It would be nice to hear a side by side comparison of the Sibelius, Pensil 10p and Frugel-Horn 10p. Not sure the difference would justify the difference in cost.
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FWIW, I purchased a FHXL flat-pack kit from Planet-10 several years ago; one of the few kits to come down into the USA from Canada. I have nothing else to compare them to, but hands down they have been the finest sounding/performing loudspeakers I have ever owned (still are). Everyone who has ever come over to listen to them has been blown away. The most incredible aspect is their phenomenal bass. However, that does not overshadow their wonderful speed, transparency, and ability to put the listener right into the venue. And, all from a single crossover less 6-in driver. Truly amazing.
I heared those actually a few weeks ago, and they sound like a pensil with the 10.3, altough they use the 10.2 driver, the sound reminds me of the Pensil with the 10.3 i did build for someone. I did not have them side by side, but i'm sure the sound is very close. Both are MLTLs altough slightly different in design. But i don't think the design is that different than my MLTL with the CHN110 (a cheaper driver) and that is probally the best speaker i did build so far altough it's in cheap mdf (as it's still in it's testbuild phase due to covid and the ukrainian war that makes wood very expensive).The build quality is exceptional good altough, hard to do that with diy skills i think. But if you got a pro woodworker (skils) and the right wood, it's probally easy to clone.
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That 32mm thick French oak must be very stable as the top cap grain direction is perpendicular to the side panel grain. I wonder how it compares to American quarter sawn white oak in terms of dimensional stability with changes in RH. I'd like to know what kind of adhesive is used in the miters.
I am not sure that your speculation about the Sibelius being a MLTL is correct. I am quite interested in them also and the photos I have seen during the manufacturing indicate there may be a tapered line behind the driver. It is hard to see so I may be wrong. There was also some modification (perhaps slight) that was done to the driver so it is not entirely stock. It would be interesting to have more info so a better clone (minus the very expensive french oak) could be made. It would be a great DIY project, certainly an ambitious one.
Possibly a folded mass loaded Voigt pipe, or is it TQWT?
jeff
jeff
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All TQWT=Voigt should be mass-loaded. But yes, that is what i undersatnd it is.
dave
Reminds me of this variation as shared by nandappe
neat, above diy dimensions are
41.3" tall x 8 1/4" wide x 13" deep
Sibelius
Dimensions: 1095mm (H) 225mm (W) 295mm (D)
43.11" (H) 8.85" (W) 11.6" (D)
I'm always one for recommending over stuffing.
It surprises me how little stuffing is often in the last half of the horn/port area.
41.3" tall x 8 1/4" wide x 13" deep
Sibelius
Dimensions: 1095mm (H) 225mm (W) 295mm (D)
43.11" (H) 8.85" (W) 11.6" (D)
I'm always one for recommending over stuffing.
It surprises me how little stuffing is often in the last half of the horn/port area.
Stefan sells some really great kits...You can get a Pensil for the Alpair11 (or MAOP!)
https://kjfaudio.com/product/pensil-11-speaker-kit/#cabinet
https://kjfaudio.com/product/pensil-11-speaker-kit/#cabinet
Yes he does I've had several pairs of drivers from him over the years and always fab service. But the OP enquired about a Sibelius clone which is a standard TQWT design with a mass loaded port.
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Can I ask a (stupid) question: does a fullrange driver exist that can do 30hz and play party-loud in a big room without sacrificing the midrange?
I've just ordered the SEAS FA22RCZ to plunk in a 80 liters closed cabinet, but maybe I should've gone with one of the Markaudio drivers and invested in a complicated horn-cabinet?
Kind regards
Mads
I've just ordered the SEAS FA22RCZ to plunk in a 80 liters closed cabinet, but maybe I should've gone with one of the Markaudio drivers and invested in a complicated horn-cabinet?
Kind regards
Mads
Short answer: no. 😉
Longer answer: it depends how you define 'party loud' and 'sacrificing the midrange'. If we're talking 'Live Motorhead while ricocheting from wall to wall while chuckling at the pretty colours', then the answer is still no. If we're talking granny's tea party while playing bridge and having a solo acoustic guitar recital in the background, 'yes [probably]'. If it's somewhere in between, then maybe. With the wind at its back. On a good day.
Possibly.
Humour aside, the points above are actually real ones. To be honest, a single driver of any kind isn't likely to do 'party loud' to 30Hz except in small spaces with a great deal of grace. There have been a couple of exceptions like the long-defunct and hens-teeth rare Babb Lorelei, albeit not likely to do so at chest-thumping SPLs in a large space space as even with their monster excusion there's a limit to how much air they can shift (sans a big horn). One of the big 15in & 18in units can shift air to a point, but they don't usually have a whole lot of travel available to them, and most are intended for use on baffles, which are unlikely to get you to 30Hz with a whole lot of impact. Depending on the sort of space you have, a mid-size driver (8in - 12in) with a suitable horn or efficient vented load may be sufficient, but as noted, depends on the SPL limits you need, how large the space is & how big a cabinet you can handle.
Longer answer: it depends how you define 'party loud' and 'sacrificing the midrange'. If we're talking 'Live Motorhead while ricocheting from wall to wall while chuckling at the pretty colours', then the answer is still no. If we're talking granny's tea party while playing bridge and having a solo acoustic guitar recital in the background, 'yes [probably]'. If it's somewhere in between, then maybe. With the wind at its back. On a good day.
Possibly.
Humour aside, the points above are actually real ones. To be honest, a single driver of any kind isn't likely to do 'party loud' to 30Hz except in small spaces with a great deal of grace. There have been a couple of exceptions like the long-defunct and hens-teeth rare Babb Lorelei, albeit not likely to do so at chest-thumping SPLs in a large space space as even with their monster excusion there's a limit to how much air they can shift (sans a big horn). One of the big 15in & 18in units can shift air to a point, but they don't usually have a whole lot of travel available to them, and most are intended for use on baffles, which are unlikely to get you to 30Hz with a whole lot of impact. Depending on the sort of space you have, a mid-size driver (8in - 12in) with a suitable horn or efficient vented load may be sufficient, but as noted, depends on the SPL limits you need, how large the space is & how big a cabinet you can handle.