Here is the amp I use:
Online Shop Free Shipping! 1pc TPA3116 Class D digital amplifier 50W +50 W with Silent Sleep Design|Aliexpress Mobile
$15 shipping included. Just add 19v laptop brick ps. I have used it stock for 6 months and have resisted the urge to mod it. It sounds excellent in my opinion (and confirmed by others). Takes 3 wks to ship though. Maybe faster to S Asia?
To get an idea of how special this amp is note the TPA3116D2 thread has over 430k views in 14 months. http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/class-d/237086-tpa3116d2-amp.html
A recent reviewer said it sounds much better than his beloved Pass class A. His version is the YJ blue black for $20 with maybe $10 on mods. The one I have a link for above sounds great stock. You can upgrade caps later.
Online Shop Free Shipping! 1pc TPA3116 Class D digital amplifier 50W +50 W with Silent Sleep Design|Aliexpress Mobile
$15 shipping included. Just add 19v laptop brick ps. I have used it stock for 6 months and have resisted the urge to mod it. It sounds excellent in my opinion (and confirmed by others). Takes 3 wks to ship though. Maybe faster to S Asia?
To get an idea of how special this amp is note the TPA3116D2 thread has over 430k views in 14 months. http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/class-d/237086-tpa3116d2-amp.html
A recent reviewer said it sounds much better than his beloved Pass class A. His version is the YJ blue black for $20 with maybe $10 on mods. The one I have a link for above sounds great stock. You can upgrade caps later.
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Those red Yuan Jing (YJ) boards do not sound as good as the board I pointed to you above (referred to as either the Ybdz 2.0 or the "Weiner" in the TPA3116D2 thread). There is a blue/black YJ that is good though once you swap the main power supply caps. They tend to have lower quality components on the caps. Also the layout and location of bypass caps is not ideal - too far from IC. You also need to be careful about a 5.1 or 6 channel board if the last channel is independent or a sum of all 5 via opamps for a mono sub output.
A new board just came from Sure that is getting positive reviews, more expensive at $25 ea but quality is there and has turn on/off pop protection. It just has mislabeled ch1 output silkscreen (+ and - are backwards). I would go and get qnty 3 of these and know they will sound great.
Sure Electronics' webstore 2 x 50 Watt 4 Ohm Class D Audio Amplifier Board ? TPA3116
A new board just came from Sure that is getting positive reviews, more expensive at $25 ea but quality is there and has turn on/off pop protection. It just has mislabeled ch1 output silkscreen (+ and - are backwards). I would go and get qnty 3 of these and know they will sound great.
Sure Electronics' webstore 2 x 50 Watt 4 Ohm Class D Audio Amplifier Board ? TPA3116
Fitted the drivers on the enclosures. Fitted the steel plates and spikes at the bottom.
The binding posts are from Dayton Audio/ Parts Express. Lovely hardware, together with their metal plates. I'd never want to use these binding posts without their metal plates.
The drivers have been fitted using absolutely delicious mounting screws from The Audio Crafts. I don't know where else such copper-plated screws are available.
The steel plate and spikes are made by Sound Foundations, a boutique manufacturer of accessories for high-end audio equipment. Those of you who believe in high-tech isolating mounts and supports for your electronics should see the kind of things he's made. These spikes too are better built and better looking than anything else I could find anywhere else. The steel plate is 8mm thick stainless steel. His workshop cut, drilled, and tapped the plates to order. Each plate is 14 kg in weight.
Try as I might, I could not get small images into this post, linked to larger images from my own Website. (I did not want to upload the larger images to diyaudio, to avoid them paying for the bandwidth of downloading my large images.) So, I finally gave up. If you want to see detailed larger versions of these images, go to my own web page and scroll down to the bottom. Clicking on the thumbnails there will show you larger images.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
The binding posts are from Dayton Audio/ Parts Express. Lovely hardware, together with their metal plates. I'd never want to use these binding posts without their metal plates.
The drivers have been fitted using absolutely delicious mounting screws from The Audio Crafts. I don't know where else such copper-plated screws are available.
