18Sound HD1040 - not expensive, but very good compression driver with 1.74" plastic diaphragm, smooth sound and low distortion. Even better is 18Sound ND1090. There are many other, equally good: RCF N350, BMS 4550, ...
I have used all of them many times.
Both are good. You can't mistake with 8PE21 in 5-6 liters volume, good stuffing in all empty cavities of the mid enclosure. If you are intending to use DSP, then 6-8 liters with EQ low-shelf at about 300 Hz. With DSP you have vast range of crossover choices.
Midrange and high drivers are very efficient, so bottleneck is woofer. Calculate the needed power accordingly - much more for the woofer, much less for mid and high.
Many thanks @Sonce 🙂
I'm a bit of compression horn tweeter noob - is 1" a standard then? Like, can you mix and match different brands of driver and horn? For example, an RCF N350 driver with an 18 Sound XT120 horn?
I think I'll go with the B&C 8PE21 for the midrange then, in 0.2 cu ft (6 litres) well-stuffed. And then, going by what you're saying, I should be able to try several different DSP crossover settings (or even no electronic crossover).
Sounds like my power should be fine then. 550w RMS total (2x 200w RMS on the woofers and 2x 75w RMS on the midranges and tweeters). Obviously the 200w RMS rating of the midrange driver is for live sound use, not home listening!
I assume that 250Hz and 2.5KHz are good crossover points (or at least starting points for crossover points) unless there's any objection to one or both of them?
Finally, what would be the best way to get the ~10? dB of tweeter attenuation required?
I'm a bit of compression horn tweeter noob - is 1" a standard then? Like, can you mix and match different brands of driver and horn? For example, an RCF N350 driver with an 18 Sound XT120 horn?
I think I'll go with the B&C 8PE21 for the midrange then, in 0.2 cu ft (6 litres) well-stuffed. And then, going by what you're saying, I should be able to try several different DSP crossover settings (or even no electronic crossover).
Sounds like my power should be fine then. 550w RMS total (2x 200w RMS on the woofers and 2x 75w RMS on the midranges and tweeters). Obviously the 200w RMS rating of the midrange driver is for live sound use, not home listening!
I assume that 250Hz and 2.5KHz are good crossover points (or at least starting points for crossover points) unless there's any objection to one or both of them?
Finally, what would be the best way to get the ~10? dB of tweeter attenuation required?
Yes, 1" horn throat is standard size.
Yes.
They are OK. I recommend full DSP (crossover, PEQ, ...), like miniDSP or Behringer DCX2496.
Change tweeter channel gain in the DSP.
Many thanks once again @Sonce 🙂 Wow OK, full active then!
What do you recommend for the protection capacitors for the tweeters?
Since you mentioned it, I do actually have a Behringer DCX2496, but I'd like to replace it with something better, particularly at sub-bass low-pass where the DCX is rubbish (and yes, I do have a subwoofer system, but I didn't mention it until now as it wasn't really relevant, as it will simply do the very low frequency bass below the normal woofers).
Does miniDSP make DSPs that properly dp sub-bass low-pass without any distortion?
I do have 4x MPA204s as well, so it will now be two bridged on the woofers (2x 200w RMS) and two in stereo mode on the midranges and tweeters (4x 75w RMS). Plus my subwoofer amplifier for the subwoofers 😆
What do you recommend for the protection capacitors for the tweeters?
Since you mentioned it, I do actually have a Behringer DCX2496, but I'd like to replace it with something better, particularly at sub-bass low-pass where the DCX is rubbish (and yes, I do have a subwoofer system, but I didn't mention it until now as it wasn't really relevant, as it will simply do the very low frequency bass below the normal woofers).
Does miniDSP make DSPs that properly dp sub-bass low-pass without any distortion?
I do have 4x MPA204s as well, so it will now be two bridged on the woofers (2x 200w RMS) and two in stereo mode on the midranges and tweeters (4x 75w RMS). Plus my subwoofer amplifier for the subwoofers 😆
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MKT capacitors 10 uF/250V.
How low do you really need to go? MiniDSP is flat at 20 Hz, I don't know what happens below. Ditto for DCX2496.
Your DC300 will easily play smooth and warm up to 500hz……that’s what inexpensive paper woofers do.
Midrange is where the critical detail is…….the telephone band so to speak……500hz up to 3.5k is where all the fundamentals and 1st harmonics live……screw this up and all is lost
My personal rule of thumb where midrange is concerned is three octaves max…..that puts the PC105 at 500hz to 4000hz. Directivity wise, it starts to beam at 3.5k so I’d be no higher than that with my upper crossover point.
The PC105 by my account isn’t a great sounding driver….its a utilitarian wide band….
Here’s my suggestion to you…..just LISTEN to your DC300 all by itself higher up in frequency…..use an adjustable low pass filter on your PC and dial it higher to the point where you find the DC300 sounds subjectively poor or where the soundstage image collapses.
Currently you’re using the DC300 for less than three octaves…..it can do more.
Midrange is where the critical detail is…….the telephone band so to speak……500hz up to 3.5k is where all the fundamentals and 1st harmonics live……screw this up and all is lost
My personal rule of thumb where midrange is concerned is three octaves max…..that puts the PC105 at 500hz to 4000hz. Directivity wise, it starts to beam at 3.5k so I’d be no higher than that with my upper crossover point.
The PC105 by my account isn’t a great sounding driver….its a utilitarian wide band….
Here’s my suggestion to you…..just LISTEN to your DC300 all by itself higher up in frequency…..use an adjustable low pass filter on your PC and dial it higher to the point where you find the DC300 sounds subjectively poor or where the soundstage image collapses.
Currently you’re using the DC300 for less than three octaves…..it can do more.