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Joined 2009
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Yes, probably in different worlds, sorry for trying to share some experience with you.
Not usable? Why not, just matter of better and worth. If you want, you could use even 21 inch, go ahead ))
Member
Joined 2009
Paid Member
One thing I consider is the quality of the bass and how well it integrates with the voicing and the room and this setup does it really well. I know not everyone has the room or a significant other that will put up with the size.
While I was constructing the cabinets I had them in open baffles with some 330 Audax woofers. I couldn't get that transition right and believe me I tried.
Listening to Patricia Barber, it's not lacking anything in the bass, even at higher volume it stays together (even though I don't normally listen very loud) but the quality is excellent.
BDP
Being away from home and no access to images or anything like that, I still want to write a little about my experiences.
I bought myself a pair of 5” FR driver many years ago and used them in the proposed horn designed by Sonido. In spite of the small cone area I have never ever lacked anything but maybe and on rare occassions the lowest possible bass.
Sonido 5" horn
However, last summer I finished my second Sonido project; a pair of rather big (80 litres) BR boxes equipped with the new SWR069 FR drivers and I was almost blown away when I first listened to them.
I am definitely an omnivore (apart from most jazz, rap, hiphop, RnB, folkmusic, Swedish dance music ....) but I had no problem to enjoy (today’s) Marillion, Eagles, OMD, Kalinnikov (a student of Tchaikovsky), Kate Bush, Moonlight Circus, you name it.
Trying to be objective: Some of my friends went for the bigger, 6.5” and 8” drivers and horns, but I felt some lack in the mid range compared to my 5” horns. BUT I have been surprised to notice that I hear almost the same ”sonic signature” from the oval 069s as I hear from my five-inchers. As my ears record, I have an almost flat midrange and a high end lf the spectrum that sound neutral and undistorted, fulfilling my deepest wishes.
But when listening to low notes, it’s obvious I did lack a lot from my smallish horns. I used OMD’s Punishment Of Luxury for my ”signature melody” as that music played by the SWR069 did shake the foundations a lot, but when I recently started playing a newly found favourite, the French group Deyosan I was shocked - how low could my speakers go?!
So shortly: I have a pair of great speakers that fulfill my needs regarding neutrul sound, pretty much linear respons from lowest to highest register. They aren’t too directional and as a DIY-project no big deal too handle (though I paid a pro to cut out and assemble the MDF, leaving the paint job to me).
Besides, the drivers are, compared to many exotic drivers humanly prices and whereever I brought my speakers, I get nothing but good critics. If I ever will build me a pair of new speakers, it will be a pair of SWR069.
From my site:
Deyosan - Liwal
I bought myself a pair of 5” FR driver many years ago and used them in the proposed horn designed by Sonido. In spite of the small cone area I have never ever lacked anything but maybe and on rare occassions the lowest possible bass.
Sonido 5" horn
However, last summer I finished my second Sonido project; a pair of rather big (80 litres) BR boxes equipped with the new SWR069 FR drivers and I was almost blown away when I first listened to them.
I am definitely an omnivore (apart from most jazz, rap, hiphop, RnB, folkmusic, Swedish dance music ....) but I had no problem to enjoy (today’s) Marillion, Eagles, OMD, Kalinnikov (a student of Tchaikovsky), Kate Bush, Moonlight Circus, you name it.
Trying to be objective: Some of my friends went for the bigger, 6.5” and 8” drivers and horns, but I felt some lack in the mid range compared to my 5” horns. BUT I have been surprised to notice that I hear almost the same ”sonic signature” from the oval 069s as I hear from my five-inchers. As my ears record, I have an almost flat midrange and a high end lf the spectrum that sound neutral and undistorted, fulfilling my deepest wishes.
But when listening to low notes, it’s obvious I did lack a lot from my smallish horns. I used OMD’s Punishment Of Luxury for my ”signature melody” as that music played by the SWR069 did shake the foundations a lot, but when I recently started playing a newly found favourite, the French group Deyosan I was shocked - how low could my speakers go?!
So shortly: I have a pair of great speakers that fulfill my needs regarding neutrul sound, pretty much linear respons from lowest to highest register. They aren’t too directional and as a DIY-project no big deal too handle (though I paid a pro to cut out and assemble the MDF, leaving the paint job to me).
Besides, the drivers are, compared to many exotic drivers humanly prices and whereever I brought my speakers, I get nothing but good critics. If I ever will build me a pair of new speakers, it will be a pair of SWR069.
From my site:
Deyosan - Liwal
I'm a local guy here Budapest/Hungary, I built last year a pair of Sonido, it's the SWR175a (not listed on the product list, but it exists), built the recomended bass reflex box, very satisfied with the results, neutral, dynamic, flat soundstage was a joy to listen, short break in time, let say a few hours (less then compared to previous built Fostex Fe206).
