How low can you go

[brucegseidner]

I have an old but reliable Onkyo dvd/integrated home theater receiver that does sole TV duty. I don't think this qualifies as "home theater" so much as the box that has the dvd player and amplifier for 5.1 speakers. The 5 paper/foam surround speakers are starting to rot and they never sounded all that good in any event. The sub is a Yamaha with a synthetic cone and is in good shape.

We are not much into movies or tv and it has been good enough. However, the speakers really are rotting, literally, and I went to Madisound to see what inexpensive full range options I might not know about or to see what the FE103's or FE123's and CHR-70's were selling for.

There is a brand of speaker that is changing its business model and selling off their current commercial units. There is a blue light special on the $24 Aurasound NS4-255-8A 4" Full Range now selling for $3.90. I need to buy 5 units and the only sound sources are DVD's or cable through a 30watt Onkyo.

Does anyone have any experience with this ostensibly full range speaker? I was not going to go any higher than the CHR-70 as my top of this line anyway. For $20 I can get 5 of the Aurasounds and for $180 I can get 5 CHR-70's. Thinking amortization over 5 years this does not represent much problem. But, if I can get away with spending only $20 for a system that I don't consider a "system" then "it's all good." The most demand on it will be the kids who run their game systems through it. But this happens less then a couple hours a week total because I am a mean and uncool father who limits such things in favor of sports and homework. I hear myself talking me into the Aurasounds unless they really are dreadful and a waste of the time/money it will take to construct the cabinets for them.

Feedback is welcome and invited on the speakers. I am refractory to commentary on my parenting or lack of investment in home theater.

[jimbro]

At $19ea from Parts Express you might want to consider the Pioneer B20 'BOFU'. They are quite popular and there are several proven cabinet designs and tweeks available. I'm building some half-changs for them at the moment. At 8" they may be a little large for the surrounds but maybe you could play with the Aurasounds for that apt. They too have foam surrounds but I understand that lightly coating them with grout sealer will help prevent deterioration.

[brucegseidner]

That is helpful and I will look at the BOFU (and figure out what this acronym means). I might need to rename this thread "cheap full range suitable for home theater." Are the cones made of bead curd?

[sreten]

Hi,

I assume you simply want to swap out the drivers in the boxes ?
What size drivers are they ? size boxes ? sealed or vented ?

Tha Aurasounds look like an utter no-brainer, grab em while you can.

If your boxes are vented may need to play with the tuning.

rgds, sreten.

[quikie22]

just grab the aurasounds.....if they are good, all and well...if they are bad... it's only 20USD and you could probably sell them off on ebay to someone who has a need for them...

[brucegseidner]

Originally Posted by quikie22

just grab the aurasounds.....if they are good, all and well...if they are bad... it's only 20USD and you could probably sell them off on ebay to someone who has a need for them...

I think I will grab them. But then when I am, hat in hand, begging advice on what cabinets to build for them. I pray there will be no grousing, or worst, just silence.

[brucegseidner]

Now this is what I am talking about:

Resonant Frequency (Fo) - Fs . . . . . 105 Hertz
Voice Coil DC Resistance - Re . . . . . 6.8 Ohms
TotalQ-Qts ..................0.56
MechanicalQ-Qms ............6.90
ElectricalQ-Qes ..............0.60
Equivalent Volume of Air - Vas . . . . . 1.85 L
Radiating Piston Area - Sd . . . . . . . . 50.27 cm2

In thinking about cabinets my first stop is usually the BIB xls because I don't have access to the Quarter Wave xls. BIB xls asks a reasonable question like what is the Fs and this specs 105 Hertz. Is this actual or am I missing something? What is this addition to the Resonant Frequency, the (Fo), in (Fo)-Fs? Looking closely more closely at this unit it is not all that Full.

Am I correct that it will be quite limited below 100hz and I see it goes up to 15khz. Seems a bit narrow for all the work of constructing cabinets.

[jimbro]

Another suggestion for you. Check out planet_10 hifi if you haven't already. There are numerous plans for chr70 mains as well as a designs for centers and surrounds for HT. Not that I want to discourage you from experimenting and having fun but I'd be afraid of wasting time on those Aurasounds. If you want to bump up the quality even more, Planet10 has the EnABLED chr70s on sale for December. You could get a pair of those for the mains and go stock everywhere else. Then if you ever wanted to upgrade the rest of your system you'd be ready.

[jimbro]

Oh yea - one more thing. If you like BIBs, do a search on BOFU BIB. They're big but evidently work very well. I may have to build some of those too. Anyway good luck with whatever you do.

[yoaudio]

I 'll be putting the Aurasound NS4-255-8A in my FH-Mk3's I just built tonight or tomorrow, I'm having to much fun listening to the Fostek FE126en's.