Beginner here - what are the "best" full range designs in different price ranges?

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Pygmy

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Joined 2016
Beginner here - what are the "best" full range designs in different price ranges?

I've just built the Needle Deluxe's using 4" TB w4 1320sif drivers (thanks oaudio.de),
And I'm really fond of them.
So I'm wondering - if I want to step up, what are the good designs for several price ranges? (€200 per speaker, €300 per speaker and so on)

Since I'm a newbie I'm looking for plans that are complete - with cabinets, drivers and matched filters..

I'm sorry if this has been asked before but I can't see the forest through the trees, there's so much info to be browsed here...
 
C

chrisb

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Joined 2002
No "best", but lots of choices of compromises:D

It never hurts to start with a short list of questions- in no particular order:
- size of room ?
- available type(s) snd power of amp(s)?
- assuming no experience hearing single driver systems other than the TBs, what speakers have you owned/ heard in the past that most get your juices flowing?
- are there size/placement limitations - "wife acceptance" or any other factors that could limit enclosure design? Some very excellent performing FR systems aren't convenient little boxes easily stashed on desktop or bookshelves.
- as you've prefaced with "several price ranges" do you have a preference for the next level at which you'd like to embark on this journey? Your little TB system might well be considered a gateway drug to a world of depraved indulgences - oops, I mean the first of several more satsfying projects on your way to audio nirvana ;)
 
J

Jim Griffin

Member
Joined 2003
The Jordan Eikona would another full range speaker like the Needles that you use now. I posted earlier this year on a thread that includes a Eikona MLTL design that would be a step above your current speakers. See:

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/265994-jordan-eikona-2-designs.html

Another option is to consider the Mark Audio Alpair 10.3 drivers which may cost less money depending on your location. I have a MLTL design for that driver on this forum as well. See:

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/265066-mark-audio-alpair-10-3-mltl.html
 
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Pygmy

Member
Joined 2016
Thanks for the replies.
With regards to Chris's post, the room size is about 5x4.5 meter, currently I have a spare Onkyo TX sr702 amp lying around.
I don't really have extensive speaker listening experience besides my own old Dali 5005's and my dad's Piega P4XL mk2's...
all the other questions are open... :)
I'm just curious to see what other good "bang for the buck" tqwt designs exist besides the Needle :)
 
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C

chrisb

Member
Joined 2002
Never heard the Eikonas, but am a big fan of the Alpair10.3 - especially in either the FHXL, Pensils, or Bob Brines' M10-A10. Jim Griffins MLTL gets great reviews as well, but there are just too many interesting designs that only a crazy person would build them all.:rolleyes:
 
Z

zman01

Member
Joined 2011
chrisb said:
Never heard the Eikonas, but am a big fan of the Alpair10.3 - especially in either the FHXL, Pensils, or Bob Brines' M10-A10. Jim Griffins MLTL gets great reviews as well, but there are just too many interesting designs that only a crazy person would build them all.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Well, done 50% of the designs you've listed above, plus Scott's bass reflex... I guess it's ok to be a bit crazy... :D

Scottmoose said:
...don't get depressed Chris. I can always do a few more for you to try. :D
Click to expand...

He, he...
 
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Pygmy

Member
Joined 2016
Offtopic - I'm currently glueing my 2nd set of Needle Deluxe's, this time with leather baffle and slate stone sides... I intended to make them the most Deluxe version of the Needle ever built, tomorrow I'll know whether that succeeded or whether the glue came out on the outside and it's ruined :p

Here's a pic of the test-build that I did using MDF sides and leather baffle: http://i.imgur.com/GtBLJL0.jpg
My wife likes these so much she says she'd rather have these in the kitchen then the slate ones I'm building as these are white and bright and the slate ones "look like gravestones" :-/

If the slate Needles work out I might want to do the same trick with other designs. I just need to find more space to put speakers...
 
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Jeffrey 01

Jeffrey 01

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Joined 2016
It's good to hear your enjoying your self and building the needle boxes. I have yet to hear a pair? I have pretty much heard everythig under the sun in box design but a few here and there. I hope it was not suggested already. The fostex ff85wk drivers or the ff105wk driver's. My favorites are the planet 10 fostex ff85wk drivers. Cheers Jeff
 
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Pygmy

Member
Joined 2016
Jeffrey 01 said:
Wow. Breathe taking speakers. How does the tang band sound? So when can I put my order in for you to make a pair of speakers for my living room? Lol cheers Jeff
Click to expand...

