Need advice on large Dayton Audio HT system.

[FE3T]

I have spendt some time looking at Dayton RS drivers and DIY systems using these.

The following are what i am looking at.

Tony Gee`s "Black box" as L and R front speakers

Zaph`s "ZDT3.5" Center channel Sealed version

Darren Kuzma`s "Encore" as rear channels

Dayton Audio RSS390HF-4 a pair in sealed boxes.

Any comments on such a system? pro`s and con`s?

I do also have a question to the X-over gurus here:

Would replacing the RS180S-8 woofers in Zaph`s center with a pair of RS225S-8 and enlarging the cabinet to 2-2,5 cuft be a extremely difficult task x-over wise?
This is something i would like to do because it should extend the responce quite a bit in the bass area while still allowing me to stay sealed.

 

[blue934]

if you are running sub(s) in your system, the existing sealed center will reach down plenty low in room to blend with the LF. there is no need to extend the bottom FR of the center but if you did feel the need, simply port the design. that will go significantly lower but i wouldn't do it. mostly dialogue from the center, it's the mains that really need to deliver punch for HT effects.

my thoughts
david

 

[FE3T]

In my current setup, i get the best sound running the center channel in "wide" mode
But this does limit the max volume a lot since the center speaker gets easyli overloaded with low freq info.

Porting a "ZDT3,5" are just what i want to avoid with going with the RS225S-8 woofers
This gives basically the same low freq capabillities as a ported design without that dreaded port. (sealed only in my cave)

I do also plan too avoid the 0.1 channel and run the subs x overed from the R and L channels since i also use the system a lot in Stereo mode for music (Stereo mode on my gear gives zero output on the AV prosessors LF channel)

 

[Cal Weldon]

I wouldn't try and replace a woofer in a known system. The box and XO are designed as integral parts and will be thrown off.
Most HT receivers have the option of stereo and stereo plus LF channel. Not yours? That would be a shame and a bit unusual. What unit do you have?

Trying to run your woofers off the L+R channels along with the mains won't be satisfactory and will be expensive from a component point of view. You really want plate amps for that. I would also run your L+R in small mode to reduce excursion and allow the woofers to do the woofer job.

 

[Andrew Eckhardt]

What Cal said. Not much about that 8 would help in the center channel, with any amount of re-work. The 7's will sound better when driven from 80 and up minimum.

 

[FE3T]

I wouldn't try and replace a woofer in a known system. The box and XO are designed as integral parts and will be thrown off.

In this particular case i should be able to do this without changing the box`s frontal area too much.
The x over for the woofers consists only of a coil and a cap, no impedance correction, peak taming, or any additional components.
The RS225S-8 seems to be very similar to the RS180S-8 in both sensivity and freq responce (even the cone brakeup are similar)
I belive the RS225S-8 are a good candidate for a uprated version of the "ZDT3,5" center

Most HT receivers have the option of stereo and stereo plus LF channel. Not yours? That would be a shame and a bit unusual. What unit do you have?

My unit are actually not a receiver, its a Technics SH-AC500D Prosessor/preamp used together with a number of SE-A900S power amps.
This is hooked up to a PC via Coaxial S/PDIF, to a DVD via Toslink and to a PS2 via Toslink.

I can ofcourse reinclude a Technics SA-TX50 Receiver i have in a closet, and get the possibillity of running Stereo with an operational 0.1 channel that way, but then my system will grow out of my rack and require a DIY job there too 😉

Trying to run your woofers off the L+R channels along with the mains won't be satisfactory and will be expensive from a component point of view. You really want plate amps for that. I would also run your L+R in small mode to reduce excursion and allow the woofers to do the woofer job.

I do offcourse realise that the only usable way to do this are with active X-overs with both highpass and lowpass outputs and separate amps for the subs