DIY On-Wall Full Range Speaker?

[BL21DE3]

Hi,

I'm looking to build some speakers so I can move my hifi setup into the living room. However due to small inquisitive fingers, limited space and the dreaded wife acceptance factor I'm having to consider my designs carefully. Therefore I've been thinking of an on-wall full-range design, the simplicity of using full-range drivers appeals to me for my first DIY speaker. However I'm having difficulty finding any DIY designs, I've found plenty of commercial two-way offerings but nothing in the way of a full-range DIY design. I have come across Cornu spiral horn clones, but the build process looks rather too complex to undertake as a first attempt, not to mention the rather scant details on dimensions etc.

So I guess my question is, do any DIY on-wall full-range speaker designs exist? Or if not would there be a way to modify existing DIY full-range designs to become on-wall designs?

Any help/advice/suggestions would be welcome.

Regards,
Ewan

 

[croat47]

http://diyparadiso.com/cornu1.htm

 

[Johannes LeBong]

Hi Ewan

I remember times, when home hifi was young, many speakers with 'flat' enclousures suitable for hanging on a wall were available.

I remember some models of the german manufacturer HECO e.g. - to name only one. These were mostly 2- or 3-way speakers. Closed boxes with much damping material in it.

I think it is not difficult to make also a BR box with a tuned port if you take the volume of a proven design and change the proportions in a way to make it more wide and less deep.

The Cornu speakers (I had these for years) are something different. You have a very small fullrange driver which is a kind of tweeter but on the other hand brings a lot of bass - because of the special enclosure.

It makes not much sense to try to copy this speaker, because it is not easy to built. Daniel Ciesinger has the know-how and the speaker is not very expensive if you buy one of him.

Best regards, Jo

 

[hifimaker]

Hi Johannes,

I know your probably interested in making your own speakers, but I have seen some successful installations of Magnepan's mmg's and 1.6QR's mounted like a picture frame with good success. There are a variety of wall mounting options with the Maggie's.

Just another idea to think about.

-David

 

[pjanda1]

How is your wall constructed? How about a pair of Visiton B200's mounted right in the wall, infinite baffle style? The Qts should lend itself perfectly. Monacor might have something that would work for even less $$. That seems to be the simple solution. Depending on your needs and desires, I can think of plenty of more complicated options. If you have a way to do it (wall will allow), how about some IB subs? You'd have to have plenty of space behind them, and something sturdy to hook them too.

Oops, as I re-read, I see on-wall. I was thinking in-wall. There are plenty of slim T-line designs that can be set right up against a wall or bolted to it. How slim do you want them to be? Have you been through Dave's box plan library? Would you consider one of the smaller BIB's tossed into the corners? They don't take up much space that way.

pj

 

[Johannes LeBong]

I know your probably interested in making your own speakers

Hi David,

Yes, this is true.

I am very happy with what I have achieved with the Greencones in my special resonant enclousures after some years of experimenting with it.

I have also had different electrostatic speakers before. All of them had to stand free. So it is hard to believe for me to see such a speaker being mounted near to a wall. But I must admit, I did not try... ;-)

Best regards, Johannes

 

[john blackburn]

Have a look at these, they are on wall 2 ways but the construction may spark some ideas with you.

http://www.zaphaudio.com/audio-speaker20a.html

 

[BL21DE3]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the replies so far.

Pjanda1: There are plenty of slim T-line designs that can be set right up against a wall or bolted to it. How slim do you want them to be? Have you been through Dave's box plan library? Would you consider one of the smaller BIB's tossed into the corners? They don't take up much space that way.

Unfortunately the corners are already occupied, and floorstanding speakers would just be a temptaion to the little person to bash, poke and topple over.

In terms of dimensions, possibly probably get away with something in the region of 150mm deep, 400 - 500 mm in height, and 300mm wide.

I've seen the box plan library on Dave's site, plenty of nice looking designs and ideas, it's just knowing which of them would be suitable for on-wall mounting either as they are or with modifications.

Regards,
Ewan

 

[stee-b]

http://www.visaton.com/en/bauvorschlaege/2_wege/833/index.html

Maybe a possibility? Good luck with this!

Steve

 

[BL21DE3]

Hi Stee-B,

Thanks for the link, looks like one of the most promising designs I've seen yet.

