Hi all.
I am split between making the mk boom from parts express or the isetta speaker from paul Carmody.
I was wondering if anyone has any experience with both and can comment on how the sound quality compares.
Cost and build complexity seem fairly similar in these two build so I'm more interested in the final result.
I am split between making the mk boom from parts express or the isetta speaker from paul Carmody.
I was wondering if anyone has any experience with both and can comment on how the sound quality compares.
Cost and build complexity seem fairly similar in these two build so I'm more interested in the final result.
Neither something i would build (and certainly not in MDF), i do have a preference for WAW (and a general dislike for most tweeters) and i would trust a design by Paul more than any Dayton/PE box. The HiVi not the best 3” FR.
Something like this should ideally be biamped, an active XO gives a lot more flexibility between driver choice.
Bigger than Paul’s but a simialr concept (but with stereo woofers),
dave
Hi, thanks for your response. The speaker will be contained within an entertainment unit so the MDF won't be visible. I assume it was aesthetics of MDF that is what you disliked about it.
The price and complexity of those two projects are about my limit in both regards. I am by no means and audiophile so I'm more looking for a project that sounds decent in the "most bang for your buck" category
The price and complexity of those two projects are about my limit in both regards. I am by no means and audiophile so I'm more looking for a project that sounds decent in the "most bang for your buck" category
That is not the reason. MDF is not a great speaker building material. Its only asset is that it is cheap.
What are you looking to accomplish? A small loudspeaker for background music? Both these are essentially boom boxes without amplifier build in. What is your budget?
dave
Yes just want some music for the living room and to make movies sound a bit better than the tv speaker. Both of those projects seem to be roughly $200 so that's where I'm looking.
Again, don't need anything too fancy just looking for some decent sound at a reasonable price with a not too complicated project.
Quality plywood is our goto, bamboo plywood if it is in the budget.
Some of teh best ply made right next door in Finland.
dave
Paul knows what he is doing, thied s is more a mono thing maquerading as stereo. I’m jaded, for your ap they could well impress you.
dave
Went back and did more than look at the picture. i like that it used the natural sealed roll-off of the HiVi, and this bit (actually good news AFAIC):
Gets rid of the XO problem.
looks like he worked hard to tame the issues with the HiVi’s ringing. I’d listen first without the filters and see what you think. My approach would be to try to tame it at the source instead of band-aiding them. But that would take some playing.
It does say that if you go that route there is nothing to steop you from using a different FR (the sealed volume might need to be tweaked)m but the same woofer. The 2.1 amp allows that freedom.
I mention that for 2 reasons, 1/ budget, 2/ you ar ein Canada, i might have something at least as good as the HiVis, cheaper, and only Canada Post. Hmm, stock TB W3-881, Aura NS3, some of the pricier ones, some nice vintage 5x7 (in the free pile, probably more there).
Given the application, you don’t really need 2 FRs, one would do. I have some nice ones from free to cheap. How much bass do you need? Maybe a single larger FR would satisfy (i have a single 6.5” A+R — a british vintage beauty0 — just going off on a tangent…
dave
Gets rid of the XO problem.
looks like he worked hard to tame the issues with the HiVi’s ringing. I’d listen first without the filters and see what you think. My approach would be to try to tame it at the source instead of band-aiding them. But that would take some playing.
It does say that if you go that route there is nothing to steop you from using a different FR (the sealed volume might need to be tweaked)m but the same woofer. The 2.1 amp allows that freedom.
I mention that for 2 reasons, 1/ budget, 2/ you ar ein Canada, i might have something at least as good as the HiVis, cheaper, and only Canada Post. Hmm, stock TB W3-881, Aura NS3, some of the pricier ones, some nice vintage 5x7 (in the free pile, probably more there).
Given the application, you don’t really need 2 FRs, one would do. I have some nice ones from free to cheap. How much bass do you need? Maybe a single larger FR would satisfy (i have a single 6.5” A+R — a british vintage beauty0 — just going off on a tangent…
dave
I will hijack this thread and ask about the Isetta 1 and 2.
The current design uses the HiVi B3N but the original uses the Fountek FE85. The newer one needs a lot more taming with the crossover/filter compared with the older Fountek. I can still get the FE85 in the UK and am just wondering whether I should build the Mk1 or the Mk2. There isn't a lot in it price wise. The Founteks are quite a bit more expensive but need a lot less supporting filter hardware.
I am leaning to the Mk1 FE85 version as it looks better (I am old fashioned) and it just seems a 'purer' design with the simple filter.
Has anyone built both and can comment?
The current design uses the HiVi B3N but the original uses the Fountek FE85. The newer one needs a lot more taming with the crossover/filter compared with the older Fountek. I can still get the FE85 in the UK and am just wondering whether I should build the Mk1 or the Mk2. There isn't a lot in it price wise. The Founteks are quite a bit more expensive but need a lot less supporting filter hardware.
I am leaning to the Mk1 FE85 version as it looks better (I am old fashioned) and it just seems a 'purer' design with the simple filter.
Has anyone built both and can comment?
Anybody built both? Evidently not!
I have now built a mk1 Isetta with the Fountek FE85s. Early days but it sounds ridiculously good for what it is.
It is also ridiculously heavy but that is down to me building it out of leftover 3/4" / 19mm MDF with an extra 50mm / 2 " tall chamber in the bottom for the electrics including a couple of fire alarm batteries. Not too fussed as I am aiming for 'self-contained transportable' rather than strictly 'portable'.
Just need to tidy it a bit - I am on the second, different, amp as the first one I bought was DOA - and paint or otherwise finish it. Bright red gloss appeals although yellow and black diagonal hazard stripes would be fun!
I have now built a mk1 Isetta with the Fountek FE85s. Early days but it sounds ridiculously good for what it is.
It is also ridiculously heavy but that is down to me building it out of leftover 3/4" / 19mm MDF with an extra 50mm / 2 " tall chamber in the bottom for the electrics including a couple of fire alarm batteries. Not too fussed as I am aiming for 'self-contained transportable' rather than strictly 'portable'.
Just need to tidy it a bit - I am on the second, different, amp as the first one I bought was DOA - and paint or otherwise finish it. Bright red gloss appeals although yellow and black diagonal hazard stripes would be fun!
Whichever you decide to build, first consider using the FR unit without LP filter. It might sound better, as a compensation for
poorer off-axis HF performance. Keep an open mind for spl graphs are not the end of all.
poorer off-axis HF performance. Keep an open mind for spl graphs are not the end of all.
Tested the Fountek FR units when they arrived, just running straight from my main LM3886 chipamp.
They are good as is, if a little strident.
The filter improves them as they no longer have to struggle with lower frequencies which the 5" sub will handle, and that in-your-face element is gone.
I am considering removing the 100uF bi-polar.
I do wonder if it's strictly needed seeing as the 2.1 amp L & R channels allegedly roll off around 155Hz anyway. The filters are screwed, not soldered, together so tinkering is a possibility.
They are good as is, if a little strident.
The filter improves them as they no longer have to struggle with lower frequencies which the 5" sub will handle, and that in-your-face element is gone.
I am considering removing the 100uF bi-polar.
I do wonder if it's strictly needed seeing as the 2.1 amp L & R channels allegedly roll off around 155Hz anyway. The filters are screwed, not soldered, together so tinkering is a possibility.
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