As copper is a lot heavier than aluminium, I would cut the 5 mm tape in half using scissors this would significantly increase the sensitivity. Using the thinnest membrane material would help as well.
Listening to the finished planar gives me all the energy I need, keeps my mind active,and I have been into DIY HIFI for over 50 years, and I still enjoy it!!
So James, have you ever attempted to make headphone drivers with a planar magnetic design? They are smaller so they they are much easier to carry around. Also much harder to see though... How are your eyes?
I think planer magnetic headphones would be a good project to start with because the cost is much lower for magnets. Perhaps I will source some magnets and give it a shot myself. No doubt I will lack the experience that you have though.
My ultimate goal is for every piece of my equipment to be hand made by me. Just the feeling of pride one gets when they crank up an amp they have made is priceless. I have been on a building kick here lately. I have built several designs of headphone amp. Now, I need to work on the actual headphones.
BTW, I watched the video of some of your speakers on youtube. One can tell, even from the compressed youtube audio, that these speakers are amazing! I fantasize about having a small pair on my head...
Excellent work James. I am in awe.
I think planer magnetic headphones would be a good project to start with because the cost is much lower for magnets. Perhaps I will source some magnets and give it a shot myself. No doubt I will lack the experience that you have though.
My ultimate goal is for every piece of my equipment to be hand made by me. Just the feeling of pride one gets when they crank up an amp they have made is priceless. I have been on a building kick here lately. I have built several designs of headphone amp. Now, I need to work on the actual headphones.
BTW, I watched the video of some of your speakers on youtube. One can tell, even from the compressed youtube audio, that these speakers are amazing! I fantasize about having a small pair on my head...
Excellent work James. I am in awe.
Thank you Rembrant, for those kind words. I have never thought of making full range planar headphones.All my magnets are too large, although I have some 25 x 5 x1.5 mm neos about 42 of them. I think these were the first neos I bought many years ago.i suppose I could have a go! Although when you have 11 60 x 40 full range planars all round the room, it is almost like wearing headphones anyway.
baby grand
Thinking about building baby grand piano shape using neos with 3 separate diaphragms. Would probably need a 3 part crossover to keep the sound boards separate, anybody have any thoughts on the crossover? Although I don't know where I can put it, as it is a bit crowded. I suppose I could put it on the wall. A vertical piano!!!😱 I must be going senile.😕 At least I would only need one as pianos are not in stereo.
Thinking about building baby grand piano shape using neos with 3 separate diaphragms. Would probably need a 3 part crossover to keep the sound boards separate, anybody have any thoughts on the crossover? Although I don't know where I can put it, as it is a bit crowded. I suppose I could put it on the wall. A vertical piano!!!😱 I must be going senile.😕 At least I would only need one as pianos are not in stereo.
The magnets are actually touching and the distance between the membrane and the magnets is 3 mm.
In the Apogee series the aluminum conductors run horizontally and there is a vertical gap about 1/4" between the rows of magnets.
Did Apogee use ceramic magnets or Neo?
All I need is a source of cheap magnets to try this!
Did Apogee use ceramic magnets or Neo?
All I need is a source of cheap magnets to try this!
I don't think neos were available when the Apogees first came out! You can build a small 60 X 40 cm speaker using neos. This size is my latest design, as bigger ones were not really any louder than the small ones. A 4' x 2' was not really worth the extra magnets. I would recommend you use 50 x 6 x 3 mm magnets and use 3 mm wide aluminium foil. This would give you the highest sensitivity and would fit in with the size of the speaker.If you can't find any foil this size use scissors and cut it to this size, that is what I do. I must have cut about 450 meters up to now!!! I'm afraid magnets have increased considerably in price in the last few years.I got mine from China as this was the cheapest I could find, although the postage is quite high they still worked out cheaper in the long run. Although I don't know if this is still the case, as I have not bought any for quite a while!
Last edited:
What about building something this size..
Anybody has tried this size?
I spent more time at the computer than at the "listening room", as many of you are..
Magnepan Mini Maggie Desktop Speaker System (Playback 48) | AVguide
Anybody has tried this size?
I spent more time at the computer than at the "listening room", as many of you are..
Magnepan Mini Maggie Desktop Speaker System (Playback 48) | AVguide
Attachments
The smallest FRP that I have built up to now is 14.5 x 20 inches, using 116 50 x 12.7 x 3 mm neo magnets in each one. I built these to fit a underfloor loaded speaker which used 1 18" cone and 2 piezo speakers.I built the planar to try out the small size,in comparison to my 60 x 40 mm size of which I have 11 hanging up in my living room with my new 9.1 amp. I'm glad they didn't cost me 1500 a pair or a trio.