Hey all, as title says, I'm looking for best box for these drivers.
I'm really interested in the Planet 10 hifi Golden Ration design but not sure how well the 7p works in it compared to 7.3 and also looking for measurements.
7p looks to measure better but curious if the 7.3 has better midbass
I'm really interested in the Planet 10 hifi Golden Ration design but not sure how well the 7p works in it compared to 7.3 and also looking for measurements.
7p looks to measure better but curious if the 7.3 has better midbass
Not sure about in box sound, but I believe the paper is stiffer, and so oddly has a harsher more 'metallic' sound, they say slightly vintage. The metal cone has a more 'natural' and softer sound.
Here is my collection of MA plans. https://www.dropbox.com/s/0pezw3woj478q92/Mark Audio Plans (timbre).zip?dl=0
I really love the little ported box (about 11L) and also I have found they sound amazing in the little sealed cabinets, designed originally for the Pluvia 7 from the Madisound page.
We have a pair of the golds playing in our office in one of Dave's designs, and it does sound very nice, but a lot harder to make that a simple sealed box...
Here is my collection of MA plans. https://www.dropbox.com/s/0pezw3woj478q92/Mark Audio Plans (timbre).zip?dl=0
I really love the little ported box (about 11L) and also I have found they sound amazing in the little sealed cabinets, designed originally for the Pluvia 7 from the Madisound page.
We have a pair of the golds playing in our office in one of Dave's designs, and it does sound very nice, but a lot harder to make that a simple sealed box...
Or as Dave said go big FH3! I have only heard the 10's and 5's in this horn set up and they both sounded amazing, but the lower trade off does come with a much larger cabinet. We did a demo of A5 FH. A7 Sealed. A10p FH. x2A10 ported tower.
The A7's were mine and my favourite, best balance, the A10p's had the best bass response but lacked a little sparkle at the top end.
The A7's were mine and my favourite, best balance, the A10p's had the best bass response but lacked a little sparkle at the top end.
now i am interested in these... the FH3 looks easier to build then the Micro Tower MLTL....
do you have the plans I can take a gander at?
do you have the plans I can take a gander at?
plans for FH3 - http://www.frugel-horn.com/downloads/frugel-hornMk3-1v0-060518.pdf
Having built more than a few pairs of enclosures of all sizes for the A7.3, I'd also suggest the Pensil. Lacking the curved side panels and 5dg angles on the fronts, top/bottom and rear panels of the FH3 the Pensil is arguably a much easier build if you forego the elaborate interlocking holey braces shown in some examples, and delivers pretty decent performance.
While I've thought about it a few times, I've not gotten around to microtowers with A7.3s, but that'd be an interesting project.
I concur with Dave's opinion of the A7P vs A7.3. The P(luvia)7, on the other hand is quite a nice sounding driver as well, but perhaps lacking lower level detail resolution compared to the Alpair.
We're in the enviable position of suffering from choice of too many drivers, and not enough time.
Having built more than a few pairs of enclosures of all sizes for the A7.3, I'd also suggest the Pensil. Lacking the curved side panels and 5dg angles on the fronts, top/bottom and rear panels of the FH3 the Pensil is arguably a much easier build if you forego the elaborate interlocking holey braces shown in some examples, and delivers pretty decent performance.
While I've thought about it a few times, I've not gotten around to microtowers with A7.3s, but that'd be an interesting project.
I concur with Dave's opinion of the A7P vs A7.3. The P(luvia)7, on the other hand is quite a nice sounding driver as well, but perhaps lacking lower level detail resolution compared to the Alpair.
We're in the enviable position of suffering from choice of too many drivers, and not enough time.
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I say, what is the Pensil? I do not see that referenced as to the FH3. You recommend the Pensil design over all others for the Allpair 7p?
Sorry guys, I should have been more clear. I need something small. House is 900sqft and family room is small.
My goal is to have a system that can be good for music and movies at modest levels with a subwoofer. I have two small children so we won't be listening to anything loud for a long time. Plus I'm big on soundstage which is why I wanted to go the fullrange driver route.
My goal is to have a system that can be good for music and movies at modest levels with a subwoofer. I have two small children so we won't be listening to anything loud for a long time. Plus I'm big on soundstage which is why I wanted to go the fullrange driver route.
