Not too long ago, I picked up a pair of small li'l Optimus XTS 22 speakers with a 4" full range driver that sounds about as well as you think it would. Think AM radio in a 1972 Dodge Dart. I'm looking to replace them and am looking for suggestions that will cost no more than about $75.00 each. There's no crossover in these boxes, just wire straight from the connectors to the drivers. I have nothing against creating a crossover if that's necessary. I ain't afraid of no soldering iron.
Box size is 5 3/4" W x 4 1/2" D x 9 3/8" H
So far, the ones that seem most intriguing are:
Anyone have personal experience with any of them or anything else that you like? The application is near field listening at my computer, connected to a Fosi Audio BT20A amp running audio from my computer.
I'm not listening to Diana Krall or Brothers in Arms in an acoustically perfect room or anything, so some decent and cheapish drivers that I can slap into the Optimus boxes should suffice.
Box size is 5 3/4" W x 4 1/2" D x 9 3/8" H
So far, the ones that seem most intriguing are:
Anyone have personal experience with any of them or anything else that you like? The application is near field listening at my computer, connected to a Fosi Audio BT20A amp running audio from my computer.
I'm not listening to Diana Krall or Brothers in Arms in an acoustically perfect room or anything, so some decent and cheapish drivers that I can slap into the Optimus boxes should suffice.
Dave.....is that really you?????? I have been away for some time. How the bejeezlleez are u doing??
i had the 1337sdf, they are quite spendy now ($80, ouch).
A lot of hf ringing past 10khz, but if i had a 10 band eq, I usually add a bunch there anyway.
amazing driver to me, but my experience is limited to the few full range drivers I've played with.
A lot of hf ringing past 10khz, but if i had a 10 band eq, I usually add a bunch there anyway.
amazing driver to me, but my experience is limited to the few full range drivers I've played with.
I have used the Dayton RS100-8’s and I am happy with them. I haven’t used the TB W4-1337 but I have used the TB W4-1320SJ and found these to be excellent, bit more expensive - but worth it!
Steve
Steve
Use an online sealed box calculator of some sort to see which one has the best fit with the existing box, err on the side of too much volume rather than too little. Pick a driver with a copper (or aluminum I think too) pole piece cap to make a zobel unnecessary if you decide to make a baffle step correction circuit (I would plan on it). There are calculators for these too, as a starting point.
If these have the inverted surround they might be the progenitors of the fostex fe-103, if I'm remembering at all right. They might say 'foster' on them but you'd have to research it to know. Idk. I would keep them and use them if that's what they are if they work, add a baffle step correction circuit though you'll probably need a zobel.
oh yea, I had the 1320 (bamboo), good driver, very not cheap ($120? get out of town).
The 6khz peak added a bit of clang to cymbals, otherwise it was fine, not offensive
The 6khz peak added a bit of clang to cymbals, otherwise it was fine, not offensive
It is a cheap-*** variation. RS used a variety of these for a number of speakers.
Might need a Kloss-type midrange suppression filter to band-aid it. It could be tweaked for better sonics, but the market for these, cheap & make noise.
2,6 litres. Even that small some bracing would help.
This box is more sized for some common 3: drivers. FF85wk, Alpair 5.2/3, CHN-50 (thosse vented), 3FE22 sealed. THose are the ones i am familiar with.
dave
Well, there is no crossover because it is a single driver.
But, it might need a BSC to balance it, as the "AM radio" comment suggests.
That would be the cheapest way to go at first, and very easy to do.
I'd start with a 1mH and a couple of resistors to try, 5, 8 and 10 Ohms.
But, it might need a BSC to balance it, as the "AM radio" comment suggests.
That would be the cheapest way to go at first, and very easy to do.
I'd start with a 1mH and a couple of resistors to try, 5, 8 and 10 Ohms.
The ringing is why I prefer its brother driver, the W4-1320 with its bamboo paper cone. IME such drivers with limited (but not broken) top end sound better, more balanced, in the typical boxes with limited low end. I find voices and soundstage project simply incredible with the 1320 but my experience is limited as well as I've mostly compared it to 3" drivers.
Without any corrective EQ I think basically no driver will be fully satisfactory in terms of balanced frequency response. OTOH, Digital Room Correction (DRC) is very efficient in the near field and can make such a small speaker setup really sound incredible. Limited in max level and frequency response, true, but otherwise extremely "realistic", generating a lot of smile. That would be my recommendation to the OP, if feasible.
It's just a midrange, probably it will be a good midrange for a 3 way speaker. Something more powerful and dedicated to the bass range ( a midwoofer) is available nowadays!!! Also lots of offers in the low price range, I'm thinking about SB speakers with plastic baskets ( 20 $ each) or the new brand La Voce. The existing box allows to use a tweeter. The most important data is in the label of the speaker, near the binding posts: I read 8Ω and 20 W. That is a good midrange for home, I would keep it for future projects ( did I already say that ? 😒).
Good inexpensive tweeters from La Voce (10$) or Sica (little 19 mm dome), need to be padded down to meet typical 84/85 dB sensitivity of a 3-4" woofer.
Digital room correction and near field seem wrong together.
And i agree, a single 4" even with baffle step in room 8' away, like a bad table radio.
But i am a higher volume bass head also, sitting 10' away these days.
8" driver off the floor with a lot of eq was ok at 7', but not loud at all before bass distorting mids.
Which is why i play with multiple drivers (array).
Even then, it would help to cross it over 80-200hz depending on what your ears / music / volume / room size dictates.
And i agree, a single 4" even with baffle step in room 8' away, like a bad table radio.
But i am a higher volume bass head also, sitting 10' away these days.
8" driver off the floor with a lot of eq was ok at 7', but not loud at all before bass distorting mids.
Which is why i play with multiple drivers (array).
Even then, it would help to cross it over 80-200hz depending on what your ears / music / volume / room size dictates.
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With those sizes the box is 2.6L inside. That limit the bass response a lot off course.
But some drivers that will fit and sound reasonable good:
Beyma 4FR40
Faital 4FE32 (what i would use)
Fostex FF105WK
Some Tangband drivers may also fit, but those i know need a bigger box (more like 5L minimum for sealed). Just like more advanced modern fullrange driver like Mark Audio or Jordan or Scanspeak 10F (they are mostly also more expensive altough).
The Faital 4FE32 will be your best guess i think, and they are relative cheap to get. Here in Europe they are 35-40€ a piece.
And like said before, add a sub with it's own amp and filter for real fullrange. Most commercial subs have those filters in their plate amp. And diy plate amps for subs have those also.
But some drivers that will fit and sound reasonable good:
Beyma 4FR40
Faital 4FE32 (what i would use)
Fostex FF105WK
Some Tangband drivers may also fit, but those i know need a bigger box (more like 5L minimum for sealed). Just like more advanced modern fullrange driver like Mark Audio or Jordan or Scanspeak 10F (they are mostly also more expensive altough).
The Faital 4FE32 will be your best guess i think, and they are relative cheap to get. Here in Europe they are 35-40€ a piece.
And like said before, add a sub with it's own amp and filter for real fullrange. Most commercial subs have those filters in their plate amp. And diy plate amps for subs have those also.
I concur. I had a pair of these in some Minimus 2.5 and they weren't very good sounding period. Fs was also in the 170-190Hz range, the surrounds had likely gone stiff, so no real bass to be had. They were good test mules for trying various solutions and techniques to get the surround back to supple; nothing ever worked though!