Hello all.
I have a pair of Energy 2.1e's, the silk dome tweeter type, and the sub that goes with it. I have replaced the amp in the sub as the nasty STK based one that came with it bit the dust. I am currently running the 2.1e's from a LM3886/DC bias amp kit I threw together, and a PCM1794 DAC that I have assembled.
As an aside, I've tried all sorts of op-amps in the PCM and for some reason the OPA2134 I/V & OPA1611 output combo just kicks *** with these speakers.
...And that's the issue. I'm thinking of replacing them when I upgrade to one of those wonderful neurochrome composite amp kits in a month or 2 as I love the way these things sound, but they're starting to fall to bits. I was thinking of replacing them with something like this: Link 1
...Not necessarily with those cabinets, I can get better ones; I've just heard great things about that speaker combo. Some of the SEAS and SCANSPEAK gear looks pretty neat too, and I was hoping someone here might be able to offer insight about what kit speakers out there might possess the sound that these Energy bookshelf speakers have that I love so much.
I have, in my life, some wonderful children, and I adore them enough to burn most of my spare capital on them, so my budget is not huge. say 1-2k? Can it be done?
Thank you in advance 🙂
I have a pair of Energy 2.1e's, the silk dome tweeter type, and the sub that goes with it. I have replaced the amp in the sub as the nasty STK based one that came with it bit the dust. I am currently running the 2.1e's from a LM3886/DC bias amp kit I threw together, and a PCM1794 DAC that I have assembled.
As an aside, I've tried all sorts of op-amps in the PCM and for some reason the OPA2134 I/V & OPA1611 output combo just kicks *** with these speakers.
...And that's the issue. I'm thinking of replacing them when I upgrade to one of those wonderful neurochrome composite amp kits in a month or 2 as I love the way these things sound, but they're starting to fall to bits. I was thinking of replacing them with something like this: Link 1
...Not necessarily with those cabinets, I can get better ones; I've just heard great things about that speaker combo. Some of the SEAS and SCANSPEAK gear looks pretty neat too, and I was hoping someone here might be able to offer insight about what kit speakers out there might possess the sound that these Energy bookshelf speakers have that I love so much.
I have, in my life, some wonderful children, and I adore them enough to burn most of my spare capital on them, so my budget is not huge. say 1-2k? Can it be done?
Thank you in advance 🙂
We are diy people here, and it's not what we do to buy in premade speakers. We prefer to fix up old ones a lot of the time! 😎
Those Peerless Nomex 180 830883 look alright:
Peerless 830883 HDS 180 NOM Exclusive Woofer Speaker
The Vifa XT25BG60-04 is a good tweeter:
Peerless Vifa XT25BG60-04 Tweeter
I don't think they are very similar to your Energy 2.1E though. Those look more like 6" Polycone Vifa P17WJ-00-08 with a 94mm Vifa 3/4" soft dome. SEAS make the 94mm 19TFF which is similar. Reflex and simple crossover. Bit like these:
Vifa 2-Way Loudspeaker System
Vifa P17WJ-00-08 Woofer
If the cabinets are OK, I'd be thinking new drive units. Bit of woofer measuring involved. But not hard. You might even keep the existing crossover. Looks like a simple coil on the bass and second-order tweeter. You usually adjust the tweeter resistor for level.
Bit like this:
Course, the World is your oyster:
DIY-Loudspeakers
Worth mentioning the very easy polycone Peerless 830874 has good availability in your neck of the woods too:
https://www.falconacoustics.co.uk/peerless-830874-midwoofer-hds-range.html.
Polycones are often easier than paper cones, because they have good internal damping, so less of the nasty harsh breakup around 4-5kHz. Smoother sound.
Those Peerless Nomex 180 830883 look alright:
Peerless 830883 HDS 180 NOM Exclusive Woofer Speaker
The Vifa XT25BG60-04 is a good tweeter:
Peerless Vifa XT25BG60-04 Tweeter
I don't think they are very similar to your Energy 2.1E though. Those look more like 6" Polycone Vifa P17WJ-00-08 with a 94mm Vifa 3/4" soft dome. SEAS make the 94mm 19TFF which is similar. Reflex and simple crossover. Bit like these:
Vifa 2-Way Loudspeaker System
Vifa P17WJ-00-08 Woofer
If the cabinets are OK, I'd be thinking new drive units. Bit of woofer measuring involved. But not hard. You might even keep the existing crossover. Looks like a simple coil on the bass and second-order tweeter. You usually adjust the tweeter resistor for level.
