Regardless of DIY or off-the-shelf, it's always wise to invest in DSP. Sitting nearfield doesn't eliminate room issues plaguing the sub-200Hz region, which some DSP tuning can alleviate (but not completely, since the room specs and speaker placement also play a crucial role). It should be easy to create and apply with a PC and software like Peace/EqualizerAPO.
You might want to also strive for a bit more low-end for the build. A simple bass reflex box (assuming a full-range speaker is used) is little more than a box with a hole for a PVC/paper tube.
A little trickier build, but drop the budget a bit more. Small enuff that you can use quality ply instead of MDF.
A CGR version to get them less deep helps with the dip from wall bounce. And extends/reinforces the bottom.
Tghis Driver: https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.c...mark-audio-chn50-3-magnesium-cone-full-range/
Interesting the are calld magnesium. MA’s cones have always been Al alloys with some magnesium… AFAIK same family of alloys. They is also a paper cone version.
And the AmpCampMini is a really good little amplifier.
dave
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Right; it's magnesium alloy, per the data sheet; Madisound mention it further down. I suspect they missed that in the title for brevity (or because it sounds good 😉 )
No…it’s correct……..If you want something that sounds ‘good’?……fine. But that’s not the OP’s quest……..it was for the “best possible”. That’s 3 octaves per transducer. At least a two way for ‘better’ as a three way would be difficult to fit on a desktop.
I am still narrowing the search for the ultimate desktop between TB W6-2313 and MAOP 11 drivers. The only other choice would be something even more high end than those. I think the word "ultimate" also means the best possible driver. Well, realistically speaking under $300 per driver. Comparing with $2,200 retail speakers we are still talking some major savings.
What would be the suggestion on how to chose between those two?
What would be the suggestion on how to chose between those two?
BTW I don't thi
I don't think DSP is an option. I have Schiit Bifrost 64/2 DAC and it takes USB port and outputs the analog. There is nowhere to stick a DSP between USB port and Bifrost, unless there are some DSP with USB input and USB output. Sorry maybe I am just ignorant and they do exist.
@wchang the ultimate desktop outside of DIY are Genelec 8361A, but they are $5,000. I never saw anyone claiming that anything else is definitely better, on desktop.
So when I say ultimate DIY desktop I don't mean I will build it, I will build crap because I have no experience.
What I mean is if someone very experienced want to DIY something that will sound almost as good as Genelecs and want to use a single full range driver, which driver he/she will use and what kind of box will build. That it will sound as good as anything in $5,000 range.
So when I say ultimate DIY desktop I don't mean I will build it, I will build crap because I have no experience.
What I mean is if someone very experienced want to DIY something that will sound almost as good as Genelecs and want to use a single full range driver, which driver he/she will use and what kind of box will build. That it will sound as good as anything in $5,000 range.
Use Equaliser APO, it runs on the operating system of the PC
Not DIY but the original KEF KHT 2005 'Eggs' are the best KEF speakers I've heard at ANY price. I believe you can still get the Eggs for wall and ceiling installation. I know the people who designed these and also their opinion of the later 'Eggs'.
https://www.whathifi.com/features/was-then-kef-kht-2005-review
My ultimate desktop speaker would be a 2nd hand KHT 2005 system which gives you 2 pairs + a spare and a sub you can use elsewhere. A pair from this comes under budget and will fit on your desktop too.
No need for DSP, active EQ bla bla but the original designer almost certainly has his own ideas for this too 😊 He no longer works for KEF.
https://www.whathifi.com/features/was-then-kef-kht-2005-review
My ultimate desktop speaker would be a 2nd hand KHT 2005 system which gives you 2 pairs + a spare and a sub you can use elsewhere. A pair from this comes under budget and will fit on your desktop too.
No need for DSP, active EQ bla bla but the original designer almost certainly has his own ideas for this too 😊 He no longer works for KEF.
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At a listening distance of mere 2-4ft any mid-hi non-point-source is going to have comb-filter effect. Any fullrange driver 4" or bigger has high-frequency narrow-directionality issues. Any smaller will need bass enhancement (even down to 65hz) but the common BR may be the worst SQ-wise (in my opinion of course). So in practice one has to prioritize among myriad SQ attributes (such as the glossary above).
Among my diy in no particular order: Metals LX KEF LS50 Meta coaxial over Monitor Audio woofer (drivers available in China for anyone who really wanted them). Eazies LX Fostex FE108eΣ over 168eΣ (plus deep-bass support). Ultrae resin-coated-carbon-fiber/vintage-alnico-mid-hi/electrostatic-supertweeter. Supravox 8" classic whizzer-fullrange in TLonken. Goodmans Axiom 80 or other top-of-the-line vintage alnico fullrange (diy hardly necessary), even the Fostex F200A. Maevan TLonken Alpair 5. HeilEve and Axia mentioned earlier. The last may turn out the best, by far.
(Search function works really well.)
Among my diy in no particular order: Metals LX KEF LS50 Meta coaxial over Monitor Audio woofer (drivers available in China for anyone who really wanted them). Eazies LX Fostex FE108eΣ over 168eΣ (plus deep-bass support). Ultrae resin-coated-carbon-fiber/vintage-alnico-mid-hi/electrostatic-supertweeter. Supravox 8" classic whizzer-fullrange in TLonken. Goodmans Axiom 80 or other top-of-the-line vintage alnico fullrange (diy hardly necessary), even the Fostex F200A. Maevan TLonken Alpair 5. HeilEve and Axia mentioned earlier. The last may turn out the best, by far.
(Search function works really well.)
Push the same box the other way, MAOP 5, against the wall you want to hug it as close as possible, but if noit maybe the trapezoidal version.
Plastic (3D printed) w CHN-50,.
Plywood with exotic veneer, a\Alpair 5.2eN (no MAOP at the time)
dave
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One with XO, one without, easy pick for me. Quantiry vrs quality,
Would fit this one:
dave
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Not sure how to view that statement about quantity vs quality.
'Cos then, the TB would win on both! 🙂
It has two drivers, a woofer and a tweeter, in a point source arrangement coaxial. Win on quantity.
Having the woofer and tweeter will mean better dispersion of the highs, and the woofer is left to do what it does best, reproduce lows and mids. Win on quality.
🙂
And most wide range drivers need at least a BSC circuit, so there are parts involved anyway. It's not called a XO, but there is still some components in there. The XO free statement is cute, but it doesn't always tell the reality when many wide range drivers need notches and BSC to sound better. Of course, one could use DSP instead of those parts to tame some erratic/rising response, but it's still not just screw the driver on some box, connect to amp, and that's it.
How? For the budget one has a woofer + a tweeter + an XO, the other has all the resources in a single driver.
With the same end price the bits in the first are going to be lower quality/higher toleranes than the second.
dave
BTW, no (few?)i coax is a true point source without havinf an XO with suitable time delay.
that is just untrue, sorry.
Price is part material, part marketing. Some have lower production costs and higher marketing markup than others. And vice-versa.
Calling the 2313 lower quality than the MA just shows that you have never handled that TB driver before. I've handled both, and sure, the MA is a good product as well, but not better that the TB in this case.
Wide range is always a compromise. You get either better low end or better high end depending on drivers, but not both. The coax can handle low and high.
I love the wide rangers I built. But the coax here blows them all.