Behringer 1C vs DIY Dayton Audio PS95 vs DIY Dayton Audio RS100

[Harold Barrel]

Hi all, after many years of just being a passive reader I'm thinking again of some modest DIY adventure 😀

I'm putting together a minimal 5.1 or 7.1 system for piano practicing and occasional music listening.
I have a piano software that allows me to place up to 5 virtual microphones in a virtual room, so I can produce an immersive output with it.

I have two main requirements:

• I can't afford to have speakers that rattle or vibrate at specific frequencies. I noticed that some cheap speakers don't do that with normal music listening, but when playing solo piano, they do. That would make me go crazy.
• The speakers will be placed fairly close around me (1-1.5 meters maximum). We're not talking about filling an entire living room with sound.

I'm a bit on a budget so I've narrowed down the choice down to these three options:

1. Behringer 1C
   • PROS: simplest option (no DIY required), two-way with woofer/tweeter, decent power handling (25 watts RMS), can be bought second-hand for a lower price
   • CONS: no frequency response measurements online, specified frequency range is super suspicious (60 Hz to 23 kHz -20 dB 🤣), it's unknown if they may rattle or not
   • PRICE: around 50€/speaker new, around 30€/speaker second hand
2. Dayton Audio PS95-8
   • PROS: fairly cheap, fairly linear response up to 20k, requires a sealed box of only 1.15lt / 0.04ft³
   • CONS: lower power handling (10 watts RMS)
   • PRICE: around 25€/speaker new
3. Dayton Audio RS100-8
   • PROS: higher power handling (30 watts RMS), requires a sealed box of only 1.41lt / 0.05ft³, seemingly highest quality
   • CONS: a bit on the expensive side, less linear in the high frequencies than PS95
   • PRICE: around 46€/speaker new

For Dayton Audio loudspeakers, I would build sealed MDF boxes with spring terminals and internal stuffing. The upper price estimate is around 10€/box.
I can also do some corrective active EQ by software with biquad filters. Same applies to the crossover with the subwoofer.

If you have also other suggestions other then the three above, I will welcome them.

I'm looking forward to your feedback!
Thanks in advance 🙂

 

[mayhem13]

The little Behringers mated to a subwoofer make the most sense from both the performance and value spectrum of your intended use.

 

[Harold Barrel]

Hey @mayhem13, thanks for the feedback!
It probably makes most sense, I'm just puzzled that I couldn't find any measurements of the 1C, hence my thought of going DIY.
Do you have any experience with the 1C? Their -20dB tolerance suggests that the bass starts rolling off far higher than 60Hz. I would guess around 120Hz.

 

[mayhem13]

They're a 5 inch midwoofer so much more air being moved than any of your other fullrange options......the added surface area will get the job done

You're in the nearfield with this setup as per your original post.......cross the sub at 100hz to increase overall power handling and reduce distortion at higher output levels.

 

[xXBrunoXx]

Hi, I don't know if you decided or not on what speakers to get. I have the Dayton Audio PS95's imo they sound great, build quality is very good especially for the price, cast aluminium frame, rigid. they also look nice imo.
Mine are sealed ( about 1 Liters ) in a 2-way desktop/ bookshelf speakers I did last year. For the price they are great.
Woofers are 4 inch Dayton TCP115. for bass 4 inch might be small , but they go low and surprisingly loud.

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[xXBrunoXx]

The speakers will be placed fairly close around me (1-1.5 meters maximum). We're not talking about filling an entire living room with sound.

They are on my desk , so less then 100cm . they also fill the whole room no problem. As my friends who listened to them said " wow , they don't sound like 4 inch speakers ! "

 

[Andrew LB]

I have a pair of spearkers i made using Dayton RS100 drivers. They're best listened to nearfield unless you do like i did and make a proper Transmission Line/Cyburg Needle speaker with them. Whenever i show them to people they can't believe the sound that they put out for being such tiny drivers.

 

[Harry72]

I found the RS100(P-4 model)rather lacking volume wise 2ltr sealed box, they sounded ok on axis but very little low end and top end rolls off to early really needs a small dia tweeter, probably make a nice mid in a 3way

 

[xXBrunoXx]

@Harry72 I haven't heard the RS100 but my PS95's don't require tweeters at all.