The steel plate and spikes are made by Sound Foundations, a boutique manufacturer of accessories for high-end audio equipment. Those of you who believe in high-tech isolating mounts and supports for your electronics should see the kind of things he's made. These spikes too are better built and better looking than anything else I could find anywhere else. The steel plate is 8mm thick stainless steel. His workshop cut, drilled, and tapped the plates to order. Each plate is 14 kg in weight.
Try as I might, I could not get small images into this post, linked to larger images from my own Website. (I did not want to upload the larger images to diyaudio, to avoid them paying for the bandwidth of downloading my large images.) So, I finally gave up. If you want to see detailed larger versions of these images, go to my own web page and scroll down to the bottom. Clicking on the thumbnails there will show you larger images.
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You could load the pictures on an image host...
Looks like you had a bit of trouble getting the recess cut on the veneer, it's a pain though my carpenters came up with a compass built from a piece of kerfing and two nails, they get very clean cuts this way:
I suppose it would be tougher for veneer because the two layers have very differing ways of reacting to a metal edge, and the plywood backing isn't such great quality.
This is what a CNC-cut baffle looks like Baffle courtesy Ali, who you already know!
Looks like you had a bit of trouble getting the recess cut on the veneer, it's a pain though my carpenters came up with a compass built from a piece of kerfing and two nails, they get very clean cuts this way:
I suppose it would be tougher for veneer because the two layers have very differing ways of reacting to a metal edge, and the plywood backing isn't such great quality.
This is what a CNC-cut baffle looks like
Baffle courtesy Ali, who you already know!Attachments
Actually, I don't have a problem with the precision of the cuts for the recess -- a router with a good bit seems to do a very good job. If you fit the driver just after the carpenter finishes the enclosures, you'll see a very precise fit.
But after that comes the polishing, and the layers of sealant followed by the final PU layer adds about half mm to 1 mm of material, makes the circle very slightly smaller. At that time, you need some coarse sandpaper to scrape off the extra material around the edges and expand the circle to the right size again. This affects the edges of the cut a bit, which is visible at close range. How would a CNC cut baffle avoid this problem?
But after that comes the polishing, and the layers of sealant followed by the final PU layer adds about half mm to 1 mm of material, makes the circle very slightly smaller. At that time, you need some coarse sandpaper to scrape off the extra material around the edges and expand the circle to the right size again. This affects the edges of the cut a bit, which is visible at close range. How would a CNC cut baffle avoid this problem?
If that is what it is, you need some masking tape and a sharp knife. Masking tape inside the recess before the coating process, and a knife to remove it after. The blue tape would probably be better than the white ones as the latter tend to absorb more liquid.
The knife is used to score the finish around the edges of the tape so that larger bits don't come flaking off when you pull the tape.
The knife is used to score the finish around the edges of the tape so that larger bits don't come flaking off when you pull the tape.
And I need to stand around when the polish chap is doing his thing, and I need to convince him that this precaution is necessary. Don't forget that bit.
Finally did the SPL measurements of tweeter and midrange, at one metre distance, using my usual measurement setup (Dayton XLR mic calibrated from Cross Spectrum Labs, feeding tiny Behringer mixer, which is feeding my Creative Soundblaster USB sound card, which is hooked to my laptop, all driven by Speaker Workshop at 48KHz sampling rate).
More details on my own web page about the construction.
Can I cross this tweeter over, 4th order electrical, at 1.5KHz? What do you think? This is the one-time Peerless HDS, now called Scanspeak Discovery 9130.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
More details on my own web page about the construction.
Can I cross this tweeter over, 4th order electrical, at 1.5KHz? What do you think? This is the one-time Peerless HDS, now called Scanspeak Discovery 9130.
I don't know if this helps, but here is the measurement of a finished speaker using this tweeter with a Revelator woofer. The crossover was passive. Since I did not have much time, I just took a composite 1m measurement in a concrete room, which is why the response takes till 1k to settle neatly.
The crossover was a two-component LR4 acoustic slope on the tweeter. I'm guessing with a 4th order electrical crossover you will end up near LR6, phase matching this to the woofer will be tricky. No harm trying it.
