Recommendations for desktop first build

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#21
For this application, sorted more or less in sequence of personal taste, based on direct experience:
-FF85WK- there several great designs for this driver
- Alpair 6P/ Alpair 5.2
- Fostex FE103SOL
- Scanspeak 10F
- Vifa / Peerless TG9
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- Fountek FE85
 
#22
I'm using the Planet10-designed "Slim CGR dMar-Ken7.3" speakers on my desktop. Translated to English: CGR = classic golden ratio; "d" means "deci" sized; "Mar" means Markaudio drivers; "Ken" means Fonken-inspired design; and "7.3" is because it uses the Alpair 7.3 drives. (Did I get all that right?) I built mine from a flatpack that Planet10 made for me. Plans here.

Here's a short write-up I did a while ago. All those comments still stand. (That's post #19 from the thread "Full Range Desktop Speakers - kit?" if the link doesn't work.)

Here's a post with pics showing how they look on my desk. (Post #29 from the "Finishing plywood speaker cabs - black, matte, utilitarian finish?" thread.) They are probably on the larger side of what most people would be comfortable putting on their desk. Before I got them, I used the dimensions from the plans to build cardboard mock-ups to see how they'd fare on my desk. The desk is about 30x60 (inches). Those are 20" widescreen monitors to help with a sense of scale.

The electronics behind them have changed numerous times since then. Until recently, though, they were always driven by some kind of tpa311x amp. The longest stretch of consistent electronics was the Gmarsh Wiener tpa3118 amp and a tda1387 x8 DAC. I'm in the process of finishing up a tda7297-based amp and a Soekris dam1021 dac.

Amusing side note: Dave/Chris - you may recall our brief discussion of the word "skookum" in the thread with the pics. I just googled "skookum computer speakers" and that thread is still the first hit in the search results! :spin:
 
#24
Agree with Dave and Chris, a 3" fullrange is perfect as pc speakers. For me uFonken is the right size and shape, and uFonken + ff85wk is really good. Maybe too good, music distracts you from work easily 😀. Fostex grilles for them are nice too.

I've tried vifa TC9 on uFonken and for me sounds ok. Softer, less detailed than Fostex. You can put a small class D board inside and done. Sure 3110 is small and cheap.
 
#25
Thank you all for you ideas and comments. my building capabilities are not great at at. thought of a kanspea kit from madisound? also read that for rock and movies this 3" FF85WK driver could probably not be suited? maybe a 4" is better all around? maybe i'm asking for too much. have pioneer bs21 and wanted to upgrade.. but know these and their successors are big for desktop. if 3in driver can do all, so how you cut lower frequencies so driver works more easily as i have a subwoofer? a cap before driver? Thanks!!!
 
#26
Jstevens - for me the key to this discussion would be "application" - when I read "desktop", I tend to assume very near field - i.e. at computer with listening distance generally less than one meter, and probably driven by a very low powered (Class D/T ) amp. As I've mentioned in numerous other threads, I have a pair of FF85WK in microFonken enclosures, powered by Topping TP30 amp at both my home and work desktop. Neither are a primary / serious listening situation, and hardly ever get played above 80dB SPL and I've never yet heard them distressed from over-driving on any type of program material. They are certainly capable of revealing the strengths and shortcomings of all those you-tube videos proudly demonstrating other speaker / audio systems. 😀


I've also used the same driver in quite a few 2-way ( FAST) systems crossed over anywhere in the 200-330Hz range. In this application they can get plenty loud enough for me ( generally peaking in the lower 90dB range according to my Radio Shack SPL meter) in 300-400ft^2 rooms at "serious listening" distances of 10-12ft .

Between your computer sound card and powered sub-woofer, you may already have the crossover /high-pass function required to eliminate the "heavy lifting" from whichever small driver you elect.

No surprise that I'm a big fan of the FF85WK, and if you're not able to build a pair of small enclosures, I think you could do far worse than the Madisound Kanspea Kit - and for the extra $40 or so, it'd probably not hurt to grab one of the little optional AP05 amps
 
#27
Jstevensiam said:
Thank you all for you ideas and comments. my building capabilities are not great at at. thought of a kanspea kit from madisound? also read that for rock and movies this 3" FF85WK driver could probably not be suited? maybe a 4" is better all around? maybe i'm asking for too much. have pioneer bs21 and wanted to upgrade.. but know these and their successors are big for desktop. if 3in driver can do all, so how you cut lower frequencies so driver works more easily as i have a subwoofer? a cap before driver? Thanks!!!
Click to expand...

I'm still using mMar-Ken6peN for the desktop, with no filters. My ears will give up long before the drivers do, regardless of music genre.

jeff
 
#28
Jstevensiam said:
Thank you all for you ideas and comments. my building capabilities are not great at at. thought of a kanspea kit from madisound? also read that for rock and movies this 3" FF85WK driver could probably not be suited? maybe a 4" is better all around? maybe i'm asking for too much. have pioneer bs21 and wanted to upgrade.. but know these and their successors are big for desktop. if 3in driver can do all, so how you cut lower frequencies so driver works more easily as i have a subwoofer? a cap before driver? Thanks!!!
Click to expand...

The best simple upgrade for the Pioneer BS21 would be to install 2 good tweeters. The Pioneer woofer is pretty good while the tweeter is very poor. The Vifa BC25TG15-04 drop in replacement is a huge upgrade and is reasonably priced. The Pioneers will still be less efficient than full range. The FF105wk will take up bigger space but will provide more bass. The FF85wk will actually get you close to silk dome tweeter performance which the FF105wk lacks. I prefer the FF85wk but you might want to look at the Alpair 5.2. Markaudio probably has the best full range technology today if you are willing to spend a little extra.
 
#31
The GR Research products seem to be very well respected, and at $35 US ea, the LGK1 looks like another great bargain. With a larger baffle width cabinet, or exterior EQ if deemed necessary, the BSC components might be redundant, and as the plans posted on their site appear to be fairly generic they could easily be duplicated. I'd tend to use 12mm BB ply myself, but those familiar with my name would expect that as a matter of course 😀


There are just too many from which to choose, and the current dollar exchange rate and shipping charges can limit what we north of the 49th are willing to experiment with.
 
#35
planet10 said:
The µFonkens are great. You do want to work off the plans here for the current driver (FF85wk) Frugal-phile | Box Library / Fostex. The plans you linked are for the older drivers (FF85k).

dave
Click to expand...

Thanks for link Dave, I'm building (hopefully) about 4 pairs for my surround sound system, I'm going to put FF85wk's in the main speakers or I might build the FX's for the main just depends on time an money, I know its heresy but I'm not a rich person so I'm going to test a pair of these Tectonic Elements Round Speaker Driver
for the rears and high fronts. Its the difference between £650 and £200 in the build.
 
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