Hi, I'm looking to build a pair of speakers, something along the way of a 2-way floorstanding design. I'm doing some research and the ProAC 2.5 clones are looking pretty good. However my original budget for new new speakers was higher than the estimated cost to build the clones. I was wondering if there is any design that has good information available like the DIY 2.5 that uses a very high quality driver, better than the Scanspeek in the 2.5 and accordingly has a crossover that can accomodate it. I would like a neutral speaker with good imaging and sounstaging and am willing to spend about 2000USD to build something exceptionally nice.
Thanks for any suggestions
Jason
Thanks for any suggestions
Jason
you can get the Thor kit (cabinets, drivers, crossovers) from www.madisound.com
I believe that there is a review of the Thor on the madisound website.
I believe that there is a review of the Thor on the madisound website.
2000USD is a BIG money. Buying or building an unknown design is a gambling. In audio, good design will be proven by time because DIYers build every speakers and rich audiophiles buy every speakers available. If Rythm is that good, somebody must have reported it in this forum.
MTM will have better bass but worse midrange. Seas Excels have definetly better mid than the Scan-Speak. So the trade-off is there (between Thor and Rythm)
I will opt for the Thor. Or why not an ORION?
MTM will have better bass but worse midrange. Seas Excels have definetly better mid than the Scan-Speak. So the trade-off is there (between Thor and Rythm)
I will opt for the Thor. Or why not an ORION?
Agree with earlier comment that $2000US is big money to spend.
So why limit yourself to a two way speaker?
I would definitely be looking for a good three way floor standing design with that budget unless I was teaming them with a sub.
Sorry I can't suggest any specific designs. The ORION I have read about but suggested budget for it was about $4800US including amplification if I remember right.
Maybe someone else can suggest a good three way?
Howard
So why limit yourself to a two way speaker?
I would definitely be looking for a good three way floor standing design with that budget unless I was teaming them with a sub.
Sorry I can't suggest any specific designs. The ORION I have read about but suggested budget for it was about $4800US including amplification if I remember right.
Maybe someone else can suggest a good three way?
Howard
JMO but the Borealis is better value than the Rhythm, and by
the same token the 2.5 clone is better value than the Borealis.
This would be an interesting project :
http://www.deadwaxcafe.com/vzone/david/david.htm
or this :
http://home.hetnet.nl/~geenius/Andromeda.html
or this :
http://www.speakerbuilding.com/content/1009/
Also checkout BESL products.
Choices, choices and money burning a hole in your pocket......
sreten.
the same token the 2.5 clone is better value than the Borealis.
This would be an interesting project :
http://www.deadwaxcafe.com/vzone/david/david.htm
or this :
http://home.hetnet.nl/~geenius/Andromeda.html
or this :
http://www.speakerbuilding.com/content/1009/
Also checkout BESL products.
Choices, choices and money burning a hole in your pocket......
sreten.Attachments
If I had a budget like that I would go for a kit using something like the Seas drivers - actually I would use the Seas crossover and source the drivers. Then I'd bi-amp them with a good pair of woofers. Say the seas Odin with a pair of woofers like the Peerless CSX or if budget allows the Scan Speak 10" carbon fibre woofer.
This way the difficult design work of the xo is done for you. IMO biamping what would otherwise be a tricky 3 way passive design is a significant improvement on a 2 way design.
Then you get to design the part that I consider the most fun - the enclosure
This way the difficult design work of the xo is done for you. IMO biamping what would otherwise be a tricky 3 way passive design is a significant improvement on a 2 way design.
Then you get to design the part that I consider the most fun - the enclosure
paulspencer -
"I would use the Seas crossover and source the drivers"
What are you trying to say here? Use a crossover designed for the Seas drivers (Thor, Odin, Froy, etc) but used different drivers instead, or are you saying build a Seas kit & add in a pair of woofers (bi-amp) for the low frequency stuff?
"I would use the Seas crossover and source the drivers"
What are you trying to say here? Use a crossover designed for the Seas drivers (Thor, Odin, Froy, etc) but used different drivers instead, or are you saying build a Seas kit & add in a pair of woofers (bi-amp) for the low frequency stuff?
