I'm looking at doing a DIY Centre speaker to replace my current MTM centre.
Thinking of heading down the W-MT-W path.
Bit torn between getting something like 6.5" woofers (seen some 7" vifa on ebay for a good price, dunno if they're too big to suit a centre), 2" tweeter, 5" midrange.
Alternatively, for something to better match my fronts (which are bookshelves), what if I'm to get another set of the bookshelves, and rip out the woofer from it (they're 5"), and rip out a 4" midrange from my current centre speaker and take a out the tweeter and redo it, and then make crossovers. Doing this would also be significantly cheaper. Dunno if that's an idea that's just a waste of time and money or what..
any opinions would be appreciated, thanks!
Thinking of heading down the W-MT-W path.
Bit torn between getting something like 6.5" woofers (seen some 7" vifa on ebay for a good price, dunno if they're too big to suit a centre), 2" tweeter, 5" midrange.
Alternatively, for something to better match my fronts (which are bookshelves), what if I'm to get another set of the bookshelves, and rip out the woofer from it (they're 5"), and rip out a 4" midrange from my current centre speaker and take a out the tweeter and redo it, and then make crossovers. Doing this would also be significantly cheaper. Dunno if that's an idea that's just a waste of time and money or what..
any opinions would be appreciated, thanks!
The first idea that comes to my mind when doing that (buying off-the-shelf - or ebay -) one (you) must know the T/S parameters of a driver, so, driver model parameters, not the speaker cabinet's. So, wich manufacturer is specifying that (driver's brand & models they are using inside)? Or then you bring them home and measure them with Lab equipment.
ohh i figured i could work out the dimensions of the cabinet currently used for them and use that to work out how big to make the centre
sunrise3500 said:
Nice try, sunrise.
If you do it is not for the price, is for the pleasure of it...
This is if you know the "makes" of the drivers. A lot of people can tell (brand & model) if they are not "printed". Usually is difficult because it can be a "similar".
To find another way of doing it, why not choosing a kit, or if you "go" with a certain price and brand you know in AU, starting from there.
Consider a 10" to 12" coaxial
I've gotten my best results with a 12" coaxial. The coaxial configuration gives pinpoint coherence, and the 12" diameter woofer provides adequate bass for the limited center channel BW. Crossed LR4 at 1.3Khz. the beaming from the 12" woofer is beneficial in that it locks the voice to the screen.
You can purchase a true coaxial with a horn loaded compression driver, or DIY mount a tweeter just in front of your woofer. Some woofers have large phase plugs, and a small neo tweeter can be mounted to this.
If you are limited on height, look at 8" and 10" coaxial drivers.
I've gotten my best results with a 12" coaxial. The coaxial configuration gives pinpoint coherence, and the 12" diameter woofer provides adequate bass for the limited center channel BW. Crossed LR4 at 1.3Khz. the beaming from the 12" woofer is beneficial in that it locks the voice to the screen.
You can purchase a true coaxial with a horn loaded compression driver, or DIY mount a tweeter just in front of your woofer. Some woofers have large phase plugs, and a small neo tweeter can be mounted to this.
If you are limited on height, look at 8" and 10" coaxial drivers.
sunrise3500 said:
Centre channel is mainly for vocal content in surround setup, therefore I'd try to optimize for good midrange freq. response. There's not a lot of bass content to deal with. Keeping it simple will pay off.
Here's my centre - a pioneer 6 x 9 coax with my own crossover, in a sealed section of this entertainment unit. Serves me very well
🙂
PS: Oh, it's cheap too😉
Attachments
well ends up the woofers i was looking at on ebay are actually 6.5" midrange woofers
http://www.madisound.com/pdf/vifa/BC18SG49-08.pdf
these sound like they might be a good suit for a centre?
although if i've already got a pair 6.5" midrange, do i really then need another midrange? - falling back into just a MTM.... really wanted to go with something horizontal though, rather than vertically designed
it's just i've seen designs where people are using W-MT-W, and they seem to be impressed by the results...
http://www.madisound.com/pdf/vifa/BC18SG49-08.pdf
these sound like they might be a good suit for a centre?
although if i've already got a pair 6.5" midrange, do i really then need another midrange? - falling back into just a MTM.... really wanted to go with something horizontal though, rather than vertically designed
it's just i've seen designs where people are using W-MT-W, and they seem to be impressed by the results...
If you have an LCD tv you should be able to get away with non shielded speakers.
Might open up some options for you.
Not sure if magnetic field affects a plasma, I expect not but you should check. Go into a chain store with a small magnet and try it out on their TVs.
Might open up some options for you.
Not sure if magnetic field affects a plasma, I expect not but you should check. Go into a chain store with a small magnet and try it out on their TVs.
