Seas CA26RXF
I was looking for a 10" in a three way project for home use. After reading the whole thread, I've built the bass section with the CA26RFX, reusing an existing sub case 65l/BR tuned to 30hz. I'm very pleased of this choise, flat response and more than enough SPL for a 25 m2 room.
The 3 way is active LR2 at 250hz/2100hz with SEAS CA26RFX + PHL AUDIO 1280 +R2604/8320, active crossover Najda DSP.
Speaker is powered by IcePower 50AS2 modules en Hypex UCD 180 for the bass section. See picture
This combo is sounding very good IMHO.
/Pascal
I was looking for a 10" in a three way project for home use. After reading the whole thread, I've built the bass section with the CA26RFX, reusing an existing sub case 65l/BR tuned to 30hz. I'm very pleased of this choise, flat response and more than enough SPL for a 25 m2 room.
The 3 way is active LR2 at 250hz/2100hz with SEAS CA26RFX + PHL AUDIO 1280 +R2604/8320, active crossover Najda DSP.
Speaker is powered by IcePower 50AS2 modules en Hypex UCD 180 for the bass section. See picture
This combo is sounding very good IMHO.
/Pascal
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Hi HifiJim
You can find a summary post #314 and few before, between post #297 and #331.
In attachment screenshot of the post #314.
BR Pascal
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With great interest I read through this tread as I was looking for some designs using the SEAS MCA15RCY.
As a beginner I'm interested to learn about new designs like TL, OB, etc.. and different XO's.
Since for this combination (SEAS 26RFX or RE4X, MCA15RCY and 27TDFC or TFFC ) these different design types were mentioned early on, my interest grow more and more.
I think it would be a great opportunity to have different designs using the same drives. This lower the cost for us mortals and give us the opportunity to explore these different types and identify their strenghts and weaknesses.
There are many specialist on this site who know one or a few topologies.
It would be nice if there comes a new momentum to this great project.
I think it would make a big statement...many collaborate with there expertise to make a great speaker with these drivers.
I really hope some find the energy and time to revive this great project. (IMO the best project of the site)
As a beginner I'm interested to learn about new designs like TL, OB, etc.. and different XO's.
Since for this combination (SEAS 26RFX or RE4X, MCA15RCY and 27TDFC or TFFC ) these different design types were mentioned early on, my interest grow more and more.
I think it would be a great opportunity to have different designs using the same drives. This lower the cost for us mortals and give us the opportunity to explore these different types and identify their strenghts and weaknesses.
There are many specialist on this site who know one or a few topologies.
It would be nice if there comes a new momentum to this great project.
I think it would make a big statement...many collaborate with there expertise to make a great speaker with these drivers.
I really hope some find the energy and time to revive this great project. (IMO the best project of the site)
About the design, see below few other ideas than monkey box that I've done, see post #482
Thin speakers with side woofer CA26RFX :
the Monitor 2
Large speakers :
Seas 3-way wide baffle
Project inspired by PMS Troels Gravesen :
Poor Man'
Thin speakers with side woofer CA26RFX :
the Monitor 2
Large speakers :
Seas 3-way wide baffle
Project inspired by PMS Troels Gravesen :
Poor Man'
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Alle different design with one or more different drivers.How about TL designs? OB designs? serial XO? ...
I had the impression that this project would use the same set of drivers in multiple designs? That's the strenght of this project for many to learn about different topologies and not break the bank.
I think in the end it was "Not breaking the bank" that has caused the idea to die.
It seems that there are very few affordable drivers that are available world wide that integrate well with relatively simple crossovers for us all to get involved.
Going any larger than an 8" woofer might have made the project too costly for many people at the start of the speaker building journey.
While I still thank that the combination of an 8" woofer 4" midrange and a 1" tweeter is the way to go I am still sitting on my Vifa drivers waiting to start. Life has a way of getting in the way
It seems that there are very few affordable drivers that are available world wide that integrate well with relatively simple crossovers for us all to get involved.
Going any larger than an 8" woofer might have made the project too costly for many people at the start of the speaker building journey.
While I still thank that the combination of an 8" woofer 4" midrange and a 1" tweeter is the way to go I am still sitting on my Vifa drivers waiting to start. Life has a way of getting in the way
I have a different view on this. I'm also a beginner and the first project I made was Paul Carmody's CARRERA. Hardly a budget speaker.
Why this design? I had commercial speakers and wanted to upgrade. Going the commercial route was to costly, that's why I started my DIY journey. Which has been fun so far.
You see, beginners are not always young teenagers with very limited budget.
I think there are many good designs for them already around.
This project would have a different target imo.
The combination of drivers (SEAS 26RFX or RE4X, MCA15RCY and 27TDFC or TFFC) doesnt break the bank. (if ever you could consider a 8"iso 10")
I assume SEAS drivers are worldwide available.
The strength of this project was that different designs were made with the same set of drivers. This saves a lot when people want to explore the different topologies.
I think with this project you stay way below 1000$ which is doable for many.
I really hope someone picks up things and revive this fantastic project.
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Wow? A $1000- that is on top of my own system is way beyond my wildest dreams at this stage of my life.
Simply out of the question.
$200/300- maybe and that's AUD which has very little value these days.
I can build with what I have accumulated no problem but I can't start anything that requires new purchases without leaving out something else and I also like to ski occasionally
Also I think Troells sort of nailed it with his small 3-way projects
Simply out of the question.
