Designing my matching TABAQ center speaker

Hi all,

I built myself a pair of large TABAQ. I am satisfied with its performance. Compared them to a set of Elac Unifi 2.0 UB52, they are not far behind.

Now I am thinking to build a matching center speaker. I know 99% of center speakers are in the MTM configuration. Mid range - Tweeter - Mid range.

However I am not planning to use a tweeter as I am not verse with building x overs.

So my question is there still a benefit of having two drivers in series (two 4 Ohm full range drivers in series).
Would that be same as using one 8 Ohm full range driver?
I assume the output in terms of SPL is the same?

Is the reason of a MTM configuration is to be symmetrical putting mid range drivers on left and right of the tweeter?

 
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frugal-phile™
Joined 2001
Paid Member
Is the reason of a MTM configuration

The sideways MTM is all about marketing. It is a VERY poor engineering choice.

The TABAQ make sit hard to centre the driver in the baffle but it could be used as is turned sideways or you could creatively fold it. Or given the bass needs of a centre you could lkely get away with a sealed or reflex box. Key is the use of the same driver.

dave
 
Normally the renter channel is for speech, assuming you are using a AV amp with a decoder. As there is not much bass, single driver in a sealed cabinet will be fine.

2 × 4ohm speaker is not a good idea as you place it horizontally as it will have combing effects in the treble region as you walk around the room.

Adding a tweeter to a full range is much simpler than a full blown crossover. It functions more as a super tweeter. Typically you will need a half inch tweeter, use a 1 to 2uF capacitor in series and it is more of supplementing the treble in the 10 to 20kHz region. Or you can but a super tweeter. Adds air to the speaker.

Oon
 
I made the same pair with the same driver - yours look nicer. What's the black rectangle on the left edge of each? The picture doesnt expand enough for me to see.

I'd follow the advice given. Get another 5" TB and put it in a sealed box that fits on the shelf. No need for two.

I once found a high end center MTM at a yard sale. Curious, the guy told me it was left in the basement when they bought the house some years ago. I sold it on ebay - freaked out at first because one of the two "mids" wasnt speaking the same way as the other - had much less HF output. Took some googling to find out that's how it was crossed and was working the way it's supposed to. So there's that trick - filter the highs on just one of the pair. I have no idea what that does regarding how the sound propagates...

I think Joe D'Appolito said his vertical MTM arrangement was supposed to limit the vertical dispersion of the tweeter. Turn that sideways - what do you get? I guess they market it cause it looks cool, matching the L and R speaker's driver appearance.
 
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If you are happy with the performance of your fullrange in the TABAQ, then why change anything?

As mentioned, you don’t need the bass output of the MLTL from the center channel, most AV units will cut at 80Hz anyway. So, to keep the sound signature the same, just build a sealed version with the same driver as your TABAQ and enjoy. Only one driver.
 
Thanks for all the inputs. Sounds like a sealed box with the same driver is the way to go. Just checked PE, seems like they bumped up the price again. Oh well I guess luckily I only need one this time.

I made the same pair with the same driver - yours look nicer. What's the black rectangle on the left edge of each? The picture doesnt expand enough for me to see.

Excuse for my silliness, it's just a sticker I put on to cover some scratches on the baffle.
 
One more thing is that these pair of TB tends to have this beaming effect. I am kinda hesitate to use it for center. Is it possible to use another TB which is similar to these W5-2143.

Of course they will beam. Those W5 beam quite a lot.
But that's ok as you are seated in front of it on the couch.
You'll just have a good separation of the sound moving from side to side.

Many high end (home) theater setups are using horns to control directivity of the channels in front. A bit of beaming here is not a tragedy.
 
Of course they will beam. Those W5 beam quite a lot.
But that's ok as you are seated in front of it on the couch.
You'll just have a good separation of the sound moving from side to side.

Many high end (home) theater setups are using horns to control directivity of the channels in front. A bit of beaming here is not a tragedy.

Yeah, it sounds similar to the horn on my Klipsch. It's good for movie but listening to music can be quite annoying from time to time.
 
I'm using a stereo 2-way for music (sit 15' away 3 people sitting at a table for hours) and a single 4 x 3" mini array for late night movies (or no bass music) for me and wife lying on different couches but heads 3' apart, 10-11' away.

I was asking distance and area because i don't think the w5 could cover a couch wide area at 8', but if it is just you, then sure, dispersion will give you a little left right up down.
 
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One more thing is that these pair of TB tends to have this beaming effect. I am kinda hesitate to use it for center. Is it possible to use another TB which is similar to these W5-2143.

Yeah, it sounds similar to the horn on my Klipsch. It's good for movie but listening to music can be quite annoying from time to time.

Keep them straight for movies, toe them in for music.