To many box types to choose from? Help please.

[Mr Jeff 7]

The W6-789E is an interesting high sensitivity driver. Thanks for bringing it to light as I was unaware of something like this. The published response is remarkably smooth and this may be useful as a mid in a transient perfect B&O hole-filler 3-way.

I had a suspicion it might work in Decware DNA, re-sized to 10in internal width. I ran the sims and it looks good with a smooth roll-off in the low frequencies. Even after 5dB of baffle step loss, the output is a respectable 87dB with an f2 of 50Hz. Not too bad.

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/235457-decware-dna-horn.html

Your welcome for being this driver to light. Thanks for your help and I will look into the Declare DNA horn. Thanks again Jefg

 

[Mr Jeff 7]

You're welcome!

Then you can 'have your cake and eat it too' with a triangular shaped, tall floor monitor to raise the drivers up to seated ear height using 1/4 WL TL design except with a vent [aka MLTL] to get more bass and sound quality [SQ] referenced to a typical vented alignment [aka BR or reflex].

GM

So we're would I be gain to make this 1/4 WL T.L. design? Could you point me in the right direction? Sounds like a winner to me. Ear level floor standing monitor and its in a triangular shaped box. I am starting to like the sound of this speaker box design. Jeff

 

[GM]

Well, you can go here and read all about them if you like, but I don't recommend it unless you plan to either get seriously into DIY speaker design hobby and/or just like to read a lot about anything technical: Quarter Wavelength Loudspeaker Design

The super short version is when you take a typical BR and stretch it into a high aspect ratio column/tower alignment with the driver somewhere in the upper 3rd or 5th and the vent near/at the bottom, it's no longer a simple BR where the cab's internal air mass is considered to be a ~uniform particle density, i.e. a Helmholtz resonator, but a closed pipe 1/4 WL resonator that acoustically damps the vent [a 1/2 WL open pipe resonator]: Resonances of open air columns

Anyway, if no one beats me to it, I'd planned to post a design regardless as a much simpler build to the Deckware DNA.

So, what seated ear height do I design to?

GM

 

[xrk971]

He he, I threw out the DNA because it is so different than all the boxes that the OP is complaining that there are too many to choose from. Certainly a straight MLTL is worth considering. I never liked the balance of the bass output from a MLTL vs a BLH or a ML-TQWT though.

 

[EdKennedy]

So you said there are a lot of different types of ported boxes. ( ugh) now my brain might start to hurt?. Jeff

Well, Jeff,
We are up to;
Sealed
Small Bass Reflex
Large (Butterworth) Bass Reflex
DEcware DNA Horn
Triangular MLTL

What we cannot tell you is how the speakers will sound in your room. I recommend that you start making some test boxes out of cheap material to see how it sounds. This lets you try options like different box sizes, front port vs. back port, tuning frequency, etc. I have a decent workshop, so I use flakeboard with pine corner blocks. Small boxes can be made with foam core sheets.

 

[zman01]

I never liked the balance of the bass output from a MLTL vs a BLH or a ML-TQWT though.

X,

Interesting comment - if I am understanding correctly, you prefer the quality of bass output from a BLH or a ML-TQWT cabinet?

Which part of the MLTL bass doesn't seem right to you? Specially since you've designed a few TL cabs yourself.

This is a curious question to know your observations. No intention to start a bass wars fight among fans of each type...

 

[chrisb]

While the DNA horn is a great sounding little enclosure, for a first time builder it might be a stretch.

A simple MLTL -triangular as GM suggested earlier - along with tweeter of your choice might be a more prudent project.

As for MLTL vs BLH - I have built more than a few of each type, and each have their place. At the end of the day, I think the choice is a matter of which compromises of performance and domestic considerations work for the specific application.

With plenty of floor space, a rear mouth BLH / labyrinth such as the Decware, Horn Shoppe (for which no official DIY plans are available), the Buschhorn, Ron Clarke's A126, FrugalHorn FH3, FHXL, Woden Valiant/Maeshowe - to name a few that I've built /owned - can certainly deliver voluminous bass and soundstage. But with tight placement constraints, the same driver in a well tuned MLTL such as any by Bob Brines, Jim Griffin, Greg Montford, Scott Lindgren and others , can deliver more than adequate bass response

 

[xrk971]

X,

Interesting comment - if I am understanding correctly, you prefer the quality of bass output from a BLH or a ML-TQWT cabinet?

Which part of the MLTL bass doesn't seem right to you? Specially since you've designed a few TL cabs yourself.

This is a curious question to know your observations. No intention to start a bass wars fight among fans of each type...

A straight tube MLTL just never has the big rich bass I got from a ML-TQWT like the Karlsonator or a Cornu BLH. Maybe it has to do with the bass vent terminus CSA? On K'nator and Cornu, or even my tapered TL, the CSA is >> 30% of the Sd.

 

[Greg B]

The straight ML-TL is still my #1 choice if the desired outcome is a super accurate mastering monitor type speaker. This isn't necessarily a typical design goal for me when building speakers for full range drivers, but it could be with today's improved FR units.

There will be baffle loss that must be considered, as usual. Both the Karlsonator and back loaded horns have extra gain below the baffle step, therefore more perceived bass. ML TL does not.

The concept works better with a bigger driver...

As an aside, I do think ML-TL sound better with an unfashionably wide baffle, which can push the baffle step down to where room gain kicks in.

 

[Bob Brines]

A straight MLTL almost always need a BSC filter. Without a BSC filter, a MLTL will probably sound thin on the bass.

Bob