Some more "Martellos" 🙂
Since I really like Bigun's "Martellos", I wanted to make them with some nicer material - I'll let you be the judge to say whether these turned out OK.
I also wanted then new pair to be more "in line" with the rest of my designs (two other devices in the photos are a digital amp based on STA333BW, and an FX6 DAC). I think the new speakers go nice with the general design.
This time I've used Fountek FE85 drivers, which are more visually "attractive" than my first try with Visaton drivers (which look rather bland, but sound great...). These Founteks sound nice, but still need some hours to break in properly...
Since I really like Bigun's "Martellos", I wanted to make them with some nicer material - I'll let you be the judge to say whether these turned out OK.
I also wanted then new pair to be more "in line" with the rest of my designs (two other devices in the photos are a digital amp based on STA333BW, and an FX6 DAC). I think the new speakers go nice with the general design.
This time I've used Fountek FE85 drivers, which are more visually "attractive" than my first try with Visaton drivers (which look rather bland, but sound great...). These Founteks sound nice, but still need some hours to break in properly...
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Very interesting! You make up the varnish from turps and resin? What effect does the varnish have on the frequency response, did you measure at all? I've been measuring and in the range 2KHz to 10KHz, the AN10 is like a sawtooth, all ups and downs from (say) 80db +10 / -15, but below 2kHz and over 10, very smooth... Love those horns!!
Glad you are interested. I never measured the freq. response but the sound gets more elegant, refined, defined, extended...etc. This after a brief period (depending on weather; you probably have the right weather) of muddiness while it cures.
Indeed, for the varnish, turpentine, a little linseed oil and gum Dammar, all to be found in providers for violin makers. There are several recipees online, from the violin world. I remember for my last varnish just put pulverized Dammar into a bottle with raw turpentine and let it rest on direct sunlight for weeks... 😀
IF/when you want to apply the varnish, let the speaker rest on its back, be sure that nothing can enter the coil/magnet gap, then apply one thin layer (one always have the urge to apply more...) to the whole transducer's surface (omiting the surrounds!) and even to the HF, whatsitsname, cone something...
Let it dry overnight and then enjoy.
I use at least 3 of these treatments, as I told before.
Hope this helps.
M.
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Since I really like Bigun's "Martellos", I wanted to make them with some nicer material - I'll let you be the judge to say whether these turned out OK.
I also wanted then new pair to be more "in line" with the rest of my designs (two other devices in the photos are a digital amp based on STA333BW, and an FX6 DAC). I think the new speakers go nice with the general design.
This time I've used Fountek FE85 drivers, which are more visually "attractive" than my first try with Visaton drivers (which look rather bland, but sound great...). These Founteks sound nice, but still need some hours to break in properly...
Sheesh these look nice, well done!
Audio Nirvana Classic 5 cabinets
two kinds of cabinets for my new AN classic 5 .
11.5 litre and 30 litre .
two kinds of cabinets for my new AN classic 5 .
11.5 litre and 30 litre .
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I know it's an open baffle but the 12" wide band Zenith 49CZ Alnico is a jaw dropper. The old Zeniths had collected dust in my garage for years until I read the "Glow in the Dark" blog. I probably listen to these 90% of the time and the DX3's maybe 10%.

Hello Poultrygeist!
Is 49CZ the complete designation of your 12" Zenith alnico drivers? When I go online I find, 49CZ577X, 49CZ517, 49CZ903 etc. But none that end with just 49CZ! If you don't want to publish the model number publically would you please send it to me in a private email instead?
TIA...
I'm listening to: Feel The Rhythm by Daria
Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)
Is 49CZ the complete designation of your 12" Zenith alnico drivers? When I go online I find, 49CZ577X, 49CZ517, 49CZ903 etc. But none that end with just 49CZ! If you don't want to publish the model number publically would you please send it to me in a private email instead?
TIA...
I'm listening to: Feel The Rhythm by Daria
Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)
Hello again my friend and thanks for responding so quickly. I guess if you're enjoying how your speakers sound so much and you're using the 49CZ802, 12" fullrange drivers. Then there MUST be a sonic signature in the 49CZ series, because the drivers mentioned in the article were 49CZ852, 12" fullrange drivers! Thanks very much for opening up a new avenue of exploration for me. I sincerely hope you're getting immense enjoyment from your OB speakers. I'd love to hear how they sound someday myself.
