So I've decided to try making a portable speaker. The Dayton KABD series of amplifiers looks good to me. I feel like a small setup needs to be able to implement a high-pass and compression to get the most out of it. I've picked up a KABD-250 that I've been experimenting with. And I've been wanting to play with Sigma Studio.
But what transducer? I'm inclined to go full range, but would consider a wide-range woofer with tweeter support if it could be implemented with a simple enough filter. I think 3-3.5" is probably the compromise to make between output level / bass and dispersion. I'd like to keep the price under $30 per channel, and the size near 1/4 cu ft or less (per ch). Note that with DSP I can work with sub-optimal box alignments. I expect to port it. It'll go into a portable unit, so I hope to find something rugged. Metal or PP preferred over paper, and prefer to avoid a phase plug that leaves an opening down to the gap.
I'm leaning toward the Aura NS3 / Dayton ND90. They have lots of excursion (for the class) but some reviews complain about distortion. I've personally heard the NS3 and the Tymphany TC9FD18 solo in vented boxes. While the TC9 sounds better at low volume, it became confused sounding at louder volumes. I put this down to available Xmax. The NS3 starts out a little rougher, but can keep going to higher output levels. Reviews complain about the distortion in the NS3, though, so maybe there is a better option I'm not aware of? Also, does anyone know the relationship between Dayton and Aura regarding the NS3 / ND90? PE doesn't have the NS3 any more, but Madisound still lists them. If the NS90 is antagonistic to Aura, I could reach for the OG.
Visaton FR 10-8 (or FR 10-4?) looks like it models nicely and claims good Xmax, but I start to worry about dispersion. It's got a whizzer, maybe it would be ok? I haven't heard it.
Tectonic TEBM65C20F-4 seems like an interesting option. PE details page says 5 mm xmax on the 8 ohm version, but you look on the spec sheet they link and they call 10 mm P-P xmech instead, so I'm unsure of actual xmax. It's got an ugly FR null around 1.7k, but could maybe help it with EQ.
Timothy Feleppa's page (https://feleppa.com.au/speakermeasmid.html) doesn't like the Aura and seems to think the Dynavox LY302F is the cool choice but Xmax at 1.55 mm seems like it would run out of steam before you could get to musically satisfying output levels.
If there was a 4" that had the kind of damped HF response that would play nice with a single tweeter+cap or possibly piezo then that might be a cool option also, but I haven't stumbled across a solution like that yet.
So whadya think? Got any winners I'm unaware of? Experience comparing FR10 / TEBM65 / LY302F directly to the NS3?
But what transducer? I'm inclined to go full range, but would consider a wide-range woofer with tweeter support if it could be implemented with a simple enough filter. I think 3-3.5" is probably the compromise to make between output level / bass and dispersion. I'd like to keep the price under $30 per channel, and the size near 1/4 cu ft or less (per ch). Note that with DSP I can work with sub-optimal box alignments. I expect to port it. It'll go into a portable unit, so I hope to find something rugged. Metal or PP preferred over paper, and prefer to avoid a phase plug that leaves an opening down to the gap.
I'm leaning toward the Aura NS3 / Dayton ND90. They have lots of excursion (for the class) but some reviews complain about distortion. I've personally heard the NS3 and the Tymphany TC9FD18 solo in vented boxes. While the TC9 sounds better at low volume, it became confused sounding at louder volumes. I put this down to available Xmax. The NS3 starts out a little rougher, but can keep going to higher output levels. Reviews complain about the distortion in the NS3, though, so maybe there is a better option I'm not aware of? Also, does anyone know the relationship between Dayton and Aura regarding the NS3 / ND90? PE doesn't have the NS3 any more, but Madisound still lists them. If the NS90 is antagonistic to Aura, I could reach for the OG.
Visaton FR 10-8 (or FR 10-4?) looks like it models nicely and claims good Xmax, but I start to worry about dispersion. It's got a whizzer, maybe it would be ok? I haven't heard it.
