Building cabinet opinion!

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Hello,

Firstly, I would like to say hi to everyone and thank you very much for your help.

I would like to have your opinion about certain cabinet and sound I want to make. I want to build wood cabinet size: 79 wide, 20 deep, and 28 heights, all in inches. I want to install left, center, and right speakers in horizontal shape, TV placed above them. The rear cabinet is fully open, or can be close if it’s better. Also, I may add one or two driver in the same raw as low frequency. So the speakers serve as front’s channels for both music and Dolby surrounds.

My question is how the sound would be and can I achieve very high-end sound for example like ProAc, Magenpan, Wilson…? And is it better to go 2 or 3 way or better single full range speaker? Crossover or not?

Im looking for a certain type of sound: Very natural and smooth particularly high frequency, high resolution and refined, very gentle and respectful, coherent, not forward at all and probably laid back, none fatiguing at all, no harshness, perfect balance from bottom to top. Exactly like Electro Voice speakers from 70s.

Anyone care to answer.
Thank you very much.

Sincerely,
 
I think that you need to start your design based on theil/small parameters of whatever driver you select as being suitable for your project and then use these to determine the optimal size of enclosure.

Several people have used various types of full range drivers (often supported by one or a pair of subwoofers) in their home cinema. Drivers chosen depend on personal preference and cost but I would say that for example Fostex FE167 and Tangband W4-1320 would be worth considering. If I were in your situation though I think that I would go for some Mark Audio drivers (CHR-70 for budget or if money is no object then some of the larger and more expensive drivers)
 
frugal-phile™
Joined 2001
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Hameed,

More info would be helpful. Amps, room, budget, what can you source (almost anything if you are willing to shop on-line)?

There are so many choices of well thot out and proven designs, the problem is choosing from the wealth of choice,

I'm with gaust on leaning towards the Mark Audio. There is a wide choice there to, depending on your budget. For HT you'll want some sub woofer(s) too.

dave
 
Guast and Planet10, Thank you very much for your inputs. Sorry I forget mention my budget, its can be up to $2000 US for single driver. Most importantly I need the type of sound im looking which I mentioned in first post, so it’s not any driver. Please note, I have no idea how these drivers sound from each other, because I don’t have a dealer in our area to listen, so im relying on discussion only. As for sub, im not big fan of it! I just need for 5.1 surrounds not for music.

Also note, I was going for Lowther but I heard it’s too shouty and bit bright which I don’t like! However, some recommendation for Seas Exotic full range driver and Fotex.

Cheers,
 
Well, if read correctly "up to $2000 US per driver" for 5.1 is a lot more budget than most of us have to play with.

As Dave noted earlier, there is in fact a bewildering array of options available at any mix of DIY and commercial products - but as visiting any retail hi-end salon will attest, investing large sums of money is no guarantee of good performance if the system is not balanced to your specific needs.

Of course much of the model of audio marketing in which many of us were indoctrinated during our impressionable youth was predicated on the understanding that with a few questions, the salespersons better understood our needs than we did, and that of course you never get more than you pay for.

sound familiar?
 
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My amp is:Krell KAV-500 five channels. I talked to some sales men and i get different opinions like i mention before. its fine with me guys, i mean if couldnt build new cabinet, in this case i will go with harbeth speakers as i understand they are close to what im looking for.

Cheers.
 
I've been down the full range road with vintage University 312 (actually a coax/triax), AN Standard 8 in the 2.8 MK II, Fostex 126 (treated) in Hybrid horn; and vintage 2 way including Dynaco A25, Paradigm Titan, Advent (original) and even the mighty RtR 280 DR which has 4: 10" woofers and 6 tweeters each. Finally I heard the Klipsch Heresy and have lost interest in the others. Advents have it in bass but lack something in the mids. Dynacos were easy to listen to but overall less interesting than the Advents. Ditto the Titans. University 312 were mid heavy unless they were in a 7 cubic foot box. The RtR are lacking in finesse, but quite impressive. The full rangers I have heard all have a rising midrange that can be EQd out, but still need a sub. The only weakness of the Heresy is deep bass which is easily solved with a decent powered sub. Until I heard them, I didn't understand all the talk about dynamics, quickness, etc. This is just my experience, but nothing really stood out from the others like the Heresy. My room is 13 x 16 x 7. I've used a variety of amps, two tube and several SS, but the difference is in the speakers, at least to my 55 year old ears. You should be able to get your hands on 3 used Heresy and a decent powered sub and build a cabinet around them. From my limited experience, the rears would be where to compromise.
 
frugal-phile™
Joined 2001
Paid Member
My amp is:Krell KAV-500 five channels. I talked to some sales men and i get different opinions like i mention before. its fine with me guys, i mean if couldnt build new cabinet, in this case i will go with harbeth speakers as i understand they are close to what im looking for.

Alpair 12 will suit that amp much better than it will suit Fostex or Lowther. Even with 2 drivers per side (Krell should have no issues with 1.5 way), a set of Pensil 12^2, the boxes would easily satisfy your size requirements, and from what i've heard so far with mine, your sonic requirements.

You'll be way under budget thou (and not hurting because of it).

dave
 
Finally I heard the Klipsch Heresy and have lost interest in the others. Advents have it in bass but lack something in the mids... Until I heard them [Heresies], I didn't understand all the talk about dynamics, quickness, etc. This is just my experience, but nothing really stood out from the others like the Heresy.

Hi ScottM, sorry for the OT but it's not common to meet someone who understands the Heresy's positive qualities (most can only fixate on their flaws).

(a) What music you listen to on your Heresies? For me, orchestral is great but female vocal and Sinatra don't work for me (that's what fullrangers are for :)

(b) Did you replace the caps in your Heresy crossovers? Huge difference (mine are from 1981, alnico mid horn, and the old caps were pretty dead).

(c) You can bring up the bass 3db by by re-soldering two connections (shifting the mid and tweet by one position on the transformer) giving a more modern (bassier) balance.

(d) Your Advents can be converted into a Heresy-esque design via a DIY project called Econowave, pioneered on another forum but easily Googled. You end up with horn dynamics crossed with deep sealed bass (and an L-Pad!) About $200 and idiot-proof (ask me how I know :)
 
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