I had the opportunity to get there in the shop where the owner manufacturing the loudspeakers, and had the chance to listen the SFR145 (was it the alnico or ferrite can not recall) in the owners own built NEA EX backloaded horn loudspeakers and the SWR 096/A mentioned before in the previous comment of #soundbrigade, I agree with his comment in every word. The small 145 sound terrific, best midrange and presence I've ever heard, good bass (but no bloww away), the oval 096/A more powerful bass, midrange, neutral, flat. There was a third one, SFR175, maybe was the alnico version, backloaded horn, it's own built, sounded very close to the oval 096/A, more powerful bass than the 145. All three loudspeakers there and the my own built SWR175a sounded better then my FE206 in back loaded horn cabinet.
And yes they are humanly priced drivers as was mentioned it before.
I had the opportunity to get there in the shop where the owner manufacturing the loudspeakers, and had the chance to listen the SFR145 (was it the alnico or ferrite can not recall) in the owners own built NEA EX backloaded horn loudspeakers and the SWR 096/A mentioned before in the previous comment of #soundbrigade, I agree with his comment in every word. The small 145 sound terrific, best midrange and presence I've ever heard, good bass (but no bloww away), the oval 096/A more powerful bass, midrange, neutral, flat. There was a third one, SFR175, maybe was the alnico version, backloaded horn, it's own built, sounded very close to the oval 096/A, more powerful bass than the 145. All three loudspeakers there and the my own built SWR175a sounded better then my FE206 in back loaded horn cabinet.
And yes they are humanly priced drivers as was mentioned it before.
Well, according to their own data sheet (presumably normalised to 1m/w conditions although these are not specified) the SWR300 is good for about 15KHz or higher on-axis, which is pretty good for a whizzer cone ~11in driver.
Re 'only for bass reflex' -not so. It's fine for a back horn, QW or similar. It just doesn't need one.
There isn't one, as in, a technical difference. Personally I prefer the term wideband / wide range as a broad phrase rather than full range since all drivers without exception are BW limited -it's just a question of how much.
You might find wideband / similar is sometimes used to describe those of slightly more limited range, but there's no fixed / formal limit as such.
It amazes me that with Sweden right next to Finland which makes probably the best hardwood plywood, people are still using MDF>
dave
Agreed, a lot of multiways are more BW limited than is often realised.
OK, technically speaking every loudspeaker in this physical reality is BW limited to some extent, but it's often surprising how poor the extension is at the extremes in many. Shows how much we all live in the midband. I mean, look at FH-lite. It can't really get much below < 70Hz optimally loaded, but at least two rooms had them at the North West Audio Show and the number of people who were staggered at the bass performance speaks volumes about psychoacoustics and familiarity with low frequency tones. Nothing wrong with the HF of course, but I digress. Apologies. Back to Sonido. Although somebody remind me to check the 5in models for FHXL & others. I really need to get back to that range of boxes for these drivers we were discussing & finalise them
OK, technically speaking every loudspeaker in this physical reality is BW limited to some extent, but it's often surprising how poor the extension is at the extremes in many. Shows how much we all live in the midband. I mean, look at FH-lite. It can't really get much below < 70Hz optimally loaded, but at least two rooms had them at the North West Audio Show and the number of people who were staggered at the bass performance speaks volumes about psychoacoustics and familiarity with low frequency tones. Nothing wrong with the HF of course, but I digress. Apologies. Back to Sonido. Although somebody remind me to check the 5in models for FHXL & others. I really need to get back to that range of boxes for these drivers we were discussing & finalise them
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MDF is a cheap material that is easy to machine. However my pro made the joints in a special way so they wouldn’t show up too much.
Beech plywood IS exclusive, but MDF is much cheaper.
I hade the boxes made by a pro to really give the drivers the very best enclosure - made to Sonido’s drawings.
I messed things up as I am using my iPad.
Here’s a link to some pictures and description of my project:
Sonido SWR069
Here’s a link to some pictures and description of my project:
Sonido SWR069
It is cheap. That is why it get used. Its issues are not with the corners.
Baltic Birch. Made just next door in Finland — it has got to be cheaper than what we pay here after the boat has to come across the Atlantic. A boat trip or a (long) car ride, and you could avoid distribution issues. Even at 3 or 4 times the cost it is worthwhile. Here cheap BB costs about the same as good MDF, the really good stuff about twice as much. And it is worth keeping in mind that one can get away with 15mm BB whereas one would need at least 18-19 mm if it was MDF. And do not discount the price your back & lungs pay.,
dave
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Joined 2009
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The speakers look really nice but there’s this crazy guy in the last photo you better be careful of him!