Klang + Ton NADA 2-Way

[syzygetic]

Searching through these forums, I see no discussion of what looks like an awesome kit. Has anybody tried it? I'm thinking it might be my second project in the DIY speaker realm, in particular,

• Getting a cabinet from this guy, NADA
• Buying this kit without crossover: https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.c...a-2-way-klang-ton-kit-pair-using-illuminator/
• Going active for the crossover itself.

Any thoughts? Has anyone built a NADA 2-way here before? Listening impressions?

 

[eriksquires]

Hi Syz!

I can highly recommend Lee Taylor as a speaker maker, enthusiast and all around great guy. I can also highly recommend the Scanspeak 6.5" woofers. Essentially I have the Klang Tong Nada with the Revelator version woofer and a Mundorf AMT substituted. Fantastic sounding.

I have not heard the NADA but Lee says the tweeter is magic. The lack of compression shown by measurements at SoundStage for the same drivers in the Crystal Cable Minissimo are really really impressive. The Be tweeter by spec and various measurements absolutely spanks cheap french speakers made with Be tweeters.

I personally prefer Clarity to Mundorf caps and am dying to try the CMR versions. Make yourself happy.

One cool thing. Those woofers need a lot of volume, so you can have them made as floor standers.

Best,


Erik

 

[syzygetic]

One cool thing. Those woofers need a lot of volume, so you can have them made as floor standers.

Like, the ported "Tower" version Lee features on his site, as opposed to the sealed "Bookshelf"?

 

[eriksquires]

Syz,

Exactly! 🙂 In room they have amazing output down low. Lee is a really great guy, but he gets distracted easily. Follow up with him if you don't hear back soon enough.

Best,


Erik

 

[Zvu]

I don't like how they measure at all. Xover point is a bit on the high side. Both peaks (3.5KHz and 6KHz) from midbass still exist and are influencing frequency response. Tweeter is mounted on the middle of the cabinet and that causes some nasty diffraction issues.

I like the drivers but xovers, not so much.

 

[Zvu]

I'd rather recommend this cabinet/xover combo:

Illumina-66

At least some of the issues are adressed.

 

[eriksquires]

The KT uses the Be Tweeter though. Haven't heard either. 🙂 I

 

[Audio Elite]

I have built both the NADA and 66. The 66 is way better. implementation and sound.

Don't wast your time on the NADA it is not a good crossover at all!

 

[syzygetic]

I'd rather recommend this cabinet/xover combo:

Illumina-66

At least some of the issues are adressed.

Looks nice, but I'm not equipped to do cabinetry myself. Maybe I'll see if Lee will build one of these.

 

[eriksquires]

I always did wonder abou the KT crossover. The point seemed way too high.

 

[Lojzek]

I'd stick with commercial Dynaudio anytime for the price.
One could still try to improve the factory XO filter anyway
and if you failed miserably, no harm done.

 

[syzygetic]

I don't like how they measure at all. Xover point is a bit on the high side. Both peaks (3.5KHz and 6KHz) from midbass still exist and are influencing frequency response. Tweeter is mounted on the middle of the cabinet and that causes some nasty diffraction issues.

I like the drivers but xovers, not so much.

In my case, I'd go active, and it does look like I could cross over much lower, using FIR to smooth out those peaks.

 

[syzygetic]

I'd stick with commercial Dynaudio

Like, just buy a Dynaudio speaker and do active xover?

 

[Lojzek]

Exactly, just buy a set of decent lower priced speakers, maybe DM 2/7 which have very good quality speaker units, a decent looking cabinet and just do an active XO filter with the goal of aiming to build something like Focus 200 XD.

 

[Charles Darwin]

Like, just buy a Dynaudio speaker and do active xover?

You could just buy active Dynaudios:
Professional speakers - Dynaudio professional studio loudspeaker

 

[LineSource]

ScanSpeak Illuminators
Troels Illuminator Monitor offers an interesting LCLC lattice delay circuit to time align the T&M on a flat baffle, and also designed a standard LR2/LR2 alternative. Construction of a floor standing cabinet is also described. Based upon Troels "glowing" remarks for the natural sound, this lattice delay circuit is worth study for expensive ScanSpeak drivers. Zaph also built a speaker using a lattice delay circuit, and also had "glowing" remarks for the sound quality.

Illuminator-Monitor
==========
Over the top...$can$peak Illuminator$
From Germany, the Phonar Credo Reference Adds two ScanSpeak 18WU8741T00 Illuminator woofers in bottom ported cabinet, with DSP option. $10K
========
At a lower price point, Troels has a new Satori 2-way monitor using the 7" MW19P midbass with the TW29RN tweeter on a time stepped front baffle in a 24 liter ported cabinet. Troels designed an LR4/LR4 crossover at 1700Hz. 88db/2.83V, Zmin=6.2ohms.

MW19P-8

If you have a friend with a router, you could purchase decent cabinets from Part Express.

 

[Zvu]

In my case, I'd go active, and it does look like I could cross over much lower, using FIR to smooth out those peaks.

That would be the best. You can cross it over anywhere between 1.8-2KHz.

You could buy Dynaudio, but then you'd end up with Dynaudio, not Scan Speak. While Dyn makes nothing but plastic membranes, you wont find plastic membranes in Scan Speak cheapest series, let alone more expensive ones.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't buy something like that, i'm saying that you should go and listen to it first and then decide. There are a bunch of guys out there who like dynaudio, but i'm just not one of them 🙂

 

[Lojzek]

We all probably realize that cone material is basically irrelevant as long as you're a competent designer and know what to do with its break-up's or lack of those. Personally, I couldn't care any less for either brand name, I care only about what kind of a hole in my pocket will the purchase make.

Only those directly involved in making profits from it, would suggest otherwise bearing in mind that people tend to get bored after awhile, so constant changes have to be planned ahead in order to keep the crowds satisfied.

 

[eriksquires]

So I knwo there are a lot of Dynaudio fans,but every time I look at a commercial spec/measurements the FR looks like a "W." Is this a driver thing, or a crossover design issue?

Best,

Erik

 

[Zvu]

We all probably realize that cone material is basically irrelevant as long as you're a competent designer and know what to do with its break-up's or lack of those...

If this was true, we would all be looking at plastic cones - but we aren't. The reason is because it sounds different. Stiff cone materials are pistonic way higher in frequency than plastic which starts to flex and bend and that leads to "controled roll-off" but also leads to deadening the sound by absorbing part of the energy instead of transmitting it. Loudspeakers with paper, aluminium or ceramic cones behave much better in transmitting the sound at a price of break-up, but as you said - competent designer knows his/hers way arround it.

...Personally, I couldn't care any less for either brand name, I care only about what kind of a hole in my pocket will the purchase make...

In that equation quality/cost ratio aka value should be inserted. Without that, you could end up with loudspeakers from flea market that sounds awful, but were dirt cheap.

...Only those directly involved in making profits from it, would suggest otherwise bearing in mind that people tend to get bored after awhile, so constant changes have to be planned ahead in order to keep the crowds satisfied...

First - generalization of any kind will undoubtedly lead you into mistake. You can not put me in that basket because i'm not in it.

Second - i don't understand your obsession about profit from speaker manufacturing since this is not the first time you've mentioned it. You are sorry you aren't doing it ? I don't work in or for Scan Speak, if that's where you were aiming at. I have rather dull day job but HiFi and cycling are hobbies of mine. The best thing that could happen to me would be to start working for Scan Speak - i have to admit that would mix business and pleasure 🙂