A colleague of mine (Frank Verwaal) built his own electrostatic loudspeakers several years ago (after spending considerable time digging into the theory), found that the loudspeakers were too large to fit anywhere in his living room and finally sold them. His wife actually encouraged him to keep them, but he didn't listen to her.
Here is my last project, line arrays with 16 microphone capsules, 2 KOhm impedance. I plan to drive them with transformerless SRPP amp on 4P1L outputs. However they will never be loud enough for a living room, but I suspect her patients will never complain about sound quality of soft soothing music in her office. She already said that she loves them how they look. But she does not know yet about my plans. Neither her boss, they share the same room in the office. 
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Ha! It turns out most accidents are domestic accidents. Killing spouses is one of them. I don't know about you but I'm pretty dangerous with a hammer in my hand. Don't lose your temper holding an electric drill either. Just saying.
Resurrecting a dead thread a bit but I thought this thread was really funny. I tried getting some JBL 120Ti put into our entertainment center in our pretty small family room and she wanted nothing to do with it....so they are in my office for music listening....
I find trying to make something that will keep her happy to be a special challenge. I like high efficiency speaker as I find them to be better with dynamics...so one would normally go with some sort of horned design...well, that isnt working cause the room is still too small....smallest horns I would go for are the MTG-08 on diysoundgroup.com.
However, she doesnt like the toed-in look of bookshelf speakers in the entertainment center either...so now I am trying to find something with good off axis response. Which is why I am now looking at Coaxials/Full range speakers for the family room which is also where we are watching our movies at loud volumes.
I am also looking at taking some woodworking classes to learn how to make furniture so that in the future I can integrate all my audio in as close to an "invisible" way as possible with subs built like furniture, tv stands, etc....
I find trying to make something that will keep her happy to be a special challenge. I like high efficiency speaker as I find them to be better with dynamics...so one would normally go with some sort of horned design...well, that isnt working cause the room is still too small....smallest horns I would go for are the MTG-08 on diysoundgroup.com.
However, she doesnt like the toed-in look of bookshelf speakers in the entertainment center either...so now I am trying to find something with good off axis response. Which is why I am now looking at Coaxials/Full range speakers for the family room which is also where we are watching our movies at loud volumes.
I am also looking at taking some woodworking classes to learn how to make furniture so that in the future I can integrate all my audio in as close to an "invisible" way as possible with subs built like furniture, tv stands, etc....
A standmount 6.5" + wave-guide-loaded-tweeter design would be a safe bet I think.
A scanspeak d2608/9130000 in the PE 6.5" Dayton wave-guide or in a monacor wg300 will end up with 97dB sensitivity before padding, around the optimum xover frequency range. Partner this with a 6ND430-8 from 18sound with a well designed crossover @ ≈2500Hz and you'll have a smallish loudspeaker with above average sensitivity and excellent off axis characteristics that will suit a non toed in setup.
Of course it wont do much below 100Hz but it's about as good as you're going to get given your size constraints. Add in a well hidden sub and you should be fine.
A scanspeak d2608/9130000 in the PE 6.5" Dayton wave-guide or in a monacor wg300 will end up with 97dB sensitivity before padding, around the optimum xover frequency range. Partner this with a 6ND430-8 from 18sound with a well designed crossover @ ≈2500Hz and you'll have a smallish loudspeaker with above average sensitivity and excellent off axis characteristics that will suit a non toed in setup.
Of course it wont do much below 100Hz but it's about as good as you're going to get given your size constraints. Add in a well hidden sub and you should be fine.
Am I the only one who has a wife who loves antiques?
Sure weve made compromises. Like ive restored a 1956 packard bell black and white tv thats in the living room, though it now has her silly flatscreen sitting on top of it.. as she doesnt want to watch a b&w tv. Ive a rather nice radiola model 62 (1928) in the living room as well, but it had been gutted, so i replaced all the internals with a mid 50s fm tube radio. Now it works and gets stations wed both like to listen to.
but she isnt normal, she likes vintage clothing and cars (for the style) and i count myself as lucky she lets me "make messes" when building amps and radios on the kitchen table.
Sure weve made compromises. Like ive restored a 1956 packard bell black and white tv thats in the living room, though it now has her silly flatscreen sitting on top of it.. as she doesnt want to watch a b&w tv. Ive a rather nice radiola model 62 (1928) in the living room as well, but it had been gutted, so i replaced all the internals with a mid 50s fm tube radio. Now it works and gets stations wed both like to listen to.
but she isnt normal, she likes vintage clothing and cars (for the style) and i count myself as lucky she lets me "make messes" when building amps and radios on the kitchen table.