Tectonic TEBM65C20F-4 seems like an interesting option. PE details page says 5 mm xmax on the 8 ohm version, but you look on the spec sheet they link and they call 10 mm P-P xmech instead, so I'm unsure of actual xmax. It's got an ugly FR null around 1.7k, but could maybe help it with EQ.
Timothy Feleppa's page (https://feleppa.com.au/speakermeasmid.html) doesn't like the Aura and seems to think the Dynavox LY302F is the cool choice but Xmax at 1.55 mm seems like it would run out of steam before you could get to musically satisfying output levels.
If there was a 4" that had the kind of damped HF response that would play nice with a single tweeter+cap or possibly piezo then that might be a cool option also, but I haven't stumbled across a solution like that yet.
So whadya think? Got any winners I'm unaware of? Experience comparing FR10 / TEBM65 / LY302F directly to the NS3?
How big a box?
You start out talking about 3” FRs, and then ask about 4”. And then you throw in a tweeter.
Aura is a bass champ for the size, haven’t heard the DynaVox, have a low option of TC9 (TG9 is fairly decent).
Saw the comment about the top end, and immediatly thot of Alpair 6.2p. It needs 2.5->5 litres.
dave
You start out talking about 3” FRs, and then ask about 4”. And then you throw in a tweeter.
Aura is a bass champ for the size, haven’t heard the DynaVox, have a low option of TC9 (TG9 is fairly decent).
Saw the comment about the top end, and immediatly thot of Alpair 6.2p. It needs 2.5->5 litres.
dave
... Dayton KABD-250...
The TPA3116 amp i have (actually TPA3118) is quite decent. Real power with a power supply you ar elikely to use is more like 10w/channel which is sufficient. I use my TPA3118 to drive µMar-Ken6 breifcase hifi.
dave
Ah, sorry to leave you for a bit, the house suddenly decided it needed some plumbing.
"How big a box?"
I'm simming the ND90 in 2 L + port at the moment (x2 for stereo). Smaller than optimal, but thinking I can make the difference up with EQ. Could go a bit larger with a different driver, but the concept is 2 channels in lunchbox / handbag type size, rather than some of the big 80's style boom box format builds I've seen around. It's set to be a gift after I've had my way with it, so I don't want to impose an awkwardly large item on my intended victim.
"You start out talking about 3” FRs, and then ask about 4”
Yes, well I think the Aura / clone is the call for this exercise, but am looking for the angle I haven't considered. As you say, the Aura seems to be the bass (displacement) champ for its size. I was wondering if someone would chime in with "the new king is ..." or maybe "smaller xmax on the XXX, but the field rolls off gradually and it sounds good up to..."
"immediatly thot of Alpair 6.2p"
I also thought of the Alpair, but recall the MarkAudio guy on here a while back chastising people for driving them to Xmax. I do want to hammer on whatever I go with, so those sounded a little delicate. Also, expensive. CHN50 @ Madisound is in-price, xmax 3.5mm is not bad. Would it hold up to extended use at full excursion? How does its max output compare to the Aura? I'll have to plug it into BassBox.
"The TPA3116 amp i have..."
Playing with Sigma Studio and the DSP in the KABD amp is a primary goal of this exercise (though I'm sure you've found a peach of an amp for your own purposes).
"How big a box?"
I'm simming the ND90 in 2 L + port at the moment (x2 for stereo). Smaller than optimal, but thinking I can make the difference up with EQ. Could go a bit larger with a different driver, but the concept is 2 channels in lunchbox / handbag type size, rather than some of the big 80's style boom box format builds I've seen around. It's set to be a gift after I've had my way with it, so I don't want to impose an awkwardly large item on my intended victim.
"You start out talking about 3” FRs, and then ask about 4”
Yes, well I think the Aura / clone is the call for this exercise, but am looking for the angle I haven't considered. As you say, the Aura seems to be the bass (displacement) champ for its size. I was wondering if someone would chime in with "the new king is ..." or maybe "smaller xmax on the XXX, but the field rolls off gradually and it sounds good up to..."
