I have several ScanSpeak 18W/8531G00 drivers. They are bass drivers that came out of Sonus Faber Cremona speakers that had suffered an encounter with a cat. Minor surround damage that I am repairing with adhesive. I have been wanting to build a high quality 2 way speaker & wonder if I can use these for the mid/bass drivers. I have a nice subwoofer, so the extreme low end is not a concern, it's the question of how well these will work for the mid range. I have some tweeters (ScanSpeak Discovery R2604_8320), but may consider purchasing others if they need to extend a little lower to crossover better with the mid/bass driver. I have 4 of the "mid/woofers", so using 2 in a 3 way configuration is a consideration.
Links to these drivers. ScanSpeak Discovery R2604/8320 1" Tweeter Ring Radiator
ScanSpeak Revelator 18W/8531G-00 7" Mid Woofer 8 ohm
Thanks,
Kev
Links to these drivers. ScanSpeak Discovery R2604/8320 1" Tweeter Ring Radiator
ScanSpeak Revelator 18W/8531G-00 7" Mid Woofer 8 ohm
Thanks,
Kev
Hi Kev,
best use is something you can probably answer yourself. If you care for a full range sounding speakers, these units in a 2.5 way should output reasonably deep bass tones in a larger enclosure, aprox.100 litres, or if you rather prefer a bookshelf type speaker, a single midwoofer in a sealed enclosure supported by a sub is also a decent solution, plus you have another pair of units to spare. As usual the crossover filter is yet to be designed and with a ring radiator a 2.5 kHz xo point should suffice. There is other projects like that floating around so you can get a feel for ballpark values of filter parts and sensitivity, cut-off frequency etc... I'd start with manufacturer datasheet simulation and once I have it solved, do again the same only with my own measurements before buying parts. There has been much said on how to simulate and with what software.
best use is something you can probably answer yourself. If you care for a full range sounding speakers, these units in a 2.5 way should output reasonably deep bass tones in a larger enclosure, aprox.100 litres, or if you rather prefer a bookshelf type speaker, a single midwoofer in a sealed enclosure supported by a sub is also a decent solution, plus you have another pair of units to spare. As usual the crossover filter is yet to be designed and with a ring radiator a 2.5 kHz xo point should suffice. There is other projects like that floating around so you can get a feel for ballpark values of filter parts and sensitivity, cut-off frequency etc... I'd start with manufacturer datasheet simulation and once I have it solved, do again the same only with my own measurements before buying parts. There has been much said on how to simulate and with what software.
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Thanks for your response Lojzek,
My main concern with these mid/bass drivers is how well they perform in the midrange. In the Sonus Faber Cremona speakers they came out of, they are used in a 3 way configuration (TMWW) with a very nice midrange driver. Don't know where they are crossed over though. If these drivers would work well in a 2 way design, that would be my first choice. Trying to keep costs down.
Regards,
kev
My main concern with these mid/bass drivers is how well they perform in the midrange. In the Sonus Faber Cremona speakers they came out of, they are used in a 3 way configuration (TMWW) with a very nice midrange driver. Don't know where they are crossed over though. If these drivers would work well in a 2 way design, that would be my first choice. Trying to keep costs down.
Regards,
kev
Hi Kev,
2-way and 2,5-way design by Zaph using the 18W/8531g00
Zaph|Audio - ZRT - Revelator Tower
It might be possible to figure out a cheap replacement with the D2604 instead of the D3004-6600. The R2604 shouldn't be crossed that low.
You could actually use the R2604 if you invest in a pair of Scanspeak 12m/4631g00:
Ekta-Grande
-Matt
2-way and 2,5-way design by Zaph using the 18W/8531g00
Zaph|Audio - ZRT - Revelator Tower
It might be possible to figure out a cheap replacement with the D2604 instead of the D3004-6600. The R2604 shouldn't be crossed that low.
You could actually use the R2604 if you invest in a pair of Scanspeak 12m/4631g00:
Ekta-Grande
-Matt
Your welcome! I think that you will do just fine with these woofers and your tweeter crossed in the 2.5 kHz range. Made a quick sim of woofers and their LP filter, pretty simple one confirming my opinion. If you'd like to be extra sure, fabricate a smaller bookshelf test enclosure, for instance 9 by 15" baffle measures, made of 0.5" thick chipboard. I would high pass the tweeter steeply.
