If I were to pick a couple of my recent designs that are inexpensive and that sounded fantastic; they'd have to be my Zingers and Pangolins. Zingers are more fun, and the Pangolins are definitely more detailed and sensitive.
If we would look at recent designs with a little higher pricing;
Drottnar was great too but really needed a woofer to help the bottom end. Very clean.
Purveyor (I hear the Peerless woofers will again be available soon) was pretty good alone and easy to build.
Bottleships stomp outside their size class. Don't know on the woofers on this one.
We'll see what and how my Hancocks do in the near future, as the drivers are not ubers and should be good.
If we would look at recent designs with a little higher pricing;
Drottnar was great too but really needed a woofer to help the bottom end. Very clean.
Purveyor (I hear the Peerless woofers will again be available soon) was pretty good alone and easy to build.
Bottleships stomp outside their size class. Don't know on the woofers on this one.
We'll see what and how my Hancocks do in the near future, as the drivers are not ubers and should be good.
Yes, I had read they use their own drivers now. I tried to pick an older model that used simple SBA but not 100% sure which ones did and didn't.Not entirely true, but it was initially. I was told Harman had SB make the drivers for the Revel lineup initially, then cut out the SB middle man by copying them to their standards and having them made in house. They are similar to SB, but not quite the same any longer.
A speaker I've never listened to at all with apparently a lot of SB drivers for little money is the Tekton line. He must be getting a heck of a deal to put in so many SB tweeters in them.
As some one wrote, in some ways the average driver tech has definitely gotten much better today. Many excellent tweeters that are flat from 3 to 30KHz are out there for a relative song. I imagine the same is now true for mids as well.
Here's a MTMMM 830656, "I don't Like Candles" by MattK PE Forum (no graphs, no measurements)
Build this with the (4) 830656 & ND20FB
http://www.zaphaudio.com/ZA5/ZA5.5t.pdf
-looks like a small Elsinore
Madisound Peerless 830656 sale $15 usd x8= $120 usd
https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/approx-5-woofers/peerless-830656-5.25-woofer/
Interesting, this speaker uses four Peerless 830656 & Dayton ND20FB-4 , simple crossover, you don't need a router.
https://techtalk.parts-express.com/forum/speaker-project-gallery/38135-i-don-t-like-candles
https://techtalk.parts-express.com/...rless-mtmmm-and-mmtmmmm-2-5-way-designs/page2
post#18
mattk, "I used Zaph's ZA5.5tt crossover topology (see http://zaphaudio.com/ZA5/ ) as a starting point in PCD, since he knows what he is doing, and adjusted values to get a reasonably flat response with a good reverse null."
--
diff driver- possible Cabinet 40 litres
http://zaphaudio.com/ZA5/ZA5.5t.pdf
======================
https://techtalk.parts-express.com/...lery/56059-the-armadillo-tm-a-k-a-lil-dillo-s
post#1
The "Armadillo TM" A.K.A. "Lil' Dillo's" 830656
I decided to do the first ones in a 10 liter (.35 cu ft) ported cab, lined and fairly well stuffed, with a tuning around 55hz.
The overall dimensions are 8" W x 12" H x 10.5" D with a 2" dia. x 5" long port (15.707963 in3). The sealed version Would be about 6-7" deep and heavily stuffed. A single dowel brace to tie the sides together seems adequate with 3/4" panels. The woofer and tweeter are 6" and 2" from the top edge of the cabinet, with the tweeter flush mounted and the woofer surface mounted. The port is recessed into the back panel 1/4" and glued in, with a 1/2" round-over on the outside end.
