I have been going through hundreds of posts and looking at many speaker designs. I am due for a new pair, something a bit more "spouse friendly"
There are many great looking designs but I can't make a choice.
So i'll give some detailed info and hopefully someone can help me narrow it down.
Here go's
My room is moderate size(12x14) but such that I don't have enough room for huge horns or speakers that need to be way out from the wall.
I want a speaker that would sound good with ss or tubes.
I listen almost exclusively to rock(not much metal) and while i don't like ear bleeding volumes I want a system that won't fall to pieces if i turn it up a bit
Good bass is a must but doesn't need to be able to re arange the furniture
I can't afford lowthers or anything in that price range.
Quite a list I know but I hope some of you who have heard a good number of systems can steer me in the right direction.
There are many great looking designs but I can't make a choice.
So i'll give some detailed info and hopefully someone can help me narrow it down.
Here go's
My room is moderate size(12x14) but such that I don't have enough room for huge horns or speakers that need to be way out from the wall.
I want a speaker that would sound good with ss or tubes.
I listen almost exclusively to rock(not much metal) and while i don't like ear bleeding volumes I want a system that won't fall to pieces if i turn it up a bit
Good bass is a must but doesn't need to be able to re arange the furniture
I can't afford lowthers or anything in that price range.
Quite a list I know but I hope some of you who have heard a good number of systems can steer me in the right direction.
That helps. However, before we can go much further toward guiding you in the direction of something suitable, we'll need a bit more information.
First up, budget. You say you can't afford Lowthers -fair enough (nor can I at the moment). But what can you afford, i.e. what's your maximum budget. It's best to establish one, and refuse to spend any more.
Next: how do you define 'great looking designs'? Can you give us some examples of those you favour, so we can narrow it down a little?
A few general remarks: I'd be aiming toward 8in drivers as you're mainly into rock: you'll need the extra cone area to shift air. You could do it with a smaller unit in a horn, but horns are big. A BIB could do it, but they are about 6ft tall, even though their footprint isn't huge. Ron Clarke's Austin is a stunner, but is getting a trifle large.
FWIW, on the current information, I'd probably look at my friend Martin King's MLTL with FE207E (www.quarter-wave.com & go to the projects section). I've built three of these. Alternatively, Ed's folded TQWT is a great cabinet: www.vitalstates.co.uk & go to the vofo link near the bottom of the page. Ed is another friend: I heard this about 6 weeks ago and came away extremely impressed. Great for rock, and excellent on female vocals too. Not quite as smooth as the MLTL (we're talking shades here), but with a touch more mid-bass punch in return.
One other idea is the Audio Nirvana 10in FR driver. I've just done an MLTL design for this thing, the dimensions of which you'll find here: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=1088765#post1088765 -it's a bit bigger than the 8in designs though, so you might find them a bit too large for your room.
Hope some of this is of use
Scott
First up, budget. You say you can't afford Lowthers -fair enough (nor can I at the moment). But what can you afford, i.e. what's your maximum budget. It's best to establish one, and refuse to spend any more.
Next: how do you define 'great looking designs'? Can you give us some examples of those you favour, so we can narrow it down a little?
A few general remarks: I'd be aiming toward 8in drivers as you're mainly into rock: you'll need the extra cone area to shift air. You could do it with a smaller unit in a horn, but horns are big. A BIB could do it, but they are about 6ft tall, even though their footprint isn't huge. Ron Clarke's Austin is a stunner, but is getting a trifle large.
FWIW, on the current information, I'd probably look at my friend Martin King's MLTL with FE207E (www.quarter-wave.com & go to the projects section). I've built three of these. Alternatively, Ed's folded TQWT is a great cabinet: www.vitalstates.co.uk & go to the vofo link near the bottom of the page. Ed is another friend: I heard this about 6 weeks ago and came away extremely impressed. Great for rock, and excellent on female vocals too. Not quite as smooth as the MLTL (we're talking shades here), but with a touch more mid-bass punch in return.
One other idea is the Audio Nirvana 10in FR driver. I've just done an MLTL design for this thing, the dimensions of which you'll find here: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=1088765#post1088765 -it's a bit bigger than the 8in designs though, so you might find them a bit too large for your room.
