John D'Appolito's THOR (Seas)
Hi Folks!
I can read a lot about the new creation of Joseph D'Appolito he did for SEAS. The name is THOR. Has anyone built up this box and if yes how is the experience with it?
😎 Wopo
Hi Folks!
I can read a lot about the new creation of Joseph D'Appolito he did for SEAS. The name is THOR. Has anyone built up this box and if yes how is the experience with it?
😎 Wopo
Re: John D'Appolito's THOR (Seas)
I built these speakers about 2 years ago, and like them a lot. They a few weeks to break-in to get deeper bass. I am quite satisified with them, and these were the first speakers that I have built.
Pictures:
http://www.briangt.com/gallery/thor
Here is the article on them from Parts Express, which is what made me decide to build them:
http://www.madisound.com/audioXpress Thor Review.pdf
--
Brian
wopo said:Hi Folks!
I can read a lot about the new creation of Joseph D'Appolito he did for SEAS. The name is THOR. Has anyone built up this box and if yes how is the experience with it?
😎 Wopo
I built these speakers about 2 years ago, and like them a lot. They a few weeks to break-in to get deeper bass. I am quite satisified with them, and these were the first speakers that I have built.
Pictures:
http://www.briangt.com/gallery/thor
Here is the article on them from Parts Express, which is what made me decide to build them:
http://www.madisound.com/audioXpress Thor Review.pdf
--
Brian
Brian made a BAD decision! He built the Thors as his first set. He set for himself a high bar for future comparison. I heard them at DIY Atlanta last year (his set) in a conference room (not the best sounding environment) and decided at that time I would not build those for years, as I want to build more speakers. I think, from my current list of great speakers I have heard, these are at the top of the DIY list.
For reference, though, I do not have nearly the realm of experience with high end speakers as many on this site. I hope others who have heard some other great DIY's respond with a more qualified answer.
Sandy.
For reference, though, I do not have nearly the realm of experience with high end speakers as many on this site. I hope others who have heard some other great DIY's respond with a more qualified answer.
Sandy.
I've been an audiophile for over 40 years.
I built a set of Thor speakers about a year ago, after researching for years.
They, overall, are the best speakers I have ever heard.
There are many loudspeakers that have more visceral impact on music that was originally amplified at the concert. I’m not sure I would recommend the Thor in those circumstances. These speakers accurately REproduce music. With classical, jazz or quality vocal SACD source material, this is the closest I have ever come to reconstructing the ‘real thing’.
I built a set of Thor speakers about a year ago, after researching for years.
They, overall, are the best speakers I have ever heard.
There are many loudspeakers that have more visceral impact on music that was originally amplified at the concert. I’m not sure I would recommend the Thor in those circumstances. These speakers accurately REproduce music. With classical, jazz or quality vocal SACD source material, this is the closest I have ever come to reconstructing the ‘real thing’.
Hello "brandzip"
I've been thinking of building these too....
Did you change anything from the original article in AudioXpress
magazine ? I read in one post that the volume of the enclosure should be larger ?
Regards
Andrew
I've been thinking of building these too....
Did you change anything from the original article in AudioXpress
magazine ? I read in one post that the volume of the enclosure should be larger ?
Regards
Andrew
andrew01 said:Hello "brandzip"
I've been thinking of building these too....
Did you change anything from the original article in AudioXpress
magazine ? I read in one post that the volume of the enclosure should be larger ?
Regards
Andrew
There was a mistake in the mechanical drawing -- it was corrected in a subsequent issue (hmmm, should I find it and post here -- I note that AudioXpress doesn't have the correction on their website.)
I changed NOTHING.
The original design was tremendously well thought out by a true expert in the field.
I also believed that SEAS would not commission him unless they were very satisfied that his design would showcase their drivers.
I work in acoustics and full well know the truly complex nature of the physics.
By the way, I have these set up with a really deep subwoofer with an electronic crossover at 40Hz.
The original design was tremendously well thought out by a true expert in the field.
I also believed that SEAS would not commission him unless they were very satisfied that his design would showcase their drivers.
I work in acoustics and full well know the truly complex nature of the physics.
By the way, I have these set up with a really deep subwoofer with an electronic crossover at 40Hz.
brandzip said:I've been an audiophile for over 40 years.
I built a set of Thor speakers about a year ago, after researching for years.
They, overall, are the best speakers I have ever heard.
There are many loudspeakers that have more visceral impact on music that was originally amplified at the concert. I’m not sure I would recommend the Thor in those circumstances. These speakers accurately REproduce music. With classical, jazz or quality vocal SACD source material, this is the closest I have ever come to reconstructing the ‘real thing’.