Bit like this:
Course, the World is your oyster:
DIY-Loudspeakers
Worth mentioning the very easy polycone Peerless 830874 has good availability in your neck of the woods too:
https://www.falconacoustics.co.uk/peerless-830874-midwoofer-hds-range.html.
Polycones are often easier than paper cones, because they have good internal damping, so less of the nasty harsh breakup around 4-5kHz. Smoother sound.
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Cool, thank you 🙂
The cabinets are starting to crumble, and the surrounds on the mid drivers are perishing hence my decision to make a new set. Are these energy speakers hard to replace? What little I've seen about them suggests that they were good quality, although those peerless drivers look pretty cool. I'll probably make a cabinet out of teak ply (as it's readily available to me). What's a good tweeter to go with that peerless polycone?
The cabinets are starting to crumble, and the surrounds on the mid drivers are perishing hence my decision to make a new set. Are these energy speakers hard to replace? What little I've seen about them suggests that they were good quality, although those peerless drivers look pretty cool. I'll probably make a cabinet out of teak ply (as it's readily available to me). What's a good tweeter to go with that peerless polycone?
This a Peerless 830874 build by our friend Lojzek:
I think it would work with any tweeter you fancy.
Lojzek is a pretty good bloke. He'd probably send you the circuit if you asked him nicely.
Joe Rasmussen in Australia promotes a kit based on the 830874 too:
Elsinore Speakers DIY
The "Elsinore Project" Thread
I think he does an MTM too.
I think it would work with any tweeter you fancy.
Lojzek is a pretty good bloke. He'd probably send you the circuit if you asked him nicely.
Joe Rasmussen in Australia promotes a kit based on the 830874 too:
Elsinore Speakers DIY
The "Elsinore Project" Thread
I think he does an MTM too.
That's a very pretty speaker. I'm not sure I can make it look that good, but I'm going to have a good go at building one that sounds as good! Thanks again, much to consider 🙂
It's a good idea, because the Peerless 830874 also known as the PPB which I suppose means polypropylene is an easy driver that would probably work well enough off a simple 1.5mH bass coil.
Looking at the frequency response, an LCR notch at 5kHz would probably help too. This would be 4.7uF and 0.2mH and 2.2R at a guess.
Michael Chua will send you the circuit for his 830874 based Cardinal-TA:
Cardinal-TA (Peerless 830874 with Seas 27TDFC) – AmpsLab
Us DIY people use things called Simulators:
Software | Visaton
It's quite easy to import a project to the projekte folder and play around with it:
2 Wege – Boxsim Projektdatenbank
In your case, the Visaton W170S would give you a rough idea:
W 170 S - 8 Ohm | Visaton
Along with an SC10N tweeter:
SC 10 N - 8 Ohm | Visaton
You might try the circuit from the SEAS Idunn, for instance, in about 20L box:
http://www.seas.no/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=380:idunn&catid=66&Itemid=365
The U18RNX/P woofer is very similar to the Peerless, IMO:
http://www.seas.no/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=102:h1571-08-u18rnxp&catid=44:utv-prestige-woofers&Itemid=461
Welcome to the hobby! 😀
Looking at the frequency response, an LCR notch at 5kHz would probably help too. This would be 4.7uF and 0.2mH and 2.2R at a guess.
Michael Chua will send you the circuit for his 830874 based Cardinal-TA:
Cardinal-TA (Peerless 830874 with Seas 27TDFC) – AmpsLab
Us DIY people use things called Simulators:
Software | Visaton
It's quite easy to import a project to the projekte folder and play around with it:
2 Wege – Boxsim Projektdatenbank
In your case, the Visaton W170S would give you a rough idea:
W 170 S - 8 Ohm | Visaton
Along with an SC10N tweeter:
SC 10 N - 8 Ohm | Visaton
You might try the circuit from the SEAS Idunn, for instance, in about 20L box:
http://www.seas.no/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=380:idunn&catid=66&Itemid=365
The U18RNX/P woofer is very similar to the Peerless, IMO:
http://www.seas.no/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=102:h1571-08-u18rnxp&catid=44:utv-prestige-woofers&Itemid=461
Welcome to the hobby! 😀
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