Would I be able to DIY decently?

[David Gatti]

Dipole's and bipoles are more advanced & complex design principles that I definitely wouldn't recommend to a beginner.
Full-range speakers, in my opinion, offer too many compromises such as limited low frequency excursion, and poorer off-axis response.
2x6.5 inchers and a 25mm tweeter sounds like a great setup. Now you need to decide whether you want a MTM or MMT configuration.

David

www.geocities.com/gattiweb

[Jennice]

Originally posted by planet10

...

but i don't know many speakers that like to be crowded into the wall... you did say you had a fairly big room?

dave

Yes.... and a g/f.

Originally posted by Jay

...
Ok, tweeters prefer high cross points.
...If XT25 is used, crossing too high may not be a good idea. I don't think I want an XT25 if smooth higher ends is what I'm looking for.

Just to make sure that we're talking about the same driver:
http://www.d-s-t.com/vifa/data/xt25tg30-04a.htm
It's a tweeter, but why wouldn't it like crossing high? (or why wouldn't I like it to cross high?)

My guess would be at 2kHz - 2.5kHz depending on the woofers i may find. I suppose this would call for 2nd order HP at least.


BTW, Dave - Thanks for the Transmission line links. I'll snoop around there too
Jennice

[Mark25]

Originally posted by planet10
...................then add a pair of active woofer/subwoofers -- the place that benefits the most from an active woofer is the midrange...............

Is that even if you don't roll the bottom end of your mid driver Dave?

[planet10]

Originally posted by David Gatti
MMT configuration.

An MMT by its very nature should be a 2.5 way and the best place for the 0.5 woof is on the back.

dave

[planet10]

Originally posted by Mark25
Is that even if you don't roll the bottom end of your mid driver Dave?

To gain the advantage you have to roll off the bottom of the "mid". Reducing its need to produce bass is what cleans up the mids.

dave

[planet10]

Originally posted by Jennice
My guess would be at 2kHz - 2.5kHz depending on the woofers i may find. I suppose this would call for 2nd order HP at least.

That is a fairly low XO, right bang in the middle of one of the most sensitive prts of the spectrum... tweeter XO should be at least an octave higher (i'm usually XOing at 7-12k)

dave

[planet10]

Originally posted by David Gatti
Full-range speakers, in my opinion, offer too many compromises such as limited low frequency excursion, and poorer off-axis response.

My belief is that a "traditional" XO is much more of a compromise, often -- to put in the words of a good friend -- "sucking the life out of the speaker"

dave

[Jennice]

Originally posted by planet10


That is a fairly low XO, right bang in the middle of one of the most sensitive prts of the spectrum... tweeter XO should be at least an octave higher (i'm usually XOing at 7-12k)

dave

You can allow yourself to go as high as 7-12kHz since you build TL's with full range drivers, supplemented by tweeters, isn't that so?
(Trying to figure out your motives and the mechanisms at work here...)

Jennice

[planet10]

Originally posted by Jennice
You can allow yourself to go as high as 7-12kHz since you build TL's with full range drivers, supplemented by tweeters, isn't that so?
(Trying to figure out your motives and the mechanisms at work here...)

Yes... having never gotten complex XOs to work well (even the big boys have a lot of trouble getting it OK), i decided to start using very extended range mids (aka full-ranges) so that i could minimize those needs. And that a lot of those "mids" can produce a very musical system without any help is a bonis.

dave

[Variac]

From my experience, one approach is to review the many many existing designs out there and find one that uses drivers and configuration that you find interesting. Build the crossover outside the box (always best anyway) and then start to develop your own variation on the crossover , or you own complete design. That way you can listen to music right away, and the strengths and weaknesses of the existing design will become clear to you. Then you can either subtly tweak the design, or develop a completly new crossover..I ended up wit hadifferent tweeter also......