Hi all, i have been working on a speaker design using the Besty full range driver from Wild Burro. Paul gave me the option to choose a Betsy with wizzer or without. I chose the wizzerless Betsy because i wanted to integrate a tweeter i have been working on for a while. The speaker will work nicely with either Betsy. Honestly, i want to sell this as a kit with a drawing for dimensions, details on the crossover circuit, crossover parts, the drivers (less the Betsys), the amp to power the 15" woofers and the cables to connect everything to your existing amp. Whether you purchase the kit thru me or buy everything elsewhere, i would encourage anyone interested in building an OB project at reasonable cost with great performance to build the Betsy/Boomer! It's easy to build. I will put pictures of the building process up in the next few days. Basically, it's a Betsy on an OB measuring 20" x 48" with a powered helper woofer. Bass can be dialed in to taste. Positioning an OB speaker takes patience but once things are setup the imaging and richness of sound is really worthwhile. Have a look at the speakers in an unfinished state - wires a mess but the sound is just right. I welcome anyone interested in the design to contact me without pressure to buy anything. You know i will share everything on the forums anyway.
Godzilla
Godzilla
Attachments
Yeah, mine isn't a huge fan of OB's. Though I haven't built these yet, and they are smaller than the folded single driver design. The upside is that you can easily move them back against the wall as necessary. I'm currently using some very slim TL's (12x13") for the Betsy-Ks, and I'm afraid they've spoiled her. Maybe I should have moved the BIB's with us, lest I'm never allowed to have big speakers again! I am lucky that she tolerates this stuff!
I'm hoping to try some helper woofer-ized OB's very soon. I have more amps than I can use, so I'm very much looking forward to the Pass B4 crossover (I'll diy of course). Zilla's kit is a simpler and much less expensive solution for those without amplification to burn. I'll be surprised if I can build a crossover for the price of that amp!
I've also asked for details about his tweeter, but he's being coy. I suspect it sounds pretty good and he's hoping to sell it as another kit! For any of you contemplating such a thing, I haven't got whizzerless drivers in stock, so give me plenty of warning should you want to build with them.
back to finishing cabinets,
Paul
Wild Burro Audio Labs - DIY Full Range Speakers
The BIBs sound different than the Betsy/Boomers. I happen to love the BIBs using Fostex 165k and think they sound great. After listening to the Betsy/Boomer my BIB sounds too midrangy... but after 10 minutes my ears adjust and they sound great again. Remember, the BIB has one driver (i do have a supertweeter on the back actually) and the B/B has three drivers. Room placement is easy for BIBs - corners - while the OB speaker requires some fiddling to get it to sound best. Depending on placement, the B/B can sound too thin or too rich. I enjoy playing with toe in because once correctly done the sound radiates thru the room in a somewhat different way than the BIBs or any other box speaker i've had. BIB and Betsy/Boomer both throw a very large image of sound! The Betsy/Boomer has no box and the sound just 'radiates' probably much like other OB speakers. What's neat is how the bass and treble can be dialed in to taste. The controls are very subtle actually but you can go too heavy or two light (and everywhere in between) until finding the right sound for your room. Plus placement needs to be addressed. They need space around them but can be quickly pushed aside since they are easy to move (unlike BIBs!). Betsy/Boomer sound is very open, detailed and dynamic. The bass drivers can cause a really nice warm sensation on lush bass passages and the treble (to my ears) sounds just perfect. I like the pro driver + waveguide setup and yes, i want to sell it. But you can buy the parts anywhere and build it. It's easy. If you buy it from me i will send all the parts, building instructions and offer free tech support to make sure you get it wired right... and if you don't like it i can help you get it to sound more to your liking by recommending different cap and coil values. If you really don't like it and the parts are not all scratched up i will take it back so you don't have to suffer listening to it.
http://www.zillaaudio.com/zillatweeter.htm
I just set this page up an hour ago. Please contact me if you have any questions about the ZillaTweeter (LOL) I'd be happy to tell you all about it. It can be built as an add on super tweeter or as part of the Betsy/Boomer... or used with any other speaker you want to add a neat super tweeter too.
Back to the Betsy driver... this driver offers a lot of sound for the money. Comparing it to the Fostexs, Tangbands and Pioneer B20 i listen too all the time i'd say it sounds most similar to Fostex. It's not laid back but it's not in your face either. It's dynamic and can get pretty loud. It's built like a more modern looking B20... the driver cone has a furry quality when you look at it closely (like a Burro perhaps) and everything looks to be nicely made. I think Paul is more than fair pricing them the way he has. They are very cool and work great on OB... i even liked their sound in a sealed box but know that was not optimal. On OB with the additional 15" woofers they sound amazing! There are probably many ways to enjoy them but the Betsy/Boomer is one way for sure.
Either Betsy with the wizzer or without will work with the additional woofers. It will be a matter of personal preference to add the additional tweeter but i believe it will enhance just about any full range or wide range driver since it can be dialed in at whisper quiet levels or even add too much treble. Finding the balance helps me enjoy the music. The woofers have been designed in the same way... only to enhance the sound of a full range driver needing just the bottom octaves.
Godzilla
http://www.zillaaudio.com/zillatweeter.htm
I just set this page up an hour ago. Please contact me if you have any questions about the ZillaTweeter (LOL) I'd be happy to tell you all about it. It can be built as an add on super tweeter or as part of the Betsy/Boomer... or used with any other speaker you want to add a neat super tweeter too.
Back to the Betsy driver... this driver offers a lot of sound for the money. Comparing it to the Fostexs, Tangbands and Pioneer B20 i listen too all the time i'd say it sounds most similar to Fostex. It's not laid back but it's not in your face either. It's dynamic and can get pretty loud. It's built like a more modern looking B20... the driver cone has a furry quality when you look at it closely (like a Burro perhaps) and everything looks to be nicely made. I think Paul is more than fair pricing them the way he has. They are very cool and work great on OB... i even liked their sound in a sealed box but know that was not optimal. On OB with the additional 15" woofers they sound amazing! There are probably many ways to enjoy them but the Betsy/Boomer is one way for sure.
Either Betsy with the wizzer or without will work with the additional woofers. It will be a matter of personal preference to add the additional tweeter but i believe it will enhance just about any full range or wide range driver since it can be dialed in at whisper quiet levels or even add too much treble. Finding the balance helps me enjoy the music. The woofers have been designed in the same way... only to enhance the sound of a full range driver needing just the bottom octaves.
Godzilla
Last edited:
Nice. What did you do to that pine? It took the color very evenly. My staining isn't going nearly as well.
Paul
Wild Burro Audio Labs - DIY Full Range Speakers
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.