---
Build this with the (4) 830656 & ND20FB
http://www.zaphaudio.com/ZA5/ZA5.5t.pdf
Attachments
Try Google Translate
https://translate.google.com/?sl=auto&tl=en&op=translate
------
830656 & ScanSpeak D2604 MTM Commercial Speaker Audio Solutions Euphony 90-Russia
https://www.hi-fi.ru/magazine/audio...sticheskie-sistemy-audiosolutions-euphony-90/
-Poland
https://diyaudio.pl/forum/praktyczn...-audio/22745-audio-solutions-euphony-90-clone
https://diyaudio.pl/forum/praktyczn...e/home-audio/23246-kopia-euphony-90-by-daniel
--
830656 & SEAS 22TAF/G version
https://diyaudio.pl/forum/praktyczn...ds134-seas-22taf-g-projekt-by-jaro4444-luszti
------
830656 & Vifa XT25BG60-04 Parts Express 2012 Iron Driver Winner
https://techtalk.parts-express.com/...-overall-best-sounding-speaker-design-details
-----
Other boxes
page 48
https://tuxdoc.com/download/klangton-2011-05pdf_pdf
http://diy-hifi.eu/dexter.html
https://translate.google.com/?sl=auto&tl=en&op=translate
------
830656 & ScanSpeak D2604 MTM Commercial Speaker Audio Solutions Euphony 90-Russia
https://www.hi-fi.ru/magazine/audio...sticheskie-sistemy-audiosolutions-euphony-90/
-Poland
https://diyaudio.pl/forum/praktyczn...-audio/22745-audio-solutions-euphony-90-clone
https://diyaudio.pl/forum/praktyczn...e/home-audio/23246-kopia-euphony-90-by-daniel
--
830656 & SEAS 22TAF/G version
https://diyaudio.pl/forum/praktyczn...ds134-seas-22taf-g-projekt-by-jaro4444-luszti
------
830656 & Vifa XT25BG60-04 Parts Express 2012 Iron Driver Winner
https://techtalk.parts-express.com/...-overall-best-sounding-speaker-design-details
-----
Other boxes
page 48
https://tuxdoc.com/download/klangton-2011-05pdf_pdf
http://diy-hifi.eu/dexter.html
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Tetra Speakers 222 & 120u (I've never heard them or heard of them)
Tetra 222
from Tetra:
"With our patented single-cap Artet wiring, our innovative air-scoop baffle and our tried and true plane alignment, we have left no sonic stone unturned in the 222 design.
Crossover frequency 3 kHz
Woofer 5" Peerless Glass Fiber Cone, Rubber Surround
Tweeter 1" Morel, Textile Dome Diaphragm
Looks like: 1 cap, Morel ET448 , Peerless GFC 830991, angled cabinet (extend the baffle bottom or put spikes on the front bottom on a regular box)
High End Speakers-High End Studio Monitor Speakers-High End Reference Monitor Speakers-Surround Audio-Surround Sound Audio-Best Sounding
They put this on top of a bass module for the Tetra 333
High End Speakers-High End Studio Monitor Speakers-High End Reference Monitor Speakers-Surround Audio-Surround Sound Audio-Best Sounding
earlier version? Morel MDT12 tweeter
https://positive-feedback.com/Issue62/reader14.htm
PF,
Tetra 120U
from Tetra,
"utilizing only a single proprietary capacitor on the tweeter ensures that every musical nuance and explosive detail gets through and provides you, the listener, with a 'Tetra moment.' (Sales Pitch,ooo ahh)
Woofer 5" Peerless Polypropylene Cone, Rubber Surround
Tweeter 1" Morel, Textile Dome Diaphragm
Power handling 200 watts per channel
Weight 8.5 lbs (4 kg)
Dimensions 10.5" H x 9" W x 7.5" D (27 cm x 23 cm x 19 cm)
Looks like: 1 cap, Peerless 830860 poly cone , Morel MDT12
High End Speakers-High End Studio Monitor Speakers-High End Reference Monitor Speakers-Surround Audio-Surround Sound Audio-Best Sounding
===
Buy a bunch of caps and start playing
===
They even quoted Albert Einstein
"Not everything that matters can be measured, and not everything that is measured matters."
Albert Einstein
Funny
Tetra 222
from Tetra:
"With our patented single-cap Artet wiring, our innovative air-scoop baffle and our tried and true plane alignment, we have left no sonic stone unturned in the 222 design.
