Sounds like a dumb question, but I'd personally like to know; why not incorporate angled wings on either side of a matrixed box to control reflections? It might need modelling perhaps...
I'm certainly watching this thread with interest. It's been a desire of mine to have box that does good stereo things in awkward rooms (of which I have a few). Most commercial ones I've heard would honestly be better mono than what they call stereo.
I'm certainly watching this thread with interest. It's been a desire of mine to have box that does good stereo things in awkward rooms (of which I have a few). Most commercial ones I've heard would honestly be better mono than what they call stereo.
Very interesting! Is there a thread on this project yet?
It should be quite doable even without a 3D printer. 20 plywood triangles can be cut fairly precisely with a good table saw jig, you just have to get the angle of the blade tilt just right. Easier than the 5-sided components of a dodecahedron, I'd say.
Good recommendation! I've had a couple of old Airport Expresses sitting around, so that's why I'm using them now. One of them is the old version, and that doesn't do Airplay 2, only 1, so that'll be replaced soon.
You can get an Airport Express used for about $45 (the Belkin is $99), but all Airports are getting a bit long in the tooth, so I will certainly consider a Belkin instead. Is it the DAC and the analog components that are better sounding in the Belkin? It would have been be nice if they had included a decent small power amp in the Belkin box.
Oooh, very cool. I think this is something I had thought of in the past, but have forgotten about.
Have you tried it yourself?
I think I'll have to prototype this out with some cheap speakers and a foam core box. It seems like left/center/right should have their own chambers, otherwise the R- speaker would be fighting against the two R+ speakers (same for left).
Not many dual coil full range speaker options out there, so the 6-speaker solution is more likely.
Though now that I'm thinking about it more, isn't this just another take on a Mid/Side matrix (or Sum/Difference, same thing)? But instead of encoding the matrix at line level, the signals are summed and subtracted in the air (or in the speaker coils if you have dual coils).
One big difference is that this one has all the speakers facing forward, so having suitable surfaces to bounce audio off isn't necessary.
What if I used this method, but with the speakers distributed over a 20-sided icosahedron? It sends the mind reeling!
It's a dumb thread, so dumb questions are perfect!
Could you elaborate on the angled wings? Do you mean some attachment panels for the side speakers to bounce off? Or maybe something for directing the sound, like the dial-adjustable little panel by the tweeter of an old Bose 301?
Ironically, it may just be that the best solution for all these awkward rooms is mono!
The Airport Express sometimes does funny things sometimes with sustained notes. Telegraph Road by Dire Straights shows it up well on the intro from about 25 seconds in (you might need to turn it up), but with the Belkin it is clean. To be honest, it hardly ever shows up, but it annoyed me enough to change it for the main stereo. I have other Airport Expresses around the house, but only changed that one
Brian
I
Yes this "some attachment panels for the side speakers to bounce off?" Perhaps hinged, so adjustable to taste. Combined with an acoustic dampener on the front speaker. Dial in the stereo balance in any room. it could also be incredibly ugly ;-)
I just checked out that song. It's good stress-test! Those low volume reverberant sine waves will reveal a lot.
My guess is that when playing the Airport Express at low volume (as set in the computer or device) simply lowers the volume digitally, therefore reducing the bit depth of the music. And perhaps has a minimum level shutoff that triggers when below a certain threshold.
Perhaps reducing the volume at the amp, and bringing the computer/device volume all the way up would fix it.
The Belkin might have a better way to address this. And since it's primarily a music playing thing, rather than a jack-of-all-trades like the Airports, and 10 years newer, it SHOULD have better sound. Probably worth the extra $50 above the priced of a used Airport.
An audio version of this!
Of course, if you have a wing to bounce sound off, you might as well put a sound source on the wing instead.
Yeah, possibly. Although I was working on the understanding that the matrix arrangement relies on the side speakers being arranged in opposite polarity physically. To which the 1BOX idea confused me a little (let alone the wiring, which looks like a pita). I'm just imagining side deflectors like the above lamp in order to control the room interaction a little. I was kind of joking about acoustically controlling the mid speaker, but theoretically it would add more control.
Perhaps something in this vein, but with a matrixed 3 speaker arrangement....side drivers forward reflecting.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/the-hilding-horn.222342/post-3218160
Yes, i had figured out how to do the pantagons, the triangles will be easier. But i am getting a 3D printer and it will mke the driver cutouts much easier.
I am imagining the drivers mounted from behind. White drivers in ablack box?
dave
Note that the Aitrport express has a (dirt cheap) DAC in it, the Belkin requires you add an optical-in DAC of your own, that is likely where any difference lies.
I have a bunch of old Express, and they are great fro throwing together a quick remote system for playing background music.
dave
I have a bunch of old Express, and they are great fro throwing together a quick remote system for playing background music.
dave
The twenty side speaker is something that I would like to try, the problems getting good and cheap full range drivers here. Building one with a 3D printer would be easier than cutting for sure.
I wonder if aiming the side speakers in M/S or SSS arrangement to ceiling instead of the sides would work in your room.
I would love to hear the Beolab some day, looks cool. But that reminded me the Sonab/Carlsson boxes, which use the front wall for reflection. That might be also something to try.
I have also a very asymmetrical living room and still have not figured out a good way for stereo there. The SSS works fine in a symetric room, I have exactly the same experience as you do - no wall, no stereo effect. I will most probably try small dual 3FE22 satellites ("Hydra" clones) as next and a flat subwoofer hidden behind the TV.
I will follow with interest.
And some of the vintage styled boxes in the thread are simply gorgeous!
I wonder if aiming the side speakers in M/S or SSS arrangement to ceiling instead of the sides would work in your room.
I would love to hear the Beolab some day, looks cool. But that reminded me the Sonab/Carlsson boxes, which use the front wall for reflection. That might be also something to try.
I have also a very asymmetrical living room and still have not figured out a good way for stereo there. The SSS works fine in a symetric room, I have exactly the same experience as you do - no wall, no stereo effect. I will most probably try small dual 3FE22 satellites ("Hydra" clones) as next and a flat subwoofer hidden behind the TV.
I will follow with interest.
And some of the vintage styled boxes in the thread are simply gorgeous!
How big will it be? That could be an awful lot of material used.
Maybe I just have 3D printer envy!
If I did the plywood method (and I'm tempted), I'd just buy a 35mm (or whatever is correct) Forstner bit, and use a big cove router bit to thin out the plywood a little on front. Use some walnut-faced plywood...
I will be making it as small as possible to get C-C as close as feasible.
I am looking to get one of the Form 3 printers. Means i’lk be able to do phase plugs, and small speaker boxes.
dave
I am looking to get one of the Form 3 printers. Means i’lk be able to do phase plugs, and small speaker boxes.
dave