My system-in-progress.
Main source is Asus Xonar DSX S/PDIF coaxial to input selector/ADC box (for an occasional analog source), to 75/110 ohm Neutrik transformer to digital input on DCX2496. Power amplifiers: t.amp TA-450 for mid-highs above 438 Hz; TA3020 based class T amp for midbass; temporarily a bridged STA540 chip for subbass. Speakers are Thomann 18-500/8-A for subbass (build thread here), Fane Sovereign 8-225 for midbass, ACR TT-50 titan dome for mids and Seas 22TAF/G for highs. Frequency response measured from listening position, 1/12 octave smoothing. Ignore roll-off above 10 kHz, my measuring mic has limitations 🙂
To-do: proper amp for the subwoofer; Scan-Speak Discovery 10" woofers in sealed cabinets for midbass; proper finish for the speakers.
Main source is Asus Xonar DSX S/PDIF coaxial to input selector/ADC box (for an occasional analog source), to 75/110 ohm Neutrik transformer to digital input on DCX2496. Power amplifiers: t.amp TA-450 for mid-highs above 438 Hz; TA3020 based class T amp for midbass; temporarily a bridged STA540 chip for subbass. Speakers are Thomann 18-500/8-A for subbass (build thread here), Fane Sovereign 8-225 for midbass, ACR TT-50 titan dome for mids and Seas 22TAF/G for highs. Frequency response measured from listening position, 1/12 octave smoothing. Ignore roll-off above 10 kHz, my measuring mic has limitations 🙂
To-do: proper amp for the subwoofer; Scan-Speak Discovery 10" woofers in sealed cabinets for midbass; proper finish for the speakers.
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It sounds, well, real. As in you're really listening to music, not speakers. The TT-50 has it's quirk - rise in 3rd harmonic distortion at around 4 kHz - but it's still below 1% and not really objectionable. The 22TAF/G is easily among the best dome tweeters I've ever heard; no metallic harshness usually assotiated with metal domes, and no unnatural dullness that is plagueing many soft domes. The cheap Thomann 18" driver is not the lowest or loudest and needs EQ to get flat, but, again, sounds real. Double-bass and drums sound just like that, real instruments, not some plasticky imitations of ones.
Can they ever be large enough?😀 It's actually "only" ~360 liters Vb (compare that to some 500+ liter LLT-s with one 18" driver built by home cinema nuts🙂). It's 1,5 meters wide, but depth of the cabinet is just around 40 cm. About 225...300 liters tuned to about 25 Hz is normal for real 18" cinema subs, I made mine just a bit larger and tuned lower.
Family Room
Just finished a new plank vinyl floor....new leather sofa's are in...going out this weekend to buy a new carpet to tone the room down... put the Bronze Akai 2650 pair in the family room.....an SA find for $30/pair......running a pair of Cambridge Audio R50's + Dynaco A25's.....Running a 110watt/ch 7.1 Yammy for the surround sound...4x Celestion 25's...10" Energy sub...2x Cellestion 1's ,Klipsch center Channel + Design Acoustics rear center... The small Bose 121's were a GW find...bought them to flip....
Just finished a new plank vinyl floor....new leather sofa's are in...going out this weekend to buy a new carpet to tone the room down... put the Bronze Akai 2650 pair in the family room.....an SA find for $30/pair......running a pair of Cambridge Audio R50's + Dynaco A25's.....Running a 110watt/ch 7.1 Yammy for the surround sound...4x Celestion 25's...10" Energy sub...2x Cellestion 1's ,Klipsch center Channel + Design Acoustics rear center... The small Bose 121's were a GW find...bought them to flip....
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Speakers: Closed Box, Scan-Speak Revelator and Illuminator drivers, cabinet design inspired by Marten, Kharma, etc
Electronics: MiniSharc DSP, ESS9016 based 8ch DAC, balanced interconnects to a Hypex UCD180HG based 6ch Amplifier.
Electronics: MiniSharc DSP, ESS9016 based 8ch DAC, balanced interconnects to a Hypex UCD180HG based 6ch Amplifier.
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I love the design of the base of those speakers in particular! Nice and spacious..
Do you have a build thread anywhere on the internet to look at?
Only in Dutch. Speaker built starts around page 17 (Thread starts with a different build of mine, at page 17 this one starts)
Speaker built: forum.zelfbouwaudio.nl • Toon onderwerp - Project #2: Vloerstaander
Electronics:
forum.zelfbouwaudio.nl • Toon onderwerp - [Longterm] MiniSharc + AFDAC2 + UcD
I tried to follow it the best I could but got lost. The initial idea used a single woofer (then on page 28 it suddenly shifts to two woofers). I could not find any mention of the woofer model numbers or crossover details.
Can these be shared. Thanks
Yes, from 1 woofer in bass-reflex to 2 woofers in a closed box. As this are active speakers I changed my mind and instead of bass-reflex I changed to electronic/equalizing the low-end for extended response with the benefit of less group-delay and better tunability to the room. Added a 2nd to keep cone excursion lower then with one woofer for same SPL.
Drivers used are all from Scan-Speak
Tweeter: D3004/602000
Mid: 18W/8531G00
Woofer: 26W/8867T00
Here's my latest design using a SEAS L18, Morel EM1308 and SEAS 22TAF/G. Crossover is at 880hz and 3.8Khz. Out of sight is a 180ltr active sub.
This is my best yet. Midrange is sublime; it's ability to pick out vocals from a heavy mix and put them in space is uncanny.
Along with the speaker pic below is the FR in x-sim and the reverse nul. The tweeter response is flat 15° off axis which is where the listening position is.
This is my best yet. Midrange is sublime; it's ability to pick out vocals from a heavy mix and put them in space is uncanny.
Along with the speaker pic below is the FR in x-sim and the reverse nul. The tweeter response is flat 15° off axis which is where the listening position is.
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Though this is not a criticism, I notice you (in a manner of speaking) built your speakers upside down - Woofer on top, tweeter on the bottom.
Would you like to comment on the effectiveness of that design, and the thought process that lead to it?
Not critical, just curious.
Steve/bluewizard
Pics of my latest setup
Moon Pre-amp 350 P
Moon 360D CD player with inboard DAC
Moon power Amp 330A
Sony power amp 55 ES
Nakamichi MB-4s CD player
Furman Elite-15 power conditioner
Marantz CD6005 CD player
Carver Pre-amp-tuner CT 3
Denon Turntable DP 35F
I made the speaker cabinets 17 years ago. Along the way I've had many different drivers in them with as many different crossovers, I never expected the cabs to last this long but they have held up nicely.
Moon Pre-amp 350 P
Moon 360D CD player with inboard DAC
Moon power Amp 330A
Sony power amp 55 ES
Nakamichi MB-4s CD player
Furman Elite-15 power conditioner
Marantz CD6005 CD player
Carver Pre-amp-tuner CT 3
Denon Turntable DP 35F
I made the speaker cabinets 17 years ago. Along the way I've had many different drivers in them with as many different crossovers, I never expected the cabs to last this long but they have held up nicely.
The listening position is quite close. What this means is with a speaker the traditional way up there is a significant offset between bass and mid. Reversing the speaker reduces the offset and therefore allows better time alignment and consequently a simpler clossover.