I was playing around with positioning yesterday and they worked much better when placed closer together. The imaging was much more precise, in fact it was a lot more like what I expected. I originally had them placed outside my big speakers, but I moved one inside so that the spacing was now the same as I usually listen, except shifted over about a foot. My kids were asking why I wasn't sitting in the center of the couch like I always do 
It's also been a busy week at work, and this will be a busy weekend too, so I still haven't fully closed them up by glueing on the bottoms given the issue I mentioned above. If I get a chance I'll at least do the one that doesn't have the issue.
It's also been a busy week at work, and this will be a busy weekend too, so I still haven't fully closed them up by glueing on the bottoms given the issue I mentioned above. If I get a chance I'll at least do the one that doesn't have the issue.
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Hi,
I just completed building a pair of Frugel-Horn MK3. I'm not normally one to make a post to forums. Usually just lurk and learn if I'm honest.
Apologies in advance if I use inaccurate terminology. I am about as much a novice to this kind of thing as you can get.
Was keen to build a pair of FH3 after reading through the myriad posts here and after having some (what I am sure where stupid) questions answered by Scottmoose. Thanks Scott, appreciate you taking the time to respond.
If anyone is wondering what I was still unsure about (remember total novice) , I was worried about strapping the FH3 to my amp (a Grant Fidelity WGT-30). I worried that the amp would just blow the drivers given its wattage compared to what I understood as the rating of the Alpairs. (told you. complete novice) Scott said it would be fine as long as I didn't do something dumb (like turn it up to eleven.) I wasnt really sure about damping and did as advised placing the innards of a cheap pillow and some carpet underlay as indicated in the pdf guide. I've not played around with the density or placement as I'm really happy with how they sound. I used some 24ga cable I had laying around as the hookup cable. I had decided to build in 18mm ply and to install a pair of the alpair 7 drivers. Will confess this was as much an aestetic decision as it was based on their specs and reviews I'd read on them. I did a burn-in with those as recommended. Roughly 50 hours at low volume, then 24 hours a notch higher and repeated that up to what I considered just below background play level. Wasn't really sure what I was doing here so gave it best efforts rather than run the risk of wrecking them. Seems to have worked out ok.
I'm fortunate to have a mate who is a joiner and has his own workshop so I volunteered his professional assistance in building the cabinets. (Bought him a hotas for playing Eliteangerous as a thank you).
The cabinets were built by hand and have yet to be 'finished' but I'd decided not to think about that until I'd heard what they sounded like. All credit for the cabinets goes to my mate, mostly all I did was 'Project Manage' or go buy coffee.
Very happy with the results, they sound gorgeous. I've been trying all kinds of music through them (mostly flac via a squeezebox 2 through the GF WGT-30) from AC/DC to Prokofiev and haven't discovered anywhere I would say they were lacking. One thing I am particularly impressed by is the staging (again apologies if my terminology is way off), the sound doesn't feel like its sitting right on the speakers. I've had a few friends over and they have all been impressed at how they fill the room and you can't actually identify the source. I've other speakers in the room, for surround sound purposes, and sat watching in amusement whilst one of my mates navigated the room sticking his ear right up to every speaker unconvinced that it was just the FH3s that were in use. Now he wants a pair. In fact everyone who's heard them wants a pair. As for bass, more than enough, and not brutal with it. Very well defined. Doesn't overwhelm but there is plenty of it. I've stuck the FH3s right in the corners (sitting about 10cm out from the wall at the base) as planned and don't think I'll mess around with placement.
Going to mess around with my off-cuts and stains,paints,etc and try and figure out how I'm going to make them pretty. Although one of my mates did comment that the contrast between how they look and how they perform was rather cool. Might leave them as is
I just completed building a pair of Frugel-Horn MK3. I'm not normally one to make a post to forums. Usually just lurk and learn if I'm honest.
Apologies in advance if I use inaccurate terminology. I am about as much a novice to this kind of thing as you can get.
Was keen to build a pair of FH3 after reading through the myriad posts here and after having some (what I am sure where stupid) questions answered by Scottmoose. Thanks Scott, appreciate you taking the time to respond.
