Speaker showcasing in Woofer Assisted OB Arrangement
Let's say at one of these places like Madisound or Parts Express - who carry multiple brands of various diameter speakers - they have a futuristic show room where one can audition speaker driver pairs in an OB configuration very quickly. At each speaker, a machine sequentially places each driver at a prechoosen stop point on the baffle, electrically connecting to the amplifier
as the speaker comes into position.
Basically a rotating plywood wheel with a number of different models and manufacturers drivers arranged radially and flush baffle mounted near its outer circumference. Electrical connection would be a mechanical split ring commutator with one continuous and one sectioned ring aligned to the desired speaker positions. Preferably, the sectioned ring would be designed for explicit make-before-break contacting.
Selection movement could be from a computer controlled positioning system to someone manually re-positioning. Imagine rolling through drivers on the fly while listening - with zero interruption!
A typical H frame auggie woofer could be common to all drivers being auditioned. The H frame enclosure would support the structures securing axle bearings for holding up the rotating wheel. For, say, a 30" wheel (which could demo 10 or more driver pairs) the contraption could be ~ 50" tall. Forward tipover from the weight of all those drivers would have to be carefully accomodated by the design of the H frame base supporting the wheel above it.
For those at home with er, substantial collections of different FR drivers, such a device would be a great way to showcase them - each pair on display and can be made to play in moments. "Hey, want to listen to the new Mark Audios? Yeah ya do! [Kchunk-Kchunk-Kchunk, left speaker. Kchunk-Kchunk-Kchunk, right speaker] Pull up my "MA" room correction files and away we go". "I know it looks funny, but better than all sequestered in the closet!"
Paired with the best tweeter, placed near the choosen driver stop point (say, anywhere within 180 deg from TDC for any driver on the wheel board), the contraption could be used to audition midranges and other not so FR drivers. At least in terms of what you can discern with them being loaded onto an OB, versus how they would sound into a sealed cabinet. Conceptually the device could be used to audition tweeters similarly.
Imagine how much fun it'd be to literally roll through a good number of FR drivers in Meniscus audio's "Full Range" listening room - and be able to easily do so in the span of one recording? I bet we could all spend some time in a situation like that. The sales person hands you a controller, says take your time "and if you find a pair you like, I'll see if we have them in stock".
Imagine their system is tops, automatically accommodating efficiency differences between drivers and woofer crossover point to assure as seamless a real time transition from one driver pair to another as possible.
Of course, I'm dreaming. Most people - including myself - buy drivers having never even heard them before. Parts Express maybe dosent even have a listening room - just a big warehouse and retail store. But I have 3 FR driver pairs already and maybe one day, I'll need a good "display cabinet"!
Let's say at one of these places like Madisound or Parts Express - who carry multiple brands of various diameter speakers - they have a futuristic show room where one can audition speaker driver pairs in an OB configuration very quickly. At each speaker, a machine sequentially places each driver at a prechoosen stop point on the baffle, electrically connecting to the amplifier
as the speaker comes into position.
Basically a rotating plywood wheel with a number of different models and manufacturers drivers arranged radially and flush baffle mounted near its outer circumference. Electrical connection would be a mechanical split ring commutator with one continuous and one sectioned ring aligned to the desired speaker positions. Preferably, the sectioned ring would be designed for explicit make-before-break contacting.
Selection movement could be from a computer controlled positioning system to someone manually re-positioning. Imagine rolling through drivers on the fly while listening - with zero interruption!
A typical H frame auggie woofer could be common to all drivers being auditioned. The H frame enclosure would support the structures securing axle bearings for holding up the rotating wheel. For, say, a 30" wheel (which could demo 10 or more driver pairs) the contraption could be ~ 50" tall. Forward tipover from the weight of all those drivers would have to be carefully accomodated by the design of the H frame base supporting the wheel above it.
For those at home with er, substantial collections of different FR drivers, such a device would be a great way to showcase them - each pair on display and can be made to play in moments. "Hey, want to listen to the new Mark Audios? Yeah ya do! [Kchunk-Kchunk-Kchunk, left speaker. Kchunk-Kchunk-Kchunk, right speaker] Pull up my "MA" room correction files and away we go". "I know it looks funny, but better than all sequestered in the closet!"
Paired with the best tweeter, placed near the choosen driver stop point (say, anywhere within 180 deg from TDC for any driver on the wheel board), the contraption could be used to audition midranges and other not so FR drivers. At least in terms of what you can discern with them being loaded onto an OB, versus how they would sound into a sealed cabinet. Conceptually the device could be used to audition tweeters similarly.
Imagine how much fun it'd be to literally roll through a good number of FR drivers in Meniscus audio's "Full Range" listening room - and be able to easily do so in the span of one recording? I bet we could all spend some time in a situation like that. The sales person hands you a controller, says take your time "and if you find a pair you like, I'll see if we have them in stock".
Imagine their system is tops, automatically accommodating efficiency differences between drivers and woofer crossover point to assure as seamless a real time transition from one driver pair to another as possible.
Of course, I'm dreaming. Most people - including myself - buy drivers having never even heard them before. Parts Express maybe dosent even have a listening room - just a big warehouse and retail store. But I have 3 FR driver pairs already and maybe one day, I'll need a good "display cabinet"!
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