Crossover frequency 3 kHz
Woofer 5" Peerless Glass Fiber Cone, Rubber Surround
Tweeter 1" Morel, Textile Dome Diaphragm
Looks like: 1 cap, Morel ET448 , Peerless GFC 830991, angled cabinet (extend the baffle bottom or put spikes on the front bottom on a regular box)
High End Speakers-High End Studio Monitor Speakers-High End Reference Monitor Speakers-Surround Audio-Surround Sound Audio-Best Sounding
They put this on top of a bass module for the Tetra 333
High End Speakers-High End Studio Monitor Speakers-High End Reference Monitor Speakers-Surround Audio-Surround Sound Audio-Best Sounding
earlier version? Morel MDT12 tweeter
https://positive-feedback.com/Issue62/reader14.htm
PF,
"Now take a speaker with it's four essential ingredients: drivers, housing, cabling and crossover—put them together in varying quantities using various techniques, size of driver, types of crossover, speaker shape, cabling, yada yada… and you get a universe of different speakers that present sound in their own unique fashion.
Now, I chose this analogy specifically because Adrian Butts is to me like that mad chef/scientist in pursuit of total perfection (insert Heston Blumenthal here)—he chooses his ingredients very carefully then he tries a multitude of variations: carefully adding a perfectly spiced capacitor, an extra strand of copper wire to the cabling, matching the tolerances of all his drivers then tweaking and seasoning till he has reached total and utter satisfaction.
It takes Adrian up to 3 years to get his designs just right… and one of the things I most admire is that he is not going to release his product then surprise you one year down the road with an 'S.E.' Special Limited Signature Edition that costs and 'delivers twice as much and is a major advance' from the lowly speaker you bought yourself! No, the end product Adrian wants you to buy IS the best version he can make himself… as Adrian wrote to me, "you will be pleased to know that I am actually 'looking out' for your best interest." "
====Now, I chose this analogy specifically because Adrian Butts is to me like that mad chef/scientist in pursuit of total perfection (insert Heston Blumenthal here)—he chooses his ingredients very carefully then he tries a multitude of variations: carefully adding a perfectly spiced capacitor, an extra strand of copper wire to the cabling, matching the tolerances of all his drivers then tweaking and seasoning till he has reached total and utter satisfaction.
It takes Adrian up to 3 years to get his designs just right… and one of the things I most admire is that he is not going to release his product then surprise you one year down the road with an 'S.E.' Special Limited Signature Edition that costs and 'delivers twice as much and is a major advance' from the lowly speaker you bought yourself! No, the end product Adrian wants you to buy IS the best version he can make himself… as Adrian wrote to me, "you will be pleased to know that I am actually 'looking out' for your best interest." "
Tetra 120U
from Tetra,
"utilizing only a single proprietary capacitor on the tweeter ensures that every musical nuance and explosive detail gets through and provides you, the listener, with a 'Tetra moment.' (Sales Pitch,ooo ahh)
Woofer 5" Peerless Polypropylene Cone, Rubber Surround
Tweeter 1" Morel, Textile Dome Diaphragm
Power handling 200 watts per channel
Weight 8.5 lbs (4 kg)
Dimensions 10.5" H x 9" W x 7.5" D (27 cm x 23 cm x 19 cm)
Looks like: 1 cap, Peerless 830860 poly cone , Morel MDT12
High End Speakers-High End Studio Monitor Speakers-High End Reference Monitor Speakers-Surround Audio-Surround Sound Audio-Best Sounding
===
Buy a bunch of caps and start playing
===
They even quoted Albert Einstein
"Not everything that matters can be measured, and not everything that is measured matters."
Albert Einstein
Funny
Attachments
Last edited:
Commercial-
Watkins Generation Four
Dimensions: 8.5″ x 14″ x 13.5″ = .61 cu ft or 17 litres (3/4" material)
https://www.watkinsaudio.com/
https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/watkins-stereo-generation-four-loudspeaker/
"Drivers: One carbon-poly 6.5" woofer-midrange, and one 1" magnesium alloy dome tweeter"
"The front baffle is angled backwards to time-align the drivers by placing the acoustic center of the tweeter behind that of the woofer. This also helps to match the sensitivity of the woofer (88dB) with that of the tweeter (91dB) without the use of a resistive pad. The tweeter is crossed over at 3kHz using a single capacitor, and that’s it; there are no other passive components in the signal path."
