Just today I have been looking at CPCs range of MCM-select drivers:
https://cpc.farnell.com/c/audio-visual/speaker-drivers-accessories?brand=mcm-audio-select
These drivers are also often available from Farnell at lower prices but shipped from the US.
The more expensive drivers are not very interesting as better quality drivers are available for similar money like the Beyema at around £80 you can get a 3" voice coil 15" driver with 7mm xmax and 97dB/W:
LOUDSPEAKER 15CM V2 8 OH
What I find interesting are the super cheap drivers, they have weak small magnets but you can get a lot of surface area for not much money:
https://cpc.farnell.com/mcm-audio-select/55-3234/speaker-poly-cone-15-200w-rms/dp/LS04697
The spec sheets are well known for been inaccurate, but the basic gist is a weak motor. Could work in 6th order bandpass? IB? huge array folded open baffle dipole?
https://cpc.farnell.com/c/audio-visual/speaker-drivers-accessories?brand=mcm-audio-select
These drivers are also often available from Farnell at lower prices but shipped from the US.
The more expensive drivers are not very interesting as better quality drivers are available for similar money like the Beyema at around £80 you can get a 3" voice coil 15" driver with 7mm xmax and 97dB/W:
LOUDSPEAKER 15CM V2 8 OH
What I find interesting are the super cheap drivers, they have weak small magnets but you can get a lot of surface area for not much money:
https://cpc.farnell.com/mcm-audio-select/55-3234/speaker-poly-cone-15-200w-rms/dp/LS04697
The spec sheets are well known for been inaccurate, but the basic gist is a weak motor. Could work in 6th order bandpass? IB? huge array folded open baffle dipole?
Kipman725,
Here in the USA, Farnell owns Newark-Element14 who absorbed MCM Electronics. That was sad day for me. MCM Electronics used to have frequent awesome sales sometimes free shipping too. You could also combine free S/H with clearance items. I've bought nice mids for like $25 total for a case of 12.
On occasion they will blow out their top-o-line pro drivers for real cheap. Got a pair of the 500watt 15's for like $90 USD shipped. I believe they're JBL knock-offs, magnets are like 8"diameter by 2", and very hvy.
RobWells,
Yes that is the exact 8" I was referring to earlier. Its still very cheap here in the States, and has good Xmax. And apparently does very well horn loaded. Even if they fail on you ever other year gigging, they still would be very cheap to operate.
Here in the USA, Farnell owns Newark-Element14 who absorbed MCM Electronics. That was sad day for me. MCM Electronics used to have frequent awesome sales sometimes free shipping too. You could also combine free S/H with clearance items. I've bought nice mids for like $25 total for a case of 12.
On occasion they will blow out their top-o-line pro drivers for real cheap. Got a pair of the 500watt 15's for like $90 USD shipped. I believe they're JBL knock-offs, magnets are like 8"diameter by 2", and very hvy.
RobWells,
Yes that is the exact 8" I was referring to earlier. Its still very cheap here in the States, and has good Xmax. And apparently does very well horn loaded. Even if they fail on you ever other year gigging, they still would be very cheap to operate.
This looks like a good design:
High output 8" Tapped horn High output 8" Tapped horn - AVS Forum | Home Theater Discussions And Reviews
Could be interesting to see if it's possible to adapt to two drivers.
Kipman725,
Yes that is a nice design using very thrifty MCM drivers.
See now that's what I'm talking about! I've be an audio hobbyist since a very young age. When I was less that 10y/o I'd go dumpster-diving after hours at car stereo shops. I'd piece together stacks of old pull-out car speakers. Somtimes these pseudo arrays actually sounded ok (if you didn't walk around the room).
Point being, I think many young people could enter the audio hobby at an earlier age if they had access to decent & easily attainable drivers. Amplifier pwr is cheap now, we also have the internet. Teenagers and 20-somethings (DJ/Producer/Sound Tech beginnings) typically are not going to have the coin to buy euro-drives, or JBL for that matter.
Yes that is a nice design using very thrifty MCM drivers.
See now that's what I'm talking about! I've be an audio hobbyist since a very young age. When I was less that 10y/o I'd go dumpster-diving after hours at car stereo shops. I'd piece together stacks of old pull-out car speakers. Somtimes these pseudo arrays actually sounded ok (if you didn't walk around the room).
Point being, I think many young people could enter the audio hobby at an earlier age if they had access to decent & easily attainable drivers. Amplifier pwr is cheap now, we also have the internet. Teenagers and 20-somethings (DJ/Producer/Sound Tech beginnings) typically are not going to have the coin to buy euro-drives, or JBL for that matter.
I have quite a decent sub system consisting of 12*15" drivers, sealed boxes as I obsess over low bass. Mix of 2 drivers in 200L and 4 drivers in 200L. I used cheap drivers, lose about 6-8dB compared to the most expensive, 1/10th of the cost though. I am always xmax limited. The size of my system could be halved using the most expensive drivers for the same output. My current approach also has problems with heat buildup in the boxes and power requirements as I need multi kW amps to get anywhere. This is particularly problematic if wanting to run off battery/generator power.
I had not considered using smaller drivers in horns however. If this box meets its specification it could almost match my subs using 4 boxes which would be half the total enclosed volume. The total cost would also be a lot lower due to reduced numbers of drivers and input power. Overall a better design if your willing to give up 8Hz and not quite get to 20Hz. Quite tempted to at least simulate adapting it for two drivers for more output as it could be worthwhile making a few for battery powered operation.