Regards,
Ewan

 

[renfrow]

The 'Full Range Reference Project' had a number of variations, some of which were meant to be wall mounted, here are some posts:
FlatFonken , and some that could be put on the wall as they had the port in the front or bottom: Folded ML-Voight, "Tombstone" monopole.

Tom.

 

[el`Ol]

The Dynavox UniQorn is designed for close-to-wall placement and could probably be hung on the wall. Plans for clones can be found in the web. Supertweeter would have to be crossed lower for dispersion issues.

 

[Jeb-D.]

I'm in a similar dilema except I have cats.

Floorstanders- Cats scratched the hell out of the grill cloth.

Bookshelf on stands- They seemed pretty sturdy. Only had for two weeks when the cats jumped and knocked the speakers over. Speakers got banged up pretty good.

I was looking at the wall mount Magnepans, but all of my amps are low powered DIY tube amps.

I've considered cutting holes in the wall and just mounting the drivers on that. Wouldn't have any baffle step issues. But the people I'm renting from probably would not appreciate it.

 

[BL21DE3]

Looking at the Visaton design http://www.visaton.com/en/bauvorschlaege/2_wege/833/index.html (suggested by Stee-B) this looks to be a good solution, admittedly it's not full range but it certainly matches all the other criteria. However I have a quick question and as I'm not an expert in speaker design I thought I'd see if anyone here could answer it for me.

I'm having difficulty sourcing 10mm plywood/mdf, or more accurately finding a CNC shop the carries these sizes (my woodworking skills are limited at best so I was going to outsource the construction of the baffles), so would there be any issues using either 9mm or 12mm plywood/mdf instead?

Regards,
Ewan

 

[Puffin]

BL21DE3. Sounds like a post code to me ?! Anyway, I built a pair of the Zigmahornets. They weigh very little, sound best up against a wall (you get real bass), and it occurred to me that they would look pretty funky hung on the wall.

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/zigmahornet/zigmahornet.html

 

[GM]

I'm having difficulty finding any DIY designs, I've found plenty of commercial two-way offerings but nothing in the way of a full-range DIY design.

Greets!

There's a very simple reason for this, this is the hardest system to get right due to having so few tuning options. I mean the room's acoustics completely dominates the design and why two ways with rotating tweeters and heavily DSP EQ'd line or Bessel arrays are the main offerings, all requiring separate subs on the floor somewhere near them.

GM

 

[stee-b]

Looking at the Visaton design http://www.visaton.com/en/bauvorschlaege/2_wege/833/index.html (suggested by Stee-B) this looks to be a good solution, admittedly it's not full range but it certainly matches all the other criteria. However I have a quick question and as I'm not an expert in speaker design I thought I'd see if anyone here could answer it for me.

I'm having difficulty sourcing 10mm plywood/mdf, or more accurately finding a CNC shop the carries these sizes (my woodworking skills are limited at best so I was going to outsource the construction of the baffles), so would there be any issues using either 9mm or 12mm plywood/mdf instead?

Regards,
Ewan

Hi Ewan, I wouldn't think either size would be a problem, but personally I'd opt for the 12mm. Yes it would be heavier and slightly thicker, but I prefer mass as opposed to thin sheets. This is my opinion only though!
The Zigmahorns look an interesting design. Could they be made a little wider at the expense of the depth?

Steve

 

[BL21DE3]

Hi Steve,

Another quick question regardng the Portraits. One of the CNC/wood shops I've dealt with in the past can supply 4mm and 6mm plywood so I was wondering if there would be an issue in building the baffles out of a 4mm section and a 6mm section sandwiched together? And since the baffles need a 4mm deep rebate for the drivers this would simplify the construction.

Regards,
Ewan

 

[stee-b]

I can't see a problem so long as you can get suitable location to align both sheets and sufficient glue to effectively form a solid sheet. With them CNC'd I dont see any issues.

Steve

 

[planet10]

FlatFonken

in the region of 150mm deep, 400 - 500 mm in height, and 300mm wide.

Having done a number of Fonken variations since the Flat Fonken concept, i would rejig a GR Fonken (almost the right dimensions, i;d make it wider, taller and less deep with the slot port unloading at the back of the bottom ) for easier wall integration.

As GM points out the room starts dominating the design when the box is mounted on the wall, i would build some fetures in that give some tuning capability (mostly the ability to reduce the bass production, a thin, wall mounted loudspeaker will have no baffle-step and with room gain could even consider thinking about the issue as negative baffle-step.

Mileva would likely do the job too as it is designed with close to wall placement.

dave