I'm investigating this kit as well - one question though, does in need a lot of power? I notice that they aren't very efficient and I have been recommended big clean power to get the best out of them.
Jackinnj any chance you could post this correction so that I could verify it against the madisound diagram? I would hate to spend all this time and money on the drivers to find that I was working from a superceded design.
rnoble said:
I'm investigating this kit as well - one question though, does in need a lot of power? I notice that they aren't very efficient and I have been recommended big clean power to get the best out of them.
Jackinnj any chance you could post this correction so that I could verify it against the madisound diagram? I would hate to spend all this time and money on the drivers to find that I was working from a superceded design.
Look here : Thor
Where can i buy the Speakers cheep i EU ?
The Thor TL's are very bass shy. If I recall from their response plots F3@100 Hz! As I see it, TL's have two main strengths:
1. natural bass with excellent transient response and depth
2. neutral midrange, a sometimes unexpected benefit
I suspect that the midrange advantage may be related to the fact that a TL tends to have more stuffing to kill the back wave in the midrange. In a vented box you make a compromise in this regard.
I can certainly see that it is appealing to be able to get Seas Excel drivers and follow a passive crossover design that has been done by an expert. However, I expect a much lower F3 for a TL.
If it were me I'd consider using the Thor xo but adding active woofers like the Peerless XLS as used in the BESL kit (although I'd probably go with a 12" sealed on each side). Unless I'm mistaken (I haven't heard the Thor), I suspect most would prefer more bass.
1. natural bass with excellent transient response and depth
2. neutral midrange, a sometimes unexpected benefit
I suspect that the midrange advantage may be related to the fact that a TL tends to have more stuffing to kill the back wave in the midrange. In a vented box you make a compromise in this regard.
I can certainly see that it is appealing to be able to get Seas Excel drivers and follow a passive crossover design that has been done by an expert. However, I expect a much lower F3 for a TL.
If it were me I'd consider using the Thor xo but adding active woofers like the Peerless XLS as used in the BESL kit (although I'd probably go with a 12" sealed on each side). Unless I'm mistaken (I haven't heard the Thor), I suspect most would prefer more bass.
paulspencer said:The Thor TL's are very bass shy. If I recall from their response plots F3@100 Hz!
I don't know where you got that information from; Thor is flat to 44Hz, with a 12dB/octave roll off below that. Room loaded it is quite functional down to 25Hz and as such does not require a sub.
Bill, from the Seas website. In a previous discussion, as I recall, Planet 10 drew some lines on the Thor response plot and prettty much confirmed my comments
Beta Ray Bill version
Hi, I built the Thor enclosures as a 1st project, unforunately I can't afford the Seas drivers(1k USD) yet.
. So I'm running them with Daytons. X-over is from another Dayton TL design.
I used PVA glue & biscuits(plate joiner)on all joints.
Use the cutting guide included with the AE article, and you shouldn't hit any snags. I ran the binding posts connections into the pedestel rear.
Hi, I built the Thor enclosures as a 1st project, unforunately I can't afford the Seas drivers(1k USD) yet.

I used PVA glue & biscuits(plate joiner)on all joints.
Use the cutting guide included with the AE article, and you shouldn't hit any snags. I ran the binding posts connections into the pedestel rear.
rnoble said:
Jackinnj any chance you could post this correction so that I could verify it against the madisound diagram? I would hate to spend all this time and money on the drivers to find that I was working from a superceded design.
The problem with the mechanical drawing(s) is that the lines were very faint -- not that the dimensions are incorrect.
Attachments
Planet10 pointed out in a prior post that D'Appolito made a big design concession -- the calculated depth of the cabinet in the May 2002 article was 18.75" -- the depth which he used in the published design was kept at 13.5".
The f3 in the article was cited as 44Hz.
The f3 in the article was cited as 44Hz.
Is there a text about the design consicerations anywere? I'm working on a D'appolito design myself, and found a few strange stings about the Thor design: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=437081#post437081
To quote myself:
To quote myself:
If I look at that design, the crossover is 2.5 khz. According to this own theory (in my opinion anyway), the maximum distance from tweeter to midbass is 13,76 cm (5.417"). The actual distance in the design is 15,2 cm (5.9843"). So what's behind this? Also the crossover does not seem to me D'Appolito "compatible"... I don't know what to think anymore
I ran into an erroneous plot at the Madisound website also; it tuned out to be for the Seas Froy. I can vouch from hearing it that Thor is clean to below 30 Hz.
4real said:Is there a text about the design consicerations anywere? I'm working on a D'appolito design myself, and found a few strange stings about the Thor design: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=437081#post437081
To quote myself:
search under RAVEN
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