Clean Sheet: Pls recc an existing design w/ parts avail in Australia

[fishball79]

Hi,

After a week of deliberating, research and frustraton, i've given up trying to design something. It seems like a futile excercise when i am without measuring equipment/software.

This pair of speakers are for a friend on a very tight budget (about AUD$400 for everything) so the Proac 2.5 clones, though very musical, are out.

What i'm looking for is a design that is to be placed in a 3.2x 2.9m (10.5"x9.5")room, preferably floorstanders. Musical preferences ranges from pop, some rock to acoustical works like jazz. Friend is looking for midrange magic but if possible, some midbass punch as he doesn't want to add a subwoofer to the system.

The amplifier will be an old NAD 3020E but consider it an interim amp. If the speakers need more power he'll consider upgrading.

Any reccomendations guys?

[sreten]

.

After a week of deliberating, research and frustraton,
i've given up trying to design something. It seems like a futile
excercise when i am without measuring equipment/software.

Very wise choice.

Somewhat cheaper than the Pro-Ac clone :

http://home.hetnet.nl/~geenius/Tempo.html

sreten

[michael]

what about peerless pipes, they come in at a good price, also look at the seas embla kit, the tempo is probably a bit hard to get the vifa PL drivers for here in Aust. Im building some 2.5way towers with peerless CSX woofers and a seas tweeter, drivers have cost me just over 400 so if he wanted to get some more output and efficiency then he could spend more and copy my design. XO is a series 2.5way.

[fishball79]

Hi guys,

I eventually decided on the Vifa 2way by John Kreskov in www.audiodiycentral.com. It's measured specs were very attractive too. I did consider the peerless pipe but thought it might be too overwhelming in such a small, almost square room (2.9mx3.2m)

Friend and I figured the bookshelfs would suit the room size and we can always diy a subwoofer later on.

Michael,
Where can i get the PL18 woofer? Both WES and City South Electronics don't have it.

Would you guys suggest deviating from the sealed 10L enclosure for the P17? I've heard this woofer has quite a good bass response.

[michael]

I dont think you would find the peerless pipes over whelming, as they havee a smooth roll off due to TL, with room gain you could describe the bass as punchy.

As for the PL drivers im not sure where to get them here as WES is the australian importer of the DST drivers. You could order them from parts express in the US, with our current eschange rate it would not be too bad a cost, though shipping would take some time. City south electronics just buy their stuff from wes. If you want the best retail prices for DST drivers go to www.advanceae.com.au the guy james there is a good bloke and will look after you.

Personally i would do that box bigger and make it ported, but thats just me, it is a design done for sealed, stick with it otherwise you are designing a new speaker. The sealed will have reasonable bass due to your small room. But for any impact you wil need a subwoofer. But i still would go the peerless pipes as they are actually cheaper and many have built them and been very happy.

[sreten]

The design can easily be converted to a floorstander.
Just keep the baffle width and driver mounting arrangements
at the top identical identical to the original design.

Note the design is intended for freespace mounting, not near
a wall and should be used on good stands, a floorstander
will take up no more space. Adding some bracing to the floor
standing cabinet is a very good idea.

P17 is a good driver for overdamped reflex alignments in small rooms.

sreten.

[sreten]

a 25 litre floorstander will give you around +7dB at 30Hz
and a max SPL of +12dB at 30Hz compared to sealed.

(For small drivers every SPL of bass capability counts)

Tuning should be 30hz to 33Hz.
A port 55mm diameter and the same length will give you
~ 33Hz, or same diameter reduce length to 180cm.

sreten.

[madinoz]

fishball79,
Your question reagrding the P717 has only been partially answered in that it may be used in both a sealed and a
ported box. The other part of the answer is regarding
the question, "how does it sound". The answer is,
and this is from actually designing a two way speaker
using them, not very nice. The bass quality is very plasticy,
very tuperware (tm). The midrange is not very pleasing due to
the high damping rubber surround.
The Jaycar 4 ohm carbon fibre woofer may be a goer for you.
I know it's not a "branded" driver but it has good spec's, that
is good bass in a 14litre ported box, good tight bass at that.
Good power handling, good xmax, and it's 4 ohm impedence will sit well with your NAD (and any other decent amp).
I have used this successfully in a 14 litre box with only a
.56mh inductor in series and a zobel consisting of a 5.6ohm
resistor and a 15uf capacitor in parallel with the woofer.
It actually had a nice midrange and could be crossev over at
around 4000hz to the tweeter. Avoid the Jaycar tweeters except
for the Vifa d26 which they have gotten in as run-out stock which
actually sounds nice!
Jaycar are in Aspley, Wooloongabba and the Gold Coast, and no, I'm not affiliated with them in any way shape or form.
MADINOZ

[fishball79]

Hi madinoz,

Thanks for ur advice in the earlier thread. Looks like i should've waited abit longer before committing but I was hoping to build them ASAP. I think i know what you mean by tupperware bass, having owned several budget speakers with polyprop cones in the past.

I've already ordered parts for the P17/D25AG project. Will keep that jaycar woofer in mind. Never expected them to have decent stuff though, honestly. The price looks good too!

Incidentally, I have a pair of D26 on their way here. Was planning to use that with my own speaker project with the 15W/8530K00s...

[madinoz]

Chris,
Put them in a nice box and someone will buy them.

I guess I was being a bit ruthless in my appraisal of
them as someone bought the pair I made and loves
them (raves about them every time I meet up with
them). So it's horses for courses.
I just didn't like them but mayby only because I had opportunity
to listen to them thru some really high end gear and
then listen to a pair of speakers using peerless woofers
thru the same equipment. Ignorance is bliss, sometimes!
madinoz