$200/300- maybe and that's AUD which has very little value these days.
I can build with what I have accumulated no problem but I can't start anything that requires new purchases without leaving out something else and I also like to ski occasionally
Also I think Troells sort of nailed it with his small 3-way projects
I think one may struggle to hang "reference" on a design with a single 8" woofer and may also struggle with efficiencies/baffle step correction. There are good reasons 2 x 8" woofers are so widespread for this type of speaker commercially.
I suspect there is a fair DIY demand among beginners for a well designed reference speaker using a 1" tweeter, 4-5" midrange, 2 x 8" woofers using standard range rather than premium range drivers in the $750-1000 price range. I argued unsuccessfully for such a design in the long threads on the open source designs which went off in more expensive directions. There are surprisingly few good value 3 way DIY designs around given how common they are commercially. Perhaps it is not unrelated?
I saw a poll on this site for a reference system. Seems 3-way got the most votes. 3-way isnt for the beginner beginner.
But if there are reference designs with the same set of drivers in different configurations it would be a got 2nd stepin your DIY-journey. Learning about different topologies, different XO, vented/closed, narrow/wide baffle, etc
1 or 2 woofers will also depent on roomsize.
I thought the set of drivers included 1 10". CA26...
When I read post #22 and #95 from moondog55 I thought the drivers and budget was doable.
Their is a lot of knowledge on this site which could bring this project to an successful end. It would be nice if this knowledge was brought together here to inspire those who just tipped their toes into the speaker DIY world.
There are generally very few classic TMW or TMWW designs, a lot of are on Dayton audio. But I miss good 3 way made on a Satori (or other hi end midrange) and budget tweeter and woofer. By budget I mean standard SB, SS Discovery, Seas Prestige etc.
There is very expensive OSMC project here.
I think very good sounding but still affordable speaker would consist of:
1. Tweeter: SB SDAC, RDAC, CDC, Seas Prestige soft domes, Morel 308, Scan Speak XT/DX25 so 2604 series
2. Midrange: Satori MR13, Aurum Cantus AC130, ETON symphony 3 or 4 inch, Wavecor WF (they have lots of 3-5 inch), SS10F, rather paper one or poly.
3. Woofer - SB23 series, SS discovery, Peerless, Maybe something from Beyma/Monacor. I omitted Daytons, as they prices in Europe are not as attractive as in USA.
Crossed around 200 and 3000, with ability to play clear and clean at low volumes. Straight baffle, F3 35-40Hz.
Designing a 3 way isn't for a beginner but if they are following someone else's design then it doesn't matter much if it is 2, 3 or 4 way. What matters more is that the resulting speaker offers high performance for the money. A 2 way doesn't really offer that given the cost of DIY parts compared to well sorted commercial speaker but the cost of a well designed DIY 3 way can be less than that of an equivalent well sorted commercial speaker. It can also offer full high fidelity performance in a way a small 2 way will not.
Many decades ago my first DIY speaker was a 3 way following someone else's design. I wanted proper high fidelity speakers and so had no real interest in 2 way bookshelf speakers but due to schoolboy finances DIY was my only option. A year or two later having got more interested my second speaker was a 2 way bookshelf of my own design as a second/backup system with a view to later adding sub/s. I would suggest beginners with a stronger interest in high fidelity and low cost than speaker design is likely to be common.
What distinguishes a reference design in your view?
In my view it would be a speaker operating in a smooth well behaved manner with respect to radiation pattern with minimal nonlinear distortion at standard levels in a room. With good design this starts to become achievable around a 3 way with standard range drivers. Obviously the design effort is going to be a bit more with standard range drivers rather than better behaved premium range ones but that only makes it more fun to design.
I think a "reference" system is a system by which others are judged regardless of budget.
But of course it's depend. A reference 100L litre 2 way eg. JBL M2 vs A reference 7L 2-way, well it's not fair to compare to each other. I don't think it's the number of ways that count, I think it's the overall volume that counts.
So if you could make it smaller, but simultaneously louder/cleaner and cheaper, you're trying to beat your 2021 or 1981 reference design...
Which is different from an affordable 3 way eg. Paul Carmody's Tarkus,
or an excellent 3 way eg. Jim Holtz/Curt Campbells Statements II
or JonMarsh's Isirs 2021 update.
Apart from if you already own the drivers sitting on your shelf, I personally don't think the SEAS standard line offers anything compelling in 2021, vs the competition eg. SB Acoustics standard line, ScanSpeak standard (Discovery) line...
But of course it's depend. A reference 100L litre 2 way eg. JBL M2 vs A reference 7L 2-way, well it's not fair to compare to each other. I don't think it's the number of ways that count, I think it's the overall volume that counts.
So if you could make it smaller, but simultaneously louder/cleaner and cheaper, you're trying to beat your 2021 or 1981 reference design...
Which is different from an affordable 3 way eg. Paul Carmody's Tarkus,
or an excellent 3 way eg. Jim Holtz/Curt Campbells Statements II
or JonMarsh's Isirs 2021 update.
Apart from if you already own the drivers sitting on your shelf, I personally don't think the SEAS standard line offers anything compelling in 2021, vs the competition eg. SB Acoustics standard line, ScanSpeak standard (Discovery) line...
