Lowter Audiovector?
I was wondering if anyone has built a Lowther Audiovector speaker. They use two EX drivers. One fires forward and the other upward. I have heard that they sound very good but are very complicated to build. I am looking for a smooth sounding full range design.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Kind Regards,
Doug
I was wondering if anyone has built a Lowther Audiovector speaker. They use two EX drivers. One fires forward and the other upward. I have heard that they sound very good but are very complicated to build. I am looking for a smooth sounding full range design.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Kind Regards,
Doug
The V worst thing about Lowthers is that they are the Audio equivalent of "*****-teasers'.
They get you thinking that there is more coming and the next "tweak' will do it.
Sadly what you first hear is ALL you get. ever.... period.
These things have dissapointed Most if not all owners. don't be fooled.
They get you thinking that there is more coming and the next "tweak' will do it.
Sadly what you first hear is ALL you get. ever.... period.
These things have dissapointed Most if not all owners. don't be fooled.
Thanks for the advice. The darn things are very expensive and it would be a shame to spend the money and wind up with a poor sounding speaker.
What speakers do you use?
What speakers do you use?
Re: Lowter Audiovector?
I would think that some of the modern day horns would do a better job than the AudioVector which was an old design when i got the plans in the mid 70s.
I've not heard a set of Lowthers in a long time, but despite what Bare says, there are people that are happy with theirs. Often they seem to be in an unconventional box.
Alot of money for sure... not something i'd be getting into without eyes wide open.
dave
EDDIEMUNSTER said:
I would think that some of the modern day horns would do a better job than the AudioVector which was an old design when i got the plans in the mid 70s.
I've not heard a set of Lowthers in a long time, but despite what Bare says, there are people that are happy with theirs. Often they seem to be in an unconventional box.
Alot of money for sure... not something i'd be getting into without eyes wide open.
dave
EDDIEMUNSTER said:
Always a lot of speakers flowing theu here. Our favorites are still Fostex FE126 or FE127 based. Once tweaked up, they play way above their weight class,
dave
Here's a modern example of an older Lowther design. Go to this URL and then to the drawings.
http://www.vivaldiaudio.com/
It's a very good, though pricey speaker. It should give you some food for thought.
Best Regards,
TerryO
http://www.vivaldiaudio.com/
It's a very good, though pricey speaker. It should give you some food for thought.
Best Regards,
TerryO
Bare said:
True, but the responsibility doesn't really lie with the drivers: unfortunately, most Lowther owners appear to stuff them into cabinets which aren't especially well designed. I couldn't agree more with Dave, Terry, Hm etc. Get them into a decent enclosure of the type that will suit your room, system & taste in music best, and they'll sing.
I remember the Audiovector enclosure -not the best design I've seen. You can do much better than that.
Have a look at Martin's Lowther projects for a good analysis of what the Lowthers can and cannot do. He also offers a much simpler cabinet design than the Lowther horns.
I attended a hi-fi demo a couple of years back which included a pair of older Lowther speakers. I can't remember the model but the driver fired into the corner. Hardly anyone else knew what they were but I was amused to find they sounded better than most of the so-called monitor designs being played. Bass light but very clean and detailed.
I attended a hi-fi demo a couple of years back which included a pair of older Lowther speakers. I can't remember the model but the driver fired into the corner. Hardly anyone else knew what they were but I was amused to find they sounded better than most of the so-called monitor designs being played. Bass light but very clean and detailed.
Thanks for all the great suggestions everyone. I have allot to chew on! Many great options to explore. However, I may go broke in the process and my wife may kick me out. Such is the cost of DIY madness.
Cheers,
Doug
Cheers,
Doug
Bare said:
This statement is just ********. Have you ever owned a pair?
In the right cabinet these speakers are wonderful. They are not fullrange (as some believe) but down to 50Hz they do an excellent job.
Every Lowther needs almost a 1000 hour of playing before they are showing their true potential.
I'm really happy with mine, and I understand why they say: Lowther's for life.
Here'e a picture of my beloved speakers:
regards
Lars
The best FR drivers I've heard to date are my friend Steve's EX4s. Superb.
Lowthers are often viewed with a kind of mystical reverence for some odd reason, rather than as simply being (generally rather badly built) drivers. They're no harder to work with than any other FR unit, assuming that the claimed T/S parameters on Lowther's site are treated as the work of fiction they are.
Lowthers are often viewed with a kind of mystical reverence for some odd reason, rather than as simply being (generally rather badly built) drivers. They're no harder to work with than any other FR unit, assuming that the claimed T/S parameters on Lowther's site are treated as the work of fiction they are.
There seems to be a difference between the Audiovector at the Lowther site
http://www.lowtherloudspeakers.com/drawings/advdwg.html
and at this german site:
http://www.lowther.de/lowther/lautsprecher/audiovector.asp
in terms that the fronthorn at the german site is standing free. If the driver is on the level in line with the top when I leave away the front horn I could try to build it in an outbreak of madness. Does anybody have the plans for this version?
http://www.lowtherloudspeakers.com/drawings/advdwg.html
and at this german site:
http://www.lowther.de/lowther/lautsprecher/audiovector.asp
in terms that the fronthorn at the german site is standing free. If the driver is on the level in line with the top when I leave away the front horn I could try to build it in an outbreak of madness. Does anybody have the plans for this version?
certinly no expert here...
but audio buddy has a set of Lowthers in the closet, 'cause his AERs are sooo much better (his opinion, and ultimately he spent the $$$).
