Best small driver for <2 liters desktop speaker?

[karha096]

I would like to bulid a really nice desktop speaker for my office. I need it to be small (like 1-2 liters or so) to fit the general interior. Big boxes are simply to eye-catching for my office space.

Has anyone implemented a really small speaker with good results?

Looking around the Internet, most diy projects seem to be either too big or just junkdriver-in-a-shoebox type of things. I would like to make the most of the limited size, cost-no-object.

I've been thinking in the direction of a small, excursion friendly driver with a LT circuit and a small dome tweeter or something like that.

Any ideas or tips?

 

[ssportclay]

I would like to bulid a really nice desktop speaker for my office. I need it to be small (like 1-2 liters or so) to fit the general interior. Big boxes are simply to eye-catching for my office space.

Has anyone implemented a really small speaker with good results?

Looking around the Internet, most diy projects seem to be either too big or just junkdriver-in-a-shoebox type of things. I would like to make the most of the limited size, cost-no-object.

I've been thinking in the direction of a small, excursion friendly driver with a LT circuit and a small dome tweeter or something like that.

Any ideas or tips?

If you really need a small cabinet, a 3 inch full-range driver is really the only way to go. Two great models come to mind: the uFonkenWK which uses the Fostex FF85wk driver and the uMar-Ken5.2 which uses the Alpair 5.2 driver. If you go smaller, you wont get bass and if you go larger, it will take up space.

 

[xrk971]

Faital Pro 3FE22 in a 2 liter BR with BSC works well. Very smooth and decent bass. It has a small Vas so allows a smaller cabinet.

 

[planet10]

uFonkenWK is 2 litres + vent. The uMar-Ken are 2.5 litre like th ebigger uFonkens. This a picture of the older uFonken with FF85k but the size of the new one is the same (20” iMac for scale):

If you need really small, and don’t mind spending a bundle on the driver the ScanSpeak 10F-4424 fits in 0.8 litres. It doesn’t go particularily low and highs are a bit soft, but it is smooth and well liked.

If you can afford the volume, FF85wk or Alpair 5.2 are well worth looking at.

dave

 

[chris661]

Not sure it'll be of interest, but I put a FE126eN into a ~2L box with a couple of passive radiators on the back.
Flat to 40Hz at desktop levels, but you're going to need a lot of EQ to get it there.

Chris

 

[Wiggle8]

I did a small desktop build with sealed Hivi M3N. With some EQ below 100 Hz they actually sound quite decent for the size. I went with the M3N cause I had them on hand.

I also have an Alpair 5 in a FAST (supported by LDW7) upstairs and judging by how that sounds I'd wager that could be a good option as well.

 

[planet10]

That reminds me, i put Aura NS3 into a 1.5 litre sealed box with decent results — cheaper but not up to the level of FF85wk or Alpair 5.2.

dave

 

[Jerms]

For a desktop sealed with LT?
Maybe Peerless 830987 or Dayton ND91 in a 2 way?

Going slightly bigger on drivers - Dayton RS100?

 

[chrisb]

and the more you EQ a smaller driver, the sooner you'll run into excursion / SPL limitations

 

[Jerms]

and the more you EQ a smaller driver, the sooner you'll run into excursion / SPL limitations

As a desktop solution, it's probable normal listening SPL would be achieved at a very low wattage. For that usage case, and keeping the enclosure as small as possible, sealed plus EQ seems a possible solution.

I wouldn't suggest the resulting speakers being used at distance though.

DSA135 seems another option. Bigger cone, low VAS, flatter OB response.

 

[xrk971]

Faital Pro 3FE22 in a 2 liter BR with BSC works well. Very smooth and decent bass. It has a small Vas so allows a smaller cabinet.

Here is a photo of my test (not beautiful by any means but sounds good). speaker 4in x 4in x 8in tall, 1in dia x 2.5in in long vent, 1mH and 5ohm BSC. Vent exits on the bottom.

