Larger System Prebuild Insight

[nukaidee]

Hello all,

Since I've been on diyaudio I've built a pair of 3" glass speakers which I'm quite happy about. I think I want to try something bigger for my next project. So far it seems like most people are using kits from zaph, planet10 or linkswitz. I think I've narrowed it down to either the ZDT3.5 from Zaph
http://zaphaudio.com/ZDT3.5.html
or the pluto from linkswitz. Personally I think the one from Zaph is easier and will perform better? Does anyone have any insight / comments about that design? Also, I've heard issues about "surface moutning" drivers, does that mean I should use a router bit and flush mount them instead?

Thanks!

[DcibeL]

Flush mounting Tweeters has acoustic benefits, see here. Flush mounting a woofer is mostly cosmetic preference.

[nukaidee]

yep, I read that link. Just making sure the opposite of surface mounting is flush mounting. how far down do I have to mount it or is "flush" okay?

[DcibeL]

Flush is okay. Unless the crossover frequency is very high, the small difference in driver location is negligible.

[nukaidee]

I've been reading up on 3.5 way systems. Apparently they're not so good for vocals? Maybe I need to reconsider the design? or is the difference another audiophile negligible difference?

[Moondog55]

I've been reading up on 3.5 way systems. Apparently they're not so good for vocals?

Any 3.5 way that I have built is to add extra bass, as far as I am concerned vocals are determined more by your selection of midrange driver and making the midrange pass-band as wide as possible crossing as low as possible.

If adding a .5 driver in a 3-way system it is only ever been a first order low pass below 120Hz ( I'd go lower but that is a readily available inductor value)

I guess it is less common these days with better drivers around but used to be seen in many Japanese speakers, and sharing common box volumes too.