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Thanks for the info. Actually I have one 12m 4631g00 (Sonus Faber) ver. that came out of the Cremona & I repaired the voicecoil. I had considered getting a second one for a 2 way with the R2604 tweeters, but then wondered if the 18W/8531g00 wouldn't serve better in a 2 way + sub setup. Thinking the 4631 wouldn't go low enough for a 2 way.
Kev
The 12m/4631 has actually been used as a woofer in a 2-way (Klang+Ton Bonbon). It can be done. I wouldn't recommend the "bonbon" in particular however (there appears to be a problem with the crossover design).
Are you sure, it's the 12m you are having? From pictures I would guess the cremona is fitted with a 15m or 15w midrange.
Are you sure, it's the 12m you are having? From pictures I would guess the cremona is fitted with a 15m or 15w midrange.
My mistake. It must be the 15M/4531K. Mine only has the SF model designation & no Scanspeak model #. Thanks
Kev
I think you should just fix the flippin' things back to their 3 way splendor:
Sonus Faber Cremona loudspeaker | Stereophile.com
The scan woofer is extremely difficult for a 2-2.5kHz crossover, and I doubt if a ring radiator is designed to go that low:
SP95
It sceams out 3 way. Always better than a 2 way. Even a big tweeter can work:
SP38/13
Let's ignore Zaph on this one. His two way was an acknowledged disaster at this forum.
Best effort I saw was from eriksquires with the 4 ohm version and an expensive mundorf ribbon tweeter that can dig low. Below. A minimal filter which miraculously did some good things. But just making the best of a bad job, IMO.
Sonus Faber Cremona loudspeaker | Stereophile.com
The scan woofer is extremely difficult for a 2-2.5kHz crossover, and I doubt if a ring radiator is designed to go that low:
SP95
It sceams out 3 way. Always better than a 2 way. Even a big tweeter can work:
SP38/13
Let's ignore Zaph on this one. His two way was an acknowledged disaster at this forum.
Best effort I saw was from eriksquires with the 4 ohm version and an expensive mundorf ribbon tweeter that can dig low. Below. A minimal filter which miraculously did some good things. But just making the best of a bad job, IMO.
Attachments
Thanks for your input. I was wanting to play around with a 2 way build. My Cremona are fully restored & I don't want to essentially build another pair. I would like to upgrade the tweeters in the Cremona though. I was afraid that the 18W/8531 wouldn't do well in the midrange of a 2-way, so thanks for confirming that.
It has been suggested that I replace the Crmona ring radiator with a dome tweeter or another higher end ScanSpeak Revelator R2904/7000-09. Very expensive though!
Regards,
Kev
My reservations about 6" plus 1" is based on the terrible time alignment problems they usually present and the low crossover they force you to. If you had taken the trouble to read the two links I provided, you will find that no less a light than Troels Gravesen shares them, especially with a badly behaved driver like the Scan 18W series.
SP95
6" is possibly the worst of both worlds between 5" and 8" bass units. You need well-behaved drivers and complex crossover for a good result. I can only think of about a half dozen 6" drivers I would take on here. It can be done:
Seas ER18RNX with 27TDFC
Graham Audio Chartwell LS6 |
But if you are in the (slightly deluded) simple crossover camp, you are just entering a World of hurt. Don't even go there unless you really know what you are doing is my advice.
SP95
6" is possibly the worst of both worlds between 5" and 8" bass units. You need well-behaved drivers and complex crossover for a good result. I can only think of about a half dozen 6" drivers I would take on here. It can be done:
Seas ER18RNX with 27TDFC
Graham Audio Chartwell LS6 |
But if you are in the (slightly deluded) simple crossover camp, you are just entering a World of hurt. Don't even go there unless you really know what you are doing is my advice.
I have dug up a speaker that uses 2 of your drivers, the bass and the treble ones: EKTA
And this one is adaptable for a different tweeter IMO: SP38/13
I would be tempted to look at a cheaper mid for the Ekta like 4" SEAS or SB Acoustics. Can't think the sloped baffle amounts to anything that can't be adjusted in the crossover, along with midreange level.
Either way, be a good speaker. Lots of bass for a 7" unit.
And this one is adaptable for a different tweeter IMO: SP38/13
I would be tempted to look at a cheaper mid for the Ekta like 4" SEAS or SB Acoustics. Can't think the sloped baffle amounts to anything that can't be adjusted in the crossover, along with midreange level.
Either way, be a good speaker. Lots of bass for a 7" unit.
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