| Latest Projects [message #59305] |
Wed, 27 May 2009 07:35  |
AudioFred
Messages: 377
Registered: May 2009
Location: Houston
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Illuminati (1st Degree) |
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There have been four in the last few months, and they are as different as night and day, ranging from an under-$150 standmount to a high end WMTMW, with a single driver thrown in just for fun.
The best, and not coincidentally the most expensive, is the Selah Audio Texas Revelator Tower, a $1,500 2.5-way kit featuring all Scan Speak Revelator drivers. I can still be contented with speakers whose drivers cost less than $220/ea, but there is a correlation between driver cost and sound quality. I've learned this through my membership in the Houston Audio Society, where the typical member's system cost upward of $20K, and the systems with the better speakers offer a clearly audible improvement is soundstage, resolution and detail. I wanted that, but without a $5K+ price tag, and I got it in the TRT's. They aren't as impressive as the XT8 line arrays in the downstairs system, but overall they offer the best sound of any speaker I have owned.
http://fredt300b.smugmug.com/gallery/132721_wacsQ#499276826_ A6Dqs
The most unusual is the Jim Griffin designed full range single driver mass loaded transmission line bipoles. This is my second build of these unusual speakers, which have a unique and pleasing sound of their own. My only criticism of these speakers is the lack of that sparkle you hear with a good two-way, and I'll probably add a supertweeter with a single cap crossover.
http://fredt300b.smugmug.com/gallery/132721_wacsQ#527422643_ PypvH
My sons are members of an alternative rock band, and few high end home audio speakers are capable of playing at the levels I hear when Low Rent (that's the band's name) is playing to a crowd of 60 to 80 people at Hanover's bar in Pflugerville Texas.
http://www.myspace.com/lowrentatx
Enter the Khanspires, a three way WMTMW using all Dayton reference series drivers, and suddenly you have a wonderful combination of high end clarity, sensiitivity and ability to play loud. Cool!
http://fredt300b.smugmug.com/gallery/132721_wacsQ#328911345_ SZZXY
And finally, something I've been doing for my musician friends who typically have really bad home audio systems (plastic speakers) and not a lot of money for upgrading. It's a slightly modified version of the Parts Express BR-1, with some added bracing to control the resonances of the 5/8" enclosure walls. This speaker kit sells for about $150. It excels at nothing, but you can still get some very nice sound, even when it's used with a $100 Best Buy Insignia two channel receiver and a $60 DVD player.
http://fredt300b.smugmug.com/gallery/132721_wacsQ#353384806_ uv9QM
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