages: 297
Registered: May 2009

Grand Master

Offhand I can't think of why offsetting the tweeters towards the center would produce better imaging, but maybe it does. If so, I think the imaging would also be more sensitive to speaker toe-in and listening position than with a vertical-in-line arrangement.

Duke

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Re: Baffled by Baffles.... [message #21979 is a reply to message #21964]

Thu, 19 June 2008 11:11

kloss
Messages: 36
Registered: May 2009

Baron

If drivers not dead centered its not a problem. Just avoid a square OB design unless you off set driver. You might want to add some wings to your OB to keep size down and bass up. Also if baffles not massive and braced driver will slightly move it forward and back this will smear image and reduce tebile a wee bit. I like my OB set with drivers center at ear level if fullrange slightly lower with a 2 way, mid driver centered in 3 way.

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Re: Baffled by Baffles....and congrates to Duke [message #21980 is a reply to message #21978]

Thu, 19 June 2008 11:15

kloss
Messages: 36
Registered: May 2009

Baron

I perfer OB with tweeter in vert array. I find off set tweeters dont image as well if one moves out of sweet spot. And Duke congrates on your award you deserve and earned it. Almost brought a tear to my eye;)

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Re: Baffled by Baffles.... [message #21981 is a reply to message #21979]

Thu, 19 June 2008 11:46

gfederys
Messages: 46
Registered: May 2009

Baron

The baffles are going to be, (well, I ALREADY have the plywood so they ARE) 20" X 25" with just slightly radius corners for aesthetic purposes. They are going to be mounted to some 1.5" X 1.5" steel speaker stands I made a while back, and I plan on having the center of the mid/tweeter setup @ ear level. I was going to add 1" X 3" oak "wings" on the back, running the length of the baffle, for bass extension and OB bracing. I'm running the array on some "test baffles" right now, with a first order crossover and my 2A3/45 amp. VERY engaging and lifelike on jazz music and simple stuff. Thanx for all the replies about the offset tweeters. I guess I'll take the expert advice and put the array inline, one above the other. (tweeter on top). Once they're completed, the next step will be to look for a design and build a "box" for the 12" powered sub/woofer. Something more for detail and realism as opposed to a "hooptie" sound.