"the woofer, a modified Peerless by Tymphany 6.5″ unit," <= (830874 ?)
A different dust cap? It looks like a ring of something on the dust cap.
"The tweeter is a SEAS H-1212 1″ aluminum/magnesium alloy dome modified to Watkins’ specs."
Polypropylene Black (PPB) cone material Peerless 830874 sensitivity 88db
https://www.parts-express.com/pedocs/specs/264-1090--tymphany-hds-p830874-spec-sheet.pdf
16 litres vented
https://www.falconacoustics.co.uk/downloads/Peerless/Appnote_830874.pdf
Modified Tweeter
SEAS Prestige 27TBFCG (H1212)
https://josephcrowe.com/blogs/news/2100
Watkins Generation Four

Dimensions: 8.5″ x 14″ x 13.5″ = .61 cu ft or 17 litres (3/4" material)
https://www.watkinsaudio.com/
https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/watkins-stereo-generation-four-loudspeaker/
"Drivers: One carbon-poly 6.5" woofer-midrange, and one 1" magnesium alloy dome tweeter"
"The front baffle is angled backwards to time-align the drivers by placing the acoustic center of the tweeter behind that of the woofer. This also helps to match the sensitivity of the woofer (88dB) with that of the tweeter (91dB) without the use of a resistive pad. The tweeter is crossed over at 3kHz using a single capacitor, and that’s it; there are no other passive components in the signal path."
"the woofer, a modified Peerless by Tymphany 6.5″ unit," <= (830874 ?)
A different dust cap? It looks like a ring of something on the dust cap.
"The tweeter is a SEAS H-1212 1″ aluminum/magnesium alloy dome modified to Watkins’ specs."
Polypropylene Black (PPB) cone material Peerless 830874 sensitivity 88db
https://www.parts-express.com/pedocs/specs/264-1090--tymphany-hds-p830874-spec-sheet.pdf
16 litres vented
https://www.falconacoustics.co.uk/downloads/Peerless/Appnote_830874.pdf
Modified Tweeter
SEAS Prestige 27TBFCG (H1212)
https://josephcrowe.com/blogs/news/2100
I know I may be reading too much into it but even though Erin calls it his "new reference", I don't see him talking about enjoying listening to them the way he has other speakers like the Lintons.
With the Lintons he talks about listening to song after song and that the more he listened to them the more he enjoyed them.
With the Fidelias he says they are 'tonally accurate' and 'linear', he never says they are better to listen to than speakers three times their price he just says they are more tonally accurate than ones three times the price. He does say they 'sound fantastic' and maybe the fact that they can't get that loud is the only thing that rules them out as his speakers for pure listening enjoyment.
Even his subjective praise was mostly about how technically impressive they are, rather than listening pleasure. I guess technical performance should equal enjoyment but I'd like to hear that in the subjective part of the review.
The Overnight Sensations are very good for the $160 that PE asks for them. Pretty good monitor like speakers that are easy to put together. They would make a really nice 7.1 system for not much $.
https://www.parts-express.com/Overnight-Sensations-MT-Speaker-Pair-Kit-300-706?quantity=1v
I've heard good things about the C Note kit, but I haven't built or heard them. For both of these kits I would use 3/4" material and bracing, 1/2" ply or MDF are too thin.
For something completely different there is the LX Mini.
https://www.parts-express.com/Overnight-Sensations-MT-Speaker-Pair-Kit-300-706?quantity=1v
I've heard good things about the C Note kit, but I haven't built or heard them. For both of these kits I would use 3/4" material and bracing, 1/2" ply or MDF are too thin.
For something completely different there is the LX Mini.
Posting about Duane Brown's Dayton 4 Deluxe should be included here.
JohnnyRichard's Cabrini the Last is available from JFcomponents, and is also a great value.
JohnnyRichard's Cabrini the Last is available from JFcomponents, and is also a great value.