I have heard that system play at extremely loud levels and tweeter strain is not evident. I do know there is some response shaping required for that peak and dip combo at the upper end of the tweeter's passband.
Here's the link to the kit: The Madisound Speaker Store
You can talk to the designer on the forum, his id is smnjn and he is from Calcutta too. He is quite experienced with the HDS and has some designs with it, but both are passive.
The crossover was a two-component LR4 acoustic slope on the tweeter. I'm guessing with a 4th order electrical crossover you will end up near LR6, phase matching this to the woofer will be tricky. No harm trying it.
I have heard that system play at extremely loud levels and tweeter strain is not evident. I do know there is some response shaping required for that peak and dip combo at the upper end of the tweeter's passband.
Here's the link to the kit: The Madisound Speaker Store
You can talk to the designer on the forum, his id is smnjn and he is from Calcutta too
. He is quite experienced with the HDS and has some designs with it, but both are passive.Attachments
If this designer is using acoustic 4th order with this tweeter, then that's sufficient evidence that the tweeter can handle it. I was suggesting electrical 4th order in order to reduce the load on the tweeter even further. Good, I'll stop worrying in that case.
BTW, what is your speaker collection? You seem to have built many units, including some using the Zaph midbass driver, then this one, and maybe some more...
BTW, what is your speaker collection? You seem to have built many units, including some using the Zaph midbass driver, then this one, and maybe some more...
Hehe my own collection consists of 'only' five DIY speaker systems, an Aurasound NS3-194 gaming system, the L18/27TBFCG units that you know about, the active monitors you saw a few posts above, the open baffle line array speakers called 'Big Bertha' and a honking big in-wall subwoofer (not joking, really big!!).
The Rediscovery I have heard, not built myself nor do I own it. I have also built a Line Magnetic 755EX system in an old Altec corner cabinet, and the speaker I showed a few posts back with the glass top. Both of these are commercial experiments and do not carry my name nor do I have the rights to talk in much detail about them I am just beginning another build with some fullrange speakers with a top assist, in a plywood cabinet with a solid teakwood face so we can achieve a graduated front and top. That too, is a commercial experiment.
My official LinkedIn profile says 'Retired', but as you can see that's not really true.
The tweeter is fine with a lot of low-end power. I think the note on the Madisound page points out that this was the best tweeter for that low a crossover point.
Keenly following your updates.
The Rediscovery I have heard, not built myself nor do I own it. I have also built a Line Magnetic 755EX system in an old Altec corner cabinet, and the speaker I showed a few posts back with the glass top. Both of these are commercial experiments and do not carry my name nor do I have the rights to talk in much detail about them
I am just beginning another build with some fullrange speakers with a top assist, in a plywood cabinet with a solid teakwood face so we can achieve a graduated front and top. That too, is a commercial experiment. My official LinkedIn profile says 'Retired', but as you can see that's not really true.
The tweeter is fine with a lot of low-end power. I think the note on the Madisound page points out that this was the best tweeter for that low a crossover point.
Keenly following your updates.
Midrange-tweeter crossover version 1
I tried my hand at modelling a crossover using ACD (Active Crossover Designer, Charlie Laub's brilliant spreadsheet magic).
Full details on my Web page, with all the filter parameters and tweaking I tried.
I tried my hand at modelling a crossover using ACD (Active Crossover Designer, Charlie Laub's brilliant spreadsheet magic).
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Full details on my Web page, with all the filter parameters and tweaking I tried.
Finished the project. I may tweak the crossover over time, and I will certainly replace the current temporary amplifier stack, and will build new speaker cables, but all that is peripheral. The speakers are singing.
Darbari part 5: the crossover | dhandanought.org | tcpip
Darbari part 6: crossover tuning | dhandanought.org | tcpip
Darbari part 7: the sound | dhandanought.org | tcpip
Had to go through challenges getting the crossover right. But then this was expected. This is my first 3-way after all.
