Metronome Info - researching a new project

[SteveBedard]

Hello,

I'm looking into a Metronome for my next project. I'd like it to not need a subwoofer in my space, so I'm obviously looking towards larger drivers and tall enclosures.

I'm seriously considering the Audio Nirvana 10" Alnico. Does anyone have any obvious concerns or encouragements for this driver? I'm open to suggestions for a larger driver to build a Metronome.

I'm not much of a speaker designer, but i follow directions well. I will be asking for a little help here and there regarding plans for the project.

Background: My amp of choice is a modified Eico HF-81 and my musical tastes are all over the place. Currently I have a Visaton /Eminence open baffle set-up.

Thanks for any help...

[chrisb]

Originally Posted by SteveBedard

Hello,

I'm looking into a Metronome for my next project. I'd like it to not need a subwoofer in my space, so I'm obviously looking towards larger drivers and tall enclosures.

I'm seriously considering the Audio Nirvana 10" Alnico. Does anyone have any obvious concerns or encouragements for this driver? I'm open to suggestions for a larger driver to build a Metronome.

I'm not much of a speaker designer, but i follow directions well. I will be asking for a little help here and there regarding plans for the project.

Background: My amp of choice is a modified Eico HF-81 and my musical tastes are all over the place. Currently I have a Visaton /Eminence open baffle set-up.

Thanks for any help...

You might not need to go as large as 10" drivers in the Metronome, depending on what you consider to be acceptable performance absent separate subs, and particularly if you have floor space to accommodate bipole arrangement.

If still available, I'd be inclined to suggest the Fostex FE167, or 207 - even a single of the latter would probably not need subs.

There have been some excellent results reported with dual CSS EL70 paper cone drivers in bipole-nomes. I've not heard those myself, but am very happy with dual EL70s in Castle microtower - a very compact floorstander, driven by Tubelab SimplePP EL84 at approx 15WPC.

That said, if you'd rather try something larger, and specifically with the Audio Nirvana drivers, you should be aware that the Metronome design worksheets/tables require fairly accurate driver T/S specs, and that there are in-field measurements of the AN drivers that suggest that getting a pair that are within reasonable tolerance of those published or even close to each other could be more of a challenge than designing a single enclosure that would work for both.

In any case, calculations have been made for a fair range of drivers, including one version of the AN 10" here:

The Metronome

[SteveBedard]

thanks for the reply --

I am not specifically tied to the AN drivers, they just seem to be a reasonable option. I'd like to be in the 8"-12" range for driver size, and my budget supports the AN price.

I was drawn to the Metronome, and it seems like a fun project. Can you suggest a driver i could consider beyond the Fostex?

[digits]

I once did a whole design for a giant set of 10" niravana metronomes... when I last had money, some years ago... I remember it being about as tall as a woman.

Still a dream to finish that project some day.

[SteveBedard]

Originally Posted by digits

I once did a whole design for a giant set of 10" niravana metronomes...

i'd love to take a look at those plans if you still have them...

[chrisb]

Originally Posted by SteveBedard

thanks for the reply --

I am not specifically tied to the AN drivers, they just seem to be a reasonable option. I'd like to be in the 8"-12" range for driver size, and my budget supports the AN price.

I was drawn to the Metronome, and it seems like a fun project. Can you suggest a driver i could consider beyond the Fostex?

To be honest, my personal experience during the past few years has been with smaller drivers, mostly 4-6" Fostex, and more recently, Mark Audio. You appear to want to avoid the Fostex, and none of the MA would meet your size prerequisite. So it's probably best to let others to make suggestions.

I would opine that due to the tapered design, and the driver's placement, a Metronome for an 8-12" model will be rather ungainly - perhaps a BIB might be worth considering, Still wouldn't be small, but might result in a more manageable foot-print. Unfortunately, I think that Jeff's excellent BIB site and calculator are currently offline.

[SteveBedard]

Originally Posted by chrisb

I would opine that due to the tapered design, and the driver's placement, a Metronome for an 8-12" model will be rather ungainly

...did i mention that i live alone...

but seriously, i understand these will be rather large. i don't mind the height and a reasonable size foot print. The one thing i don't want in my house is a big cube-type speaker...

[chrisb]

Originally Posted by SteveBedard

...did i mention that i live alone...

but seriously, i understand these will be rather large. i don't mind the height and a reasonable size foot print. The one thing i don't want in my house is a big cube-type speaker...

I must have missed the first part . I'm no expert but for a 12" driver, I'd imagine a very squat quaudratically tapered truncated pyramid (geeze - that almost sounds like I do think I know what I'm saying - not true ) - certainly not a rectilinear shape

[SteveBedard]

Maybe I should be asking another question:

What is the largest driver that anyone has experience with in the Metronome?

[jamikl]

While on the subject of metromes : In the larger units the speaker is quite high above the floor. Can the front panel be vertical, keeping everything else the same but making a tapered support at the bass. That is, deeper at the back than at the front. My circumstances are changing and I am having to revisit this type of speaker.
jamikl