can a Cornu rescue the CHN-70?

[Bigun]

I have never been quite happy enough with my CHN-70 driver. In short, it has an elevated response in the Presence region that makes it fatiguing to my ears. Bass response isn't anything to write Grandma about either. http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/280669-improving-chn-70-a.html

It's been collecting dust and I don't feel like investing the time and $ into this. But I was wondering if a Cornu spiral horn could be a solution. http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full...k-building-cornu-spiral-horn-now-you-can.html

If it could be designed to boost the mid-bass (up to 600Hz ?) so that the overall frequency response is flatter from bass through to lower treble, where it will roll-off some, the sound might become quite reasonable.

But I don't know if this is possible or how to design a Cornu to do this...

 

[xrk971]

The CHN70 makes a super mini-Karlsonator. The enhanced presence region is flattened by the K-aperture and all is good. This is my main office listening speaker during the day. Powered with a Pass ACA deadbug amp.

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/280669-improving-chn-70-a-5.html

Polars at 0, 15deg, 45deg, 60deg, black is RS 40-1197:

Amp:

But your question of if Cornu can save it? Cornu will not modify the presence region as it is open face speaker. It will give deeper fuller mid bass and bass. Just install in standard Cornu of 28in x 4in deep and it should work well.

 

[chrisb]

I run two pairs of the CHN70s in a 10dg slanted top Castle Microtower, for background and all of the listening is well off axis. I don't find them objectionable at all, but then my hearing has beefen hooked, as Cal might say

 

[Bigun]

The trouble with the K design is that I've never been able to see it as an attractive speaker, it just looks odd to me

I was thinking that I could get the speaker to be subjectively flat by raising up the bass - see attached - of course the treble will then be relatively rolled off.

 

[freddi]

put a grille cloth on the aperture. below is what the Karlson looked like in 1952 (mine are blonde Formica) - the Karlsonator tends to have a higher aspect than the original Karlson. I rank Karlson tech including the K-tube very high and have owned Tympani 1D, large Acoustat, Klipschorn. VMPS, etc. The original must have appropriate drivers (which were plenty in their days of the 1950's and 1960's). My next pair of speakers will probably be K12 unless I can come up with a great K10 different than the two sizes built already.

A K12 with Pyle pym1298 (Eminence built and ~ same as Kappa12A) has more "grab" than my Klipschorns. Of course a K-tube on top has much different directivity than Klipsch's rather tine K400 midhorn. I would suggest that K-tube users who mount them on top of the enclosure make use a baffle at the plane of the compression driver's exit to strengthen the low end and transition to midbass/bass K-coupler. Cardboard is suitable to examine the effect of the baffle before making permanent.

finding a nice looking grille cloth which is acoustically transparent is something which I really don't have advice

Greg B's little Mark Audio Karlsonator

 

[freddi]

you could make the wings a different color/stain than the rest of the enclosure

 

[xrk971]

The trouble with the K design is that I've never been able to see it as an attractive speaker, it just looks odd to me

I was thinking that I could get the speaker to be subjectively flat by raising up the bass - see attached - of course the treble will then be relatively rolled off.

Cover entire front rectangular aperture board with grille cloth and no one will be the wiser for knowing a K sits behind there. It really does sound good if you give it a chance. The mini Karlsonator is a great sounding speaker - one of the best DIY on a budget one can make. Very rich and full bodied sound with great wide dispersion. I tried to count how many successful builds on the mini Karlsonator thread and lost count. Probably at least 50 happy builders around the world. The thread has almost 300k views that lsst time I checked.

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/239338-mini-karlsonator-0-53x-dual-tc9fds.html

Anyhow, you asked for a way to save those CHN's and make them listenable - this is a very good option that should not be discounted.

But full disclosure regarding the mini Karlsonator - I have received only one singular feedback that the builder did not like the sound of his mini-Karlsonator.