I'm not suggesting something specific but an example. At VSAC last year the winning design was a three-way SEAS system using a XO designed by Adire Audio. The builder carved the enclosure out of solid rock (he's a sculptor). Anyway, the 3-way SEAS system is very impressive. This is the best pic I have at the moment. It's the big gray one in the middle.
Attachments
Re: so many choices
Jason,
and this is just the tip of the iceberg! There are 3 worthwhile options:
1. buy a kit
2. source the parts for a kit and follow the design where available (eg seas give crossover schematics on their website)
3. copy a DIY design published on the net
I think you would be well advised to take your time with this as you don't want to build something then find something else that you wish you had considered after!!!
The second option - do the kit as per the crossover design and drivers but roll the woofers off at 200 Hz which would then make them act as mids, then add larger woofers say peerless or scan speak or even seas (I think they do have a 10" in the excel range).
One advantage of this is that you fairly quickly have a good 2 way speaker. If you want to DIY the active xo then you at least have a speaker in the meantime. If you are like me your electronics projects get put on the shelf for ages!!! ... speaker boxes on the other hand tend to get done as they don't have hidden and secret problems I have to try to find!
jasonb84 said:
Jason,
and this is just the tip of the iceberg! There are 3 worthwhile options:
1. buy a kit
2. source the parts for a kit and follow the design where available (eg seas give crossover schematics on their website)
3. copy a DIY design published on the net
I think you would be well advised to take your time with this as you don't want to build something then find something else that you wish you had considered after!!!
cdoggy81 said:
The second option - do the kit as per the crossover design and drivers but roll the woofers off at 200 Hz which would then make them act as mids, then add larger woofers say peerless or scan speak or even seas (I think they do have a 10" in the excel range).
One advantage of this is that you fairly quickly have a good 2 way speaker. If you want to DIY the active xo then you at least have a speaker in the meantime. If you are like me your electronics projects get put on the shelf for ages!!! ... speaker boxes on the other hand tend to get done as they don't have hidden and secret problems I have to try to find!
Always willing to help a Newfy
Definitely Newfies are among the nicest people I know _grin_
Considering you want the most value for your Looney _grin_
I suggest a Fostex FE208E Sigma in the Fostex designed cabinet with a T90A on top, crossed with just cap on the T90A.
Minimal crossover, well thought of back loaded horn, drivers well known for being great sound for the value. Crossover is high up and lets the FE208E run wide band without crossover effects in the under 3K Range as some people believe is important _grin_
Cabinets are not easy to cut or build, though.
Specs and prices here
http://www.madisound.com/fostex.html
Cabinet here
http://www.madisound.com/208ez_enclrev.pdf
IMHO, gonna be hard to beat this combination for quality sound at a value price.
My wife and I have met a number of folks in a number of places around the world. We have never seen people as consistently nice and friendly as we did in Newfoundland.
I would love to spend summers there.
Winters would be something else _big grin_
Regards
Ken L
Definitely Newfies are among the nicest people I know _grin_
jasonb84 said:
Considering you want the most value for your Looney _grin_
I suggest a Fostex FE208E Sigma in the Fostex designed cabinet with a T90A on top, crossed with just cap on the T90A.
Minimal crossover, well thought of back loaded horn, drivers well known for being great sound for the value. Crossover is high up and lets the FE208E run wide band without crossover effects in the under 3K Range as some people believe is important _grin_
Cabinets are not easy to cut or build, though.
Specs and prices here
http://www.madisound.com/fostex.html
Cabinet here
http://www.madisound.com/208ez_enclrev.pdf
IMHO, gonna be hard to beat this combination for quality sound at a value price.
My wife and I have met a number of folks in a number of places around the world. We have never seen people as consistently nice and friendly as we did in Newfoundland.
I would love to spend summers there.
Winters would be something else _big grin_
Regards
Ken L
so many projects...
I appreciate the kind words. The general concensus amongst most Americans who know where or what Newfoundland is, is that nobody is more hospitable. Canadians tend to place us as the butt of their jokes because we are the smallest province and are in some difficult finnancial times (though nobody ever gets the perfect budget), however everyone around here laughs at the fact that come the summertime we aren't coughing up a lung due to the smog and unbearable humidity you would find in Toronto or Vancouver.
