I tried recently using 100mm diameter. I had advice to make sure the port was sized in proportion to the reduced crosssection of the body of the speaker (ie. smaller overall volume) I was not happy with the result I got. So certainly try with a wider diameter pipe - you might have better luck than me.
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I would welcome some driver recommendations for a 'spare' TABAQ cabinet that I have. It's the "standard" version with 97mm port. Originally made for a 4FE32 (really nice but in the end a bit too bright) then I enlarged the driver hole for an MA Pluvia 7 (nice to begin with but I know I can do better). So I'm looking for a 4" driver due to the cut out. My benchmark are my other set with P830987 drivers which I think are superb. I had thought about Tang Band W4-1320SJ
Captain, maybe you gave up on those 4FE32 drivers to soon. After many hours break-in and the right BSC they sound fantastic to me. No harshness, but then, I don’t hear the crickets my wife hears anymore. 
BTW, I liked your analogy between tea and full range speakers in the ACA thread.
BTW, I liked your analogy between tea and full range speakers in the ACA thread.
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They were just a bit too much with some material sometimes even with BSC. With duller source material they were great however. I have enlarged the cut out now in any case so its time to move on.
I remember the Tang Band W4-1320SJ getting a mention much earlier in the thread but wondered if there were any more up to date opinions on it or other 4 inchers.
Thanks, in the end its all about taste and there are no wrong or right answers but often it takes time to acquire a new taste especially if what you are accustomed to is hiding some of the subtleties elsewhere!
Nice one perceval, its going on the shortlist.
It's ironic that the flexibility of this design in accommodating so many different drivers can make life tricky to chose a driver in the first place. It would be great to have a simple ongoing database of drivers that folks have used with comments about strengths and weaknesses etc.
It's ironic that the flexibility of this design in accommodating so many different drivers can make life tricky to chose a driver in the first place. It would be great to have a simple ongoing database of drivers that folks have used with comments about strengths and weaknesses etc.
TB W4 1337 SDF experience
I made a tabaq box with the the TB W4 1337 SDF (see the post in diyAudio thread TABAQ TL for Tang Band) and I was very surprised by the good sound, especially in the heights.
I thought initially that being a speaker with a titanium membrane heights would be harsh with some kind of ringing, but this was not the case at all.
However I haven't tried too much wideband speakers ; the ones I have heard (Fostex, Monacor, Visaton, even an old Panasonic speaker) either were (choose one / many) : too weak on bass, not enough sensitivity, not enough SPL, had trouble with the treble.
My daughter is using the boxes, and still pretty much pleased with them (and she loves how her friends are astonished by the sound that comes out of those little columns).
I made a tabaq box with the the TB W4 1337 SDF (see the post in diyAudio thread TABAQ TL for Tang Band) and I was very surprised by the good sound, especially in the heights.
I thought initially that being a speaker with a titanium membrane heights would be harsh with some kind of ringing, but this was not the case at all.
However I haven't tried too much wideband speakers ; the ones I have heard (Fostex, Monacor, Visaton, even an old Panasonic speaker) either were (choose one / many) : too weak on bass, not enough sensitivity, not enough SPL, had trouble with the treble.
My daughter is using the boxes, and still pretty much pleased with them (and she loves how her friends are astonished by the sound that comes out of those little columns).
My interpretation of the TABAQ.
Hi guys (and girls?), Raymond from the Netherlands here. After building my first set of speakers (the Cyburgs Needles). I really, really needed to build again. So this time I got interested in the TABAQ thanks to all your input.
First idea was to build them the way @bretti_kivi did, which I thought was really clever by lifting the whole speaker and adding weight.
But then I remembered the Boenicke W8 speakers which are also small but a few degrees tilted to get the drivers more at listening height.
So I decided to combine the TABAQ design with the tilting idea. First made the design in Solidworks 3D CAD.
I've used 22mm MDF. Made them look as if they are made from concrete by adding some imperfections and put some amount of time in hand painting them to get the right uneven concrete grey.
I used the Tangband W3-871, same as in my needles. Also used the same filter: 6.8ohm, 0.56mH, 6.8uF.
To be honest, I'm not totally fine with how they sound right now (I've used the drivers from the needles so they didn't need extra play-in time). To me the mid/high tones are too loud compared to the bass. Don't know how to correctly describe it, but it's as if the driver itself is more present than the speaker as a whole. Don't know if this makes any sense to you guys.
My plan is to change the filter to the original designed version from @Bjohannesen. 3.9ohm and 1.0mH. To see if there is any improvement.
If you guys have other suggestions, please let me know.
Cheers.
Raymond
Hi guys (and girls?), Raymond from the Netherlands here. After building my first set of speakers (the Cyburgs Needles). I really, really needed to build again. So this time I got interested in the TABAQ thanks to all your input.
First idea was to build them the way @bretti_kivi did, which I thought was really clever by lifting the whole speaker and adding weight.
But then I remembered the Boenicke W8 speakers which are also small but a few degrees tilted to get the drivers more at listening height.
So I decided to combine the TABAQ design with the tilting idea. First made the design in Solidworks 3D CAD.
I've used 22mm MDF. Made them look as if they are made from concrete by adding some imperfections and put some amount of time in hand painting them to get the right uneven concrete grey.
I used the Tangband W3-871, same as in my needles. Also used the same filter: 6.8ohm, 0.56mH, 6.8uF.
To be honest, I'm not totally fine with how they sound right now (I've used the drivers from the needles so they didn't need extra play-in time). To me the mid/high tones are too loud compared to the bass. Don't know how to correctly describe it, but it's as if the driver itself is more present than the speaker as a whole. Don't know if this makes any sense to you guys
.My plan is to change the filter to the original designed version from @Bjohannesen. 3.9ohm and 1.0mH. To see if there is any improvement.
If you guys have other suggestions, please let me know.
Cheers.
Raymond
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Hi Joe,
Thanks for the complement! Seems I succeeded pretty well in the concrete look, because the bases are made of MDF (two layers) as well.
My previous build, the needles, were unstable so I wanted to make sure this time the cabinets would stay where I put them.
I must say these bases in combination with the 22mm thick MDF makes for a nice weight. So I'm pretty happy with the result.
Thanks for the complement! Seems I succeeded pretty well in the concrete look, because the bases are made of MDF (two layers) as well
.My previous build, the needles, were unstable so I wanted to make sure this time the cabinets would stay where I put them
.I must say these bases in combination with the 22mm thick MDF makes for a nice weight. So I'm pretty happy with the result.
Very nicely done, Ray.
You got painting skills!
I like the tilted base. I just might do the same with one of the pairs I have here.
And you might consider keeping the filter you have, along the BSC you will add.
I don’t know of the frequency response of your driver, you’d have to measure and find out.
But maybe the BSC will be enough for you, or maybe a combination of both will work. You’ll have some time to test.
You got painting skills!
I like the tilted base. I just might do the same with one of the pairs I have here.
And you might consider keeping the filter you have, along the BSC you will add.
I don’t know of the frequency response of your driver, you’d have to measure and find out.
But maybe the BSC will be enough for you, or maybe a combination of both will work. You’ll have some time to test.