Thanks for the nice comment, after all these hours spent that means a lot to me :)

The Tang Band sounds *really* good to me, I really didn't expect this sound quality of drivers this small.
It is a small full-range driver in the end though, so don't expect too much bass.
With acoustic / jazz / singer-songwriter music it sounds really good.
With music that's all over the spectrum it's less suited - playing techno music with lots of lows, mids and highs at the same time is just not its thing.
And they're pretty directional - if you're in the sweet spot they sound amazing, but there's definitely a difference between being in the zone and walking out of it.
 
Jeffrey 01

Jeffrey 01

Member
Joined 2016
Pygmy said:
Thanks for the nice comment, after all these hours spent that means a lot to me :)

The Tang Band sounds *really* good to me, I really didn't expect this sound quality of drivers this small.
It is a small full-range driver in the end though, so don't expect too much bass.
With acoustic / jazz / singer-songwriter music it sounds really good.
With music that's all over the spectrum it's less suited - playing techno music with lots of lows, mids and highs at the same time is just not its thing.
And they're pretty directional - if you're in the sweet spot they sound amazing, but there's definitely a difference between being in the zone and walking out of it.
Click to expand...

Ya no fullranger can do it all. Am glade your hard work paid off. Again that's for sharing. I have enjoy this topic and all your post. Jeff
 
Bigun

Bigun

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Joined 2009
diyaudio.com/community/threads/tgm8-an-amplifier-based-on-rod-elliot-p3a.245619/
Paid Member
Pygmy said:
- if I want to step up
Click to expand...
you've already got a really nice pair of speakers so I'd recommend first spending some serious time with what you have - maybe experiment with speaker placement, different types of music, maybe different amplifiers (you'll get a different sound from an amplifier with higher output impedance for example), different times of the day. Then think about what is it that you feel needs to be improved - only then will you get the proper advice on which speakers might be worth considering because there are so many choices. In reality, there *may* be better things to spend time and money on before changing your lovely speakers. If you really enjoy making speakers, consider a project to make something for a family member or good friend.

For low frequency augmentation I'd be tempted to look at the 'bucket sub' (no first hand experience with it myself but it's the kind of thing that gets my interest from time to time) http://www.transcendentsound.com/Subwoofer.html
 
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Pygmy

Member
Joined 2016
For now this is it, I don't think I could justify building a new set of speakers anytime soon to my wife :)

My next fun project will be building a preamp + amp using these boards:

https://www.yuan-jing.com/6n3-regulator-tube-pre-amplifier-a
https://www.yuan-jing.com/tpa3116-class-d-2-0-stereo-amplifier-board-50w-50w

I have half a mind to put them in a leather box with slate sides - I still have some material to spare :p

But somewhere in the back of my mind the idea of building another set of speakers exists - just don't tell my wife...
 
mikejennens

mikejennens

Member
Joined 2008
Pygmy said:
But somewhere in the back of my mind the idea of building another set of speakers exists - just don't tell my wife...
Click to expand...

That's the story for all of us. Insatiable speaker building lust. Don't fight it; it's inevitable once you build a pair you like. And don't ever believe it if you tell yourself, "OK, this is my last pair of speakers!" Ain't gonna happen! :)
Mike
 
P

Pygmy

Member
Joined 2016
mikejennens said:
That's the story for all of us. Insatiable speaker building lust. Don't fight it; it's inevitable once you build a pair you like. And don't ever believe it if you tell yourself, "OK, this is my last pair of speakers!" Ain't gonna happen! :)
Mike
Click to expand...

My problem was that I had the urge to build these speakers (and the MDF-and-leather test-speakers first) while we were doing a total renovation of our house - as in, only the outer walls, roof and the beams between the floors are currently the same as in July 2015, everything else in the house is new.
And somehow I managed to get away with building these without angering my wife, while there was no budget / time for any of this at all ofcourse.

I think it might be the greatest trick I ever pulled ;)

So I'd love to build bigger&better speakers, but my current Sneak-Project(™) is building a matching (leather&slate) amplifier with integrated Chromecast Audio using a 6N3 tube preamp and 2 mono TPA3116 boards.
Oh,
and I have to work on roof / floor / wall insulation, extra radiators in the kitchen, and various home-improvement stuff, there's that too I guess... ;)
 
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