WATT puppy clones?

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I built a set... Pretty much to the diagrams.

1) Bass - very tight and fast, fairly extended.
2) Very nice midrange, very accurate, a little forward
3) Highs - You either love the Focals Toxoids or hate them, very articulate, great dispersion, Make sure and get the T120 older version, not the new ones.

4) Quite efficient, best with good tube amp, maybe a class A Pass design.

Overall, a great DIY project.

Dale

P.S. Happy Holidays
 
Hi Brian,

Yes, I used the drivers as indicated and as you indicated, the
TC 120 TDX2 , not the TD5. Danny Richie (GR-Research hates the TD5), but really liked the TD2.

I'll post some pics later this week (no camera, will have to borrow from work). I finished mine in industrial gray textured paint. All of the slopes are correct. These speakers really have amazing soundstage and dispersion. They are not warm speakers, but very detailed. Again, a good tube amp does tone them down. Perhaps, one could shelve the high end a bit or pad the tweeters.


Back to my kid's XBOX...

P.S. I built to the David/Jericho specs for the cabinet, ports, and crossover. I have not tested with my new measuring equipment yet.
 
Hi Guys,

Just another FYI. They really sound good for the $$. The designer, Thorsten Loesch (sic?), is into low powered SE tube amps and designed his puppies for that purpose. I had these hooked up to a low cost NAD CD receiver (L40) and they sounded too harsh. I now have them paired with a 40W PushPull EL84 amp and they sound great. I never bought into the component matching stuff until I built and listened to these speakers. The AlephX or Aleph2 should also sound pretty good:)

Use good caps in series with the tweeter. Also, some wool felt helps eliminate some of the high frequency ringing that these tweeters can exhibit. These would make excellent front HT speakers.

Best Regards,

Dale
 
I used to have a set of genuine WATTs (and have owned Puppies)before I went DIY dipole and considered doing some Puppy cabinets like those mentioned above.

From the research I did, the Peerless drivers were the weak link in terms of transparency and dynamics. You might be able to pick up a pair of the genuine Dynaudios on eBay, but I was going to use a pair of Focal 10L6411 per side. The Seas L21 RNX/P or RNXP4 also seem good matches.

The Wilson Sophia uses the Seas W26.

Steve
 
cowanrg

My advice if you have set your mind on this;

Build as close as the originals as possible, or..

build something better with the same concept. ie other drivers.

However, I don´t know if you think of WP5.1 or the newer stuff?

Some of the drivers may be hard to find, but try to get as close as possible.

Like, pick skaaning 8-9"ers instead of Dynaudio if you can´t find.

The 5.1 uses 4ohm 18W8545, and Focal, should be possible get close to what he used.

I´m not totally updated on the latest versions, but the 5.1 I think uses 3rd order mid/tweeter. No highpass on 7" and first order at the dual basses.

If I would build that type of speaker I would probably go three way instead of 2.5 way. Stiff drivers would take the place of the "soft" ones in the WP.

I would pick a C23 Accuton tweeter, a 5-7" from Seas Excel line or Accuton. 2 x 8" from Seas Excel. in the Puppy :)

Or.. maybe skip the 2x 8" concept and choose one of the better 10" or 12" made in US. TC sounds or those that Madisound carries.. is it Aura Sound or something?

Another thing to consider is biamp, then you do not need to think on sensitivity matching the basses and mid, makes it a little easier.

Well well..

/Peter
 
I've recently finished a pair myself. They're a pretty faithful copy of Thorstens designs with some minor changes to the asthetics, bracing and crossover. I've got a photo history of the entire project and I'm planning on documenting it and putting it up on the web at some point as a beginners guide to DIY speakers (this was my first project).
Here's a couple of photos of the finished speakers.

http://www.geocities.com/bigmacx44

Mac.
 
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