This a good test for a new speaker maker?

[mazeroth]

Got 64 of the Pioneer $0.69 4" speakers and 64 of the $0.48 Onkyo 3/4" tweeters. My final plans are to build giant line arrays but I'd like to complete a much easier task first. Thinking of building "mini" array bookshelves, possibly doing like a line array with the woofers on one side and the tweeters on another side. Or could I get away with doing a MTMTMTMT, for example, kind of setup, so it will look more like a bookshelf? Any suggestions appreciated! Just got a table saw and have plans to buy a router in the next few days. Want to hone in my skills before trying to tackle the beast!

Also, what would be a CHEAP way to cross these speakers? Maybe leave the in-line crossover (or whatever you call it, a resistor?) on the tweeter and throw something on the woofer that will cross it over sooner, maybe around 3-4k? I'm clueless so let's hear what you have to say!

Thanks!

[SY]

Short lines have peculiar vertical dispersion characteristics, so you have to watch that. The MTMTMTM will have some unusual lobing.

[johninCR]

Mini arrays work great for a desktop speaker. I really like dipole arrays and you can test that out with a piece of cardboard. For grins test it out first with just 4 4's full range to see if the real FR has that peak at 7k. Then add the tweets with the existing caps. Use tone sweeps and listen to music eliminating different frequencies using your computer's EQ. That will give you a better idea of where to put your XO. IMHO, the higher the better to keep the XO out of your most sensitive hearing range around 3Khz, if the FR of the drivers permits.

I'd research tweaking those tweets before I put a lot of effort into using them. You don't want to mess up what the 4's can do well. I haven't been able to find a super cheap tweeter that sounded good, although I have found a few different super cheap 4's and 5's that do. I use a single cheap titantium super tweeter to fill in the top end for $12.50/ea, Pyle Pro PDBT28. They're very efficient and can handle plenty of power. Very harsh out of the box, but I stuff 6 small pieces of foam rubber down in the throat around the bullet plug and it really tames the harshness and brings out the detail. After tweaking they're as good as my $100 compression drivers. Then I us an Lpad to balance it with the line depending on listening distance.