Another DIY Ribbon thread

Hi,

tinitus said:
If you make the ribbon wider to use it at lower frequency, you will loose some sensitivity
And to get some of the lost sensitivity back, you make it longer

I would say the width should be 15-20mm wide (my own will be 15 x 250mm) - and might be used from 1000-10khz


What does it take to bring the ribbon to do down to 250hz?

Cheers

Ken
 
I would do it something like this - length between 1/2 to 1 meter

But you will need a smaller ribbon above 5-10khz, and impedance will still be low

And active crossover

In another thread "diy ribbon", "Andre´" has shown a long and narrow ribbon to be used down to 250hz - but the used very big NEO magnets are VERY expencive
 

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Yeah, planars may be a better way to go. I won't have any comb filtering issues with a one-piece driver. Do you know of anyone who has built narrow planars? I would want something to cover from at least 500Hz to 20KHz without significant roll-off so Bohlender-Graebners don't fit the bill. Besides, those are PRICEY!!
 
A 3/4" wide and 60" long ribbon with heavy NEO magnets might get you down to 500hz with steep active xo, and will do 20khz too... but you will need a good choke fore impedanse

lets see ... looking at magnet 2x1x0.75in ...lets just say you will need at least 100 of those and they may cost around 30USD each at magnetman ... well those are best N50 quality... I hope they can be bought cheaper elsewhere

Another one...1x0.75x0.5in/N45 5USD each ... you will roughly need 200 = 1000USD

If you order a large quantity directly from hongkong or whatever, you might do better, or get larger magnet at the same price

VERY expencive if it fails:hot:

Another thing is that those large neo magnets can be quite dangerous/tricky to handle

I would say, build some smaller ones, and learn how to do it best before the big adventure😉
 
Mike1234 said:
Yeah, planars may be a better way to go. I won't have any comb filtering issues with a one-piece driver. Do you know of anyone who has built narrow planars? I would want something to cover from at least 500Hz to 20KHz without significant roll-off so Bohlender-Graebners don't fit the bill. Besides, those are PRICEY!!
Keep an eye out for a pair of Flatline Design Model 175s by Lewis Muratori from 1994. These use a 5/8"x69" long pseudo-true ribbon (like a real ribbon in every way except with Kapton backing to be more robust) from 350Hz to ~4kHz (+/-3dB). That's with a first order, 6dB/oct crossover, so a steeper slope should make them usable to lower frequencies. The monopole midbass is a poor match for the ribbon, but the ribbon hung on the side is great and could work very well for you for less than a new pair of BG RD75s or DIYing your own.

- JP
 
Mike1234 said:
Diogenes

I've never heard of those. Any idea where I should look?
At the time of posting, I thought that Hawthorne Stereo in Seattle had a pair for sale, but those seem to have sold since I last looked. I suppose the typical means of Google searching and watching eBay and Audiogon are the means to try to find a pair for sale. Unfortunately, they're kind of rare, which is why I only suggested them thinking there was a pair available.

Maybe if someone knows who built the ribbons for the speaker, they'll chime in so you can look for the component.

- JP
 
Thanks... I'll keep my eyes open!!

Diogenes said:

At the time of posting, I thought that Hawthorne Stereo in Seattle had a pair for sale, but those seem to have sold since I last looked. I suppose the typical means of Google searching and watching eBay and Audiogon are the means to try to find a pair for sale. Unfortunately, they're kind of rare, which is why I only suggested them thinking there was a pair available.

Maybe if someone knows who built the ribbons for the speaker, they'll chime in so you can look for the component.

- JP
 
Maybe you dont know, but there is the guy, Gratz, from Australia, and his company is Apogee acoustics http://www.apogeeacoustics.com/

Actually, besides making a new ribbon speakers he make also a ribbon replacement parts for almost all previous Apogee speakers.

So, if you could made frame and magnet array of something like one of several Apogee models there are ready made ribbons of superb quality.

There are also some new replacement ribbons, lighter and sonicaly better than old original Apogees.

On this link http://www.apogeeacoustics.com/repairsapogeeribbons.html
there is a list of various ribbons, and for sure you can find something for you.

As it is known, full ribbbon speakers are low sensitivity ones and very demanding considering the amplification (too expensive). Due to this reason, personally, I am more oriented towards hybrid speakers, midrange-tweeter range operated by ribbon and low freq. covered by cone driver.

Just to mention that on my modified Apogee Centaur Minor, freq. from 750Hz to 20KHz are covered by 6 traces 26 inch ribbon.

regards,
 
DAMIC

Thank you. I will look at Apogee replacement ribbons. I too prefer hybrids. Mine will cross over no lower than 200Hz and cone woofers will provide the lower frequencies.

Thanks again!!
Mike


DAMIC said:
Maybe you dont know, but there is the guy, Gratz, from Australia, and his company is Apogee acoustics http://www.apogeeacoustics.com/

Actually, besides making a new ribbon speakers he make also a ribbon replacement parts for almost all previous Apogee speakers.

So, if you could made frame and magnet array of something like one of several Apogee models there are ready made ribbons of superb quality.

There are also some new replacement ribbons, lighter and sonicaly better than old original Apogees.

On this link http://www.apogeeacoustics.com/repairsapogeeribbons.html
there is a list of various ribbons, and for sure you can find something for you.

As it is known, full ribbbon speakers are low sensitivity ones and very demanding considering the amplification (too expensive). Due to this reason, personally, I am more oriented towards hybrid speakers, midrange-tweeter range operated by ribbon and low freq. covered by cone driver.

Just to mention that on my modified Apogee Centaur Minor, freq. from 750Hz to 20KHz are covered by 6 traces 26 inch ribbon.

regards,
 
Hello I have been on quite an adventure with my system and im now using midrange horns but now my ribbon isnt efficiant enough🙄 It was before so Does anyone know any ways to make ribbons louder?Including horn designs maybe?

P.S. Thanks tinitus I hope you meant that in a good way😉