So I purchased a pair of W3-871 about 10 years ago, in the hopes of building a small computer speaker. I never did because I couldn't find any small amp to drive it. Now that all these chinese Class D amps are all over I finally finished building it. It sounds ok, and I gave it away to a friend. So I was looking to build another cheap amp and speaker combo.
And I noticed that Zaph has a new HiVi B3S version that he touts as even better than the TB. http://www.zaphaudio.com/audio-speaker18.html
So I bought them, and made one. Well, they sound like crap. He warned that it would sound like crap unless you have an active crossover or a home theater receiver. But I was maybe thinking that he was just a little picky about how muddy the bottom sound. Well he's not wrong, its just bad, really bad. So if any of you think that you might be able to use it the bottom sounds like mush and resonates badly (not sure if I'm saying this correctly?) Well it's a pity because it would be a nice small bookshelf speaker for a computer. I wouldn't consider using this in a HT setup unless you have a really small room? So paring this speaker with a HT setup is odd, and I can't use it as a bookshelf speaker without an amp that can active high pass it properly. It's a loss for me.
Now I'm trying to save it. But I'm not a speaker builder in the sense I only know how to cut wood. So I leave the instructions and designing up to everyone else. I spent yesterday looking at how to design something and this is what I came up with.
The option I'm going towards right now I see is a TB W3-881SJF from PartsExpress. It's $32 dollars (much more expensive than the $12 HiVi) and I don't have any kinds of experience in designing boxes before, but plugging the numbers into WinISD, I'm looking to try and get it into a .089 cuft box with a tuning freq of 90 and a 1-1/2" PVC port with a 3.5" length.
It used to be a .12cu ft box, but I redesigned it to as low as a .089 cuft box. The design takes a minimal amount of cuts. Using 3/4" MDF, I just make one single cut a 5.5 x 7 cut.
WinISD I choose a 90hz tuning (no idea what this means but it looks good?) Graph doesn't look so bad. I downloaded the profile from LoudSpeakerDatabase http://www.loudspeakerdatabase.com/TangBand/W3-881SJF
I choose a ported design with a 1.25" PVC and about 3.6" length for what I think is acceptable port noise at 10W
There's not going to be any notch filter since I have no idea how to make them or how this setup needs them. So it's just going to be a straight plug into the terminals.
Anyone have any suggestions or see any glaring issues with my design above?
And I noticed that Zaph has a new HiVi B3S version that he touts as even better than the TB. http://www.zaphaudio.com/audio-speaker18.html
So I bought them, and made one. Well, they sound like crap. He warned that it would sound like crap unless you have an active crossover or a home theater receiver. But I was maybe thinking that he was just a little picky about how muddy the bottom sound. Well he's not wrong, its just bad, really bad. So if any of you think that you might be able to use it the bottom sounds like mush and resonates badly (not sure if I'm saying this correctly?) Well it's a pity because it would be a nice small bookshelf speaker for a computer. I wouldn't consider using this in a HT setup unless you have a really small room? So paring this speaker with a HT setup is odd, and I can't use it as a bookshelf speaker without an amp that can active high pass it properly. It's a loss for me.
Now I'm trying to save it. But I'm not a speaker builder in the sense I only know how to cut wood. So I leave the instructions and designing up to everyone else. I spent yesterday looking at how to design something and this is what I came up with.
The option I'm going towards right now I see is a TB W3-881SJF from PartsExpress. It's $32 dollars (much more expensive than the $12 HiVi) and I don't have any kinds of experience in designing boxes before, but plugging the numbers into WinISD, I'm looking to try and get it into a .089 cuft box with a tuning freq of 90 and a 1-1/2" PVC port with a 3.5" length.
It used to be a .12cu ft box, but I redesigned it to as low as a .089 cuft box. The design takes a minimal amount of cuts. Using 3/4" MDF, I just make one single cut a 5.5 x 7 cut.
WinISD I choose a 90hz tuning (no idea what this means but it looks good?) Graph doesn't look so bad. I downloaded the profile from LoudSpeakerDatabase http://www.loudspeakerdatabase.com/TangBand/W3-881SJF
I choose a ported design with a 1.25" PVC and about 3.6" length for what I think is acceptable port noise at 10W
There's not going to be any notch filter since I have no idea how to make them or how this setup needs them. So it's just going to be a straight plug into the terminals.
Anyone have any suggestions or see any glaring issues with my design above?
Looks okay to me. I built a couple desk/computer speakers using the W3-881SJF in a 0.05 ft^3 enclosure (4"x4"x5.5" ID) using a 1"d x 2.75" port, so the tuning is a bit higher than your's. I used 1/2" ply which seems plenty stiff considering the size and power of the little drivers. While not the be-all-end-all of small monitors I think they sound pretty nice overall.
I did not include any BSC.
I don't know where I pulled the above numbers from, it may have been some recommendations on the Parts Express page.
Good luck,
-b
I did not include any BSC.
I don't know where I pulled the above numbers from, it may have been some recommendations on the Parts Express page.