If anyone is wondering what I was still unsure about (remember total novice) , I was worried about strapping the FH3 to my amp (a Grant Fidelity WGT-30). I worried that the amp would just blow the drivers given its wattage compared to what I understood as the rating of the Alpairs. (told you. complete novice) Scott said it would be fine as long as I didn't do something dumb (like turn it up to eleven.) I wasnt really sure about damping and did as advised placing the innards of a cheap pillow and some carpet underlay as indicated in the pdf guide. I've not played around with the density or placement as I'm really happy with how they sound. I used some 24ga cable I had laying around as the hookup cable. I had decided to build in 18mm ply and to install a pair of the alpair 7 drivers. Will confess this was as much an aestetic decision as it was based on their specs and reviews I'd read on them. I did a burn-in with those as recommended. Roughly 50 hours at low volume, then 24 hours a notch higher and repeated that up to what I considered just below background play level. Wasn't really sure what I was doing here so gave it best efforts rather than run the risk of wrecking them. Seems to have worked out ok.
I'm fortunate to have a mate who is a joiner and has his own workshop so I volunteered his professional assistance in building the cabinets. (Bought him a hotas for playing Elite
angerous as a thank you).The cabinets were built by hand and have yet to be 'finished' but I'd decided not to think about that until I'd heard what they sounded like. All credit for the cabinets goes to my mate, mostly all I did was 'Project Manage' or go buy coffee.
Very happy with the results, they sound gorgeous. I've been trying all kinds of music through them (mostly flac via a squeezebox 2 through the GF WGT-30) from AC/DC to Prokofiev and haven't discovered anywhere I would say they were lacking. One thing I am particularly impressed by is the staging (again apologies if my terminology is way off), the sound doesn't feel like its sitting right on the speakers. I've had a few friends over and they have all been impressed at how they fill the room and you can't actually identify the source. I've other speakers in the room, for surround sound purposes, and sat watching in amusement whilst one of my mates navigated the room sticking his ear right up to every speaker unconvinced that it was just the FH3s that were in use. Now he wants a pair. In fact everyone who's heard them wants a pair. As for bass, more than enough, and not brutal with it. Very well defined. Doesn't overwhelm but there is plenty of it. I've stuck the FH3s right in the corners (sitting about 10cm out from the wall at the base) as planned and don't think I'll mess around with placement.
Going to mess around with my off-cuts and stains,paints,etc and try and figure out how I'm going to make them pretty. Although one of my mates did comment that the contrast between how they look and how they perform was rather cool. Might leave them as is
Attachments
Glad you like them
I'd really like to get inside one of those to see how close they ended up to the original design work we did for it.
dave
The WGT 30 is a fantastic piece of kit. Took me all of thirty seconds to part with my cash after hearing it. No buyers regrets whatsoever. Haven't opened it up or rolled in any other tubes , just using those that came with it. It isn't very forgiving with poor quality source material , anything that has been compressed for the earbud generation for example. This is of course by no means a failing , just shows how transparent it is. Forget it's even there most of the time, just get lost in the music. Which I hope is what was intended
Love it.
Love it.
Nice builds above.
Indeed! BTW, you got time to sim this Metronome in MathCad? http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/85410-metronome-33.html#post4188112
GM
You're welcome! Didn't know ya'll were into consumer amp design or this one in particular, so just a FWIW. Looks like quite a bargain, though without knowing its DF, it's yet another 'shot in the dark' as to whether it suits one's speaker choices. Ditto in SET mode.
While we're OT, are there any relatively inexpensive true matching impedance [DF = 1] amps or kits available?
GM
Hi guys,
Just received my flat pak from the Aussie supplier and have been provided with 14mm ply for all parts. I'm assuming this will be OK for everything but the baffle; do you think I should laminate another piece of thin three ply onto it and then rout around it, to make it up to 18mm or so for the baffle?
Thanks
Stuey
Just received my flat pak from the Aussie supplier and have been provided with 14mm ply for all parts. I'm assuming this will be OK for everything but the baffle; do you think I should laminate another piece of thin three ply onto it and then rout around it, to make it up to 18mm or so for the baffle?
Thanks
Stuey
For rigidity, all you need is a ply or hardwood vertical stiffener glued on edge and ideally add a tie bar from it to the back plate just below the driver.
GM