Options with lucky little collection of high-end drivers

[von Ah]

I was fortunate to pick up a little collection of very nice tweeters and mids this morning, along with a bunch of quality crossover parts. Plus a pair of the clone Proac 2.5 speakers that were popular in the early oughts (external crossovers and a broken tweeter).

I think I will reason through the Proac clones and see if I can get them working.

The big options are with the following drivers (pair of each)

• Seas T25CF002-06 http://www.seas.no/images/stories/excel/pdfdataheet/e0011_t25cf002_millennium_datasheet.pdf
• Focal Audiom 7 A2 https://site.diy-loudspeakers.com/i...t_focal_drivers/FOCAL_MIDRANGE_AUDIOM_7A2.pdf
• Accuton C 23/6
• Accuton C 89/T6
• Audiotechnology 5” (unknown model; looks like an early flex unit with a concave dust cap)

My simple ideas are to build a couple smallish two-ways: Focal/Seas speaker and Accuton speaker. Maybe try the unknown 5” mids with the Seas, too. Mock up something in XPS and foamcore first, use MiniDSP or something like Zoudio to play with crossovers, then maybe go all in with passive crossovers with all the good caps, coils, and resistors I picked up. After tons of measurements and tweaking.

First questions:

1. Where can I get data sheets for these older Accutons? I was only able to find an archive pdf of an old Madisound catalog with them listed (attached pics below).
2. Is anyone familiar with Audiotechnology drivers enough to know the difference between their 5” models?
3. Are the Accuton or Focal mids conducive to a MLTL alignment? Anyone willing to run some models for me?

Thanks for humoring me as I rub my hands together imagining what I could do with expensive drivers that I never would have purchased first hand.

I’m thinking that small monitors + a sub or two would be easiest, but I’m also open to suggestions. I have relatively small rooms, so I don’t think massive three-way speakers are in the cards. But I could see a small tower working. I have a mix of amps and preamps available, plus a nice 6-channel passive attenuator (Yamaha MVS-1) that could be incorporated.

This long post is all to say what would you do with these drivers?

Thanks for your thoughts and ideas!

 

[GM]

The Accuton has horn driver specs, so not without significant EQ if wanting a flat response down to Fs, though the Focal has good specs for it if tuning in the 90s is acceptable.

 

[bansuri]

The ceramic speakers are extremely difficult to implement. Some German magazine (Klang und Ton) tried it and they gave up, even having all the gear and a damped chamber for measurements.
Also without proper Woofers no bass can be reproduced.
My advice sell them and get a good proven kit for the money.

 

[frangus]

The ceramic speakers are extremely difficult to implement. Some German magazine (Klang und Ton) tried it and they gave up, even having all the gear and a damped chamber for measurements.
Also without proper Woofers no bass can be reproduced.
My advice sell them and get a good proven kit for the money.

I don't understand why ceramic drivers would be that difficult to use. No different to metal drivers I would have thought?

 

[5th element]

Yeah they shouldn't be any harder than metal to use.

The Focal is really just a midrange driver don't expect any bass.

 

[markbakk]

I don’t think a 5” ceramic driver with first break up just above 3k is easy compared to the metal alternatives who have their breakup at least one full octave higher…

 

[frangus]

Okay, it looks benign on the chart but don’t show impedance. In that case active crossover would be an option or use a better driver. It’s too limited for the size I reckon.

 

[von Ah]

Thanks, everyone. So bass support will definitely be needed, with subs or in 3-way.

With the Accutons, it looks like I could cross them at 3k and add a notch or two to the mid breakups.

For the others, the Focal is so sensitive, it looks like it would better fit with a compression driver above it in a 3-way. With the Seas, I could cross anywhere between 2-4K and with level matching be in good shape relatively easily.

I will contact audiotechnology to see if I can get data on the other mids.

 

[ChrisABC]

check post #9, use wayback machine

Two way, using Accuton C95-T6 & C23-6

---
Marten - Coltrane Momento

Audio Acoustics Sapphire Ti-c

Audio Acoustics Sapphire Ti-C SE

http://metalsounddesign.com/down/moon/moon8.pdf

--
you could send a note to https://www.selahaudio.com/
see if Rick has any ideas

 

[von Ah]

Thanks, ChrisABC!

 

[von Ah]

The unknown mids are likely an early version of this driver:
Flexunits 4 H 52 06 13
Looks quite capable as a midbass for a small monitor speaker. Possible transmission line loading for low end extension?

I also found impedance curves for the Accutons in the way back machine. They look pretty benign. Multiple accounts here and elsewhere say a notch is a good idea @~3.8k for the tweeter. But it looks like it could be crossed lower…

I need to get a 2-way crossover test rig up ASAP.

 

[von Ah]

Bumping this open-ended thread with my latest idea.

B&C DE360 on ME20 Waveguides https://www.parts-express.com/pedocs/specs/294-6042--bc-de360-spec-sheet.pdf

Focal Audiom 7 A2 https://site.diy-loudspeakers.com/...t_focal_drivers/FOCAL_MIDRANGE_AUDIOM_7A2.pdf

For bass, I’m considering
Peerless P830869 https://www.parts-express.com/pedocs/specs/264-1098--tymphany-hds-p830869-spec-sheet.pdf
Or
Dayton RS225P-8 https://www.parts-express.com/pedoc...rs225p-8a-reference-series-specifications.pdf

Any opinions on choosing between those woofers?

I expect to cross the woofer-mid at ~300 and the mid-tweet at ~3K. I like the idea of highlighting this fancy mid for as much of the spectrum as possible. I could call them 3^3.

I’d like to figure out a TL for the woofer (like xrk’s RS225 FAST), but that will likely take a while, so I’ll shoot for a prototype ported box at first. Separate box for the mid. Prototyping will be with XPS, possibly skinned with thin ply or HDF. And I can use the woofer box with prototyping of those other fancy drivers at the beginning of this thread!

Any pointers to keep in mind? I’m going to reacquaint myself with Xsim and maybe figure out that recent TL software…

August will be speaker month.

 

[von Ah]

Continuing with doing everything possible without actually acting on it…

I think I like the looks of the RS225P better than the Peerless in my expertly rendered concept.

I believe the Peerless could go lower, sealed or ported, however.

 

[PeteMcK]

For aesthetics, I think I'd prefer the Peerless rotated 90deg, i.e. flat sides parallel with the cab sides, to emphasize the vertical lines

 

[von Ah]

That’s a good point, thanks!

If I really wanted aesthetic synergy, I’d splurge for some truncated woofers, like this Audax: Audax HM210C0 8" Carbon Fiber Woofer

I have no doubt they’re great drivers, but that’s getting a little pricey.

 

[wolf_teeth]

Nah- 2 screws on the bottom, please. It looked better in your first image.

My opinion, the Peerless might need a smaller cab to reach the same depths as the RS does. I also really like Peerless bass.

The Audax might not dig as deep, but have more output potential.

Wolf

 

[von Ah]

Thank you, Wolf! I greatly appreciate your input—enough that I’m pulling the trigger on a PE order! Enough futzing with internet searches.

I also picked up some cabinet prototyping materials and a jigsaw today.

Many things to build and test!

 

[von Ah]

Up to no darn good…

Moving at a snail’s pace, I might get these playing music by summer!

 

[von Ah]

Fun prototyping continues.

 

[von Ah]

Constrained layers of silliness. I don’t know if this is going to work, but I’m going to try.
My cuts are awful, yet hidden.