All these suggestions give me lots of options for our next long winter. Perhaps I'll be able to amass a collection of speakers for each type of music I want to play. I wouldn't mind having an ultra sensitive pair of horns with a large bass driver that I can crank with some Zeppelin
As this is my first project, I'm leaning towards something with a more simple cabinet design like the ProAC clones. I read Troels paper and the revelator 9500 with the 18W/8535 seems like a good bet.
Keep the designs coming, plenty of room in my bookmarks.
Jason
I appreciate the kind words. The general concensus amongst most Americans who know where or what Newfoundland is, is that nobody is more hospitable. Canadians tend to place us as the butt of their jokes because we are the smallest province and are in some difficult finnancial times (though nobody ever gets the perfect budget), however everyone around here laughs at the fact that come the summertime we aren't coughing up a lung due to the smog and unbearable humidity you would find in Toronto or Vancouver.
All these suggestions give me lots of options for our next long winter. Perhaps I'll be able to amass a collection of speakers for each type of music I want to play. I wouldn't mind having an ultra sensitive pair of horns with a large bass driver that I can crank with some Zeppelin
As this is my first project, I'm leaning towards something with a more simple cabinet design like the ProAC clones. I read Troels paper and the revelator 9500 with the 18W/8535 seems like a good bet.
Keep the designs coming, plenty of room in my bookmarks.
Jason
Another design
Shamrock Audio has kits, may be worth looking at.
http://www.shamrockaudio.com/loudspeaker_kits.htm
Bob2
Shamrock Audio has kits, may be worth looking at.
http://www.shamrockaudio.com/loudspeaker_kits.htm
Bob2
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Joined 2003
i'm don't think i'm going out on a limb when i say that the ProAc Response 2.5 is not exactly a neutral speaker. It has a bit of a U shaped frequency response profile,
even after using premium veneers and finishing products, good damping and XO parts, my "TroelAc" 8535/9500 cost 'only' USD1000. and although the 9500 tweeter & revised crossover improves the mids, the next step up would be a well designed and full sized 3 way loudspeaker.
USD 2000 really gives you more options. why not try Troel's Acapella project?
Seas 8" aluminium cone vented bass, Seas W18EX midrange working in dipole fashion stitched to a wide dispersion JP3 ribbon tweeter. Sounds like a good recipe to me.
i haven't heard it but wouldn't be surprised if it is "exceptionally nice"
even after using premium veneers and finishing products, good damping and XO parts, my "TroelAc" 8535/9500 cost 'only' USD1000. and although the 9500 tweeter & revised crossover improves the mids, the next step up would be a well designed and full sized 3 way loudspeaker.
USD 2000 really gives you more options. why not try Troel's Acapella project?
Seas 8" aluminium cone vented bass, Seas W18EX midrange working in dipole fashion stitched to a wide dispersion JP3 ribbon tweeter. Sounds like a good recipe to me.
i haven't heard it but wouldn't be surprised if it is "exceptionally nice"
tktran,
how did you finish your speakers? oil, stain?
I wanted a walnut veneer and was trying to figure out how to get the reddish piano gloss finish like these speakers have
first the color I prefer
http://www.uhfmag.com/Issue68/Couverture68.html
more natural color
how did you finish your speakers? oil, stain?
I wanted a walnut veneer and was trying to figure out how to get the reddish piano gloss finish like these speakers have
first the color I prefer
http://www.uhfmag.com/Issue68/Couverture68.html
more natural color
Disabled Account
Joined 2003
I used a danish oil followed by a fine paste wax. Here in Autralia i used Rustin's brand Danish Oil and Liberon brand Black Bison Fine Paste Wax (neutral).
it's not easy to get the finish you want. unless you're a furniture or cabinet maker by trade, it costs a bit of money playing around with test pieces. Don't be too disappointed if you don't get your exact/ideal colour.
This is what I wanted my piece to look like-
http://www.tastimber.tas.gov.au/species/myrtle_01.asp
as you can see, it was way off.
Really though- go the Acapella LWJ! The midrange will be in a different league, and you can play LOUD.
it's not easy to get the finish you want. unless you're a furniture or cabinet maker by trade, it costs a bit of money playing around with test pieces. Don't be too disappointed if you don't get your exact/ideal colour.
This is what I wanted my piece to look like-
http://www.tastimber.tas.gov.au/species/myrtle_01.asp
as you can see, it was way off.
Really though- go the Acapella LWJ! The midrange will be in a different league, and you can play LOUD.
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