Best Sound

[JVA]

I don't know if this has ever been brought up, but it would be interesting to find out from long-term builders (i.e. planet 10 ect.) on what speaker stands out as the best overall sound they have built. It would be interesting to know what would be special about that certain speaker that seems to stand out from others.

JVA

[CeramicMan]

"Best" is a very subjective term isn't it? And it depends on what you want to achieve – there's no "one size fits all" policy. Speakers that are great for a computer speaker design are likely to be utter schite for PA apps.

[Cal Weldon]

Hi JVA,

Yes, it's been brought up as many times as the earth has rotated the sun.

It's a near impossible question to answer as each speaker sounds so different according to the environment. It's like asking what is the best vehicle ever built? It depends on what you are using it for.

EDIT: Ceramic man posted while I was typing.

[Zarathu]

Your question is just an invitation for someone to comment on what they think is the best possible speaker system, IF they ever built such a thing.

Email me privately and I'll tell you what I think, give you references for the design, and photos to look at.

Zarathu
tzarathu@epix.net

[JinMTVT]

ZARA : though you have all the rights,
i believe that discussing those things on this board brings much more knowledge to the community than doing it by email ..

just my 2 cents ( since u seem to openly invite everybody to email you .. )

[Cloth Ears]

I think what JVA is asking is:
Cloth Ears, what's the best speaker system you have built?
Planet10, what's the best speaker system you have built?
etc.

For me, the best part of a speaker system that I've built (so far) is a pair of sealed bass bins, based on Lambda PB12 drivers in a 32mm (1-1/4") MDF box, with 3/16" Tassie Oak veneer. When used with my other attempts at DIY I immediately went back to my references (Elac 510s) and am waiting until I can do better.

The transition is seemless, the bass is effortless, and they're still producing good sound when my test discs run out (at 20Hz). "Temple Caves" from Mickey Harts' Planet Drum is fleshed out for the first time and even acoustic guitar now sounds 'better'. I only use them from 120Hz down (actively X-ed), but I have tried them as high as 400Hz without loss of voice. I just hope I can keep up the trend...

[Zarathu]

Jin,

I have been told repeatedly that people are tired of hearing about my favorite speaker system, even including you.

If people want to talk with me about that more they can email me, or go the the thread called Zarathu's Line Array.

Zarathu

[Lsharptec1]

To All,

I have often said, "If any company made a PERFECT loudspeaker system, we would all own a pair, and all of the other speaker companies on Earth would no longer exist".

To me, the "BEST" loudspeakers, are the ones that "I" design and construct with my own two hands.

I'm sure that most of us feel the same way.

Larry

[JVA]

Cloth Ears has it right.

I keep hearing about different speaker systems made by the hobbiests but very seldom do I hear them talk about one particular build that seems to be their all time favorite. It would be interesting to hear comments on these bulids but I don't want to get heavily into the technical.

It would be interesting to hear the feeling of these builders when they do get the perfect speaker in his or her mind.

I myself have built many speakers over the years and I have finally built one the blows away any I have built before. It's a good feeling when you do it right, I spend a lot more time listening to music now. It has definitely slowed down my desire to build anything better. Isn't this what it is all about, to build that magic sound? To me it is.

JVA

[Zarathu]

The best speaker system is my current one:

7.8 foot line array designed to not cross in the most sensitive critical 300-3000hz human hearing range for intense real vocals, and everything else.

It has 17 3 inch midranges and 30 3/4 inch tweeters(with a c-to-c of .9 inches), and a 12 inch 15 mm Xmax woofer per channel. The system is operated using electronic crossovers with time delay between lines. Each of the lines, tweeter, mids, and bass, has its own amplifier, and total power is 1200 watts preventing nearly any possibility of clipping in any circumstance. Sensitivity of the woofers is 92, of mids is 96, of tweeters is 108; balance is not handled thru destructive padding but through amplifier control.

Each midrange has its own completely separate(three inch outside airspace) 23.5 inch tubular enclosure, and is stuffed with 4lb.cu ft fiberglass insulation.

Current bass boxes are only 2.5 cu ft, which only allows the woofer to go down flat to 39hz, but will be enlarged to 6-8.5 cu ft, to allow the woofer to go down to 17hz.

Crossovers are at 165 and 2600.

Zarathu
(Guilty as charged: in only wanting to talk about systems that can compare to mine, and not to little speakers)