What to build?

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Hi!

I found this place about six months ago after stumbling upon the FE206 recommended enclosure plans, which really got me wanting to build speakers again. Since then I've been reading up on heaps of interesting designs here and, well, I'm sort of at a loss. I'm quite sure I want to go fullrange. I like how they've been described and they're a far step away from the three-way sealed boxes I whipped up in shop class more than ten years ago.

Basically, I've two projects in mind, a smaller pair to replace my computer speakers, and a (possibly) larger pair for the living room. The living room is about 4x6 meters (13x19.5ft) in size, though part of it is a hallway, so there's a wall that extends half-way into the room. The "inner" part of the room is about 4x5 meters (13x16.5ft). The speakers will be along the longer of the walls, with a listening position of 3-3,5 meters (say, about 10 feet) away.

My musical preferences range from the extremes of metal (Anaal Nathrakh, Meshuggah), through progressive metal (Opeth) and rock (Focus) on to electronic styles such as techno, breakcore, minimalism. I also listen a lot to singer-songwriters, generally female (Regina Spektor) and have over the last year started to listen to fully orchestral music, works by minimalist composer John Adams in particular.

Since I live in an apartment, I never listen to anything exceptionally loud. For the larger pair I've been looking at BiBs, the Half and G Changs and Sachiko at frugal-horn, as well as the Tysen and the FE206 and FE207 REs. Just now I stumbled onto the EL70 and the Lake District and microTower plans for them. (Seems wherever I go I end up back at planet10 :))

For the smaller pair I was looking at the fonkens. Initially the µFonkens but now I think I might as well go for the Fonken or miniOnken, whichever suits my amp best. I've two chip-amps: an LM3886 based on the chipamp.com kit and an LM1875 built from scratch on stripboard. (Seems I did at least something productive when stalling for speakers. :)) The plan is to let the LM3886 power the bigger pair (will add IR to it) and the LM1875 power the smaller pair.

I'm quite handy with a hammer, but I don't want to go with anything extremely complicated. I'm afraid I'll be a bit too inexact and end up with crap speakers due to shoddy woodworking. So especially the first, smaller, pair should be a relatively easy build.

Any guidance will be greatly appreciated!
Regards,
Oscar
 
frugal-phile™
Joined 2001
Paid Member
The Mark Audio drivers (of which the EL70 (eN of course) is my favorite (haven't listened to A7 or A12 yet)) are going to be happier with your amps. There is both a milliSize and a primeSize box for these. The primeSize (Mar-Kel70) turned out particularily well. Not quite the finese thru the mids as the Fonken with a good tube amp, but reaches lower & higher & is more neutral sounding. And likes typical SS amps better.

My current office system is a variation on the 1875 chip amp with the proto-mMar-Kel70. I am very pleased with it.

dave
 
206En

Hello,

to use the FE206E
i made a few solutions
SCHALMEI
TRUMPET
HORN as satellite horns
and
SAXOPHON and RDH20
as fullrange double horns
but if i see your wishes:

"Basically, I've two projects in mind, a smaller pair to replace my computer speakers, and a (possibly) larger pair for the living room. The living room is about 4x6 meters (13x19.5ft) in size, though part of it is a hallway, so there's a wall that extends half-way into the room. The "inner" part of the room is about 4x5 meters (13x16.5ft). The speakers will be along the longer of the walls, with a listening position of 3-3,5 meters (say, about 10 feet) away.

My musical preferences range from the extremes of metal (Anaal Nathrakh, Meshuggah), through progressive metal (Opeth) and rock (Focus) on to electronic styles such as techno, breakcore, minimalism. I also listen a lot to singer-songwriters, generally female (Regina Spektor) and have over the last year started to listen to fully orchestral music, works by minimalist composer John Adams in particular.

Since I live in an apartment, I never listen to anything exceptionally loud."

may be the KORNETT would be enough.
small, cheap, soundstage, bass, max. SPL95 dB
 

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Thanks to the both of you!

The (m)Mar-Kel70 seems to be just what I'm looking for. For nearfield listening, will I benefit with going with the full size Mar-Kel70, or is it most useful for filling a larger room. I might go with the larger version nevertheless.

The Kornett seems very interesting, but I'm not sure I like the way it looks. It has grown on me a bit since I yesterday, though. I really like the look of the Saxophon, however. When choosing between those two, how do they compare sonically? They look reasonably close on the measurements (could only find 1W/1m for both), though the Saxophon is louder. I'm not sure I'll need more than 95dB though. Wikipedia puts it somewhere between heavy traffic and a jack hammer. :)

I see you have some variations on the Kornett, one for the FE166 it seems. Have you listened to it and, if so, how does it compare to the Tang Band/Monacor combination? Comparing their parameters, the Fostex should be able to play at least louder (if not better), although at almost double the price.

Also, you mention there is a design reason to choose the RDH20 over the Saxophon. Is it only a question of looks or are you referring to another part of their design?

And, again, thanks! :)
 
I built an LM3875 kit from Audiosector.com and run it with a pair of 127 fonkens. It took some time for them to break in, but now it's a great combination. My room size is about 12 ft X 16 ft. The help I got from Peter Daniels from audiosector was great and Dave from planet10 was also very helpful. The sound of this system is far beyond what one would imagine it would be for the cost. Along with the help from the two experts I mentioned, the amount of info on the forums for these items make them a great pick in my mind.
Mike
 
I'm actually leaning towards the Kornett. I'm intrigued by how low it can go and the build looks sufficiently easy. It's also "untested" on this forum (at least I've not seen another build of it), so hopefully I can rectify that. The extra €20 for the plans is, although unusual for this place, not that much and worth the chance. The TangBand/Monacor combo is cheap enough to make up for it. Chances are I'll be building a few other designs as well, before this decade is over. :)

A couple of questions to Horst:
What's included in the plans and what materials are used in the build? What thickness ply, etc. Oh, and does it play well with solid state amps?
 
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