 

[chrisb]

As a desktop solution, it's probable normal listening SPL would be achieved at a very low wattage. For that usage case, and keeping the enclosure as small as possible, sealed plus EQ seems a possible solution.

no disputing that, but

I wouldn't suggest the resulting speakers being used at distance though.

nothing goes without saying

 

[rabbitz]

I've built a few very small speakers in 2017.

SB65WBAC25-4, 1.36 litres vented , F3=65Hz, 130wx95dx184h
NE95W-04, 2.4 litres vented, F3=63Hz, 120-161wx157dx228h
NE19VTS-04 + SB12PAC25-4, 2.6 litres vented, F3=72Hz, 169wx128dx249h

The last one is the best sounding but the SB65WBAC25-4 is great on the computer with a Dragonfly DAC and DTA-2 power amp.

Here's a SB kit suggestion.
SB Acoustics :: Micro Kit

 

[planet10]

Rabbitz, F3 is of use only to an electrical filter (ref Toole), what are F6 or F10?

dave

 

[rabbitz]

Well Toole is a tool. Users need some sort of reference when evaluating speakers and F3 gives them sort of guide when comparing bass capabilities of speakers. I notice in this thread I have no idea of bass performance of speakers listed. That's why I always list it and why most manufacturers use ±3dB in their specs.

F3 by itself is is useless other than a reference point (1/2 power).
F6 is handy as can give an idea of performance with room loading (1/4 power).
F10 is useless unless you want to equalise the crap out of it (1/10 power).

I know you are going to chime in about loudness vs power so I added a little chart that addresses this.

The numbers:
SB65, F6=62Hz, F10=57Hz
NE95, F6=58Hz, F10=53Hz
SB12, F6=66Hz, F10=58Hz

Even though the last one shows it's bass performance is worse, the larger Sd gives it better real world bass performance by a large margin.

Have a good Xmas Dave and I hope next year keeps getting better for you.

Peter

 

[planet10]

Thanx for those.

…F3 gives them sort of guide when comparing bass capabilities of speakers...

and he has shown that it is not a very good one. Much better to use F6 or F10. We have only gotten used to using F3 because it is what the filter theory spits out.

dave

 

[Nenola]

This project inspired me to update my desktop speakers to smaller ones: Vildapel - Desktop Lautsprecher mit HiVi B3N - Der-Akustische-Untergrund

Planning on using a subwoofer (Tangband 6,5") with those, so what would be the best driver for such a small cabinet, volume about 1-1,5 liters?

I've looked at MarkAudio Alpair 5.2, could a 6.2 fit also?

 

[suzyj]

I second rabbitz comments about the little SB acoustics drivers. Very cool. I used some SB12PFC drivers along with Vifa NE19VTS tweeters for my computer speakers (noiseUnit - transmission line computer speakers.), and couldn’t be happier.

 

[planet10]

I've looked at MarkAudio Alpair 5.2, could a 6.2 fit also?

I have done 2 and 2.5 litre miniOnken for the A5.2. I haven’t tried anything smaller, i found with other drivers (A6.2m in particular) that the vent in a smaller box becomes so long that when one considers the overall enclosure one gains little gross volume.

The A6.2m in miniOnkens from 2.0 to 3.6 litres. I did at least one that was smaller, but it is mostly a thot experiment and has not been built as far as i know and suffers from the large vent issue mentioned above.

The A6.2p in miniOnken 2.5 to 5 litre. It should be noted that the 2.5 litre enclosure can be fitted with either of teh A6.2 with no changes.

If you want smaller then you need to explore more exotic build material then 12mm (or 9mm) plywood. I have drawn a 2+ litre enclosure for the FF85wk (choosen because it does not need a rebated baffle) that is built using a recycled aluminum RAID enclosure that has 3mm walls. Removing unused solid material volume aids significantly in reducing gross enclosure size.

dave