Dan thanks for the insight on those ScanSpeak beryllium dome tweeters! I use a pair of Dayton PS220-8 "extreme wide bandwidth" drivers ---{I don't like the term full-range & I feel "extreme wide bandwidth" is a much more accurate designation of what these type of drivers really are}--- loaded into a pair of Sachiko double-back-loaded horns. I've previously used Fostex FE206E, FE206ES-R, FE208ES-R and Lowther DX4 drivers, but these inexpensive, $256/pr. Daytons with a special, proprietary, 7-step, cone treatment applied ---{all the other drivers except the rare and somewhat costly Fostex FE208ES-R drivers also had this treatment applied to their cones}--- literally smoked all those other drivers!
I have a pair of Fostex T900a horn tweeters and with these Dayton drivers installed, they don't even need to be used much of the time. Add to that a bottom end that's pretty substantial and you have a pair of "extreme wide bandwidth" drivers that comes the closet I've ever heard to actually being a fullrange cone driver. I've said all that because as much as I do love my T900a tweeters, I think that a pair of high quality, beryllium dome tweeters might actually be a better fit --sonically speaking-- and in this case I would have been willing to bet those $900/pr. ScanSpeak D3004 tweeters might actually had been what I'd been looking for, except when I noticed they're only 91.5dB sensitive! Dang talk about a let down....
But I digress, your speakers are beautifully built and I believe they're probably as beautiful to listen to as they are to look at! In all honesty are they worth $15K? As you said, I doubt it on this website and it's for all the reasons you've already stated! That said, Dan you really need to take photos of the recent speaker projects you've built and let it be known you're "For Hire" just like Michael Christ does here: Michael Christ and other people such as John Kloss, Bob Brines and Louis Chochos, to name just a couple, have also done. I still remember when I purchased a pair of Omega TS1-R speakers in the very early years of 2000. I was sure this business wouldn't last! But now Omega has a booming business and making wonderful sounding speakers from what I've read on the internet!
I believe from what I see that you're able to make a wonderful looking speaker. Why not consider starting with something smaller such as a 2-way that could sonically rival or at least shoot for the sound similar to that of a DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/96? If you made something like the Orangutan O/96, that's reasonably priced, all you'd have to do is sell one pair! In no time that person would be all over the internet telling everyone about these speakers he recently purchased from this relatively unknown speaker builder named Dan! This guy would go on telling everyone who'd listen how Dan made a set of speakers that are beautiful to look at and even more beautiful to listen to! These fairly high sensitivity, 2-way speakers are a po-man's DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/96, but they didn't cost him an arm and a leg! If you can and will do that Dan ----I'll bet your speaker building business will take off in no time! Of course some people only build what they themselves love and in that case you'll just have to find people who love beautiful, multi-way, speakers that require a MiniDSP and cost 5 figures! They're out there Dan, just like you are, you'll just have to look a lot harder to find them.
Either way Dan you do quality woodwork, so I'm sure you'll succeed no matter which direction you decide to take your speaker building business in! I, for one, am wishing you every success in whatever direction you take and with all you do with your new speaker building business! I pray the Lord prospers you and your business. Good luck Dan!
Thetubeguy1954
Hi
Here are my Zaph ZD5 standmounts. I am using a 12 litre cabinet tuned to 44 Hz, close to Troels' Ellam XT cabinet volume, but I am using ZD5 crossovers, front panel dimensions and speaker unit placement.
The cabinets are made from multiple horizontal layers of plywood, cut and sanded by hand. Yes - that's lots of sandingThere are internal bracings in three of the "layers".
The front baffle is MDF, made using a router. Top, bottom and front is matte white. Sides and rear is untreated plywood.
They are dampened using "akutstilux" and Gladen Aero-multi mats on internal panels
Sounds very good! Might experiment with changing R0 from 5 ohms to 6 or 7 ohms to play with tweeter upper levels - time will show what sounds best in this room
-FH
That's an impressive finish on the plywood! Just sanded smooth and waxed?
Zvukomir System One
This is my first DIY project. Several years passed from the idea for the project until it's realization. I needed help for the wood processing and the varnishing, but generally this is a single-minded, one-man project.
The system is stereo, dsp based, 12 speakers, 12 amplifiers...
More information and pics: http://audio-arts.zvukomir.com/english/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zvukomir
This is my first DIY project. Several years passed from the idea for the project until it's realization. I needed help for the wood processing and the varnishing, but generally this is a single-minded, one-man project.
The system is stereo, dsp based, 12 speakers, 12 amplifiers...
More information and pics: http://audio-arts.zvukomir.com/english/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zvukomir
Attachments
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01.zvukomir.system.one.the.the system.jpg -
10.zvukomir.system.one.amplifiers.render.internal.arhitecture.jpg -
09.zvukomir.system.one.volume.control.led.jpg -
08.zvukomir.system.one.custom.speaker.stand.jpg -
07.zvukomir.system.one.mains.power.cable.jpg -
06.zvukomir.system.one.stands.rectangular connector.jpg -
05.zvukomir.system.one.speakers.back.JPG -
04.zvukomir.system.one.amplifiers.rear.panel.jpg -
03.zvukomir.system.one.control.jpg -
02.zvukomir.system.one.the.electronics.jpg
Thanks a lot! They are just sanded. I considered waxing, lacker and oil, but I really liked the untreated look.
I tried some lacker on a test surface, but it made much of the natural livelyness in the wood disappear...
Perhaps I will treat the surface later if i feel the urge
Beautiful speaker! How does it sound? How did you achieve the shape, as there are two or three ways to to something like that.
Silent Screamer
A guy in San Francisco built those speakers with the Sonus Faber type cabinet and Eton drivers. I heard them in May when i was in San Francisco.
He told me had had a professional cabinet maker make that cabinet.
The cabinet looks amazing.
The speakers sounded really good when i heard them.
It had an articulate sound and the bass was very tight.
The speakers used a 11 inch Eton Woofer, 5 inch Eton Mid and the Eton ribbon tweeter.
A guy in San Francisco built those speakers with the Sonus Faber type cabinet and Eton drivers. I heard them in May when i was in San Francisco.
He told me had had a professional cabinet maker make that cabinet.
The cabinet looks amazing.
The speakers sounded really good when i heard them.
It had an articulate sound and the bass was very tight.
The speakers used a 11 inch Eton Woofer, 5 inch Eton Mid and the Eton ribbon tweeter.
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First you have to make sure the surface is absolutely or as much as
possible smooth. The mdf has to be treated with sealents for mdf
so there is no chance that it acts like a sponge. After that you
apply spray putty in sufficient layers, and between each new layer
you sand it with increasing grit number sandpaper. The secret of a
perfect looking mirror like finish is that the surface is smooth and that
the paint you put at the end is also in sufficient number of layers.
The buffing process at the very end will increase the shine even more.
You also need to use higher quality paints, not something you can buy
in home depot for 10 bucks.
Standard water based auto paints are a good choice. The shine comes
from the clear coat after the base color coat. I have talked
once to an owner of furniture factory to give me some advice
about the right paints to paint a piece of a furniture and he said that
the best paints are polyethilene based, and then polyurethane.