My lovely wife quickly expressed a dislike for the innoccuous slim floorstanders I acquired as a single man. Later we were discussing a system for our new home, the subject of panels came up and I found pictures. I also explained that they were big. The next thing I know, she presents me with a surprise birthday present in the form of a pair of Magneplanar SMGa. Elsewhere on these forums, I wrote up the process of their rebuild.
Now, to me, a mere mortal who has been informed that "it's not your fault, you're just missing a chromosome" this all seemed odd, if acceptable. On questioning her reasoning Mrs H explained that the new speakers match our 60's style interior and furniture, and the 2D form is preferable by far to any box. At that, I have let the matter rest, a happy man at peace with his ears and spouse
Now, to me, a mere mortal who has been informed that "it's not your fault, you're just missing a chromosome" this all seemed odd, if acceptable. On questioning her reasoning Mrs H explained that the new speakers match our 60's style interior and furniture, and the 2D form is preferable by far to any box. At that, I have let the matter rest, a happy man at peace with his ears and spouse
My wife hates the look of my speakers (the ancient threeways that are acting as stands for the MTM's I can understand) But the MTM's... funny though the other day she said the grills are horrible (which is true because I knocked them up in a day so my two year old wouldn't poke the finished speakers). I took them off and she said that's MUCH better.
She also hates my Italian stereo rack. I think it is quite stylish, Glass and black powder coated tubular steel. We saw a 19" rack cabinet in an audio shop, and she said, that's the sort of thing I like
She hates my Loewe Xelos 81CM CRT because it isn't thin. The fact that the picture is far superior to any flat screen we have seen doesn't matter.
I did have one win though. When I finally got the crossover right on my MTM's I got the seal of approval to redo the woofers (even if the boxes were as big as the current 70L ones). Just as long as we make them look nice. She always comments on just how good the current sound is, and it should improve a lot once I have the 10" woofers doing duty below 300Hz.
Just to give an idea about what an ugly speaker it is. Here is a pic size is 201mm wide and 493mm high (not including the legs). edit added similar but not exactly the same as (mine has a wider top glass to suit CRT) rack...
Tony.
She also hates my Italian stereo rack. I think it is quite stylish, Glass and black powder coated tubular steel. We saw a 19" rack cabinet in an audio shop, and she said, that's the sort of thing I like
She hates my Loewe Xelos 81CM CRT because it isn't thin. The fact that the picture is far superior to any flat screen we have seen doesn't matter.
I did have one win though. When I finally got the crossover right on my MTM's I got the seal of approval to redo the woofers (even if the boxes were as big as the current 70L ones). Just as long as we make them look nice. She always comments on just how good the current sound is, and it should improve a lot once I have the 10" woofers doing duty below 300Hz.
Just to give an idea about what an ugly speaker it is. Here is a pic
size is 201mm wide and 493mm high (not including the legs). edit added similar but not exactly the same as (mine has a wider top glass to suit CRT) rack... Tony.
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Just came across this thread and surely fun to read. I have been asked questions such as "why you need so many amps and speakers?" and "why do you need so many tiny electronic parts and keeping them for over 30 years?" or "why is the music so loud? (even only about 1W+1W) Then I remember the "stuffs" on her make-up desk. Bottles and bottles of creams and lotions etc. I hate lotions on my face, it is sticky and uncomfortable to me. However, she will put layers and layers on with different bottles of lotions. (She puts some on me too) She said that they are designed for different purposes and used in different areas. I told her the parts are all serving different purposes in the circuit and different classes of amps and speakers have different characteristics.
Anyway, I don't think she understands me and neither do I understand her (the makeup stuffs). I do remember I have seen big department stores putting out comfy chairs for the husbands while the wives are shopping for makeups etc. Basically, most men sitting there look bore to death and some falling asleep (they look like nursing home residents). I think it is sad but at least I will stay with my wife and watch her excited moments shopping makeups. Although I don't understand those "things" on the shelf, I, to the very least, try to listen to her education on the products while she shops.
But two months ago, to my surprise, she asked for a sub-woofer. She wants more bass for watching movies. I immediately said "Oh, yeah?!?! " and grabbed a Dayton sub from PE before she changes her mind.
Anyway, I don't think she understands me and neither do I understand her (the makeup stuffs). I do remember I have seen big department stores putting out comfy chairs for the husbands while the wives are shopping for makeups etc. Basically, most men sitting there look bore to death and some falling asleep (they look like nursing home residents). I think it is sad but at least I will stay with my wife and watch her excited moments shopping makeups. Although I don't understand those "things" on the shelf, I, to the very least, try to listen to her education on the products while she shops.
But two months ago, to my surprise, she asked for a sub-woofer. She wants more bass for watching movies. I immediately said "Oh, yeah?!?! " and grabbed a Dayton sub from PE before she changes her mind.
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