I have been enjoying the the TB 1808 on open baffle sitting on top of H-frames. This is a revealing speaker with a forward midrangy sound that's open and detailed. Overall I am very pleased with them. The super tweeter has a cap value of .69uf and nicely blends with the 1808. If you like your vocals pushed forward and intimate you will love this driver. It's fatter in the mids than the Fostex 165k and 168s (older style with whizzer) and less bright on top. The 1808 has detail galore. On open baffle there is a jump to the music that adds a life to the overall presentation. Imaging is excellent, very 3D. This is my current favorite full range driver but it does favor mids. I think it works very well all by itself in a ported box (soft at the extremes) but I enjoy the H-frames so much i can't seem to get enough of them. For a while anyway, i expect to keep the H-frames for bass duty and play around with drivers on open baffle.
Zilla
Zilla
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Thanks bigfishe, those are old Radio Shack super tweeters i had sitting in a box for the past several years. I thought they would suit the purpose and they do. I have another pair of them facing backwards on a pair of BIBs too. The woofers are Eminence Alpha 15's in H-frames powered by a dedicated amp. The whole thing gels nicely providing very involving sound. I built something to sit on the H-frames so that i can swap baffles in the future easily. For now the TB's get their turn. Separation and imaging are very precise. Left and right are beyond the walls and center is dead in the middle. Not sure if it's the drivers or the open baffle setup but the imaging is really impressive. I have Pioneer B20s, Betsy's, a few Fostex and those inexpensive Dayton 5" drivers i want to make baffles for just to see how well open baffle works with less expensive drivers.
I never had the pleasure of listening to the 18" Goldwoods and don't own them. But having two 15" woofers in my system for a while i understand why big drivers are better at making bass. As for the Pyle 21", i could not find specs on it (no qts anyway) but would be pretty certain they make bass in any kind of enclosure. I can't imagine having two 21" drivers in anything but the largest rooms.
As cool as this full range driver thing can be (great mids, less listening fatigue, etc.) I think BASS also contributes in a big way when i sneak into the basement for a listen.
As cool as this full range driver thing can be (great mids, less listening fatigue, etc.) I think BASS also contributes in a big way when i sneak into the basement for a listen.
Nice work Jeff!
It will be interesting to hear how different fullrangers perform on Open baffle without spending a fortune. It will be interesting to test smaller fullrangers (3-4") compared to 8". Tb-1808 might need a dip in the midrange, or a hi-pass crossover may need to be set a tad higher. Nevertheless, it's a big playground and may keep you entertained for a while.
It will be interesting to hear how different fullrangers perform on Open baffle without spending a fortune. It will be interesting to test smaller fullrangers (3-4") compared to 8". Tb-1808 might need a dip in the midrange, or a hi-pass crossover may need to be set a tad higher. Nevertheless, it's a big playground and may keep you entertained for a while.
>>> It will be interesting to hear how different fullrangers perform on Open baffle without spending a fortune.
I have the Fostex 127e, TB Bamboo 4" and Dayton 5" full range drivers. I wish they had the same hole cutout bc i want to compare them. Cheaper drivers may benefit greatly on open baffle when bass duties are placed somewhere else. Imaging quality is different on open baffle compared to box speakers. What doesn't work in a box may work great on ob... no worries of low frequency tuning or box colorations... just a driver free to breathe. State of the art may require expensive drivers for that last bit of realism but cheaper stuff may be very enjoyable. I'd love a cheap open baffle system that sounds wonderful! It's like owning a nice VW and not having to worry about dings in the parking lot.
I have the Fostex 127e, TB Bamboo 4" and Dayton 5" full range drivers. I wish they had the same hole cutout bc i want to compare them. Cheaper drivers may benefit greatly on open baffle when bass duties are placed somewhere else. Imaging quality is different on open baffle compared to box speakers. What doesn't work in a box may work great on ob... no worries of low frequency tuning or box colorations... just a driver free to breathe. State of the art may require expensive drivers for that last bit of realism but cheaper stuff may be very enjoyable. I'd love a cheap open baffle system that sounds wonderful! It's like owning a nice VW and not having to worry about dings in the parking lot.
Hello !
Would you give some more details about crossover frequencies ?
Is TB1808 completly free, from down (~300hz) to 20k ?
About Alpha15, how did you choose LP crossover ?
Thanks !
R.C.
I am using the Dayton apa 150 amp which is rated at 75 watts per channel into 4 ohm. Into 8 ohm it’s about half that. Wiring the Alpha 15’s in stereo just did not produce enough output. Wiring them bridged mono produces 100 watts which works great with the Alpha’s. The amp has a variable crossover in the back so you can roll the bass into just about any driver that’s capable of reaching about 200hz… so just about any driver out there.
A super tweeter is optional with the TB 1808 imo. My son laughed at me when I played the tweeter all by itself. He wondered why it was needed at all. But I always enjoy a little extra sparkle. I am crossing over at 6db per octave at 28khz (.69up cap) so it’s rolling in above 20k… barely there but certainly audible lower in frequency.