Attachments
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I know I may be reading too much into it but even though Erin calls it his "new reference", I don't see him talking about enjoying listening to them the way he has other speakers like the Lintons.
With the Lintons he talks about listening to song after song and that the more he listened to them the more he enjoyed them.
With the Fidelias he says they are 'tonally accurate' and 'linear', he never says they are better to listen to than speakers three times their price he just says they are more tonally accurate than ones three times the price. He does say they 'sound fantastic' and maybe the fact that they can't get that loud is the only thing that rules them out as his speakers for pure listening enjoyment.
Even his subjective praise was mostly about how technically impressive they are, rather than listening pleasure. I guess technical performance should equal enjoyment but I'd like to hear that in the subjective part of the review.
How about this:
These speakers are badass.
I didn't catch that line anywhere in his review. And while they may be, I can only compare his praise between his different reviews.
He did say they "sound fantastic" finally at the end, but I still can't get past the fact that whenever he refers to them 'besting' more expensive speakers he always adds "in linearity" or "tonal balance" to it. Not once did he say it without quickly adding the qualifier. Why?
If a literary editor says "bikinpunk writes some of the best posts I've seen online" that is a good compliment. If the same editor says "bikinpunk writes some of the best posts, as far as spelling goes, that I've seen" that is not the same level of a compliment and it would not be assumed that the posts themselves are actually among the best.
If the 'best measuring' and 'best tonal balance' equal the best sounding speaker then I wish he'd once say in the review that they are 'one of the best sounding speakers'?
I know that for some people those two things can't be separated so a well measuring speaker has to be a joy to listen to, but since he usually includes both in his reviews the second is noticeably missing here.
He has gushed about how enjoyable other speakers were but this one it is 99% technical praise. The KEF Q11 got "I would have zero problem setting these up in my living room and calling it a day". These got "they are my new reference for comparing other speakers for tonality" I'm not shopping for speakers to use for that purpose.
I kept hoping for just one "at moderate volume levels, I loved listening to this speaker" and then throw in something about playing song after song like the Linton got, or "at moderate volume levels it bested speakers 3 times the price" instead of "the numbers are better than speakers 3 times the price".
He did say they "sound fantastic" finally at the end, but I still can't get past the fact that whenever he refers to them 'besting' more expensive speakers he always adds "in linearity" or "tonal balance" to it. Not once did he say it without quickly adding the qualifier. Why?
If a literary editor says "bikinpunk writes some of the best posts I've seen online" that is a good compliment. If the same editor says "bikinpunk writes some of the best posts, as far as spelling goes, that I've seen" that is not the same level of a compliment and it would not be assumed that the posts themselves are actually among the best.
If the 'best measuring' and 'best tonal balance' equal the best sounding speaker then I wish he'd once say in the review that they are 'one of the best sounding speakers'?
I know that for some people those two things can't be separated so a well measuring speaker has to be a joy to listen to, but since he usually includes both in his reviews the second is noticeably missing here.
He has gushed about how enjoyable other speakers were but this one it is 99% technical praise. The KEF Q11 got "I would have zero problem setting these up in my living room and calling it a day". These got "they are my new reference for comparing other speakers for tonality" I'm not shopping for speakers to use for that purpose.
I kept hoping for just one "at moderate volume levels, I loved listening to this speaker" and then throw in something about playing song after song like the Linton got, or "at moderate volume levels it bested speakers 3 times the price" instead of "the numbers are better than speakers 3 times the price".
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I'm Erin.
I just told you what I think. They're awesome. Sound great. Great linearity. Great horizontal radiation width. I said this in my review.
I mean, the title of the video is literally "my new reference" and I'm wearing a big-ol grin on my thumbnail... so it begs to reason that I like it more than just a little bit. 😉
I just told you what I think. They're awesome. Sound great. Great linearity. Great horizontal radiation width. I said this in my review.
I mean, the title of the video is literally "my new reference" and I'm wearing a big-ol grin on my thumbnail... so it begs to reason that I like it more than just a little bit. 😉
Votes for the Humble Homemade HiFi Calpamos? Or the less costly Asathor? Both solid designs.
Hi Guys!
