'Orion' dipole baffle pics

[sfdoddsy]

I'm slowly building some modified Linkwitz Orion/Phoenix/Beethoven speakers and finally have two test baffles. Here's some pics:


The differences are in the wings for the bass, one has a 12 inch rear wing, the other is in an H-Frame giving 6 inches front and rear. Still working out which ones I prefer.

EDIT, the pics didn't work, I'll try an attachment.

Steve

 

[sfdoddsy]

Still working out photo attachment, but lets try this:

http://photos.yahoo.com/sfdoddsy

 

[sfdoddsy]

One more time:

 

[sfdoddsy]

And one more:

 

[hoxuanduc]

Congratulations!!!!

Now for the meat,

Details, mate, details!!!

What are the drivers? How did you design it? How does it sound? C'mon, we want more!!!

Thanks,

Duc

 

[planet10]

Re: Congratulations!!!!

What are the drivers?

They are shiny at any rate. The T looks like an inverted dome -- Focal?

dave

 

[sfdoddsy]

I like shiny. Shiny is good.

This is a test baffle with speakers I had lying around. The plan is to use the Linkwitz recommended drivers (Seas W22/Seas Millenium) for the proper speakers.

However, for the moment the tweeter is a Focal TC90KB, the mids are Seas L21 RNXP and the bass drivers are Focal 10L6411.

I'm using a Driverack PA for digital crossovers and EQ and it has made the process a hell of a lot easier. As well as the dipole boost, the L21s needed a highend boost at make the 1.4kHz crossover and the Focal tweeter needed a bit of low end pushing to do the same.

The result has been unexpectedly good. In spite of the fact that I am not using the specced drivers, and I haven't flush mounted anything, this Orion/Phoenix/whatever mix sounds great and I already prefer it to the Wilson WATTs in the photo.

I haven't done any real high volume listening to check bass response, but the rest of the sound is very open and clear and exceedingly transparent. Not surprisingly, it sounds boxless.

The imaging isn't as precise as the Wilsons but that seems to be the only area where it is let down.

The speakers are simply made of two side panels of MDF cut to size at my local builders center, with two center panels to hold the drivers, and two braces that form the top and bottom of the bass wings. The midrange panels are 13" wide with two inch side panels, and the bass wings are 12 inches deep. Having the drivers at the front of the bass section rather than in the middle (right speaker) seems to produce deeper bass.

The final speakers will have a gloss black center panel and the sides will be made of aluminum, so it should look very cool.

I'll use these test baffles and drivers for the surrounds.

This is my first DIY speaker and it sounds great. I can highly recommend the Linkwitz Orion or Phoenix based on these.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Davey]

Steve,

You should invert one of the woofers in the lower cabinet and reverse its wiring. This will give you some reduction in even-order harmonic distortion. However, you will have to look at the ugly magnet on the front side of the speaker.

Cheers,

Davey.

 

[sfdoddsy]

Yeah, I though about push-pull and I may try it out, but all that metal looks so purty.

 

[dice45]

sfdoddsy,
just do it, invert one of the woofers.

good work! ....:

 

[capslock]

If you don't like the look of the metal, why don't you try the Linkwitz mounting method, i.e. mount the woofers sideways on top of each other?

Coming to think of it, the 8" (midranges, as he likes to call them) might also benefit from having one inverted.

Regards,

Eric

 

[sfdoddsy]

I like the look of metal, I don't like the look of driver butts.



Steve