It is worth noting that while the A7p (or 2) will work in a half-microTower, or a full “dipole” version, the goal of the project was to meet the size set by the original EPI microTower of the 1970s and as such is a compromised ML-TL, a bit small and end loaded. The Pensil is an example of a non-compromized ML-TL.
http://frugal-phile.com/boxlib/pensils/Pensil7p-plan-100914.pdf
(Note: althou the plan has been available for 3.5 years i have only now put a link of frugal-phile.com).
For a smaller box as the OP wants, there should be a free Classic Golden Ratio box but i see that i have yet to draw it. It will be the same as the A7.3 box but with slighly different tuning. For the A7p there is also the possibility of a larger CGR (similar to A10x/EL70) but these have also not been designed/drawn.
The paid planset includes all of these in various thicknesses (often not drawn until requested) and go as small as the millSize mMar-Ken7p (4.7 litre). A planset subscription also entitles the subscriber to a custom version if needed (which could be anywhere between 4.7 and 13 litre). A7p versions are still a bit thin as of now (so many boxes so little time).
I am of course quite biased towards the miniOnkens, as i like a tight, finessed bass, and these designs are all aimed at avoiding the common issues heard in far to many bass reflexes that use a simple tubular duct. The high aspect ratio, hi-resistance vent, and the alignments that optimize for the extra R accomplish this (at least so far across many, many versions with many drivers). The downside is that they only go as low as they go. Size is often smaller than “typical” reflex boxes.
dave
Pensil - http://frugal-phile.com/boxlib/pensils/Pensil-Series-set-100711.pdf
To be clear, there are two separate factors in play here:
- I prefer the A7.3 metal or Pluvia70 over the A7P,
- While with any given driver in the three size ranges in which I've heard them play, I've found the Frugel horns to deliver the overall most satisfying performance when compared to other enclosures - but they are not the simplest of builds, and all three have placement / floor space requirements that can be onerous for some folks.
The absolute best enclosures in which I've heard the A7.3 is as the midrange/tweeter in a large MTM with dual A12PW. They are operating from approx 250Hz IIRC,, and are in a highly tapered TL sub-enclosure.
mates, i don´t know if it is Champs league game today and the mountain of quid i have wagered...
...but i find myself confused. buyer's remorse before i have bought the first screw, cut the first panel.
i was all sold on the Castle-EPI style MLTL box with the Alpair7p...
now I am leaning towards the FH3 with the Alpair 7.3
I want a rock tower... hence the paper cone in the 7p
if the Pensil is a better speaker than the Micro-Tower... I will go with the Pensil
unless the FH3 is just that much better...
please advise. my audio karma depends on it.
...but i find myself confused. buyer's remorse before i have bought the first screw, cut the first panel.
i was all sold on the Castle-EPI style MLTL box with the Alpair7p...
now I am leaning towards the FH3 with the Alpair 7.3
I want a rock tower... hence the paper cone in the 7p
if the Pensil is a better speaker than the Micro-Tower... I will go with the Pensil
unless the FH3 is just that much better...
please advise. my audio karma depends on it.
I would opine that the FH3 is better than the Pensil, but we are talking degrees. The difficualy with the FH3 (besides the curve, which isn’t that difficualt) are all the angle cuts. With the Pensil it is the optional (but mandatory IMO) holey brace which can take more time than the entire rest of the cabinet.
The A7p is not a bad driver, but it has some high frequency issues that take a lot of time (1000+ hrs?) to mostly disappear and that conclusion is compounded by the fact that those drivers were also EnABLed which in itself helped with the issue. Most of those that have them love them.
If one is worried about the damping in the front of the FH3 falling to the bottom all sorts of things have been done to eliminate the possibility. All of the same nature of putting straps or netting at the point below which you don’t want the damping to go. The truth of the matter is that is properly teased (not an easy job) friction will hold it in place and you can also enhance the friction by applying some of the loop side of stick on velcro strips to the inside walls of the cabinet.
dave
The A7p is not a bad driver, but it has some high frequency issues that take a lot of time (1000+ hrs?) to mostly disappear and that conclusion is compounded by the fact that those drivers were also EnABLed which in itself helped with the issue. Most of those that have them love them.
If one is worried about the damping in the front of the FH3 falling to the bottom all sorts of things have been done to eliminate the possibility. All of the same nature of putting straps or netting at the point below which you don’t want the damping to go. The truth of the matter is that is properly teased (not an easy job) friction will hold it in place and you can also enhance the friction by applying some of the loop side of stick on velcro strips to the inside walls of the cabinet.
dave
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