Greetings all - been a reader for a long time trying to learn enough to start engaging. I've got DIY aspirations, but recognize I need to learn a lot before I start learning a lot by doing.
As I've read more and learned about what ends up making great conventional speakers great, even and controlled (maybe wide) dispersion and flat on-axis are the keys. I've been frustrated with the waveguide tweeter options, but was excited to see a recent video from Joseph Crowe Audio about a 2-way design for DIY:
YouTube
This looks like a great design to sculpt the waveguide into the baffle that permits using a great-performing, reasonable cost dome tweeter from SB acoustics. I really like that the waveguide is integral to the baffle - it has a much more polished look, and it really seems to integrate the two drivers really well. In the video, he steps through how the handoff works particularly well with the horn-loaded tweeter's natural performance and his proposed first-over crossover design, and then goes into measured distortion to show that it's not a sacrifice.
Although this is a more complex speaker philosophy than I'd ordinarily take on for a first project, this actually looks like the baffle design does hard enough work that it actually *simplifies* the rest. This has jumped into my short-list of projects to cut my teeth on.. I'm just worried that I might not need to build again after it
In the video, he says he'll be selling the baffle and the cabinet as a flatpack, but I think he sometimes sells 3D geometry for folks who have access to 3D printing (or maybe CNC?). Now to go read up on veneering cabinets some more...
As I've read more and learned about what ends up making great conventional speakers great, even and controlled (maybe wide) dispersion and flat on-axis are the keys. I've been frustrated with the waveguide tweeter options, but was excited to see a recent video from Joseph Crowe Audio about a 2-way design for DIY:
YouTube
This looks like a great design to sculpt the waveguide into the baffle that permits using a great-performing, reasonable cost dome tweeter from SB acoustics. I really like that the waveguide is integral to the baffle - it has a much more polished look, and it really seems to integrate the two drivers really well. In the video, he steps through how the handoff works particularly well with the horn-loaded tweeter's natural performance and his proposed first-over crossover design, and then goes into measured distortion to show that it's not a sacrifice.
Although this is a more complex speaker philosophy than I'd ordinarily take on for a first project, this actually looks like the baffle design does hard enough work that it actually *simplifies* the rest. This has jumped into my short-list of projects to cut my teeth on.. I'm just worried that I might not need to build again after it
In the video, he says he'll be selling the baffle and the cabinet as a flatpack, but I think he sometimes sells 3D geometry for folks who have access to 3D printing (or maybe CNC?). Now to go read up on veneering cabinets some more...
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Replying to myself here, wonder if that is a faux pas!
Also, a link to his website for more detail (Stand-Mount Speaker Series No.1159 – Joseph Crowe
A few questions for the more knowledgeable folks here:
1. Does this look a fairly friendly first build?
2. Any experience with this woofer? It appears to work well and integrate well; is there any reason to contact him to customize the cabinet for a different one?
One final thought... my previous potential first project was the Philharmonic BMR, but the cabinet seemed a bit more involved and the crossover is a lot more involved. For a small room, this seems also to be a good match and simpler project. Curious what others think of the comparison.
Also, a link to his website for more detail (Stand-Mount Speaker Series No.1159 – Joseph Crowe
A few questions for the more knowledgeable folks here:
1. Does this look a fairly friendly first build?
2. Any experience with this woofer? It appears to work well and integrate well; is there any reason to contact him to customize the cabinet for a different one?
One final thought... my previous potential first project was the Philharmonic BMR, but the cabinet seemed a bit more involved and the crossover is a lot more involved. For a small room, this seems also to be a good match and simpler project. Curious what others think of the comparison.
Josephs offering is interesting. One thing I find is that building my own gives me freedom to design, but for someone without the training and experience this can be challenging.
I like the result you can get with wood like this. Plastic horns can be less than ideal, although they can be damped and reinforced.
I could see a future of cutting the waveguide out and using it in other projects.. just saying this to encourage your thoughts on changing drivers. Maybe Joseph would be receptive to increasing the size of the cutout. However, with a larger woofer comes a lower cross. Can the waveguide manage that?
I like the result you can get with wood like this. Plastic horns can be less than ideal, although they can be damped and reinforced.
I could see a future of cutting the waveguide out and using it in other projects.. just saying this to encourage your thoughts on changing drivers. Maybe Joseph would be receptive to increasing the size of the cutout. However, with a larger woofer comes a lower cross. Can the waveguide manage that?
Thanks for your thoughts - totally agree that the all-wood waveguide is a huge benefit here. The extra work of figuring out a plastic waveguide and making it work and integrating it beautifully into a baffle seems forbidding to a first-timer. As well, this design has SAF benefits, as stained walnut gets many points more than plastic does for the living room.
Interesting thought about cutting out and re-using the waveguide as part of a separate speaker if I go a different direction someday. This is part of what I love about DIYaudio - a completed piece can become a raw material here
If I did that, I'd want to keep his ES geometry on the lower (cut) edge, but JC audio may be able to advise on how to do that effectively down the line. You raise an excellent point about the woofer directivity transition being part of the equation too. From the measurements, it looks like the large cabinet dimensions help the smaller woofer extend well, so in a smaller room there may not be need for a larger driver, anyhow.My wife said that she'd also like this speaker with a copper capped woofer like the SEAS W18 to complement the walnut, but that would both blow the budget and the cabinet and baffle design. We can save that for another project
What does your wife say about black speaker cloth? The fabric itself does not affect the sound.My wife said that she'd also like this speaker with a copper capped woofer like the SEAS W18 to complement the walnut, but that would both blow the budget and the cabinet and baffle design. We can save that for another project
If Troy/Joseph machines the enclosure panels for you, the rest should be as simple as any other basic DIY kit. The only other 'tricky' part, depending on your experience, might be the crossover assembly. Does he offer pre-built crossovers too?
Grill options (though I think it's a shame to cover up the waveguide!)
Grill options
(though I think it's a shame to cover up the waveguide!)
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Fantastically, she is indifferent to speaker coverings. As long as whatever is underneath is cool looking, she’s okay with it. I’m lucky that way. Sometimes I wonder whether the suggestion to change a woofer was her trolling me
Based on his testing, it looks like a first order crossover inline cap to the tweeter may be all that’s called for to get his specified tweeter slope. That’s not too bad! I shouldn’t own a soldering kit if I can’t pull that off, haha.
Cool renderings - I missed the edit! I agree, that waveguide is too pretty and sculpted to cover it. It could be interesting to do a simple round fabric cover for the woofer and leave the tweeter bare too.If Troy/Joseph machines the enclosure panels for you, the rest should be as simple as any other basic DIY kit. The only other 'tricky' part, depending on your experience, might be the crossover assembly. Does he offer pre-built crossovers too?
Grill options
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