I had not considered using smaller drivers in horns however. If this box meets its specification it could almost match my subs using 4 boxes which would be half the total enclosed volume. The total cost would also be a lot lower due to reduced numbers of drivers and input power. Overall a better design if your willing to give up 8Hz and not quite get to 20Hz. Quite tempted to at least simulate adapting it for two drivers for more output as it could be worthwhile making a few for battery powered operation.
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Interesting Sub you have there, is that blue carpet or melamine? Small cross-sectional/tall can pack very well in pickup trucks and vans, more space efficient than FLH/TH.
Yes if this 12 box rig is for mobile use, the smaller/less cabs approach would be much easier loadouts! And loosing 8Hz so your bandwidth starts at say 30 vs 20Hz (I assume EDM material), you crowd won't even notice it. Esp if outdoors, trying to produce meaningful 20Hz outdoors is not productive.
Also horn-loaded cabs mutually couple, so even more output/lower response than BR cab.
1/10 the cost is a beautiful thing isn't it!
On a side note it looks like someone is seriously into the rock-climbing/spelunking/Ice caving?
Yes if this 12 box rig is for mobile use, the smaller/less cabs approach would be much easier loadouts! And loosing 8Hz so your bandwidth starts at say 30 vs 20Hz (I assume EDM material), you crowd won't even notice it. Esp if outdoors, trying to produce meaningful 20Hz outdoors is not productive.
Also horn-loaded cabs mutually couple, so even more output/lower response than BR cab.
1/10 the cost is a beautiful thing isn't it!
On a side note it looks like someone is seriously into the rock-climbing/spelunking/Ice caving?
Ah yes the plan was to get all 4 boxes in my car but I made them a bit long and so I can only get two in (forgot to allow additional room for door sills). I might give in and get a van if I'm taking them around too often.
Meaningful 20Hz is what its all about
, you have to have a gimmick. Many venues consider -3dB@37Hz a low bass sub system:http://www.corsicastudios.com/introducing-new-main-room-funktion-one-system/
climbing rather than caving:
http://www.alpine-club.org.uk/ac2/documents/expeditions/reports/MEF-17-11.pdf
Quite a lot of other projects on at the moment so trying to avoid building more subs, always tempting. One thing I have noticed with the MCM drivers is they seem to re-use the same magnets on different drivers; there seems to be 15" models with the same magnet as the 12" model.
That FunctionOne gear is no joke ! With a good FOH tech and enough pwr that system will cause your internal organs to resonate. That's lung-rattle, blurred-vision, I think I need to take a #2 right now kind of bass!
If 20Hz is your selling point, i fear your going to need a bigger boat (Jaws Reference).
Seriously, that massive club sys would loose lots of output if they hi-passed for 20Hz material. It takes mega wattage & displacement to get concert loud at 20Hz.
I checked out that climbing flyer: you guys are climbing to "under 6500m", that's 22,000Ft for us in the States. That's some hardcore "the whole team died" kind of climbing! I assume your crew is on supplemental oxygen halfway up that. Be careful out there, life's too short to die young.
And yes on the MCM driver magnets, but you'll see that on many budget brands. Parts commonality is cheaper.
If 20Hz is your selling point, i fear your going to need a bigger boat (Jaws Reference).
Seriously, that massive club sys would loose lots of output if they hi-passed for 20Hz material. It takes mega wattage & displacement to get concert loud at 20Hz.
I checked out that climbing flyer: you guys are climbing to "under 6500m", that's 22,000Ft for us in the States. That's some hardcore "the whole team died" kind of climbing! I assume your crew is on supplemental oxygen halfway up that. Be careful out there, life's too short to die young.
And yes on the MCM driver magnets, but you'll see that on many budget brands. Parts commonality is cheaper.
no oxygen, just hard work, not sure about going higher its hard enough at 6000m. I'm older than my profile picture
My max continuous output is ~120dB @20Hz 2pi assuming perfect coupling and no power compression. In practice this is enough for indoors, occasionally I hit the limiters but usually don't, also I have to check the box temps are not getting too high (considering fitting temp sensors - at the moment I just touch the metal handles). I don't actually like it as loud as some places go.
I haven't yet had the opportunity to take everything outdoors but worst case I will have done by the end of August. I haven't been pushing too hard for this yet as the electronics and tops are not ready yet and the weather is not yet nice enough. I am developing a top here:
BM-D446 on PH-4220
Electronics are/to be:
Symetrix Symnet 8x8 DSP
Symetrix CobraNet bridge
Some kind of SPDIFF/AES Cobranet input box
Inuke 6000 DSP
Cloud VTX 750 (to be replaced probably with a Behringer A800 to reduce fan noise/weight)
Cloud VTX 1200 (to be replaced probably with a Behringer A800)
Custom 8 channel volume control/Sub analogue EQ box (need very high gains)
My max continuous output is ~120dB @20Hz 2pi assuming perfect coupling and no power compression. In practice this is enough for indoors, occasionally I hit the limiters but usually don't, also I have to check the box temps are not getting too high (considering fitting temp sensors - at the moment I just touch the metal handles). I don't actually like it as loud as some places go.
I haven't yet had the opportunity to take everything outdoors but worst case I will have done by the end of August. I haven't been pushing too hard for this yet as the electronics and tops are not ready yet and the weather is not yet nice enough. I am developing a top here:
BM-D446 on PH-4220
Electronics are/to be:
Symetrix Symnet 8x8 DSP
Symetrix CobraNet bridge
Some kind of SPDIFF/AES Cobranet input box
Inuke 6000 DSP
Cloud VTX 750 (to be replaced probably with a Behringer A800 to reduce fan noise/weight)
Cloud VTX 1200 (to be replaced probably with a Behringer A800)
Custom 8 channel volume control/Sub analogue EQ box (need very high gains)
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