I think here we have a few bias opinions showing up.
No disrespect to any, but ....
unless one has had an oportunity to hear a design in it's intended use, it's really hard to say. There are many "believers" in the Lowther drivers, and can they all be wrong? I don't think so. The ones we often "hear" about are the ones that are not happy with them, for whatever reason--poorly built or incorrect cabinets, inappropriate amplification, poor quality sources, etc.
just playin devil's advocate for a bit. Now of course, they could all be wrong, but it's unlikely. Someplace I have an "unknown" Lowther plan, a double tuned TL of sorts from 1970 or so. Unsure if any have built it ever...but they look a little entriquing.
but audio buddy has a set of Lowthers in the closet, 'cause his AERs are sooo much better (his opinion, and ultimately he spent the $$$).
I think here we have a few bias opinions showing up.
No disrespect to any, but ....
unless one has had an oportunity to hear a design in it's intended use, it's really hard to say. There are many "believers" in the Lowther drivers, and can they all be wrong? I don't think so. The ones we often "hear" about are the ones that are not happy with them, for whatever reason--poorly built or incorrect cabinets, inappropriate amplification, poor quality sources, etc.
just playin devil's advocate for a bit. Now of course, they could all be wrong, but it's unlikely. Someplace I have an "unknown" Lowther plan, a double tuned TL of sorts from 1970 or so. Unsure if any have built it ever...but they look a little entriquing.
AERs have utterly different specifications to Lowther for the most part, so they tend to give a different presentation. As ever YMMV. I quite liked the AER MK1s I heard last November, run OB with Supravox LF support.
elOl, the plan is a Audiovector, Mr. Kirchhoff´s illustration is a Audiovector symphonic with front driver PM2A and reflector upward, held by plexiglass, in front of the PM4A is a gypsum front horn which is difficult to built, without Sub bad, because only approx. 60 Hz are possible.
I thought you can get it by Lowther.
Lowther has a extrem peak around 10 kHz, an old konic membran which breaks of the sound by 1 Watt.
I visit Mr. Keller twice and want get a resending sample to make
measurements with my Horns in comparision to Lowther
Visaton Fpstex Audio Nirvana, he didn´t want it?!
Most people never made measurements and listen to this different drivers over weeks, I´ve done it.
Lowther and AER to expensive for the sound, the enclosure of
Lowther sounds coloured, that´s why I constructed so much
horns to make it better, my Saxophon is today the best solution.
I think many people think it is so expensive so it must be good,
ha ha ha.
please look the measurements of Lowther by AER
http://www.aer-original.com/html/hobby_hifi_01_jan_2002.html
The AER´s are old Lowther basket minimum changed and an alu voice coil !!? and the same dimensioned membran but partly different thickness.
Look a measurement with AER the Raptor from austria, the same listenable peak like Lowther:
I thought you can get it by Lowther.
Lowther has a extrem peak around 10 kHz, an old konic membran which breaks of the sound by 1 Watt.
I visit Mr. Keller twice and want get a resending sample to make
measurements with my Horns in comparision to Lowther
Visaton Fpstex Audio Nirvana, he didn´t want it?!
Most people never made measurements and listen to this different drivers over weeks, I´ve done it.
Lowther and AER to expensive for the sound, the enclosure of
Lowther sounds coloured, that´s why I constructed so much
horns to make it better, my Saxophon is today the best solution.
I think many people think it is so expensive so it must be good,
ha ha ha.
please look the measurements of Lowther by AER
http://www.aer-original.com/html/hobby_hifi_01_jan_2002.html
The AER´s are old Lowther basket minimum changed and an alu voice coil !!? and the same dimensioned membran but partly different thickness.
Look a measurement with AER the Raptor from austria, the same listenable peak like Lowther:
Attachments
Thanks for the info, hm.
When it only makes 60Hz then it is not much better than your Lure. I simulated it according to Hobby Hifi`s measured TSPs of the Ciare HX201, should work, but only 80Hz. In my case the horn only has to compensate up to 200Hz, since the midrange rise is compensated by the off-axis use. Would you think it is possible to develop a horn that goes really low? And would this have a reasonable size?
Regards, Oliver
When it only makes 60Hz then it is not much better than your Lure. I simulated it according to Hobby Hifi`s measured TSPs of the Ciare HX201, should work, but only 80Hz. In my case the horn only has to compensate up to 200Hz, since the midrange rise is compensated by the off-axis use. Would you think it is possible to develop a horn that goes really low? And would this have a reasonable size?
Regards, Oliver
Re: certinly no expert here...
http://www.eckhoerner.de/Downloads/TP 1.pdf
Its the"newer" ISIS TP1 I mentioned earlier; I've never heard of anyone building one though.
Claimed Frequency Range 30Hz-22,000 Hz!
14' 10" long sound path; wish I was up on MJK's, I'd like to see how close it models.
It does remind me of Ron's Austin 166 I just built, with the last fold being built into the cabinet, instead of using the walls.
Robert
This one?Nanook said:
http://www.eckhoerner.de/Downloads/TP 1.pdf
Its the"newer" ISIS TP1 I mentioned earlier; I've never heard of anyone building one though.
Claimed Frequency Range 30Hz-22,000 Hz!
14' 10" long sound path; wish I was up on MJK's, I'd like to see how close it models.
It does remind me of Ron's Austin 166 I just built, with the last fold being built into the cabinet, instead of using the walls.
Robert
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