Have been playing with a set of ex-cinema Martin Audio Effect 5s
https://martin-audio.com/downloads/archive/datasheets/Effect5datasheet.pdf
They're a 2 way design with a horn tweeter and a 10" woofer in a 35 litre ported "reflex" enclosure. They're designed for use as surrounds in a cinema - originally wall mounted, the cabinet is a trapezoidal shape so the drivers are angled downwards towards the listener.
They sound pretty nice. Very efficient and "fast", wide dispersion, great dynamics, loads of volume and impact. Being critical they're perhaps a bit boom and tizz in balance, not much in the way of deep bass (but plenty of punch and midbass) and perhaps a bit sucked out in the midrange /presence area. Specs claim 75Hz-20kHz ±3dB which sounds about right to me.
The shape and orientation of the cabinets is such that stand mounting is difficult, so I've been wondering whether they could be improved with some new cabinets, either large standmounters or floor-standing. I'm fairly sure that more rigid, internally braced construction and a little more care in damping/lagging would bring about improvements but am also wondering whether bigger, possibly sealed cabinets would offer better bass extension and clarity.
I can't find t/s measurements for the driver but it appears to have a relatively compliant suspension and low-ish resonance which makes me think it might work OK in a larger sealed box. I'm fairly sure these 10" woofers are capable of better bass than they're currently providing.
Would welcome thoughts on how best to proceed - I realise there's going to be a fair bit of guesswork involved so good to have some input.
https://martin-audio.com/downloads/archive/datasheets/Effect5datasheet.pdf
They're a 2 way design with a horn tweeter and a 10" woofer in a 35 litre ported "reflex" enclosure. They're designed for use as surrounds in a cinema - originally wall mounted, the cabinet is a trapezoidal shape so the drivers are angled downwards towards the listener.
They sound pretty nice. Very efficient and "fast", wide dispersion, great dynamics, loads of volume and impact. Being critical they're perhaps a bit boom and tizz in balance, not much in the way of deep bass (but plenty of punch and midbass) and perhaps a bit sucked out in the midrange /presence area. Specs claim 75Hz-20kHz ±3dB which sounds about right to me.
The shape and orientation of the cabinets is such that stand mounting is difficult, so I've been wondering whether they could be improved with some new cabinets, either large standmounters or floor-standing. I'm fairly sure that more rigid, internally braced construction and a little more care in damping/lagging would bring about improvements but am also wondering whether bigger, possibly sealed cabinets would offer better bass extension and clarity.
I can't find t/s measurements for the driver but it appears to have a relatively compliant suspension and low-ish resonance which makes me think it might work OK in a larger sealed box. I'm fairly sure these 10" woofers are capable of better bass than they're currently providing.
Would welcome thoughts on how best to proceed - I realise there's going to be a fair bit of guesswork involved so good to have some input.