My original assumptions done some seven or eight years ago have worked out in the most part. The crossover points are 150 Hz and 1500 Hz, and the drivers are behaving very well (other than the unexpected weakness of the lowest octaves).
The MiniDSP system delivers sound better than anything my ears can find fault with.
The Dayton RS drivers are excellent, and coupling them with MiniDSP is a match made in heaven, because the PEQ bands and steep slopes, not to speak of ease of experimentation, is really lovely.
Can't imagine doing analog active line-level xo now.
Darbari part 5: the crossover | dhandanought.org | tcpip
Darbari part 6: crossover tuning | dhandanought.org | tcpip
Darbari part 7: the sound | dhandanought.org | tcpip
Had to go through challenges getting the crossover right. But then this was expected. This is my first 3-way after all.
My original assumptions done some seven or eight years ago have worked out in the most part. The crossover points are 150 Hz and 1500 Hz, and the drivers are behaving very well (other than the unexpected weakness of the lowest octaves).
The MiniDSP system delivers sound better than anything my ears can find fault with.
The Dayton RS drivers are excellent, and coupling them with MiniDSP is a match made in heaven, because the PEQ bands and steep slopes, not to speak of ease of experimentation, is really lovely.
Can't imagine doing analog active line-level xo now.
Finished the project. I may tweak the crossover over time, and I will certainly replace the current temporary amplifier stack, and will build new speaker cables, but all that is peripheral. The speakers are singing.
Darbari part 5: the crossover | dhandanought.org | tcpip
Darbari part 6: crossover tuning | dhandanought.org | tcpip
Darbari part 7: the sound | dhandanought.org | tcpip
Had to go through challenges getting the crossover right. But then this was expected. This is my first 3-way after all.
My original assumptions done some seven or eight years ago have worked out in the most part. The crossover points are 150 Hz and 1500 Hz, and the drivers are behaving very well (other than the unexpected weakness of the lowest octaves).
The MiniDSP system delivers sound better than anything my ears can find fault with.
The Dayton RS drivers are excellent, and coupling them with MiniDSP is a match made in heaven, because the PEQ bands and steep slopes, not to speak of ease of experimentation, is really lovely.
Can't imagine doing analog active line-level xo now.
Darbari part 5: the crossover | dhandanought.org | tcpip
Darbari part 6: crossover tuning | dhandanought.org | tcpip
Darbari part 7: the sound | dhandanought.org | tcpip
Had to go through challenges getting the crossover right. But then this was expected. This is my first 3-way after all.
My original assumptions done some seven or eight years ago have worked out in the most part. The crossover points are 150 Hz and 1500 Hz, and the drivers are behaving very well (other than the unexpected weakness of the lowest octaves).
The MiniDSP system delivers sound better than anything my ears can find fault with.
The Dayton RS drivers are excellent, and coupling them with MiniDSP is a match made in heaven, because the PEQ bands and steep slopes, not to speak of ease of experimentation, is really lovely.
Can't imagine doing analog active line-level xo now.
It's been two and a half months since I had a working and acceptable crossover in the MiniDSP. It's been a period of lots of listening. Here are my impressions: Darbari part 7: the sound | dhandanought.org | tcpip
I think I'm mighty pleased with the results.
I think I'm mighty pleased with the results.
It's been two and a half months since I had a working and acceptable crossover in the MiniDSP. It's been a period of lots of listening. Here are my impressions: Darbari part 7: the sound | dhandanought.org | tcpip
I think I'm mighty pleased with the results.
Nice work! Thanks for the long term listening impressions. I also use miniDSP and like the steep crossover slopes for letting each driver do its thing. Here is what my Trynergy looks like with a 2x4 miniDSP working as a 3-way XO.
These are the best speakers I have built or heard. I think yours are probably better!
Are you using one 2x4 block per side? (Otherwise, how will you get a 3-way xo?)
Any details of your design and build online? Would love to read...
Yes, a 2x4 miniDSP and two TPA3116D2 amps per side. It costs less than a 2x8 and allows possibility of making the speaker unit an active standalone speaker. The thread is here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/261427-presenting-trynergy-full-range-tractrix-synergy.html
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