Beolab 5 clones!!!!!

[legendaryfrog]

hi everyone!

yesterday while visiting my local bang and olufsen store i had the chance do demo the beolab 5. the salesman blindfolded me and spun me around and i couldnt tell from which direction the sound was coming from. (all this from one speaker!!!!)

at this point visit the b&o website and check out their design

http://www.bang-olufsen.com/web2/sys...=ls&prodid=544

This motivated me to build speakers utilizing the same design. It may seem hard, but my dad operates a metal working factory, so anythin with metal is taken care of.

My only question would be how to construct the base.
Any ideas?

[legendaryfrog]

im guessing it'd be possible to construct it out of styrofoam coated with resin and polyester paint.

[ds23man]

It is all very nice, only you forget one thing: All recordings are mixed on a normal stereo or surround speaker setup. Mixing engineers spend lots of time to make a final mix down, reproducing them on speakersystems like Bose, beolab5 and other systems wich make use of reflecting areas has nothing to do with hifi or highend audio. It is a total lack of respect for the work from the engineer, producer and musicians. It will not sound like the makers intended.

GRG

[joe carrow]

Construction is no problem, compared to the rest. Here are the challenges, as I see them, in constructing this clone.

1) Locating a suitable midrange driver. B&O uses a 3" dome midrange, I don't see a lot of those around.

2) Defining the actual geometry of the diffusers. They use a really specific geometry to disperse the sound in a nearly omnidirectional radiation pattern. This could be difficult to reverse engineer, and is probably impractical without some FEA software and good measurement tools.

3) Crossover design. This is a three-way passive crossover with an active crossover to the sub. Three ways definitely aren't for beginners, and this one might have a few twists and turns.

What's your budget for this project? At least $5,000? I think it can be done. Although it won't be easy, I've heard the Beolab 5 and I think it would be worth the trouble.

[phn]

Originally posted by ds23man
It is all very nice, only you forget one thing: All recordings are mixed on a normal stereo or surround speaker setup. Mixing engineers spend lots of time to make a final mix down, reproducing them on speakersystems like Bose, beolab5 and other systems wich make use of reflecting areas has nothing to do with hifi or highend audio. It is a total lack of respect for the work from the engineer, producer and musicians. It will not sound like the makers intended.

GRG

Does this mean this is not a hi-fi or high-end speaker? http://www.mbl-germany.de/recommende...recom_101.html

If you want to reproduce what the sound engineers hear, you'll need these: http://www.skidmore.edu/academics/music/att/ns10.html

[joe carrow]

Originally posted by ds23man
It is all very nice, only you forget one thing: All recordings are mixed on a normal stereo or surround speaker setup. Mixing engineers spend lots of time to make a final mix down, reproducing them on speakersystems like Bose, beolab5 and other systems wich make use of reflecting areas has nothing to do with hifi or highend audio. It is a total lack of respect for the work from the engineer, producer and musicians. It will not sound like the makers intended.

GRG

I respectfully disagree. People listen to their speakers in a real world room, not an anechoic chamber. The way I see it, if you can't get "I'm really there", then "They're really here" is a close second. I've heard Bose, and I've heard Cambridge Soundworks, and I can honestly say that the Beolab 5 bears far more comparison to the Cambridge Soundworks than the Bose.

If you check out Linkwitzlab.com, you'll see someone smarter than myself exploring this dichotomy.

[legendaryfrog]

lol 5000 dollars.

im a senior.

i can tailor the parts to fit different size drivers.



the parts will cost me a total of 5 dollars except for the base and well, drivers.

wait a minute. i just got a brain blast. instead of ithe huge base i can mount it on the wall.

SO. how would i go choosing the drivers?

[joe carrow]

I hate to break it to you, but that "huge base" was actually the enclosure for the subwoofer.

Assuming you had free enclosures, I estimate the following minimum costs to clone the Beolab 5:

2 subs at $150 each
2 midbasses at $50 each
2 dome mids at $45 each
2 tweeters at $30 each

That's nearly $550 in drivers, if you cut some corners. To make it a worthwhile project, double that cost- at least for the subs.

That completely ignores the built-in 1000 watt amplifiers and digital signal processors. How much do you think those will cost?

[legendaryfrog]

im skipping the subwoofers. way too much bass.
i already have 2 daytons and i find myself constantly turnind the bass down.

[legendaryfrog]

my only other question is regarding crossovers.

if i use the same crossover as the jubilees on PE, and replace the drivers with another driver with the same Frequency response, will there be any problems?