Rockin the house

[DerekB1]

Whats up guys. Im 20 from IL and have been reading up on the forums. Now I have a question

Selenium 15" Coaxial Driver in big ported box...
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshow...=264-392&DID=7

Or this 3way with Moral tweeter, midrange, and Dayton 15" Woofer... http://www.partsexpress.com/projects...f1/angelf1.htm

This will be my first project. Im good with wood and have made plenty of boxes (car audio). I was in electronics class in highschool so i know how to put together a crossover.
I need to know which project you think would suit me better. I listen to everything from country, mostly rock, and some rap. LOUD! Which set up would rock my house and sound good also? Amplifier is a marantz model 140. 75 RMS per channel 8ohm. I don't mind huge boxes so thats not a problem. Thanks, Derek

[Greg B]

I'd lean towards the selenium, if only because the crossover is at least reasonably thought out. I haven't heard it. They seem to have at least a decent rep.

The morel project has some obvious problems WRT the crossover. It is amateurish and needs to be redesigned. There is way too much overlap between mid and HF drivers for one. I do know that tweeter, which is excellent.

The Selenium will play louder. The other will have more bass extension.

[Timn8ter]

There was another thread concerning someone with similar goals and IIRC, after much discussion the Selenium was chosen to be installed in some largish floor standing cabinets.
Found it.
Lost in home audio

[BillFitzmaurice]

Neither, IMHO. A modern sub/satellite configuration makes more sense. Using 15s is 1960s technology. But between these two the three-way is a lot better in terms of midrange dispersion and quality. The two way crosses over too high from the woofer to the tweeter; 15s really shouldn't be run much higher than 500 Hz for adequate dispersion and response. A better/higher order crossover would be required for the 3 way to be able to play at really loud volume, as noted by Greg. If you want it really loud and clean you can't beat a folded horn sub and line array midbass/tweeter.

[Greg B]

Using 15s is 1960s technology.

Maybe so, but using a folded bass horn is 1930's technology.

A modern sub/satellite configuration makes more sense.

How? It's one valid approach with certain benefits; I don't see that it's necessarily the best.

Sure, running a 15 up to 1900cps or wherever is not optimum for midrange clarity, but it can still "sound good", and it's about the best that can be done with that approach at that $ range. I don't believe 'clean' was a primary requirement.

A better/higher order crossover would be required for the 3 way to be able to play at really loud volume, as noted by Greg.

AFA some nuts and bolts stuff: the morels tweeters are very tough and can deal with first order fine, but of course will play louder and arguably sound better with higher order. They're rather tricky drivers to crossover - a series Z trap helps. Not for a rank beginner. IIRC, the F3 was ~3k with a series 4.7uF cap, so the claimed 7.7/5.1k crossover is delusional. "I have no way of testing the speakers" is a good clue.

Anyway, using primo mids and highs with a cheap 15 is sort of wacky. It'd make more sense to me to use dayton tweeter and mid, or maybe a pioneer mid if you wanted to splurge.

[DerekB1]

If any of you guys think that there is better project for me please post it. I just want good sound and be able to turn it up. I like my music loud (not blow your eardrums loud) but enough to feel it I guess you could say. To be honest I have no Idea where to start I just picked these set-up's because I "thought" that they would be what I was looking for.

[Greg B]

I actually think you'd be happy with the selenium coaxial. It should be pretty surefire since the crossover is included and a suggested box design is posted at PE. I would use slightly different box dimensions, but their alignment is fine.

Since he is a 'manufacturer', Bill F can't tell you what he really thinks, which is that you should go to his website and buy his plans. They are interesting, thought out, and worth checking out. billfitzmaurice.com I think.

pispeakers.com sells fairly inexpensive kits using eminence PA drivers. You could also just buy the same drivers and stock crossovers from various sources and design your own box with WinISD (google) or something.

BTW, I have no affiliation with any of these people.

I don't know of a large format 3 way project like the dayton one on the web - that I like anyway. They are sort of out of fashion.

GB

[Greg B]

I forgot the HE12.1. Adire audio sells the kit which comes with plans. Only a 12" but it is efficient and will play deep bass.

adire

[Timn8ter]

Originally posted by Greg B
I forgot the HE12.1. Adire audio sells the kit which comes with plans. Only a 12" but it is efficient and will play deep bass.

adire

They also have an 8" and 10" model.

[x. onasis]

This speaker gets loud and low.