Has anyone tried the Aurasound 1", 2", or 3" wideband drivers? The specs on the 3" (NS3) look really nice;
http://www.aurasound.com/pdf/NS3-193-8A.pdf
And they are only ~ $25 CDN at Solen. I wonder how they sound, and if they are comparable to the TB 871?
http://www.aurasound.com/pdf/NS3-193-8A.pdf
And they are only ~ $25 CDN at Solen. I wonder how they sound, and if they are comparable to the TB 871?
I did see him put it on a rack amp with a freq generator and it did have some crazy throw. I had the idea of using them in the CSS spires instead of that other TB driver. So 4 Aura's and one TB W3-871 at the top. Probably would have better low-end, though I wonder where the Spires are crossed over at.
I like that idea, the aura drivers have better low end performance than the TB used in the spires, and they look better to boot! Only thing is they are much less efficient. You might need more of them.
From the manual:
http://www.creativesound.ca/pdf/Spires.pdf
They are crossed over at 2k?! don't really understand the rationale for this, as I always thought the benefit of using the 871 would is having 1 driver cover the midrange. My guess would have been cross them over @ ~ 300hz or maybe a bit higher, but then again I am a novice with this stuff and the Spires get good feedback so... I just wonder why not use a normal tweeter if you're already crossing that high? Or maybe its 1st order @ 2k. Then there is the center channel which IIRC is crossed at 1k.. Maybe someone more experience d in XO design can comment on this design...
From the manual:
http://www.creativesound.ca/pdf/Spires.pdf
They are crossed over at 2k?! don't really understand the rationale for this, as I always thought the benefit of using the 871 would is having 1 driver cover the midrange. My guess would have been cross them over @ ~ 300hz or maybe a bit higher, but then again I am a novice with this stuff and the Spires get good feedback so... I just wonder why not use a normal tweeter if you're already crossing that high? Or maybe its 1st order @ 2k. Then there is the center channel which IIRC is crossed at 1k.. Maybe someone more experience d in XO design can comment on this design...
With prices like $20 at madisound, first hand knowledge is not that cheap. Why not be the first one you know to try these things? I think they have a LOT of potential for a nearfield monitor. They are trying to burn a very small hole in my wallet.
/edit: madisound (US distributor) has a discussion forum. Did you try asking there?
/edit: madisound (US distributor) has a discussion forum. Did you try asking there?
You're right, I think that also seems high. I have a pair that I've used full range and now they're in my car crossed at 250Hz 3rd order. My friend has an RTA and they did great from like 800 up, but I think the dip I noticed from 250-800 was just because the enclosure they are in is really very small. But they can definately hold their own.morbo said:
I get your point Stocker, no substitute for experience. I searched at madisound, but have not asked yet. I will do so soon. I was just wondering if anyone had used them, since there seems to be just about no information about them on the net, and my total annual DIY budget is very skimpy, thus I'm strongly pulled towards proven performers (ie 871) than unknown quantities (ie NS3).
How much do the 871s cost?
Tell you what: If you get a pair of the NS3s and ~don't~ like them, and then get the TangBand and DO like them, I might be willing to pay the difference in price if the TBs are cheaper, plus shipping, to have you send the NS3s to me. Hmmmmm. I'd have to sneak that under the wife's radar...
Tell you what: If you get a pair of the NS3s and ~don't~ like them, and then get the TangBand and DO like them, I might be willing to pay the difference in price if the TBs are cheaper, plus shipping, to have you send the NS3s to me. Hmmmmm. I'd have to sneak that under the wife's radar...
Re: what about the 2"
I'm working with them right now. I'm not using in them in a very sonically demanding application: they're replacing Pioneer dome tweeters that my Miata's previous owner installed to replace a set of 2" Bose widebanders that came with the car. So my crossover is pretty much a simple hack, and I'm sure there's more potential to wring from them if I ever decide to do so.
Still, they sound really good. They don't have any annoying resonances, and they're easy to listen to. They also get astoundingly loud cleanly; the volume of which they are capabile might not be enough for Shostakovich 10 in a large room, but it's plenty for a small roadster. That NRT motor is a real gem. They do lack some of the top octave, but with the top down and wind rushing by I don't really notice the loss. If my two spare Whispers (I bought 4 because it took two months for Madisound to get them to me, and I didn't want to wait for replacements in case I did something stupid with them) fit, they're replacing the stock drivers in the bottom of my G5 iMac when it arrives.
One warning about the smaller Auras, though. The terminal design is REALLY stupid. Basically, there's a raised wire on either side, to which you have to solder pigtail leads. I think the NS3 has normal terminals.
dwk123 said:
I'm working with them right now. I'm not using in them in a very sonically demanding application: they're replacing Pioneer dome tweeters that my Miata's previous owner installed to replace a set of 2" Bose widebanders that came with the car. So my crossover is pretty much a simple hack, and I'm sure there's more potential to wring from them if I ever decide to do so.
Still, they sound really good. They don't have any annoying resonances, and they're easy to listen to. They also get astoundingly loud cleanly; the volume of which they are capabile might not be enough for Shostakovich 10 in a large room, but it's plenty for a small roadster. That NRT motor is a real gem. They do lack some of the top octave, but with the top down and wind rushing by I don't really notice the loss. If my two spare Whispers (I bought 4 because it took two months for Madisound to get them to me, and I didn't want to wait for replacements in case I did something stupid with them) fit, they're replacing the stock drivers in the bottom of my G5 iMac when it arrives.
One warning about the smaller Auras, though. The terminal design is REALLY stupid. Basically, there's a raised wire on either side, to which you have to solder pigtail leads. I think the NS3 has normal terminals.
Further to the idea of doing a Spires type project with these, if I were to design an array similar to the spires, 4 of these Aura woofers with a TB 871 on top - what would be the best way to cross it? Could you do a 1st order XO between the 871 and the 4 Aura woofers, and if so what frequency would be appropriate?
Sbolin, the Imac speakers STINK. The local goodwill had a box of them and I picked up a pair to see what they sounded like. They are the size of tweeters and they sound like a pair of tweeters. The Auras would be a definite improvement.
Crossover points for the spire would be whatever you felt like. If both speakers' frequency range overlaps a lot, pick the crossover point where you think each is playing in its strong spot. If the auras don't sound as good past 6k to your ears, cross them at 5k, etc.
Crossover points for the spire would be whatever you felt like. If both speakers' frequency range overlaps a lot, pick the crossover point where you think each is playing in its strong spot. If the auras don't sound as good past 6k to your ears, cross them at 5k, etc.
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