Good luck,
-b
Any suggestions to have the port on the front or the back. It's going to be bookshelf speakers, so it's possible it might end up in a bookshelf, so if the space is tight will that be an issue? Otherwise on the front, but will there be any issues being so close to the speakers?
Well, pretty much any cheap driver out there will sound good with a significant amount of EQ. So, that’s kinda lame to say build this and add a bunch of EQ and it will sound good.
i would put the port up front, especially if you plan to put them in a bookshelf.
Not sure I understand it either. I was attracted to the fact that it was a $12 speaker. Figured it would be a nice cheap and easy box to build. The notch filter parts cost $14.50, so ends up being about $26.
Now with my own design, I don't have any way to test the new design above since I'm in a small apartment. So no proper way to see if any kinds of filters are needed to give it a flat response. So hopefully it works out!
Now with my own design, I don't have any way to test the new design above since I'm in a small apartment. So no proper way to see if any kinds of filters are needed to give it a flat response. So hopefully it works out!
Pretty much every wide range driver will benefit from a notch or two.
What you really are looking in a driver is being clean, no distortion or obvious breakup.
Some very expensive are clean, and some cheap ones too.
The opposite is also true. 🙂
What you really are looking in a driver is being clean, no distortion or obvious breakup.
Some very expensive are clean, and some cheap ones too.
The opposite is also true. 🙂
I had some issues with a tiny 3" Aurasound driven on a topping and later on an ice power amp. It sounded really horrible but after implementing a Zobel network/impedance correction filter it was really smooth. The amps couldn't handle complex impedances very well and it's also written in the manual of the icepower amp. For me it did the trick maybe that could help your speaker too
Speakers arrived yesterday and almost finished building it tonight. There's still a little issue with the bass but it's handling it much better than the Zaph version.
It's not complete yet but I wanted to hear it before I finish it.
The song I have an issue it is with Wheezer's Say it ain't so.
For some reason the bass notes in the beginning make a big stink on the B3N. On the W3-881 it handles it much better, but not completely gone. I tried to listen to as many other songs but at this point my head is spinning. So calling it a day! Sounds decent enough so will be finishing them next week and making a few more for friends.
I downloaded REW from the web and I also bought a little mic from Parts Express as well. My room isn't any way good for any kind of measurements, but I wanted to see what I get. I am using my Vifa speaker (which I am using as a reference) that I built over 20 years ago. Unfortunately I took the other measurements first, but I'm too lazy to redo them. The amp had the treble turned slightly down. So I'm assuming the drop at the 10khz would not be so harsh on my Vifa. The bottom end drop should be around 120-150hz on this speaker so the readings doesn't surprise me. Keep in mind I have never used REW before, I'm just using the cheap IMM-6 that is using a mic-in on my laptop and the calibrated values. All done with a 1/6 smoothing. No idea how to use this software so take all the readings below with a grain of salt.
So first up is the Zaph.
Now is the new TB.
It's not complete yet but I wanted to hear it before I finish it.
The song I have an issue it is with Wheezer's Say it ain't so.
For some reason the bass notes in the beginning make a big stink on the B3N. On the W3-881 it handles it much better, but not completely gone. I tried to listen to as many other songs but at this point my head is spinning. So calling it a day! Sounds decent enough so will be finishing them next week and making a few more for friends.
I downloaded REW from the web and I also bought a little mic from Parts Express as well. My room isn't any way good for any kind of measurements, but I wanted to see what I get. I am using my Vifa speaker (which I am using as a reference) that I built over 20 years ago. Unfortunately I took the other measurements first, but I'm too lazy to redo them. The amp had the treble turned slightly down. So I'm assuming the drop at the 10khz would not be so harsh on my Vifa. The bottom end drop should be around 120-150hz on this speaker so the readings doesn't surprise me. Keep in mind I have never used REW before, I'm just using the cheap IMM-6 that is using a mic-in on my laptop and the calibrated values. All done with a 1/6 smoothing. No idea how to use this software so take all the readings below with a grain of salt.
So first up is the Zaph.
Now is the new TB.
Anyone know what could cause that peaking at around 60hz on the W3-881SJF? Would that cause an unnecessary travel in the cone when it can be eliminated? Is there something I can do to the box to eliminate it?
Could be a room node. Did you place the speakers in the same place as the others when you measured them?
The low end (<100 Hz or so) measurements can be all over the place and are really not indicative of the actual speaker response. The best place to measure (short of a purpose built room) is outdoors.
The low end (<100 Hz or so) measurements can be all over the place and are really not indicative of the actual speaker response. The best place to measure (short of a purpose built room) is outdoors.
I did test it the same spot. I just read up more about measuring so will try to take another reading after I finish rounding off the edges. I've been watching youtube videos the past few nights on using the REW software. The low end I will have to ignore. If the weather is good this weekend I will attempt it outside as well. It's set to snow I believe? What was supposed to be a quick project is now turning into a lot of learning 🙂