1) so am I to take it that getting another set of the bookshelves and using the woofers along with a midrange and tweeter is stupid because I don't know the T/S parameters of the drivers...
2) what's the opinion of doing a W TM W setup anyways with other drivers?
3) With 2) for the W's would I want midrange woofers, or normal woofers?
4) are the alternatives suggested otherwise significantly superior? ie single coaxial + tweeter? (in all honestly i haven't even heard of the coaxials before, but I guess I can look into them)
thanks
2) what's the opinion of doing a W TM W setup anyways with other drivers?
3) With 2) for the W's would I want midrange woofers, or normal woofers?
4) are the alternatives suggested otherwise significantly superior? ie single coaxial + tweeter? (in all honestly i haven't even heard of the coaxials before, but I guess I can look into them)
thanks
Re: Re: DIY Centre Speaker advice
Once again: Not enough bass content in centre channel to worry about. Use of a single midbass coax is a very good solution, as long as it has superior midrange resolution.
Edit: Or do you just want a W MTM W combo 'cause it looks cool?😉
MJL21193 said:
Once again: Not enough bass content in centre channel to worry about. Use of a single midbass coax is a very good solution, as long as it has superior midrange resolution.
Edit: Or do you just want a W MTM W combo 'cause it looks cool?😉
no im after whatever is going to soundbetter
if the single coax is better, than why do they bother with MTM's or WTMW's at all, rather than just do the single coax too!?
if the single coax is better, than why do they bother with MTM's or WTMW's at all, rather than just do the single coax too!?
sunrise3500 said:
Who's they? Any arrangement can give good results, if you pay attention to what you need and use the correct drivers. IMO a single 4" fullrange in the right box would be sufficient for a centre speaker. Human vocal range is what you are dealing with.
MJL21193 said:
A lot of the musical score and sound effects get mixed into the center channel too, and a single 4" full range is not going to come close to 101dB output down to 80Hz.
well the midrange woofers I was looking at, I could potentially get for a bargain
http://www.madisound.com/pdf/vifa/BC18SG49-08.pdf
dont like what the frequency response starts doing just after 1k though O_O
2 of those in an MTM, or maybe another smaller midrange in the middle for a M TM M - maybe in this case the smaller mtm could pick up in the 1k+ range? (never done a diy project or made a crossover before so better advice in that would be appreciated, but perhaps it's a starting point anyways.)
getting a coax driver though, does sound like something really worth doing, and if not now, something worth doing down the track, since it's gonna be more $ investment. where as those 2 woofers i could get very very cheap.
just wondering if my current idea sounds like it could be (the MTM / m tm m mentioned above) decent/worthwhile, it sound like some potential fun anyways, im just hoping the result would be half decent and making it atleast worthwhile.
http://www.madisound.com/pdf/vifa/BC18SG49-08.pdf
dont like what the frequency response starts doing just after 1k though O_O
2 of those in an MTM, or maybe another smaller midrange in the middle for a M TM M - maybe in this case the smaller mtm could pick up in the 1k+ range? (never done a diy project or made a crossover before so better advice in that would be appreciated, but perhaps it's a starting point anyways.)
getting a coax driver though, does sound like something really worth doing, and if not now, something worth doing down the track, since it's gonna be more $ investment. where as those 2 woofers i could get very very cheap.
just wondering if my current idea sounds like it could be (the MTM / m tm m mentioned above) decent/worthwhile, it sound like some potential fun anyways, im just hoping the result would be half decent and making it atleast worthwhile.
Drew Eckhardt said:
Drew: I said the 4 inch in the right box would be sufficient, not great. I watch all of my movies and TV shows in 5.1. Have not heard anything even close to 80hz from my centre, and it's capable.
Here's a better choice:
http://www.tymphany.com/datasheet/printview.php?id=163
With a low Fs and flat on-axis response out to 5K. My main speakers have the 7" version of this driver (PL18WO0908) , and I can attest to the midrange clarity.
http://www.tymphany.com/datasheet/printview.php?id=163
With a low Fs and flat on-axis response out to 5K. My main speakers have the 7" version of this driver (PL18WO0908) , and I can attest to the midrange clarity.
well im specifically asking about that particular driver cos i should be able to get it for a bargain. if it's gonna be not so good, then i think id rather just put the money to a coaxial
but if the coaxial is only going to be a little bit better or something, then I don't mind doing this for a project, and then doing the coaxial later. if the coaxial is definitely significantly better than i may as well just jump ship now.
but if the coaxial is only going to be a little bit better or something, then I don't mind doing this for a project, and then doing the coaxial later. if the coaxial is definitely significantly better than i may as well just jump ship now.
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