Hope some of this is of use
Scott
http://www.commonsenseaudio.com/nirvanatech.html
and
http://www.tnt-audio.com/casse/t-speakers_e.html
I have been eyeing those too, but maybe I'll just sell my wife and get a pair of lowthers anyway... even rubish speakers go around that price, when thedy pretend to be half decent, I recon the box would add minimal to the cost comparatively.
and
http://www.tnt-audio.com/casse/t-speakers_e.html
I have been eyeing those too, but maybe I'll just sell my wife and get a pair of lowthers anyway... even rubish speakers go around that price, when thedy pretend to be half decent, I recon the box would add minimal to the cost comparatively.
kendt said:
I recently built the frugel horns....
(DISCLAIMER: These are my first full range speakers, so I can't help with comparisons with other FR;s just my 2-ways)
Pros:
- they are soundstage champions, they just disappear.
- they have a to-die-for midrange
- when placed correctly, bass is very tight and well defined.
- very spouse friendly design
- excellent, easy to follow plans are online.
- recommended fostex drivers easy to get and not too pricey.
Cons:
- they absolutely need corners for decent bass response, otherwise they lack "oomph".
- I dind listener placement is also important, the "sweet spot" is quite narrow.
I'm driving them with a Tripath 2020 amp, with gain configured to give a very clean 5-7wpc max. Plenty loud enough for me.
The AN drivers are OK for the money, but I'd avoid the cabinets -you can do better. Hense the reason I did the MLTL for the 10in driver.
Frugels are great. My only concern is that the primary music is rock, and this is not really what 4in drivers are good at. They can certainly do it, no question, but a bigger driver will be happier.
Frugels are great. My only concern is that the primary music is rock, and this is not really what 4in drivers are good at. They can certainly do it, no question, but a bigger driver will be happier.
Along the lines of the FE207 MLTL, the 8" version of the Metronome might be a high-WAF option. I'm torn between the Metronome or Bruce 1.1 should I build a second generation cabinet for my Hemp Acoustics FR8's (currrently in simple BR boxes).
Thanks for your thoughts. Here is a bit more info..
I have looked thoroughly at mjk designs and they are near the top of my list for preference right now
I don't really want to get into a 6' tall speaker until I have my own room to put them in.
I looked at the AN but there seems to be a large range of opinions on their sound and i haven't heard them so how do i know what to believe.
I also was thinking of the planet10 rosa's, I could not find any info on their overall efficiency though,
Would two of those drivers be up to the task of rock??
I currently have a pair of 15" peavy bass drivers that could be used for a sub if i had to.
I'd love to build some horns but they are an awefull lot of work to build for something I can't audition before starting. My fear being after all the time and work I would find they didn't suit my application.
I have looked thoroughly at mjk designs and they are near the top of my list for preference right now
I don't really want to get into a 6' tall speaker until I have my own room to put them in.
I looked at the AN but there seems to be a large range of opinions on their sound and i haven't heard them so how do i know what to believe.
I also was thinking of the planet10 rosa's, I could not find any info on their overall efficiency though,
Would two of those drivers be up to the task of rock??
I currently have a pair of 15" peavy bass drivers that could be used for a sub if i had to.
I'd love to build some horns but they are an awefull lot of work to build for something I can't audition before starting. My fear being after all the time and work I would find they didn't suit my application.
I use FE207E in vented cabinets. I think the MJK project 5 would be a great way to go. If you placed against the rear wall, you wouldn't need any correction circuit, except possibly a smidge of series resistance (which you could easily tune to taste).
The FE207E is somewhat beamy, the way to get around it is cross-toeing the speakers so their axes cross in front of the listener. To my ears, they sound best a bit off-axis.
The FE207E is somewhat beamy, the way to get around it is cross-toeing the speakers so their axes cross in front of the listener. To my ears, they sound best a bit off-axis.
I just came upon the quasar's and find them quite intriguing. I was wondering if i could maybe do something similar since I have a pair of peavy bass drivers.
But I know didly squat about open baffles and all the pictures i've seen of them are way bigger than the quasar. So how do the quasar's get their bass, it seems that platform is too narrow to keep it from canceling out.
Since it is built around a 206 it should handle rock well enough.
Maybe I could use the same set up only with a ported box on the lower half for my bass.
Thoughts??
But I know didly squat about open baffles and all the pictures i've seen of them are way bigger than the quasar. So how do the quasar's get their bass, it seems that platform is too narrow to keep it from canceling out.
Since it is built around a 206 it should handle rock well enough.
Maybe I could use the same set up only with a ported box on the lower half for my bass.
Thoughts??
- Status
- Not open for further replies.