"immediatly thot of Alpair 6.2p"
I also thought of the Alpair, but recall the MarkAudio guy on here a while back chastising people for driving them to Xmax. I do want to hammer on whatever I go with, so those sounded a little delicate. Also, expensive. CHN50 @ Madisound is in-price, xmax 3.5mm is not bad. Would it hold up to extended use at full excursion? How does its max output compare to the Aura? I'll have to plug it into BassBox.
"The TPA3116 amp i have..."
Playing with Sigma Studio and the DSP in the KABD amp is a primary goal of this exercise (though I'm sure you've found a peach of an amp for your own purposes).
Mark on a tirade. A guy in Ottawa playing them so loud he folded the cone. And uou could spit the cone of the original A5/Jordan J6T out.the MarkAudio guy on here a while back chastising people for driving them to Xmax.
For a long time now drivers come with what is called an arrestor (A). They start to sound annoying when you start pushing them too hard.
2.5 litre is the lower limit for the A6p, the A6m can fit a bit smaller box, (1.8litre?). Keep in mind that at these sizes the thickness of the box material starts to be a significant amount of the gross volume. If you can be creative with wall material, such as aluminum cylinder (before i went in the hospital i had a pair of such, rectanglar with nicely rounded corners, 4mm, just add end caps [2.2 litre with less gross volume than the 2 litre in 12mm ply]), 3D printing, 9mm plywood would be a suitable sheet material.
FF85wk fits into 2 litres, could probably be pushed smaller. http://p10hifi.net/FAL/downloads/uFonkenWK-1v0-plan-130312.pdf
And the similar 2 litre for the Alpair 5.2/3, CHN-50 also works, http://frugal-phile.com/boxlib/P10free/uMK52-0v9-plan-220415.pdf
CHN is a decided price/perfomace star. The Aura is a bass king, if the ND90 is the same as the NS3 i played with, 2 litre is not really sufficientt for a vented box. To do this it is not very sensitive. The top is a bit wooley as well. The CHN is a clearly better loudspeaker.
You do want to make sure it has a cover/screen, it is easy to dent the cone. The Aura has an Al foil/foam/Al foi construction and is pretty robust. The CHN can sort of be thot as an A5 cone in a cheap stamped basket with a spider. That spider will make them more robust for your use.
Keep in mind that DSP is often used as a band-aid, you want the starting point to be as good as possible. One thing you certainly want to do is to implement a HP filter to ensure the driver does not unlad at lower frequencies.
You won’t find any 4s that fit comfortably in 2 litre. But there are definitly some bass kings. EL70, CHP70.1, Pluvia 7.Quite amazing what they can do in a 13 litre reflex. Not very sensitive thou.
dave
Last edited:
Driver protection via high-pass and compression is the intent, but this will let me push RMS power a fair bit up toward peak. Thanks for the heads up that they're relatively easily dented.
In BassBox Pro they look pretty similar to the Dayton ND90-4 at the bottom, given the same box 2L ported at 70 Hz. Much less inductance with CHN-50, but more excursion and significantly higher rms power rating on the ND90. Based on published parameters, anyway.
An interesting idea on the aluminum (or other) extrusion for a box. I'll have to have a look around to see if I can find anything in a pleasing aspect ratio.
Thanks for your input. They look good enough to justify ordering a pair to check out... Here's hoping that I don't blow 'em up.
"Excessive hard use (over-driving) and other damage caused during customer use is excluded from our warranty."
In BassBox Pro they look pretty similar to the Dayton ND90-4 at the bottom, given the same box 2L ported at 70 Hz. Much less inductance with CHN-50, but more excursion and significantly higher rms power rating on the ND90. Based on published parameters, anyway.
An interesting idea on the aluminum (or other) extrusion for a box. I'll have to have a look around to see if I can find anything in a pleasing aspect ratio.
Thanks for your input. They look good enough to justify ordering a pair to check out... Here's hoping that I don't blow 'em up.
"Excessive hard use (over-driving) and other damage caused during customer use is excluded from our warranty."