Exodus Audio 2641

[audiobomber]

Anyone heard the Exodus Audio 2641? I have a spare set of WR125S and Usher 9950-20 drivers and I'm thinking of giving this design a go. http://www.diycable.com/main/pdf/2641.pdf

I'll probably close off the lower compartment and add some lead shot for ballast, because I have a pair of 10" sealed subs that I'm very happy with.

How do ICW Clarity caps compare to Solen Fast Caps and Auricaps? The woofer circuit shows an 18ga air core. Seems awfully puny. I'd definitely upgrade the Lynk resistor in front of the tweeter to a Mills. Other than that, it seems a nice low parts count for a three-way. Comments?

[Kevin Haskins]

We used that puny 18 AWG inductor for a reason. ;-)

You can up it to a 15 AWG pretty easy which lowers the DCR by 0.32 Ohms. The result is the low end will increase by a smooch and it slightly lowers the Q of the two Extremi.

The capacitors we use are about equal to the Solens. The Auricaps are better than the basic APW series but many times more expensive. I'm experimenting still with cap substitutions to find out what I like best.

I wouldn't advise deviating from the design. You can make parts substitutions without a problem (measure the parts to make sure you are getting the same value) but I wouldn't encourage changing the design drastically. The results would be unpredicable and I spent a lot of time working on the stock design. You would be throwing out all those long hours of work!

[audiobomber]

Originally posted by Kevin Haskins
We used that puny 18 AWG inductor for a reason. ;-)

You can up it to a 15 AWG pretty easy which lowers the DCR by 0.32 Ohms. The result is the low end will increase by a smooch and it slightly lowers the Q of the two Extremi.

Geez Kevin, you're awfully touchy about a rank amateur messing with your baby!

I like the Solen Hepta-Litz inductors better than anything I've tried, including Goertz foils. I could go to a 16ga Hepta-Litz at .76ohms, that would match the 18ga?

Originally posted by Kevin Haskins
I wouldn't advise deviating from the design. You can make parts substitutions without a problem (measure the parts to make sure you are getting the same value) but I wouldn't encourage changing the design drastically.

I assume you mean don't try a sealed bass alignment? I didn't think that would affect anything but the bottom end.

Auricap doesn't make a 5.1 cap unfortunately, and I don't like parallel caps. It's tempting to get a 20uF Auricap for the mid though.

[Kevin Haskins]

Geez Kevin, you're awfully touchy about a rank amateur messing with your baby!

You know it's just human nature. :-) You work so hard on a design and everyone who buys it wants to change it. ;-) I think it's part of a DIYers nature.

You shouldn't have any trouble with the hepta-litz parts. The 0.76 Ohm DCR should work fine with minimal differences from the stock part. I doubt it will be a very good bang/$ on the woofers though. You may get more for your money by focusing your resources on the components on the midrange and tweeter first.

I assume you mean don't try a sealed bass alignment? I didn't think that would affect anything but the bottom end.

Yes... it only effects the bottom end but our ears are not so selective as a SPL meter. I find that changes to any part of the system effects my perception of other parts. With the bass it tends to color by perception of the lower midrange.

I might suggest building the system as designed and plugging the port to A/B compare the two arrangements.

Auricap doesn't make a 5.1 cap unfortunately, and I don't like parallel caps. It's tempting to get a 20uF Auricap for the mid though.

I'd build an external crossover and build it stock first. You need an extra two pair of binding post but that doesn't cost much.

I use an external crossover during the design phase and it allows me to make part substitutions quickly and easily. It also allows me to do blind A/B comparisons for a reality check. It also keeps the capacitors away from a source of vibration to help cut down on microphonics. Unless you have a frame of reference you never know if your "upgrades" are going to be an improvement or not. Just because something is more expensive does not mean it's going to sound better.

I'd also encourage you to spend some money on room treatments before getting too crazy about crossover parts. The room/speaker interface is critical and spending large sums of money on designer parts should come only after getting your room treated correctly.

[audiobomber]

Originally posted by Kevin Haskins
I'd build an external crossover and build it stock first.

That's what I plan to do, except for the sealed bass.

I'm pretty set on keeping my subs. I prefer the sound of sealed bass, and the Rocket UFW-10's sound amazing. The subs allow me better control over bass levels, they have a built-in single point equalizer that helps with a nasty room mode at 31 Hz and I can overlap the sub and mains at 50-60 Hz to help fill in a trough in the room response. Besides, I use a turntable, and infrasonics drive ported woofers crazy.

Unfortunately room treatments come into direct conflict with my Significant Other's overwhelming desire for magazine quality decorating.

It looks as though no one else has heard this design. Could you describe the sound for me?

[TerryO]

You know it's just human nature. :-) You work so hard on a design and everyone who buys it wants to change it. ;-) I think it's part of a DIYers nature.

Mr. Haskins,
I was wondering if I substituted a Motorola Piezo for the Usher and a Radio Shack 1197 for the mids, and used your crossover, if there would be any problems? Oh, one other thing, I would like to mount in on an open baffle. If these changes would affect the sound by, say, more than 22.7 %, what brand of interconnects would restore the balance to the point where I wouldn't notice any difference.

I like listening to the music from Veggie Tales and Bagpipes, so it is absolutely critical that I get it right.
Thanks in Advance,
TerryO

[morbo]

Mr. Haskins,
I was wondering if I substituted a Motorola Piezo for the Usher and a Radio Shack 1197 for the mids, and used your crossover, if there would be any problems? Oh, one other thing, I would like to mount in on an open baffle. If these changes would affect the sound by, say, more than 22.7 %, what brand of interconnects would restore the balance to the point where I wouldn't notice any difference.

I like listening to the music from Veggie Tales and Bagpipes, so it is absolutely critical that I get it right.
Thanks in Advance,
TerryO

I love it!

[Kevin Haskins]

It looks as though no one else has heard this design. Could you describe the sound for me?

Err.... I hate this type of question. It's fundementally unanswerable as Terry O the smart-elic has alluded to below.

The reason nobody had heard them is because.... well nobody has heard them. The design was just released a couple weeks ago.

I've made it a policy not to make glowing subjective comments about my own products. I know of designers who do. I also know of designers who get on the web, make up false names and post about their product in a highly favorable manner. I know of companies who have their employees all get on the web and post positive comments about their products on various forums. They do so without disclosing who they are and if they have a financial interest in the product.

It may cost me financially not to go into flower descriptions of the sonics but I sleep well at night.

The best I can say about the performance of the 2641s it compares favorably with anything I've been exposed to at any price. If they didn't I wouldn't have released the design.

[audiobomber]

Originally posted by TerryO
it is absolutely critical that I get it right.

The 2641 may be an Exodus Audio design but they'll be MY loudspeakers. If I believe that some parts are better than others, and I know that in my room, and to my ears sealed cabinets are better, then why shouldn't I customize MY speakers?

TerryO, if you have something useful to contribute, let's hear it. If not then kindly bugger off.

Thanks for your help Kevin, and I respect your policy.

[HeatMiser]

Kevin, does DIY Cable have a brick-and-mortar shop and can you do in-store demos? I see the contact address is in Port Angeles and I'm in Tacoma, so if this is something you guys do I'd be interested in taking an afternoon to drive out for a listen. Who knows, you might get some glowing subjective comments from an unbiased source out of it.