Check out the Vifa DCR - you will love the sound.
Just want to remind you FC fans that if you like the sound of the mini Karlsonator, you will like the sound of the curvy walled Viva la Vifa DCR (dual chamber reflex). I am surprised more folks have not been curious to try it. It really is a fun build, looks great, and sounds amazing. Full deep rich bass as if you had a sub - and all very low distortion for moderate levels like sitting at your desk. I use it as my main office desk speaker now and am really enjoying it.
The thread is here: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/252627-viva-la-vifa-curvy-cabinet-dcr-tc9fd-4.html#post3856930
Just want to remind you FC fans that if you like the sound of the mini Karlsonator, you will like the sound of the curvy walled Viva la Vifa DCR (dual chamber reflex). I am surprised more folks have not been curious to try it. It really is a fun build, looks great, and sounds amazing. Full deep rich bass as if you had a sub - and all very low distortion for moderate levels like sitting at your desk. I use it as my main office desk speaker now and am really enjoying it.
The thread is here: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/252627-viva-la-vifa-curvy-cabinet-dcr-tc9fd-4.html#post3856930
Great idea Squeak. Finding the time between the day job and my current speaker project will mean this will have to wait though. I am seeing that there has been a pretty big unanimous support of the mini Karlsonator though. And I agree that if I could have only one speaker that would be it. These new DCR's are pretty nice too though. Given active XO and bi amping by far the best sounding speaker is ten Nautaloss FAST. Although the slot loaded OB, given proper wooden construction may give the Nautaloss quite a competition. The speaker that started me down all this was the Cornu, and although not flat or linear in response, has for the most part, been a favorite and probably the most number built by members.
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That should of course have been "your builds" in the former post. 
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Your post is probably a good way towards what I was thinking. It shouldn't be a "project", just a few comments and a ranking (if possible).
The Karlson as your favourite? Is that because it is a good general speaker, or for other reasons?
.Your post is probably a good way towards what I was thinking. It shouldn't be a "project", just a few comments and a ranking (if possible).
The Karlson as your favourite? Is that because it is a good general speaker, or for other reasons?
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Yes, they are TV speakers- they have a "waveguide" attached, which fires along the wall to the sides, with the roundovers terminating the "waveguide", in a dipole arrangement. The two sides are out of phase with each other, they're specifically designed as surrounds, where all the comb filtering, etc, doesn't matter a lick. I'd do things differently if they were to be mains, though.
Well, my previous post got no love, so how about with her clothes ON this time?
Hey Badman, I too didn't know what your project was doing so wasn't sure how to comment. I'd be interested in learning more.
The slot output is along the wall-
The roundovers are oriented vertically, as are the slot-style output from the TV drivers- they're visually hidden behind the roundover, and the "waveguides" are flat against the wall, so the wall acts essentially as an infinite baffle, while the roundover lowers diffraction from the slot termination. The picture above that shows the assembly before dressing up is how the slots and roundovers are oriented, though as shown while still working on it, it's 90 degrees rotated. They fire out to the sides, along the wall, when mounted- I hope that clarifies!
So are you saying the waveguides focus the high end and the back of the drivers combine with the roundovers for a "horn" effect on the low end? I don't see anything that looks like an infinite baffle if the sound comes from the gap between the roundovers and the walll surface. It's my understanding if the energy from the back of the drivers was captured on the other side of the wall there would be an IB separation. 
Or are you using the phrase "infinite baffle" to mean super wide, super tall reflective "front Baffle"?
Or are you using the phrase "infinite baffle" to mean super wide, super tall reflective "front Baffle"?
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The drivers are wired out of phase to either side, so there's cancellation on the "inside", though naturally it's not perfect. The output all comes from the slots except for some residual sound from the magnet-side of the drivers. The slots are terminated to one "side" by the wall, and the other side with the roundovers.
"Infinite baffle" is naturally not 100% applicable, it's just my way of describing that one side of the slot (the wall) is very large. I'm still experimenting and will likely add acoustic damping all around the back side of the frame (right now there's a fair bit but there's room for more) to further minimize any output not coming from the slots.
"Infinite baffle" is naturally not 100% applicable, it's just my way of describing that one side of the slot (the wall) is very large. I'm still experimenting and will likely add acoustic damping all around the back side of the frame (right now there's a fair bit but there's room for more) to further minimize any output not coming from the slots.
They're surrounds, so the concept is that of a very diffuse soundfield, with a lot of reflected energy, yes. The last thing I want to do is localize the surround. I'm less concerned with high fidelity as I am with preventing them calling attention to themselves sonically.
Only a mother could love!! Yeesh! I think they're pretty attractive, once buttoned up. The guts are not, agreed, but they're not visible.
Running wire through the attic and initial listening tests have lead me to several conclusions:
1) My bad knee doesn't like kneeling on rafters while pulling wire
2) My Roku player (primary source in the bedroom) doesn't output 5.1 despite having that in the configuration options- old model, and the updated firmware is designed around newer versions
3) They are very good at disappearing, even when playing relatively wideband- the surrounds really do help expand the sound of the room.
They'll get some more tweaking and refinement, but I'm pretty darned happy with how they came out, and got some solid foamcore time and experience. The front panels are constrained layer damped- basically weatherstripping between two foamcore layers, fastened to the wooden frame along the periphery with the white hex-head screws- I got them with integral bonded washers. I'm going to use that screw layout a lot from now on, they were a joy compared to phillips. I didn't even drill pilots.
1) My bad knee doesn't like kneeling on rafters while pulling wire
2) My Roku player (primary source in the bedroom) doesn't output 5.1 despite having that in the configuration options- old model, and the updated firmware is designed around newer versions
3) They are very good at disappearing, even when playing relatively wideband- the surrounds really do help expand the sound of the room.
They'll get some more tweaking and refinement, but I'm pretty darned happy with how they came out, and got some solid foamcore time and experience. The front panels are constrained layer damped- basically weatherstripping between two foamcore layers, fastened to the wooden frame along the periphery with the white hex-head screws- I got them with integral bonded washers. I'm going to use that screw layout a lot from now on, they were a joy compared to phillips. I didn't even drill pilots.