A Big'un - the Audio Nirvana Super 15

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I had a new revelation from this speaker today. Normally I don’t play it loud. Today my son figured out how to take control of it from his phone. We were having a BBQ outside and the doors from the living room onto the garden were open. My son cued up some questionable music and cranked it up. Whoa! the Big’un was putting out some serious noise, deep powerful bass pervaded my garden from inside the house. I was worried the driver was being abused so I went inside, with my fingers in my ears to protect them, to see how bad the cone excursion was - it was hardly moving! It sounded clean and beautiful. This is a single cone and it was telling my neighbours there is no shortage of cajones.
 
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I wouldn’t get too hung up on that, best tread your own path instead of waiting for ‘approval’ from folk you don’t know, most of whom have never heard this driver in any kind of enclosure. Besides, the Vas is so large on these drivers that they push the limits of what I would consider a modern simulated box. They would astoundingly well in any kind of large enclosure, open backed included.
 
frugal-phile™
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I have yet to see plans for a “ properly aligned” cabinet.

I started a miniOnken for the big 15, but never finished as it was far too big, instead suggestting an enclosure similar to what BigUn has done.

I have proper cabinets (customer requested) for a few of the ANs (some of the 10” in particular). Some of the most intersting will not produce bass in any sane alignment, and some, that i have actually heard, do not warrant the effort (Lassic 10 for instance which has intolerable resonances even when they habe been minimized).

dave
 
I do feel one has to pick carefully from the Audio Nirvana range as it seems there is an attempt to offer every size with every magnet etc. and some combinations just don’t look at all good on paper and some are pricey. I like the look of the Super Ferrite 15” and 12” as the sweet spots but there a few others that look good and many that do not (to my eyes).
 
My two-way concept relies on the big AN getting to the "guitar speaker" sensitivities, 100-110 range...the Alnico version comes up shy, just running along at the plain jane response...that 90 to 100 Db range...I couldn't justify the doubled price of the Alnico Super.
See all three plots here, along with the AN-15 & Aurum Cantus G1 plot.

I was reading up on some odd lobing patterns on the vertical axis of the big AC ribbon...I'll give you all some guesses as to why that is an anomaly of this big ribbon...?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Rick............
 

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Good summary Bigun. The only one i have yet heard that had promise (only a half-dozen so far) was the 10” Super Ferrite, but it was IMO, kinda pricey for ewhat you got.


dave

Kind of “pricey”.
I guess my idea of pricey is a little different than yours. Some people spend more on a tweeter (even though many people can’t even genuinely here 15kHz) or just the crossover components of a regular a multi-way speaker.
Check out the price of Cube Audio F10 Neo. Now that’s pricey.
I might be able to buy a pair to compare with the Audio Nirvana speakers.
 
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Kind of “pricey”.
I guess my idea of pricey is a little different than yours. Some people spend more on a tweeter (even though many people can’t even genuinely here 15kHz) or just the crossover components of a regular a multi-way speaker.
Check out the price of Cube Audio F10 Neo. Now that’s pricey.
I might be able to buy a pair to compare with the Audio Nirvana speakers.

I would love to see a comparison between the Cube Audio F10 and the AN speakers. Cube Audio has been on my radar for a while. Their entry driver starts at $1500 but is pretty damn good apparently.
 
Bigun.
I was just thinking your speaker would sound really bloody nice with the ACA amp.
Have you tried that?

I have both so I should try this myself.

nope, in fact I’ve yet to build something from Nelson’s stable. I have a top secret plan, being revealed here right now, to build an F4 or similar.
 
In the sense that these were heard at a diyFEST and at least one less expensive FR was definitely better.

dave


In that case, you've found yourself a bargain.

The only other brand of FR driver I own is the Seas 8", and the Audio Nivana 10" and 15" are noticeably better.
I will try and get the Cubes this year for comparison.
 
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