Small update for anyone who may want some impressions of the Pluvias.
Since my last post, I've upgraded to a larger desk, added a sub and a very light amount of eq.
They sound very good now. For the build price of around £200, excluding the sub and amp ofc, they sound excellent. I can't imagine many speakers sounding better at this price, and I imagine they can compete with any small retail bookshelf up to around 1k (haven't tested much over that) if you aren't going for outright power. I will have to update once I test my Adam a5x in this new set up as the position of the speakers has made a huge difference, so I can't give any conclusive comparisons yet. Do also note, my tests are all nearfield at the moment. Speakers around 115cm apart centre to centre and I'm about the same distance from them.
If anyone wants a budget nearfield setup I'd happily recommend these speakers, perhaps a tpa3255 based amp like the 3e audio one, and a sub. Would probably be all in for under 1k and you'll have a full range system. You'd just have to decide how you will add the sub based on your DAC.
I do also need to try another amp and dac, at the moment I'm using a Yamaha A-S801 with its own integrated dac, so there may be room for improvement. I haven't got anything else to hand at the moment though. When I eventually do some more tests I'll update.
Since my last post, I've upgraded to a larger desk, added a sub and a very light amount of eq.
They sound very good now. For the build price of around £200, excluding the sub and amp ofc, they sound excellent. I can't imagine many speakers sounding better at this price, and I imagine they can compete with any small retail bookshelf up to around 1k (haven't tested much over that) if you aren't going for outright power. I will have to update once I test my Adam a5x in this new set up as the position of the speakers has made a huge difference, so I can't give any conclusive comparisons yet. Do also note, my tests are all nearfield at the moment. Speakers around 115cm apart centre to centre and I'm about the same distance from them.
If anyone wants a budget nearfield setup I'd happily recommend these speakers, perhaps a tpa3255 based amp like the 3e audio one, and a sub. Would probably be all in for under 1k and you'll have a full range system. You'd just have to decide how you will add the sub based on your DAC.
I do also need to try another amp and dac, at the moment I'm using a Yamaha A-S801 with its own integrated dac, so there may be room for improvement. I haven't got anything else to hand at the moment though. When I eventually do some more tests I'll update.
Wondering if anyone can advise on this. I noticed one of my drivers has a slight buzz when playing certain bass sounds. I can hear it on this 60hz frequency sweep easily
I don't think I can hear it in music, but it bothers me it's there either way. I have taken the driver out of the enclosure and it still makes the noise when I hold it in free air. It sort of sounds like the noise of interference from a phone, but in this case it's going at 60hz or so rather than random buzzing.
Thanks
I don't think I can hear it in music, but it bothers me it's there either way. I have taken the driver out of the enclosure and it still makes the noise when I hold it in free air. It sort of sounds like the noise of interference from a phone, but in this case it's going at 60hz or so rather than random buzzing.
Thanks
Hi,
I'm trying to finish something similar as you do, blanda salad speakers, but with different drivers, mine are visaton B80.
I checked yours Pluvia here
https://www.dibirama.altervista.org...-pluvia-7-2hd-full-range-4-8-ohm-40-wmax.html
It seems, like it is with all of those small wide ranges, that distorsion under something like 400hz becomes horrid.
Plz check my post :
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/beetlejuice-speakers.409269/.
I added 10" woofer to make things much better.
The project of yours probably sound great as mine do, but in any low bass extension they are simply out of question. My best guess is or add woofer (there is very useful thread here from Xrk about wide range + 8" Dayton rs255, humbly I think my solution also has some merits) or add bass reflex tube in the ball and be happy with very low listening levels. In my post I linked to good article from Rod Elliot about releasing stress from small driver by adding QB5 reflex. Didn't try that as I don't need it, but it sounds very plausible.
I tried to play your 60 HZ but heard nothing 🙄, however, these small drivers shouldn't play 60hz anyway I think.
Nevertheless Pls check how are drivers mounted in Ikea bowl, it's rather tricky and possible you have leak that's buzzing...?
I'm trying to finish something similar as you do, blanda salad speakers, but with different drivers, mine are visaton B80.
I checked yours Pluvia here
https://www.dibirama.altervista.org...-pluvia-7-2hd-full-range-4-8-ohm-40-wmax.html
It seems, like it is with all of those small wide ranges, that distorsion under something like 400hz becomes horrid.
Plz check my post :
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/beetlejuice-speakers.409269/.
I added 10" woofer to make things much better.
The project of yours probably sound great as mine do, but in any low bass extension they are simply out of question. My best guess is or add woofer (there is very useful thread here from Xrk about wide range + 8" Dayton rs255, humbly I think my solution also has some merits) or add bass reflex tube in the ball and be happy with very low listening levels. In my post I linked to good article from Rod Elliot about releasing stress from small driver by adding QB5 reflex. Didn't try that as I don't need it, but it sounds very plausible.
I tried to play your 60 HZ but heard nothing 🙄, however, these small drivers shouldn't play 60hz anyway I think.