You can buy the woofers, amp, cables and instructions here… or at PE
Boomer Open Baffle Speaker Kit
A super tweeter is optional with the TB 1808 imo. My son laughed at me when I played the tweeter all by itself. He wondered why it was needed at all. But I always enjoy a little extra sparkle. I am crossing over at 6db per octave at 28khz (.69up cap) so it’s rolling in above 20k… barely there but certainly audible lower in frequency.
You can buy the woofers, amp, cables and instructions here… or at PE
Boomer Open Baffle Speaker Kit
What made you decide on an H frame? I am thinking of a similar setup, but really don't have a big room to play with and am concerned the H frame will not be best. Perhaps just a good sealed enclosure with the mid/tweeter open baffle on top.
I don't need extreme bass extension, maybe down to 45Hz. So regardless will probably use a 10" woofer for the sub. I have Jordan JX92S for the mid.
I am also ambivalent about using active crossovers or line level, rather would like it to work with passive speaker level crossovers and get to play with other options.
I don't need extreme bass extension, maybe down to 45Hz. So regardless will probably use a 10" woofer for the sub. I have Jordan JX92S for the mid.
I am also ambivalent about using active crossovers or line level, rather would like it to work with passive speaker level crossovers and get to play with other options.
>>> Perhaps just a good sealed enclosure with the mid/tweeter open baffle on top.
I never heard the Jordan's but they must be excellent. I really like a woofer beneath each driver working as a stand. The room fills up with bass better than a single powered sub (which i have set aside in another room unplugged). Which 10" are you considering? Once you solve the bass issues in your room, if you are using a woofer per side in a box of some kind it's really easy to just add small boxes or open baffles on top of them to see what sounds best to you. I will be heading to home depot soon to have several baffles cut so i can try my stash of drivers on ob!
I never heard the Jordan's but they must be excellent. I really like a woofer beneath each driver working as a stand. The room fills up with bass better than a single powered sub (which i have set aside in another room unplugged). Which 10" are you considering? Once you solve the bass issues in your room, if you are using a woofer per side in a box of some kind it's really easy to just add small boxes or open baffles on top of them to see what sounds best to you. I will be heading to home depot soon to have several baffles cut so i can try my stash of drivers on ob!
This is an interesting link.
http://www.quarter-wave.com/Project08/Jordan.pdf
Not sure which woofers for the sub. I have one Dayton reference 10", but not sure if I want to buy another, or try something else. So I guess my options are limitless, except for the budget issue....
I also have one of the Dayton plate amps. Nice with crossover and all (I was planning a single sub....). But I think I want to make two, see how they work passively crossed and probably end up powering them with a spare SS amp I have laying about, like a MacIntosh 2105, or a Forte 55. I just have to work out volume and crossover. If I can figure out a spare DAC, I will use "Pure Music" as it can cross over on the computer end. That may be the ideal option.
Some how, this is costing more money than I want to spend already and it is still in the concept stage....
http://www.quarter-wave.com/Project08/Jordan.pdf
Not sure which woofers for the sub. I have one Dayton reference 10", but not sure if I want to buy another, or try something else. So I guess my options are limitless, except for the budget issue....
I also have one of the Dayton plate amps. Nice with crossover and all (I was planning a single sub....). But I think I want to make two, see how they work passively crossed and probably end up powering them with a spare SS amp I have laying about, like a MacIntosh 2105, or a Forte 55. I just have to work out volume and crossover. If I can figure out a spare DAC, I will use "Pure Music" as it can cross over on the computer end. That may be the ideal option.
Some how, this is costing more money than I want to spend already and it is still in the concept stage....
Thanks for the info about your amp Godzilla. I currently have the Eminence Alpha 15" in an OB along with the Visaton B200. I'm using a 2A3 SET amp on the B200 and a 65 watt Hafler amp on the EA 15". The woofers have a 4.7mH coil on the "+" leg to cut them off in the mid 200Hz range, no other crossover is used. I like the sound, but was wondering what more watts on the woofers would get me.
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jrenkin, you could buy another Dayton woofer and power two of them with the plate amp or you can just build one powered sub with what you already have and enjoy that until you feel you want more bass.
Mijknarf, your speakers look great. I think the Alpha’s did benefit from more power. 45 was not enough 100 was. Not sure about 65 but Hafler amps are very good so you probably are good to go. I would not consider it an upgrade switching to the Dayton amp. If you can wire the Hafler in bridged mono it may increase the power and then you can see if it makes a difference. You lose stereo subs but you gain control, speed and power. To me, with my gear, it sounded better.
Mijknarf, your speakers look great. I think the Alpha’s did benefit from more power. 45 was not enough 100 was. Not sure about 65 but Hafler amps are very good so you probably are good to go. I would not consider it an upgrade switching to the Dayton amp. If you can wire the Hafler in bridged mono it may increase the power and then you can see if it makes a difference. You lose stereo subs but you gain control, speed and power. To me, with my gear, it sounded better.
In the interest of rational frugality. Good thought.
Usually single subs are sealed or ported boxes, but is there a problem with a single open baffle sub?
I was thinking I could build a short but wide bench with a front and top panel only and mount the woofer in the middle. Or do open baffle subs need stereo imaging to sound right?
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