I couldn't agree with you more!
Actually I had asked a question of both zman01 and you regarding the break-in period for the Alpair 5.2 drivers in an earlier post. As they are the free to air single suspension type, is it necessary to do the driver break-in for 200 hours?
Thanks for clarifying my doubts. I have a second Alpair 5.2 pair ready and mounted in break-in boxes. I guess I'll give them the full 200 hours and wait for any future developments....
Thank you for sharing your comparison impressions - I've been waiting for it. All three drivers mentioned are probably excellent choices for someone like me who will probably never have the opportunity to compare them with each other directly.
I really like your first build FHL's - the darker wood with the silver baffle. Is that a brushed aluminium plate, or something that you glued onto the wood?
Hi diyRookie,
Good to see you here again.
The first pair of the FHLs are hand roller painted black. This imparted a nice texture to the finish.
I use only plywood for the removable baffles because I do not want to have a new element introduced in the sonics by using any other materials. The plywood was rough sanded in one direction and given a base coat followed by several coats of silver paint from an aerosol paint can.
How far has your build progressed? Have you decided on your drivers? Looking forward to seeing your finished FHLs here soon.
You can use grill guides or small magnets for fixing the grills. Make a suitable frame and cover it with suitable grill cloth or stiff and wide plastic mesh. I've never used any type of grill for my builds so I can't tell you much about them.
Perhaps some other experienced member may be able to help you?
Hi diyRookie,
How far has your build progressed? Have you decided on your drivers? Looking forward to seeing your finished FHLs here soon.
Not much progress yet - still in the planning stage. Plans are quick and cheap - the execution is another story. I know which drivers I want, but my budget will decide later. Want to start with the woodwork first. Thanks for the info on your builds. I really like the silver baffles on the black enclosures.
As for the question of grilles, while a simple cloth covered MDF frame is easy enough to fabricate, they don't offer all that much physical protection for a persistently inquisitive 3yr old, and some drivers i.e.- Mark Audio, and I'd assume current Jordans(?) are certainly more fragile to pokes that others.
My wife happens to hate looking at drivers in any system in "her" spaces (i.e. all but my man cave), so I've long since taken to incorporating grilles in all my builds. I use 1/4" or 3/8" ultra-lite MDF, and after having grief with Hedlock type fasteners breaking off, small neo magnets in the frames and recessed under the veneer on the enclosures. They definitely cost more ( a minimum of 16 pieces per stereo pair) , but take no more precision to align on the mating surfaces, are completely hidden under the finished enclosure, automatically snap the grilles into place, and never break.
When I want to really assure protection, I'll recess a round perforated metal grille at least one size larger than the driver's frame. With careful sizing of the the rebate, on many of them a friction fit will be sufficient, and they can easily be removed with a small screwdriver inserted through the perfed holes.
Try as I might, I've never been able to hear a huge improvement with a well designed grille removed - I guess the upside to raging, pulsing tinnitus is you're no longer cursed with a golden ear.
My wife happens to hate looking at drivers in any system in "her" spaces (i.e. all but my man cave), so I've long since taken to incorporating grilles in all my builds. I use 1/4" or 3/8" ultra-lite MDF, and after having grief with Hedlock type fasteners breaking off, small neo magnets in the frames and recessed under the veneer on the enclosures. They definitely cost more ( a minimum of 16 pieces per stereo pair) , but take no more precision to align on the mating surfaces, are completely hidden under the finished enclosure, automatically snap the grilles into place, and never break.
When I want to really assure protection, I'll recess a round perforated metal grille at least one size larger than the driver's frame. With careful sizing of the the rebate, on many of them a friction fit will be sufficient, and they can easily be removed with a small screwdriver inserted through the perfed holes.
Try as I might, I've never been able to hear a huge improvement with a well designed grille removed - I guess the upside to raging, pulsing tinnitus is you're no longer cursed with a golden ear.
Speaker grilles
Thank you for all the practical pointers as always Chris.
2 very good reasons for grilles! I did not think about the WAF in this case.
That is very encouraging to know that grilles do not affect the SQ. I must just get over the psychological barrier. I also lost my golden ears years ago, but unfortunately I can still hear those darn mosquitoes in summer.
Thank you for all the practical pointers as always Chris.
2 very good reasons for grilles! I did not think about the WAF in this case.
That is very encouraging to know that grilles do not affect the SQ. I must just get over the psychological barrier. I also lost my golden ears years ago, but unfortunately I can still hear those darn mosquitoes in summer.
It would be great to see SB mounted A6Ps (or 6Ms) on the Frugel-Horn Lites. Are you up to it, diyRookie?
Hello all,
I made a pair of FH Lite with vifa TC9FD-18-08, and they are VERY VERY GOOD. Smooth and extended sound, very detailed and natural. Non fatiguing.
The amp is an ACA (thanks Mr Pass) and the combo sounds very well, 6w is enough for most music and movies.
They are revealing speakers. If music is bad recorded, sounds really bad, with the best ones they are amazing. In "Skating away" Ian anderson is having breakfast beside me!!.
If you want a small, cheap and high WAF pair of speakers, this is one of the best. Not so difficult to make, a jigsaw is enough (jigsaw + router is all i used).
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Really small and nice looking, the red one is a Tabaq
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Thank you for a great design
And sorry for my English
Victor
Hello, I know this is an old post but how does the sound compare between TABAQ and FHL if using the same driver optimized in respective enclosure?
Thanks.
Hi, I have a pair of Omnes Audio BB3.AL spare, and looking at the specs, they are very close to the FF85WK.
Do you think they might work in this design?
FS = 94Hz
VAS = 1.6L
MMS = 2.1g
SD = 29.2cm2
Qts = 0,5 (Qms=6,2, Qes=0,54)
Omnes Audio BB3.AL
Do you think they might work in this design?
FS = 94Hz
VAS = 1.6L
MMS = 2.1g
SD = 29.2cm2
Qts = 0,5 (Qms=6,2, Qes=0,54)
Omnes Audio BB3.AL
The introduction of the Frugel-Horn Lite plans describes which drivers are suitable for the enclosures. The A6s are also mentioned but you'll have to use SupraBaffles to accommodate the larger drivers. You'll find a good description of the SB in the FH3 plan set (11th Page) titled Baffle Cutout. You can leave out the side wings if you like.
The A6s are not suitable for the larger FH3s, I think.
There's no reason why you can't use these drivers in the FHLs. The Aura NS3 drivers with Fs 80Hz have been successfully tried out. The MA A5.2s have Fs 101 Hz and I'm enjoying these drivers presently. Only, you will have to adjust the front dampening for the lower Fs and experiment with it to suit your taste.
I suggest that you should use removeable baffles that you can try out different drivers later, if you like.