Design basis for Ariels?

[Gaber]

Are the Ariel speakers based on a 1/4-wave transmission line design?

If so, is the labrinyth distance included in the total transmission line length?

Has anyone been so bold as to try different drivers in this design? and what were the implications to the design?

Gabe

 

[cyclotronguy]

I've tried the Ariel lay-out with some out of stock Audax pro sound drivers and found it to work quite well.

Cyclotronguy

 

[Gaber]

How different were the driver parameters from the standard vifa drivers?

I am thinking about using some full range Jordan drivers in order to eliminate the crossover. I need some sort of design criteria to compensate for the different driver parameters.

 

[tomcat]

They are a 1/4, TL design. Check the qts of the Vifa used in the original and if the jordan is near to it, it should work. My guess is though that it should work with drivers with qts of between 0.3 to 0.5 as with most lines, though 0.5 is stretching it a bit...
tomcat

 

[Gaber]

Thanks tomcat.

The Qts of the vifa is 0.33 while that of the jordan is 0.4.

The jordan also has an Fs of 45 while the vifa's is 60. I figure this will increase my transmission line by almost 20" right off the bat. I will have to figure out how to squeeze in this extra length.

Any other considerations when switching these drivers?

 

[tomcat]

The Jordan is 1/2 way between 0.3 & 0.5 at 0.4 so it should work. I don't think you will need to increase the line as much as that because by adding more stuffing the driver sees it as a longer line. You will have to experiment untill you find the optimum fill -though I feel it should work quite well as it is...
tomcat

 

[sianturi]

Anybody tried Ariels on Transistor (MOSFET) Amps? Lynn said that Ariels were not designed for Transistor Amps. How Ariel sounds on Transistor Amps?

 

[cyclotronguy]

I've had the Ariel's and ME-2's on quite a number of transistor amps. Hugh Dean's AKSA, Pass Alephs, and Pass Zen-Lite all seem to be quite equal to the task.

Cyclotronguy