Thought some of you might be interested in some point source horns that I've been building - two of them so far, S1 and S2. Both prototypes, before I build one that I will actually paint and install flush in some corner bass traps.
You can read about the whole thing on my blog:
http://redspade-audio.blogspot.com.au/2011/03/diy-synergy-horn.html
S1, my first prototype:
This is a 60 x 60 degree horn, it has a B&C DE250 compression driver at the throat and four 5" closed back mids loading the same horn, at the mouth it's half a metre wide. I use DCX for the crossover then it crosses to an Eminence Magnum 18LF 18" woofer with Rythmik subs below. S1 was my first attempt, when I wasn't entirely sure my hornresp sim would work, so I kept it simple.
It measures very nicely!
You can see it controls directivity down to about 500 Hz. It took some time to adjust to the different sound. It's very clear and detailed, clean at very high levels, very dynamic. The narrower dispersion seems to be part of the clarity, being a bit more dry and free from room sound. Ideal for a really bright difficult room.
S2, was the next step, about twice the size - now 1m wide, 45 x 90 degree dispersion with 6 drivers (much harder to mount) and a second flare angle, which prevents beaming. Here it is on my polar measurement rig:
And it measures even better than S1:
At this point the main question in my mind is "what's next?" The final horn will probably get made out of ply and be spray painted glossy red, set flush into a big corner bass trap. But before that, I just might build some more ...
You can read about the whole thing on my blog:
http://redspade-audio.blogspot.com.au/2011/03/diy-synergy-horn.html
S1, my first prototype:
This is a 60 x 60 degree horn, it has a B&C DE250 compression driver at the throat and four 5" closed back mids loading the same horn, at the mouth it's half a metre wide. I use DCX for the crossover then it crosses to an Eminence Magnum 18LF 18" woofer with Rythmik subs below. S1 was my first attempt, when I wasn't entirely sure my hornresp sim would work, so I kept it simple.
It measures very nicely!
You can see it controls directivity down to about 500 Hz. It took some time to adjust to the different sound. It's very clear and detailed, clean at very high levels, very dynamic. The narrower dispersion seems to be part of the clarity, being a bit more dry and free from room sound. Ideal for a really bright difficult room.
S2, was the next step, about twice the size - now 1m wide, 45 x 90 degree dispersion with 6 drivers (much harder to mount) and a second flare angle, which prevents beaming. Here it is on my polar measurement rig:
And it measures even better than S1:
At this point the main question in my mind is "what's next?" The final horn will probably get made out of ply and be spray painted glossy red, set flush into a big corner bass trap. But before that, I just might build some more ...
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Thought some of you might be interested in some Synergy horns that I've been building - two of them so far, S1 and S2. Both prototypes, before I build one that I will actually paint and install flush in some corner bass traps.
You can read about the whole thing on my blog:
Red Spade Audio: DIY Synergy horn
S1, my first prototype:
This is a 60 x 60 degree horn, it has a B&C DE250 compression driver at the throat and four 5" closed back mids loading the same horn, at the mouth it's half a metre wide. I use DCX for the crossover then it crosses to an Eminence Magnum 18LF 18" woofer with Rythmik subs below. S1 was my first attempt, when I wasn't entirely sure my hornresp sim would work, so I kept it simple.
It measures very nicely!
You can see it controls directivity down to about 500 Hz. It took some time to adjust to the different sound. It's very clear and detailed, clean at very high levels, very dynamic. The narrower dispersion seems to be part of the clarity, being a bit more dry and free from room sound. Ideal for a really bright difficult room.
S2, was the next step, about twice the size - now 1m wide, 45 x 90 degree dispersion with 6 drivers (much harder to mount) and a second flare angle, which prevents beaming. Here it is on my polar measurement rig:
And it measures even better than S1:
At this point the main question in my mind is "what's next?" The final horn will probably get made out of ply and be spray painted glossy red, set flush into a big corner bass trap. But before that, I just might build some more ...
The 90 degree look killer.
What did you do for the XO on those?
Paul: sure looks fine. Question was your decission to use six mid drivers to make up for the silghtly lower output of the pyle mid drivers when compared to the drivers William Cowan used? If so do you feel the added complexity of mounting was worth it? Do you think the extra money for drivers would be a better option given the added work to mount six drivers? Curious to see how you feel after actually doing the work. Were there other considerations which lead to six Vs four mid drivers?. Thanks for the thread would be nice to hear them. Come for a ski trip to Banff this winter and bring them along you can sleep on the couch. Best regards Moray James.
The darkest red zone (0 dB) isn't onaxis, but more like at 30 degrees. That seems a bit weird. Do you also have frequency response measurements? I prefer to look at both the sonogram and the ordinary amplitude plots.
Anyway, the plot looks really nice, with pretty good directivity down to the even 300 hz - better than I've been able to achieve with my woofer with damped rear-wave (see sig.). For your reference:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
EDIT: I'm sorry the images are so large. I don't know how to make them smaller.
I believe it are these midranges.
Pyle Pro PDMR5 5" Sealed Back Midrange 292-200
And this 1" horn driver.
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=294-605
Pyle Pro PDMR5 5" Sealed Back Midrange 292-200
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
And this 1" horn driver.
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=294-605
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It looks like you're moving the the diffraction edge closer to the mouth. Do they sound like diffraction horn?
What, no foam!?!
Seriously though kickass build. Sooner or later i'm gonna have to copy you copying Tom Danley
Yep it's quite a bit of foam it would take. I do plan to fill about 1/3 to half, but to my ears this sounds better than other waveguides before foam.
The 6 drivers was based on the simulation, to keep the extension in a wider horn. Had I gone with 4 drivers I would not have had the extension, and I feel the lower the better in terms of woofer integration. These drivers are so cheap there's not much to think about. It would be easier with 4" drivers though, the mounting is difficult. For a budget build though, with easy to get drivers, worth it.
The darkest red zone (0 dB) isn't onaxis, but more like at 30 degrees. That seems a bit weird. Do you also have frequency response measurements? I prefer to look at both the sonogram and the ordinary amplitude plots.
Anyway, the plot looks really nice, with pretty good directivity down to the even 300 hz - better than I've been able to achieve with my woofer with damped rear-wave (see sig.). For your reference:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
EDIT: I'm sorry the images are so large. I don't know how to make them smaller.
Is that a cardioid woofer?
Measurements. The idea was that Andi was going to come and show me how he drivers Arta, I've never got around to learning it. Well it was a hot day and I was the one rotating the speakers, we had a lot happening and I watched Andi zoom around the thing like I do with familiar stuff and thought "this isn't going to happen today." Now I can't open the files because I only have a trial version. So I just have a few sonograms he created after.
Helmuth, right about the drivers, that is on the blog.
The closest thing is a good waveguide speaker. The second flare is quite smooth in the transition and the final one will be mounted flush, that will be about as good as it gets.
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