which Mark Audio driver for future project, And WHY?

[mondogenerator]

Right ...I cant seem to stop speaker shopping!

I am looking at Mark Audio drivers, even though my current project is still under construction. I like the look of these drivers and even though i am unlikely to make a FR design, I figure the majority of users will be here, and hence the opinions i am seeking, here also.

I am looking at the Alpair 6 or 10 for Either FAST project OR a 2way 'convential' speaker, but using 1st order slopes, Wide band operation of drivers etc.

Looking at the FR graphs i like the look of the Alpair 6 for FR design, but then im unsure if the Alpair12 has the guts to fill in below for a FAST design....maybe Alpair 10 would be better as a wideband 2 way project/FAST design? decisions decisions.. can i even get them shipped to me in the UK and what are the prices like?

OPinions anyone?

[tresch]

Hi!

I've fairly recently completed a somewhat similar project, with maybe slightly different design goals.

I've summarized it here: Introducing: "Thesis"

These are closer to a 2-way speaker. I'm using the Alpair5 as a "mid-tweet" and crossing over 2nd order in the 800-1000hz range. This alleviates the primary issue with the Dayton DA175 midwoofers, which is a fairly nasty breakup in th 1.5-2khz range due to the aluminum cone. Other than that (if you have room for a large enclosure) those woofers sound so, so nice, and the price is great! Harmonic distortion with 2 of them in series is very low, noticeably cleaner than my roommate's pair of B&W 602s.

The Alpair5 plays down below 200hz, and has a beautiful midrange. Vocals and voices REALLY stand out on these. Furthermore, they're a small enough driver that the off-axis response issues are fairly well up in the subtle outer edges of human hearing, so they have very little "beaming" effect.

I haven't heard the Alpair6, but I have built a test speaker with the Alpair10, and I can contest that it plays low and clean. Certain frequency ranges in the speaker are outstanding.. again, vocals here are dynamite! I'm not 100% sold on them yet, as it seems like there's a bit missing somewhere, I'm guessing due to the cone-breakup issues... but the listening was certainly done in a not-very-optimal enclosure, so I've much more testing to do!

[planet10]

The mark audio have really grabbed a lot of interest. it is not often when a manufacturer asks, listens, and actually takes what we have to say to heart.

Next MA projects are to EnABL Alpair 6, and to do enclosures for the incoming A7 (deciSize miniOnken designed) & A12 (harder nut to crack). Also to verify that the new CHR works in the already done boxes.

dave

[mondogenerator]

are Mark Audio drivers available in the UK? Anyone know?

[planet10]

I know people in the UK have Mark Audio drivers.

You can order from Germany (blue planet, spectrum), Hong Kong (mark), Canada (Bob at CSS), and from Denmark soon. I'm sure i missed some.

And EnABLed versions from me

dave

[mondogenerator]

aftr looking at the jordan site(i can get these for defo in UK) i see a passing resemblance to MA drivers.....and they seem to be claiming to provide drivers for some of the MA pre built systems... what differnces are there between the drivers if any?

[mondogenerator]

here are some links:

Alpair 10(im sure you know where they are anyway)

Alpair 10 Full Range | Markaudio

and my visatonal130:

Visaton - Lautsprecher und Zubehör, Loudspeakers and Accessories

Clearly if one complares the FR graphs then the MA driver wins hands down for HF extension, i suspect the coil wind and length and gauge all contribute to this. The response is flat to within about 2dB, except that bump at 200Hz which probably wouldnt be an issue anyway. but the 'ultra light' cone isnt all that light. i like the polymer chassis, i have some audax ap130zo here and i have had them for donkeys years, clean basket no sounds of its own and an even lighter cone...think less than 6g so 60% that of the Alpair.

dividing Sd/mms gives about 0.13g/cm²

overall performance would be nice though i think.

My visaton al130 have the characteristic peak of an Al cone, and VC designed for woofer duty not FR, however Sd/Mms yields a better 0.11g/cm², though BL is a little lower.

Knowing this, I think i would be happy with the visatons, and that i can be assured that the alpair 10 would offer similar performance overall in a FR application, though maybe a FAST design, or 2 way would be a pointless exercise, as the performance gains over my current audition system would be argueable.

This does make me wonder what visaton could do with the lil 130mm ally cone driver should they apply some FR VC winding to the format! moreso, why didnt Audax do a FR version of the HDA series 130mm driver? sacriledge!

[planet10]

Originally Posted by mondogenerator

aftr looking at the jordan site i see a passing resemblance to MA drivers.....

Mark Fenlon spent a long time working with Ted Jordan, helping with tooling, manufacture & design.

Since stepping out on his own, he has taken what he learned and added a lot of innovative advancements.

dave

[mondogenerator]

well that makes sense, the MA drivers seem much more akin to any need i may have(should i build FR one day), than the jordan/bandor drivers. These always had High Vas, high Qts, low Fs, low sensitivity; as i recall. I guess thats good for a closed box design, but i found them difficult to design for, AND meet my design critieria. MA are more akin to normal 'hi end' drivers in that respect, and IMO, and hence easier to design for...now if only they can produce a 130mm driver with Mms of less than 7g like the Audax AP130ZO and maybe similar TS parameters. I know that maybe they werent the best driver in the world, i think the HDA caused as many problems as it solved, and the motor wasnt 'hi-end', but they were fairly high-end SQ,easy to design for, and dirt cheap..the polymer chassis certainly made a bit difference over the older HM series pressed steel ones. The resolution blew the supposedly higher end paper cone 5" away, and the 55-60Hz Fs was managable, bass wasnt a problem despite the 2.5mm xmax. pity they stopped making/developing speakers for the DIY folks.

food for thought Mark

my perfect 5" driver:

Fs = 50Hz(ish)
Qts = 0.35-0.45
vas = 10-15 litres
Mms = sub 6g
Xmax = 3mm+/-
Sens = 86-90dB/watt
wide range/FR
flat response or easily filtered to correct response

thats it...as if it wasnt too demanding

[Geek]

Likely a CHR70eN for me.

I'd like to pair them with an 8" Silver Flute woofer and see what happens

Cheers!