I have always been fascinated by the large monitor speakers from JBL. Unfortunately, these are not cheap, so I wanted to build something like the 4367 myself.
http://www.newaudio.it/JBL/4367 JBL (1)/JBL Synthesis 4367 White Paper.pdf
15 "plus compression driver / horn was given. So I started looking for suitable drivers.
My friend Nico Germanos from Quint-Audio, Germany gave me the tip to test the new Tymphany DFM drivers and sent me a pair.
Since I don't have many...
In the past I've build two guitar tube amplifiers, moved on to a tube hifi stereo amplifier (6V6 PP 10-15W) and I've been contemplating building a loudspeaker for quite some time now. I started researching the Klonwall and made CAD drawings, went to 3-way, looked at Full-Range, was pointed towards a transmission line speaker by a colleague, started designing crossovers using VituixCad, discovered active crossovers: I've read so much I forgot most of it again...
At the moment I think I would like to build an efficient 2-way, (12" - )15" woofer with a compression driver, like e.g...
At the moment I think I would like to build an efficient 2-way, (12" - )15" woofer with a compression driver, like e.g...
- Tom Kamphuys
- Replies: 399
- Forum: Multi-Way
Hi Guys!
I have always been fascinated by the large monitor speakers from JBL. Unfortunately, these are not cheap, so I wanted to build something like the 4367 myself.
http://www.newaudio.it/JBL/4367 JBL (1)/JBL Synthesis 4367 White Paper.pdf
15 "plus compression driver / horn was given. So I started looking for suitable drivers.
My friend Nico Germanos from Quint-Audio, Germany gave me the tip to test the new Tymphany DFM drivers and sent me a pair.
Since I don't have many...
Sonus Faber Signum, I enjoy them for 20+ years. Great resolution speaker that reaches 40Hz with 8L box. With 2 subwoofers it is just fantastic.
Drivers are "Sonus Faber modified" but this guy discovered exactly what is inside: https://www.mes-enceintes-acoustiques.com/2020/06/sonus-faber-signum-en-cours.html
(sorry, this is in French)
SCANSPEAK D2010/851100 tweeter and Discovery 15w-4424g00 mid woofer. Did not check recent prices but it was less than 300 Euro for all 4 units not so long ago.
The XO is 1st order with perfect response ( I measured too) but design is not re-engineered as far as I know, this could be DIY exercise.
Drivers are "Sonus Faber modified" but this guy discovered exactly what is inside: https://www.mes-enceintes-acoustiques.com/2020/06/sonus-faber-signum-en-cours.html
(sorry, this is in French)
SCANSPEAK D2010/851100 tweeter and Discovery 15w-4424g00 mid woofer. Did not check recent prices but it was less than 300 Euro for all 4 units not so long ago.
The XO is 1st order with perfect response ( I measured too) but design is not re-engineered as far as I know, this could be DIY exercise.
1st order with a ton of additional parts. I am curious whether the entire HP filter was left in place with the replacement tweeter. Also, though 1st order not a time/phase perfect speaker. I would have had a tough time leaving that 1st order due to concerns of stress on the tweeter.The XO is 1st order with perfect response ( I measured too) but design is not re-engineered as far as I know, this could be DIY exercise.
Hi, as I said, I have no clue about XO diagram, it is all sealed in rubber and I don't want to destroy it for curiosity. It does have impedance compensation elaborated, that seems for sure.1st order with a ton of additional parts. I am curious whether the entire HP filter was left in place with the replacement tweeter. Also, though 1st order not a time/phase perfect speaker. I would have had a tough time leaving that 1st order due to concerns of stress on the tweeter.
What I can say that tweeter did not burn in 25 years of use. As it looks like French guy (on post linked) left complete XO as is with replacement drivers.
What I did last year is replaced midwoofers with scan speak model I mentioned, sound was the same as original, if slight difference that could be attributed to new vs well burned in drivers. I dont have alternative tweeters, so did not try that.
The point of this thread is inexpensive drivers in good speakers, I thing SF Signum is to the point here.
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- Best commercial/kit speakers with affordable drivers?