Hi everyone,
I have a random idea for a cheapo line array. Please keep in mind I'm in australia and there arent many choices for drivers, and freighting them to australia is usually quite expensive.
I'm thinking of buying a bunch of Logitech x-530 speaker systems(you can buy them cheap second hand) and using the 2" drivers in them to make a line array(maybe 30-40 a side) and using the corresponding woofers from the subs as midbass woofers spaced up the side of the full range divers(3-4 a side)
It's just a project idea at the moment, thoughts? The will be driven actively using a normal stereo amp(100w /channel) and maybe a small t-amp etc for the top end. I can pick the sets up for less than $50 au a set meaning the full range drivers equate to less than $5 ea, and i get free 5" drivers. Theres very little available here in that price range, best I can find are 'gento' 2" drivers on ebay. I'd like to stick to small drivers, and space them edge to edge rather than 4" etc and need a tweeter. i can eq if necessary.
Thanks!
I have a random idea for a cheapo line array. Please keep in mind I'm in australia and there arent many choices for drivers, and freighting them to australia is usually quite expensive.
I'm thinking of buying a bunch of Logitech x-530 speaker systems(you can buy them cheap second hand) and using the 2" drivers in them to make a line array(maybe 30-40 a side) and using the corresponding woofers from the subs as midbass woofers spaced up the side of the full range divers(3-4 a side)
It's just a project idea at the moment, thoughts? The will be driven actively using a normal stereo amp(100w /channel) and maybe a small t-amp etc for the top end. I can pick the sets up for less than $50 au a set meaning the full range drivers equate to less than $5 ea, and i get free 5" drivers. Theres very little available here in that price range, best I can find are 'gento' 2" drivers on ebay. I'd like to stick to small drivers, and space them edge to edge rather than 4" etc and need a tweeter. i can eq if necessary.
Thanks!
Well I went out and grabbed a couple of sets to do a quick test.
Only real issue I see is driver mounting, just have to find the perfect hole saw size and I will either have to rear mount, or get creative behind the driver with chamfering to allow the driver to breathe. The sound of the little 2" is pretty good when driven by a proper amp, logitechs cheap amp isn't great, and the little plastic satellite boxes don't help.
Also surprisingly, the 5" sub driver looks as though it may be quite ok too. So there is promise in this idea! I'll have to get a couple more sets and start stripping them down. I will also begin construction soon and just fill the 2" holes as I find sets! From what I've bought, each driver is around $3!
Only real issue I see is driver mounting, just have to find the perfect hole saw size and I will either have to rear mount, or get creative behind the driver with chamfering to allow the driver to breathe. The sound of the little 2" is pretty good when driven by a proper amp, logitechs cheap amp isn't great, and the little plastic satellite boxes don't help.
Also surprisingly, the 5" sub driver looks as though it may be quite ok too. So there is promise in this idea! I'll have to get a couple more sets and start stripping them down. I will also begin construction soon and just fill the 2" holes as I find sets! From what I've bought, each driver is around $3!
I'll probably just go active 300hz to start and go from there?
Also as i have had good preliminary results, i have ordered 2 laser cut steel baffles from a supplier at work to mount them into, this steel baffle will be gloss black, drivers rear mounted, with stained hardwood side panels with a slot routered into them for the baffle to mount into. The hardwood sides will 'clamp' onto the steel baffle
I'll use threaded bolts with chrome cap-nuts and nuts to hold it together/apart. It will be essentially open baffle and I'm thinking stereo dipole bass?
Also as i have had good preliminary results, i have ordered 2 laser cut steel baffles from a supplier at work to mount them into, this steel baffle will be gloss black, drivers rear mounted, with stained hardwood side panels with a slot routered into them for the baffle to mount into. The hardwood sides will 'clamp' onto the steel baffle
I'll use threaded bolts with chrome cap-nuts and nuts to hold it together/apart. It will be essentially open baffle and I'm thinking stereo dipole bass?