Nevertheless Pls check how are drivers mounted in Ikea bowl, it's rather tricky and possible you have leak that's buzzing...?
Hi Drbulj,
Thanks for your suggestion. I previously saw your thread and I do like those speakers, I think it's a very cool idea. I will be later crossing these over to an MLTL with my Alpair 12PWs, hopefully in the next few months.
For now they are only used nearfield as my PC speakers, I only play 65db - 85db max and I sit about 1m away so it's okay. I also have my sub set at 80hz xover (though there is no xover on the pluvias).
Do you have any idea how those measurements were taken? On an open baffle, in a sealed enclosure etc. Never seen any measurements for the pluvias.
The buzzing is definitely not from the enclosure as I tested them by holding them in free air and it still happens, I'm not playing them very loud when testing this too. It sounds like it's coming directly from the cone, if I move off axis from the cone the volume of the buzzing goes down a lot. I'll try to record it later when I'm home if I can. I can't hear it in normal music but it still bothers me of course.
Thanks for your suggestion. I previously saw your thread and I do like those speakers, I think it's a very cool idea. I will be later crossing these over to an MLTL with my Alpair 12PWs, hopefully in the next few months.
For now they are only used nearfield as my PC speakers, I only play 65db - 85db max and I sit about 1m away so it's okay. I also have my sub set at 80hz xover (though there is no xover on the pluvias).
Do you have any idea how those measurements were taken? On an open baffle, in a sealed enclosure etc. Never seen any measurements for the pluvias.
The buzzing is definitely not from the enclosure as I tested them by holding them in free air and it still happens, I'm not playing them very loud when testing this too. It sounds like it's coming directly from the cone, if I move off axis from the cone the volume of the buzzing goes down a lot. I'll try to record it later when I'm home if I can. I can't hear it in normal music but it still bothers me of course.
Hi,
This buzz seems to be actual question, is it possibly a faulty driver. If you bought it with warranty, I would send it back. It's truth that 60hz is too much for those minis, but still it should not buzz or anything at small power.
I fully agree they could be great as near fields at small volume as well as with pairing with woofer, sounds like a good roadplan to me. Might be I would consider some other more bass dedicated driver for new TL's, but I have no experience with Alpairs, so only hope is someone with experience will comment on this.
I also don't know how Italian friends measured it, it says in semispazio, that means half space, not sure what's correct translation. But I measured my b80 with cheap Omnitronic microphone, and results are very much similar to those from Italy. This I do trust as it's quite unlikely that 2 mistakes will yield similar results... I think they did it right enough and I'm very thankful to them for doing effort and publishing all those measurements. I would recommend you and everyone starting to use some mic and REW, I also started recently and it is making otherwise magical work of doing speakers much more friendly and understandable, I'm still long way to go in learning, but it now becomes fun instead of dark magic.
From my modest experience, I would go with XO cut much higher (regardless is it sub or new TL), over 400hz. I read a lot about these mini drivers in general many people (and specs) agree they are not good for anything lower. For almost a year I used balls + woofer with XO from surround preamp denon pro dn-a7100, highest avaliable XO at 190 HZ, while not to bad, lack of mid bass and it's punch was obvious. Now I'm doing 410hz with DSP and sound is getting there where I start to love it.
You also mentioned Amp + Dac upgrade, I would skip it for the moment. All modern dacs and amps are doing decent job, speakers don't. Watering efforts with too many variables might lead to trowing whole thing into a bin 🥴
Cheers
Dražen
This buzz seems to be actual question, is it possibly a faulty driver. If you bought it with warranty, I would send it back. It's truth that 60hz is too much for those minis, but still it should not buzz or anything at small power.
I fully agree they could be great as near fields at small volume as well as with pairing with woofer, sounds like a good roadplan to me. Might be I would consider some other more bass dedicated driver for new TL's, but I have no experience with Alpairs, so only hope is someone with experience will comment on this.
I also don't know how Italian friends measured it, it says in semispazio, that means half space, not sure what's correct translation. But I measured my b80 with cheap Omnitronic microphone, and results are very much similar to those from Italy. This I do trust as it's quite unlikely that 2 mistakes will yield similar results... I think they did it right enough and I'm very thankful to them for doing effort and publishing all those measurements. I would recommend you and everyone starting to use some mic and REW, I also started recently and it is making otherwise magical work of doing speakers much more friendly and understandable, I'm still long way to go in learning, but it now becomes fun instead of dark magic.
From my modest experience, I would go with XO cut much higher (regardless is it sub or new TL), over 400hz. I read a lot about these mini drivers in general many people (and specs) agree they are not good for anything lower. For almost a year I used balls + woofer with XO from surround preamp denon pro dn-a7100, highest avaliable XO at 190 HZ, while not to bad, lack of mid bass and it's punch was obvious. Now I'm doing 410hz with DSP and sound is getting there where I start to love it.
You also mentioned Amp + Dac upgrade, I would skip it for the moment. All modern dacs and amps are doing decent job, speakers don't. Watering efforts with too many variables might lead to trowing whole thing into a bin 🥴
Cheers
Dražen