Some general questions and help me pick a new DIY speaker

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What is a FAST speaker? I see it a ton here but searching is yielding frustrating results.

In general, The more accurate and seperation that a speaker can give. Will that same speaker make your not so well recorded music sound worse? In other words, a less detailed speaker will be more forgiving to poor recordings?


And on to the speaker decision help part. I have a set of Hawthorne Audio PSI's and have been dabbling in OB for the last year or two. At which point my audio hobby pretty much just started.
I'm looking to build a new set of speakers and am not sure which direction I want to go. I could use a gentle nudge.
I'll let you know what I have had in my house, in order, in case it helps.

Tekton M Lores -(box) a bit too bright. Seemed almost shrill to me.

GR-Research X-Statics - (hybrid OB) Nice warm sound but couldn't handle my occasional loud listening sessions.

Betsy with alpha 15 - (OB) tonally my favorite for most of my music but couldn't handle my volumes at times either.

Hawthorne PSI w/ alpha 15 - (OB) Tonally really enjoyed this as well but very different from the Betsy. Also allowed me to crank these more then I really cared to.

The reason I'm looking to change is, I believe I can get better sound out of a smaller FR then the 15" coaxial of the HA in my acoustically crappy room.

I want more separation of voice and instruments and I'm interested in trying a boxed speaker again. Or another OB?
I'm just really interested in separation at this point.
Horns look cool, but what do I know?

Also I'm not super concerned about cost, though I'm not swimming in cash either. And DSP type room correction stuff is mind boggling to me. It's just not where I'm comfortable. So unless it's spelled out, I'd like to avoid it.
Also not concerned with bass output. I can and will most likely add subs.

What do you think at this point?
Am I crazy? 😀

If you care, this is my new room, and I'm working on it.
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=142240.0
 
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Well, for most us in the Full-Range forum the "FAST" acronym designates a speaker system operating over most of its range with "full-range" (read wide-band) drivers - perhaps as small as 3", and not necessarily in singles per enclosure - and with woofers crossed over lower than the average 2-way, - e.g. often in the 200-350Hz range, which is high enough that stereo (mid) woofers are required. They may still be further supported by "subs" operating at the more typical range of below 100Hz.

There can be lots of advantages to this approach, particularly in the case of a small / "no really, very odd shaped room" such as you post at AC, but ultimately room shape/dimensions and acoustics will dominate, and not all can accommodate the degree of treatment necessary to beat them into submission and still retain a livability quotient ( aka WAF)

Many of the dozen or so speaker systems I've built over the past 5 or 6 years have fit this general class, and I tend to gravitate to designs with the WAF alluded to above. I've also found that smaller enclosures lend themselves well to multi-channel / AV systems constrained by space. When not testing new / custom builds, my current "home theatre" system consists of a trio of 6" paper cone full range drivers for the front LCR row, 3" paper cone FR as front height surrounds, 3" metal cone FR from the same maker for rear surrounds, and a pair of corner mounted enclosures each with 7" treated paper cone woofers for the LFE channel.

This works quite well for me in a 340 ft^2 room and for listening levels well below the THX reference level - a compromise at which you'd likely find die-hard home theatre aficionados would sniff derisively, so be patient trying to find consensus on solution to the predicament you describe.
 
Of the speakers you mention i have heard the Hawthorne & the Betsy. I didn't really much like the 1st but the betsy (even by itself on a big baffle) were rather decent. We have built a number of OBs, something about them just sounds wrong to me (and one of the sets of Hawthornes were one of the boxiest speakers i have heard). I still have at least one more OB in the works… will use an Alpair10PeN & 2 or 4 10" designed for OB use.

There are some very good FRs out there (and more poor/mediocre/just OK ones). We have heard many, but of course tend towards the ones we like. most of those could be used as midTweeters in an OB, personally i like them in good boxes.

Look at the Mark Audio Alpairs, the Fostex FFxx5wk -- they are my preferred FRs. Others can offer more suggestions.

We have used the FF85wKeN and Alpair 7.3eN in FASTs with great success. And the older FF85KeN in an MJK style passive OB with Alpha 15 (now in MJK H-frames)

dave
 
>>> I want more separation of voice and instruments and I'm interested in trying a boxed speaker again. Or another OB?

The best separation of voice and instruments I've ever heard was with the Tangband 1808 on OB. I also have the Betsy and think it's a nice driver but the TB is an upgrade IMO. I use them both on top of H-frames.

BUT, I am not sure the 1808 will handle as much power as the Betsy and wouldn't consider it a speaker you would want to play loudly. It seems to be made of delicate materials.

Here's my take on the Betsy over H-frame.

https://speakerprojects.wordpress.com/2015/08/22/236/

Sonically, I feel the TB is an upgrade from Betsy - tho the Betsy is a tough act to follow once your ears adjust.

Boxed speakers just don't sound 'open' enough for me but if you decide to go that route small sealed boxes paired with large subwoofers deliver that pinpoint imaging sound many listeners enjoy. Ported sounds good too but if you hear the hollow sound contributed by the box it's difficult to imagine the performers in the room.

Just my two cents. Enjoy the process. Looks like you've got some great experience and a great room to listen in.
 
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