Help a newbie! Center Channel Questions....

[Bobby12many]

Ive decided to take on the project of building my own center channel speaker. AS for the calculations and construction, I beleive I am more than capable. But when it comes to the actual DESIGN of the speaker, I have some questions....

1. About where should a good center channel be high passed?
2. SHould a center channel have any "kick" to it, or shold they mind their own business in the 5kHz+ range?

ANy help on this subject is greatly appreciated.

I am currently thinking of using 2 Dayton 6.5" drivers with a
Morel DMS-29 1-1/8" tweeter.

Thanks !

 

[CHRIS8]

"1. About where should a good center channel be high passed?
2. SHould a center channel have any "kick" to it, or shold they mind their own business in the 5kHz+ range? "

You are approaching this at wrong perspective. You need to consider the main speakers. The cener channel MUST match their voice/tonality. This will decide these paramaters. As a good measure, 60hz f3 would be desirable, in order to keep male voices coherent.

-Chris

 

[Bobby12many]

Thanks alot for the input. I am new to home audio, so bear with me .

So, You say that they should somewhat compliment the front speakers in my set. Well, my fronts are a pair of Cerwin Vega RE-30's which are hogh passed at 500hz for the midrange and 6Khz for the tweeter. So in theory, would I want to have a response range that overlaps these crossover points?

Any help on this subject is greatly appreciated.

 

[CHRIS8]

"So, You say that they should somewhat compliment the front speakers in my set. Well, my fronts are a pair of Cerwin Vega RE-30's which are hogh passed at 500hz for the midrange and 6Khz for the tweeter. So in theory, would I want to have a response range that overlaps these crossover "

I would first measure teh response of the drivers in the CV. Then I would find drivers that have characteristics that are similar, and are made of similar materials. I would build from that point. You do not need to match crossover points really, just go with simialr drivers and voice the croosver to sound similar to the overall tonaliy of teh CV. Of course, in more critical design you will wish to pay very close attention to other paramaters, and match the crossover points also, ideally. But this is your first project, and best used as a lesson for when you decide to build new mains and a new center channel

SInce the CV speakers are not exactly very good, you may wish to make a center channel that does not integtate smoothly, just to get better voice reproduction. BUt be warned: this will hurt panning effects severely, with the transition from main to center to main being VERY obvioius.

-Chris

 

[Bobby12many]

I greatly appreciate your replies chris.

As far as Matching the center channel goes, it seems as though constucting a quality speaker would be somewhat wothless due to the fact that my Cerwins will be replaced by the end of the year. So in retrospect, I am most likely better off tossing in one of my old cambridge centers for now, and just getting to the construction of new fronts? I was planning on building new fron speakers, due to the fact that my Cerwins are better off in the Rec room anyway.

So if I were to build two towers utilizing (in the midrange) two 6.5 " daytons, and the above mentioned morel tweeters on each cabinet. It would be ideal to use the same drivers for a center speaker using the same construction?

I hope that wasnt confusing!

 

[CHRIS8]

"So if I were to build two towers utilizing (in the midrange) two 6.5 " daytons, and the above mentioned morel tweeters on each cabinet. It would be ideal to use the same drivers for a center speaker using the same construction?"

Of course. But you will need to change baffle step compensations some for the center, since the 'effective' baflle should consider the television it is sitting on also.

-Chris

 

[Bobby12many]

You know of any good sites that explain the construction of a home speaker cabinet? I have alot to learn.

 

[pinkmouse]

Hi Bobby

As you seem new to DIY it might be worth looking at a kit for your first attempts, you could try

http://www.audax.com/doit/us_ht01.shtml

or many others on the web, just do a search for diy loudspeaker kits.

I can recommend the quality of the audax , as I just finished a design closely based on their centre speaker, just tweaked to match my mains and room accoustics, but there are many others out there that are worth looking at, maybe just do a little research and then search this forum for other people's comments and reviews.

Good luck!