I'm going to use a different woofer now, those little 2" drivers can almost definately over power the 5" on a 10:1 ratio. I've settled on a 36 driver array, 50mm drivers are spaced 55mm centres and total speaker height 2200mm. It will be close to my ceiling! There will be a larger enclosure at the bottom, probably with a large number of small woofers front firing next to the main array. Will figure out what to.use soon. I also keep finding the Logitech dual driver speakers cheap without the subs so yeah, ill use something else!
I do have some 96db 200wrms p-audio drivers... Hmm
I want the 36 silver cones to be prominent, and the bass drivers to be kind of hidden, so exposed 2" cones, but the bass section all behind black cloth etc. I may have to fill a section at the bottom with sand etc as it will need stability!
I do have some 96db 200wrms p-audio drivers... Hmm
I want the 36 silver cones to be prominent, and the bass drivers to be kind of hidden, so exposed 2" cones, but the bass section all behind black cloth etc. I may have to fill a section at the bottom with sand etc as it will need stability!
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I noticed that the 2" drivers seem to have a decent amount of excursion capability.
With 36 of them, you'd probably have enough volume displacement to just eq the bass down to, say, 80Hz, and cross to a proper subwoofer.
I'd try to buy up some of the X-230 systems - 4x2" drivers, plus the same woofer.
Might come in handy in getting more of those woofers together, but I'd expect 4 per side to be impressive.
With 36 of them, you'd probably have enough volume displacement to just eq the bass down to, say, 80Hz, and cross to a proper subwoofer.
I'd try to buy up some of the X-230 systems - 4x2" drivers, plus the same woofer.
Might come in handy in getting more of those woofers together, but I'd expect 4 per side to be impressive.
I've got 4 weeks to collect drivers before my cnc steel baffles are done.
Yeah I had one of the little drivers sitting on the tv cabinet crossed at 80hz to an Aaron sub120 dual 8" dub and even that sounds ok. I suspect qts is a bit high though so open baffle for the mids sounds like how I might proceed. I'm hoping the floor to ceiling array (about 100mm from floor to ceiling gaps) will give me a true array experience.
It's possible even 4 5" drivers a side MAY be plenty, but 8 6" might be better hahaha! I want huge dynamics and 'size' so I might just go straight for overkill first
However I will do experiments with the 5" to see if 4 will give me the output I want. Reason being they come free and this is a budget project, trying to keep costs down! The cnc baffles will cost $75 au each but compared to drilling 72 holes accurately, its worth it!
Yeah I had one of the little drivers sitting on the tv cabinet crossed at 80hz to an Aaron sub120 dual 8" dub and even that sounds ok. I suspect qts is a bit high though so open baffle for the mids sounds like how I might proceed. I'm hoping the floor to ceiling array (about 100mm from floor to ceiling gaps) will give me a true array experience.
It's possible even 4 5" drivers a side MAY be plenty, but 8 6" might be better hahaha! I want huge dynamics and 'size' so I might just go straight for overkill first
However I will do experiments with the 5" to see if 4 will give me the output I want. Reason being they come free and this is a budget project, trying to keep costs down! The cnc baffles will cost $75 au each but compared to drilling 72 holes accurately, its worth it!
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I have just over half of the 72 drivers I'm going to need. Why didn't anyone tell me it was so much work to strip so many computer speakers!
I have come up with some great ideas for the design, but ill keep them to myself until the baffles have been machined
Wow, 144 terminals to solder, plus woofers! Phew!
I have come up with some great ideas for the design, but ill keep them to myself until the baffles have been machined
Wow, 144 terminals to solder, plus woofers! Phew!
I have taken the 2 in drivers from the Logitech S-120's - they look similar to Visaton FRS5's. I am using them in a spiral back loaded horn and they sound great - even being driven by the stock cheapo amp in the speaker box. See the foamcore thread post number 577 (http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/223313-foam-core-board-speaker-enclosures-58.html) - I have a picture of the driver mounted on a 14 x 14 in Cornu spiral. For $8 (for two) speakers with amp, this was total bargain for how good it sounds in this cabinet. It is cheaper to buy Logitech S120's and cannibalize than to buy FRS5 drivers a la carte.
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