Hi Everyone,
This challenge is meant for beginning speaker designers. The goal is for beginners who aren't sure how much they know, or how much they might need to learn to start from the middle, and gain advice from more experienced designers here on DIY.
I've included an XSim file with the drivers used in the 2-way LM-1 bookshelf/desktop speaker which I have posted online. It includes the frequency, impedance and acoustic offset information as measured by yours truly. Note: Woofer was measured in cabinet IN a bookshelf. The final design will not work for stand-mounts.
It includes NO crossover components.
Your challenge, if you accept it, is to grab the attached XSim files and design a working crossover with:
Super Bonus challenge: Grab data files from a Dayton tweeter at Parts-Express and design with a different tweeter altogether. AFAIK, PE only has data files for Dayton tweets, hence the requirement. Really, using any other tweeter is fine.
Of course, the goal is to have fun and learn while doing it. I hope at least one person takes up this challenge.
Best,
Erik
This challenge is meant for beginning speaker designers. The goal is for beginners who aren't sure how much they know, or how much they might need to learn to start from the middle, and gain advice from more experienced designers here on DIY.
I've included an XSim file with the drivers used in the 2-way LM-1 bookshelf/desktop speaker which I have posted online. It includes the frequency, impedance and acoustic offset information as measured by yours truly. Note: Woofer was measured in cabinet IN a bookshelf. The final design will not work for stand-mounts.
It includes NO crossover components.
Your challenge, if you accept it, is to grab the attached XSim files and design a working crossover with:
- Reasonably good frequency response (allowing for personal taste)
- Good to excellent phase matching
- Impedance that is no less than 4 Ohms anywhere.
- Resistors which won't fry at 100 Watts of input.
Super Bonus challenge: Grab data files from a Dayton tweeter at Parts-Express and design with a different tweeter altogether. AFAIK, PE only has data files for Dayton tweets, hence the requirement. Really, using any other tweeter is fine.
Of course, the goal is to have fun and learn while doing it. I hope at least one person takes up this challenge.
Best,
Erik
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FTR, I fully expect to learn quite a bit here. I'm sure some designers on here will do crazy things like exotic crossovers and stepped baffles. I am by no means a "senior" speaker designer. 
But I wanted to share the things that helped me learn a great deal. So I hope other members will act as unofficial judges and contributors.
But I wanted to share the things that helped me learn a great deal. So I hope other members will act as unofficial judges and contributors. 
Global,
Build it! The top level blog post for the pair I built is here. I did not post it before because I thought it might encourage cheating.
The cabinet data is here.
Building is entirely optional though. If you try to make these as stand-mounts you may want to throw away my woofer measurements and start afresh though. The baffle step becomes much more important and needs to be dealt with differently.
Best,
E
Build it!
The top level blog post for the pair I built is here. I did not post it before because I thought it might encourage cheating. The cabinet data is here.
Building is entirely optional though.
If you try to make these as stand-mounts you may want to throw away my woofer measurements and start afresh though. The baffle step becomes much more important and needs to be dealt with differently. Best,
E
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Global,
If you finish this challenge, I think you'll find measuring and designing your own 2-way from scratch MUCH easier. Of course, this is not everything, but I really thought a long time about all that has to happen to learn speaker designing, and I am hopeful this helps many new DIYers.
Bet,
E
If you finish this challenge, I think you'll find measuring and designing your own 2-way from scratch MUCH easier.
Of course, this is not everything, but I really thought a long time about all that has to happen to learn speaker designing, and I am hopeful this helps many new DIYers.Bet,
E
I am very much a new speaker builder but have 2 decades behind me listening to different manufacturers and worked for a long time as a cabinet maker. I can finally say I know what sound I'd like to hear and can translate that into what range of tweeter diaphragms that is right for me as well as midrange / bass diaphragm. Both of the mid bass units, the original and the suggested replacement is of interest. I have listened to the HDS-p830991 and while it is a nice midrange unit, I would not qualify it as a mid-bass unit. Perhaps as you say, the Faital PRO 5FE120 is a tad better due to the high power handling.
(One could create a 2.5 way with both Peerless and Faital Pro... could be interesting and that would qualify this as an MTM build )
For more bass, the hds-p830990 (6.5") or Faital Pro 6FE100 (6") which has a sensitivity of 91 dB and an Fs of 63 Hz... BUT that would break the rule of this challenge which is a 5.25" mid-bass.
So I need to stick to one of the 5.25's, however, the tweeter is a no go for me, so that would need to be swapped out immediately but cab can stay the same so not to overdo it.
Actually, I think I will accept this XO challenge and work on it, it will be fun
(One could create a 2.5 way with both Peerless and Faital Pro... could be interesting and that would qualify this as an MTM build
)For more bass, the hds-p830990 (6.5") or Faital Pro 6FE100 (6") which has a sensitivity of 91 dB and an Fs of 63 Hz... BUT that would break the rule of this challenge which is a 5.25" mid-bass.
So I need to stick to one of the 5.25's, however, the tweeter is a no go for me, so that would need to be swapped out immediately but cab can stay the same so not to overdo it.
Actually, I think I will accept this XO challenge and work on it, it will be fun
Actually, I think I will accept this XO challenge and work on it, it will be fun
Fun is the point!
I'm afraid I'm past just having fun, this stuff is dead serious... LOL, but joke aside, it should be fun or should I say one should enjoy doing this. The technical and design lvl might be on a professional or commercial lvl. I know I get a kick from projects that are equal to that of commercial projects/products. Its all in the details
Sorry, I misunderstood, but yes. Also, simulation was not really a thing. I mean, multi-way speaker systems were being developed even before the electronic spreadsheet. At best only rough estimates were possible when choosing crossover parts and values.
Being able to completely re-do a crossover virtually with XSim or a similar tool is really amazing.
Being able to completely re-do a crossover virtually with XSim or a similar tool is really amazing.
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