a system that’s great, simple, small and cheap

[rick57]

A friend who knows nothing about audio asked me to suggest a speaker system that’s simple, great, small and cheap. Yes, pretty broad.

The original idea was a pair of CSS WR125 full rangers, with supposedly fantastic bass wrt their size, due to XBL. (www.creativesound.ca/pdf/WR125S.PDF)

6 mm Xmax, in say 10 litre (0.4 cu ft) boxes tuned to 50-60 Hz.
Two not so good points are modest 87 dB efficiency, and the treble is supposedly just average.


. . then he added “and good for parties”
here’s what I thought of:

> c. 120 Hz Fostex 166E (http://www.madisound.com/cgi-bin/ind....10833&pid=324)
With similar power handling to the CSS and 7 db more sensitivity, it should cover the parties’ requirement in his large room much better.
However it’s Xmax is only 0.6 mm, so to give great bass in a small box: -

< 120 Hz A single Peerless XLS 10 with a plate amp.
With Qts of only 0.17 it will work well in a small box.

What do you think?

[jeff mai]

I think you've caught something during your trip to China...

[rick57]

Yes true, but I still told my friend a while back that I’d help him, and he gave me a nudge on the weekend. Being pretty simple, it won’t take long

[jeff mai]

Maybe you can't see it or haven't noticed, but all your apostrophe's appear as Chinese characters in your postings to this thread. Given your difficulties with bizzare characters appearing in your posts on other forums, I thought you might like to know.

[rick57]

Thanks Jeff, it and all my other posts looks fine from here.
(So the weird apostrophe syndrome is broader than I thought).
My apologies, fellow diyaudio-ers.

Is this (RTF) without them? :

A friend who knows nothing about audio asked me to suggest a speaker system that’s simple, great, small and cheap. Yes, pretty broad.

The original idea was a pair of CSS WR125 full rangers, with supposedly fantastic bass wrt their size, due to XBL. (www.creativesound.ca/pdf/WR125S.PDF)

6 mm Xmax, in say 10 litre (0.4 cu ft) boxes tuned to 50-60 Hz.
Two not so good points are modest 87 dB efficiency, and the treble is supposedly just average.


. . then he added “and good for parties”
here’s what I thought of:

> c. 120 Hz Fostex 166E (http://www.madisound.com/cgi-bin/ind....10833&pid=324)
With similar power handling to the CSS and 7 db more sensitivity, it should cover the parties’ requirement in his large room much better.
However it’s Xmax is only 0.6 mm, so to give great bass in a small box: -

< 120 Hz A single Peerless XLS 10 with a plate amp.
With Qts of only 0.17 it will work well in a small box.

What do you think?

Thanks

[Dumbass]

With the "good for parties" requirement, the 2 Pi (in either bookshelf or tower configuration) kit comes to mind. It uses the Eminence Alpha 10 woofer and Vifa DX25 tweeter. Rated 95dB.
http://www.pispeakers.com/AvailableC...nts.htm#Studio
http://www.pispeakers.com/Prices.htm

Given your location, getting the kit from Wayne would be problematic, but you could probably reverse-engineer something very similar. I'd keep the crossover outside the box for easy tweaks, how good you nail the deets will be the real deal-breaker.

What you described with the FE166E is very similar to the "SEX-y speaker" design that Bottlehead recommends for its SEX amp:
http://www.bottlehead.com/loosep/S.E.Xy%20speakers.html
Essentially FE167E (better than 166 for this app) in a sealed cabinet, with inexpensive stereo subs for ~140Hz on down. IMO you could get away with a single sub, on the other hand that puts more stress on the sub.

[Tweeker]

Before hand wringing about the FR125's low efficiency too much, what sort of amp will your friend using?

I think the greater bass will help the CSS driver in parties given a small box over more efficient stuff once sufficient power is present. With a 30 watt + amp I dont see much point of a high efficiency driver in a small box given that it will run out of steam from overexcursion long before its RMS current limits are reached. This comment only really applies in the case of small speakers.

Going somewhat bigger and spendier, how about the Adire HE 10.1 Mk II setup? More bass thanks to having a ten inch coax, and still good efficiency.

[rick57]

Dumbass
An Eminence Alpha 10 could well be better than a single Fostex, however with a Qts of 0.59 it would be bigger than FE166E satellites and Peerless Qts 0.17.
You’d need to cross the 10 incher at no more than about 2000 Hz to prevent beaming, but the Vifa would handle that.
Subject to WAF, interesting idea.

I agree you could get away with a single sub, if it has good power handling. Mmm, Bottlehead uses the FE167E in a *sealed cabinet. Anyone know why sealed?

PS I hope the winter has lifted a little down there? *real
Only a few days ago I was saying you would want the Net down there (& lotsa good CDs) to deal with the conditions.

Cheers

Tweeker
What amp? very good question. Just a crappy 25 odd watts 15 yo Sony receiver. If it had more grunt yes the FR125s would work better.

The Adire HE 10.1 seems a very good package. I don’t think it’d have the extension of an XLS 10 with 12 mm Xmax and an Fs of 19 Hz, but it would have more cohesiveness than sats + sub.

Probabaly time to revisit my buddy

Cheers

[Dumbass]

Originally posted by rick57
I agree you could get away with a single sub, if it has good power handling. Mmm, Bottlehead uses the FE167E in a *sealed cabinet. Anyone know why sealed?

Sealed controls excursion below resonance. They had heard distortion when they tried vented cabs. With stereo subs, the sealed cabs go low enough.

I use FE207E in vented cabs, I like them, but I don't know if I would call them "party" speakers.

[rick57]

The Fostex 166E resonance is 50 Hz, so if you cross ay 120 Hz, no difference. Maybe it’s simply that a sealed box is simpler to build.

> With stereo subs, the sealed cabs go low enough.
Should do

> I use FE207E in vented cabs, I like them, but I don't know if I would call them "party" speakers

I don't think he wants to split his 52 yo ears ~ how loud do your FE207Es go?