Decent 3-way floor standers

[mcmeat51]

Im looking at making a set of 3 way floor standing speakers for music and movie watching. I am by no means an 'audiophile' but can appreciate good sounding equipment.

I'm an engineer and Ive made a few loud speakers before.

My idea is to use 8" PVC soil pipe with a wooden baffle cut into one side for the tweeter and mid. This may extend the whole length of the floorstanding speaker, or I just the top foot or so and with a down firing sub at the bottom end.

My first question is what would be a good drive to use for the down-firing subs (i.e. 6-1/2 woofer) I was looking at the Tand Band W6-1139SIF. the internal volume of the cabinet for the sub probably needs to be limited to about 26 litres.

Any help would be gratefully received. Ill post with some more info soon (after work).


Matt

[mcmeat51]

No recomendations?

[Jay]

How about just building a proven design? There are many on the web, from low budget to expensive ones. Some good ones have been mentioned a few times in this site.

It is not a good idea (financially, when related to performance) building your own design unless you are tied to certain unpopular drivers.

[Dissi]

Using a pipe as bass enclosure is tricky. It does not model as conventional bass-reflex box, but as transmission line. And a line length of 0.8 m is much too short to give good results. Nice idea, but you only get a lot of troubles and not a decent loudspeaker.

[mcmeat51]

Thanks guys,

Actually a proven design would be fine with me as long as its less that ~£300 in speaker parts and I can fit it in the design I want.


The reasons why I want to use PVC pipe for the main part of the cabinet is for a number of reasons but include:

1) Easy of build... I have built a few cabinets before and also used to built bespoke electric guitars as well as worked at a cabinet makers for a short period of time. I do not however have access to all the tools (and garage space) I used to have, (father is now a cabinet maker). So my idea of the design would help me in this regard.
2) Cost.. Id like to make something that sounds great but for a limited budget (20-80 rule)
3) Aesthetics... I like the idea I have and the look of it. TBH if space and tools werent an issue... Id build something along the lines of the VOX Olympian (big horn, nice wood etc).


So taking what you have said into account I will probably mount all three speakers on the front baffle.

As you say there are many designs out there, but too many to choose from. Would you guys have any recommendations for my requirements?

I was initially going to tune the 'sub' down to 35hz (Fs of driver).

Thanks

Matt

[Juhazi]

300 quid for a pair of three-way speakers. Not realistic, sorry!

[dumptruck]

Originally Posted by mcmeat51

So taking what you have said into account I will probably mount all three speakers on the front baffle.

You generally need to have them facing forward regardless of Dissi was talking about. In a typical 3-way, the woofer is still producing a large bulk of the critical midrange (most of speech, for example). If you want it pointing down, it needs to be running as a subwoofer, which generally means with an active crossover to be practical. That is actually an easier project to get good results with, though: a pair of 2-ways and a pair of active subwoofers.

Originally Posted by Juhazi

300 quid for a pair of three-way speakers. Not realistic, sorry!

I wouldn't recommend it either, but c'mon, of course you can build 3-ways for 300. Or, much less:
SpeaKa Kit 2, 3-Way Speaker Construction Kit from Conrad Electronic UK

[mcmeat51]

You generally need to have them facing forward regardless of Dissi was talking about. In a typical 3-way, the woofer is still producing a large bulk of the critical midrange (most of speech, for example). If you want it pointing down, it needs to be running as a subwoofer, which generally means with an active crossover to be practical. That is actually an easier project to get good results with, though: a pair of 2-ways and a pair of active subwoofers.

TBH this is what I was planning on. My plan is to use a Vifa tweeter (exact model not to hand) and a Tang band W5-704D 5-1/4 $31, then have a Tang Band W6-1139SIF 6-1/2" Paper Cone Subwoofer $48 as the 'sub woofer' for each speaker crossed over down low (200 hz or so).

300 quid for a pair of three-way speakers. Not realistic, sorry!

£300 is ball park and I think quite realistic for the parts I am looking at buying.

Now I realise the crossover may start to become problematic but that's part of the fun .

As much as Id love to make a nice cabinet with some Lowthers or Fostex full range drivers in... I cant.

Ill try model something up after work tonight and if after the weekend people still think Im going about things wrong then I will change tact.

[jlm0924]

Some more speaker kits can be found at
"madisound" and "Parts-Express"

[Bare]

Originally Posted by mcmeat51

As much as Id love to make a nice cabinet with some Lowthers or Fostex full range drivers in... I cant.

Consider yourself Fortunate :-)
From Experience: Lowthers are Horrid and Ludicrously overpriced drivers. Owners usually build a sequence of complex 'enclosures' for them.. in hope of taming the critters. Rarely happens though. Then they give up :-)
I have a pair of 40 yr old 8" full rangers (bought new) that I keep (as spares) simply because they sound Sooo pleasing. Definitely Not Audio Weenie approved But outstandingly pleasing Music producers.
A genuine refreshing (sanity saver) change from Myriad Lowther adventures.

Google up simple stoopid Peerless drivers/kits.
Really inexpensive, but one has to spend multiples more to achieve genuine improvement over those.
G'luck