CHR70 build - modest towers?

[albireo13]

I'm going to do my 1st build, using CHR-70 drivers. This will be for our bedroom/computer system so, WAF factor is important! We currently have small 2-way Energy RC-minis) sitting on the desk but, I've been reading so much on full-range that I want to try a pair!

Esthetically, some modest-size floorstanders would be great ... narrow towers that don't dominate the room. I tend to like low-mid level music, jazz, classical, easy listening.

Anybody have a good design to suggest for the CHR-70 ?

I looked at the Pensil designs and they are attractive but the one on Mark Audio is pretty tall for my situation. Since this is a first build, something fairly straight-forward to build would be best. Front-porting is best since I'll be pushing these close to walls.

Thx,
Rob

[kristleifur]

How about something from planet10 & co's MicroTower series? These seem to be around 80cm tall, or ~30" — the Pensil being 90cm, about ~37".

Thread: microTower bipolar ML-TL for CHR-70 or EL70
Planet10 cabinet overview, the MicroTowers are at the bottom: planet_10 hifi
Plans PDF: http://homepage.mac.com/tlinespeaker...aps-150909.pdf

[albireo13]

The Microtower looks like 33" tall. It's a bipolar design and I was leaning towards a single driver design to keep it simple, since this is my first speaker build. However, the MT does look intruiging and it seems to get good press.

[kristleifur]

Yeah, it's over 30" - I was looking at the internal dimensions.

But ... It's a little confusing – There are different versions There are single-driver variations on pages 5 and 6 of the PDF.

[chrisb]

Originally Posted by kristleifur

Yeah, it's over 30" - I was looking at the internal dimensions.

But ... It's a little confusing – There are different versions There are single-driver variations on pages 5 and 6 of the PDF.

Yes, Dave can certainly rolling on variations on a theme and it is generally quicker to draw than to build.


I built the 2 pairs shown in the documented photos, and if you've got the floor space for the sidemounted bipoles, by all means, but mounting the second driver on the top gives a lot if placement flexibility (vis a vis rear /side wall boundaries) while not sacrificing enhanced low frequency improvement and soundstage width/height.


Doubtless there are any number of decent sounding tower-ish /floor-standing designs that would work well for the CHR / CHP / EL70 , Alpair 7, and any future models/variations. So far of the half a dozen or so different enclosures in which I've heard any of these drivers, there have been a couple of favorites, but I've yet to be disappointed or underwhelmed.

None of us have the time and resources to try them all, and certainly tend to develop and stick with our personal aesthetic - in my case WAF is a big consideration - for bachelors and others, not so much .

[planet10]

Originally Posted by kristleifur

Yeah, it's over 30" - I was looking at the internal dimensions.

But ... It's a little confusing – There are different versions There are single-driver variations on pages 5 and 6 of the PDF.

This design is quite versatile. A number of bipoler versions, a half-tower with a single driver, and a folded half-tower for a shorter, deeper cabinet. Height of the tower or half-tower can be reduced by moving the port fron downfiring to the front or side.

dave

[albireo13]

How would the sonics of a Pencil design compare against the half-tower with single driver?

[planet10]

I've not heard either, but i'd guess that bass in the Pensil is probably more relaxed, and with larger volume around the back of the driver maybe a bit more open in the midrange.

dave

[albireo13]

I'm liking the Castle style microtower for my CHR70 build. In my case, I'd like to place close to a wall, to keep the room uncluttered. Therefore, I was thinking of the BD pipe style, with the top driver tilted forward, away from the wall, at a mild angle ... maybe 10-15 degrees.
One question .... looking at the drawing for this style, it seems that the top driver has been slid forward. Is this intentional or just a drawing artifact?
Rob

[planet10]

Chris said that he too was contemplating a tilt forward build.

Been a while since i did those drawings, you can put the driver anywhere you want, just make sure of clearances on the inside of the box. Pushing closer to the other driver is not a bad thing.

dave