And Poultrygeist aka the "Ghost Chicken" 😱 <<<<<< mean in humor. If you're ever in the Orlando, FL area, I'd love to have you over for a listening session! I use a 135lb, 40W/ch, Mastersound Reference 845, integrated, SET amp, a YBA CD-4, CDP/Transport, used as a transport into a tubed, Musical Paradise MP-D2 DAC <<<< a true sleeper, and 105dB sensitive, Beauhorn Virtuoso speakers that use a front & rear loaded pair of Lowther DX4 drivers. It would be my honor & privilege to have you in my home...
I'm listening to: Melancholy Baby by Jaimee Paul
Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)
And Poultrygeist aka the "Ghost Chicken" 😱 <<<<<< mean in humor. If you're ever in the Orlando, FL area, I'd love to have you over for a listening session! I use a 135lb, 40W/ch, Mastersound Reference 845, integrated, SET amp, a YBA CD-4, CDP/Transport, used as a transport into a tubed, Musical Paradise MP-D2 DAC <<<< a true sleeper, and 105dB sensitive, Beauhorn Virtuoso speakers that use a front & rear loaded pair of Lowther DX4 drivers. It would be my honor & privilege to have you in my home...
I'm listening to: Melancholy Baby by Jaimee Paul
Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)
Thanks it's good to hear from you again as well...
I'm listening to: Sophie Milman by Sophie Milman
Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)
I'm listening to: Sophie Milman by Sophie Milman
Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)
My first ever speakers back loaded full range...
setup consisting of fostex 206e 8" fullrange drivers and fostex ft17h supertweeters and a crossover built for these two drivers, I bought these while visiting family in Seattle washington, and brought them with me to california, I used the dallas 2 cabinet and modified the outside of it to incorporate the crossovers inside for a clean finish, i used automotive paint and burl wallnut veneer. I run them with a 40watt tube amp Dared vp-80 integrated amp...and the sound is just amazing. The way I but these is with a switch which is on the back I can completely cut off the crossovers and supertweeters and just have the fullrange working alone, or switching it in the other direction I engage the crossover and now i have both drivers work, I have to tell you that the bass is very clean and beautiful, these fu range drivers can go from 30hertz to 20,000 hertz. I have some real audiophile co-workers amd we listened to these for several days and they were all astonished of how much nice amd clean bass this cabinet and crossover network produced. And the musicality, imaging, soundstage they all said was really really nice, feel free to come audition them. Im in orange county california
setup consisting of fostex 206e 8" fullrange drivers and fostex ft17h supertweeters and a crossover built for these two drivers, I bought these while visiting family in Seattle washington, and brought them with me to california, I used the dallas 2 cabinet and modified the outside of it to incorporate the crossovers inside for a clean finish, i used automotive paint and burl wallnut veneer. I run them with a 40watt tube amp Dared vp-80 integrated amp...and the sound is just amazing. The way I but these is with a switch which is on the back I can completely cut off the crossovers and supertweeters and just have the fullrange working alone, or switching it in the other direction I engage the crossover and now i have both drivers work, I have to tell you that the bass is very clean and beautiful, these fu range drivers can go from 30hertz to 20,000 hertz. I have some real audiophile co-workers amd we listened to these for several days and they were all astonished of how much nice amd clean bass this cabinet and crossover network produced. And the musicality, imaging, soundstage they all said was really really nice, feel free to come audition them. Im in orange county california
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Hi Poultrygeist,
Very nice build bud. I have these zenith drivers as well and got inspired by your design probably will do the same thing as you did here. I believe that you run them fullrange without filters. What tweeter do you use and where and how do you cross the tweeters and the hframe woofers?
regards,
tubo
Very nice build bud. I have these zenith drivers as well and got inspired by your design probably will do the same thing as you did here. I believe that you run them fullrange without filters. What tweeter do you use and where and how do you cross the tweeters and the hframe woofers?
regards,
tubo
Hey tubo,
The tweeters are the original Japanese Realistic 40-1310A which differ significantly from the Radio Shack versions made in Korea and Chinas. I use a single 1uF cap on the tweets which gives me just enough sizzle for cymbals.
The tweeters are the original Japanese Realistic 40-1310A which differ significantly from the Radio Shack versions made in Korea and Chinas. I use a single 1uF cap on the tweets which gives me just enough sizzle for cymbals.
Hey Poultrygeist,
Thanks for the response. What about the hframe woofers? are they driven by a plate amp?
Thanks for the response. What about the hframe woofers? are they driven by a plate amp?
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