Dipoles - who has them here? thoughts?

[humanhuman]

Hey guys,

I am looking for feedback from people who have Dipole speakers. How do you like them? How would you rate them? I know about their pros/cons but I just want some subjective feedback about them. Thx.

[auplater]

Originally posted by humanhuman
Hey guys,

I am looking for feedback from people who have Dipole speakers. How do you like them? How would you rate them? I know about their pros/cons but I just want some subjective feedback about them. Thx.

I built a pair a year ago based on BG RD75's and would not switch back to monopoles. The stereo image is highly accurate, as you move about the room (and even walk between the speakers), the image stays put but your perspective on the sound changes as in a live event. Walking through the setup is like walking through the (band/orchestra/stage) as the image approaches, then surrounds, then retreats behind you.

These are augmented by a 5 ft^3 sonotube type subwoofer.

auplater

[DIY_newbie]

I've built a pair of active dipoles using:

1x Fountek JP2.0
1x Audax PR170m0
2x 12" El-Pipo Lineage woofers

They sound incredible, I'll never go back to "boxed" speakers again. The only real drawback is that you won't get alot of bass-slam. What you do get is very clean and detailed, just not alot of chest slamming thump like you do with a vented woofer.. Oh yeah, and you need alot more SD or X-max to get the same amount of output as a monopole woofer due to the roll-off. So be prepared for 2 big woofers per side, a single 10" just won't get you below 30hz.

--Chris

[humanhuman]

Thanks for the input. Those look awesome.

[MJK]

My entry.

http://www.quarter-wave.com/Project07/Project07.html

The write up provides the details.

[AJinFLA]

Dipole is a radiation pattern. You can buy dipole box surround speakers at your local Best Buy.
An open baffle speaker is a dipole that has no enclosure. You can get a taste of open baffle, dipole sound, if you have for example, a Magnepan dealer nearby. Those use ribbon type drivers. Other similar examples like these are electrostatic type designs.
The examples you are going to see here are mainly open baffle, dynamic driver designs. The same type of cone units found in your box speakers at home and Best Buy, etc.
These combine the openess, clarity and "boxless" type sound of an electrostatic, with the power and dynamics that cone type drivers provide.
There is far, far more to open baffle speakers than cutting a hole in a piece of wood and sticking a driver in there, just like there is more to box speakers than cutting a hole in a random box and sticking a random driver in there, then expect it to sound good.
For all one would want to know about open baffle design: http://www.linkwitzlab.com/index.html
It's where I went (after nearly 20yrs of building many speakers for myself) to come up with these. Since each speaker I own can't be worse than the last, there is no going back to boxes.

Cheers,

AJ

[leonrocks]

Go there, you wont be sorry. From my experience you need at least 2 12" drivers per side, preferably more for big spl. One 8" crossing at 120-150Hz will also only just cut the mustard for decent spl levels without distortion. I've found pushing the crossover up to 150Hz helps the 8" driver out but the 12"s then start to sound a little muddy. A subwoofer is recommended for use below the lowest room mode frequency of your room.

[tubee]

I had been thinking of dipoles too. Had the B&G Neo 3 in mind to begin with This tweeter can be delivered as "normal" or as dipole.

[tc-60guy]

Dear auplater, you rule! Nice linesource! The dynamics of the system must be off the charts unless your listening room is the size of a aircraft hanger! Sorry aabout all the exclamation marks, but s**t!

[tubee]

Yes i saw auplater used the long B&G's Very impressive. I cannot see exactly in picture, what about the high frequencies above 18,5 kHz? (the limit of the B&G 75) Neo 3 tweeters?

(But i can see Auplater has 2 accurate gold-weighing tools....)