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Silver Flute vs Peerless for FAST / WAW

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Since more designs have been created using the f.a.s.t. method, the two woofers that have interested me are the Silver Flute and the Peerless 830991 or 830860 HDS in 5 1/4". I was wanting to get opinions on which one they preferred and why. Interested in the frequency of 300hz and down. I'll be using a 12" woofer for things like movies and some music. I'm wanting to utilize 4 total, 2 per side and preferably sealed. Will be using a miniDSP and separate amps to power my Alpair 10p and woofers. I have airspace of 28L per side for the woofers. Thank You for any help you could give!
 
The only Peerless mid-woofs we've use in our FASTs is the little 4" 830870, and for the Silver Flutes the slightly larger W14. There've also been a couple of models of Alpair and Mark Audio, and the discontinued CSS SDX7, to name all that I can presently remember.

Never been a big fan of any of the woven fibreglass or plastic cones without extra treatment, but as I've not actually heard the 830991, so I shouldn't really comment on it.

As you are contemplating multiple woofs, if there was a big difference in cost factor, I'd be inclined towards the lower priced unit, but as all the comparable candidates seem to be very competitive, I'd almost flip a coin.

You might find that a ported enclosure for the mid-woofers would yield better results - with the exception of the SDX7s, all of ours to date have been some variation of an MLTL or high aspect ratio distributed slot port design.
 
I have looked into the RS180 but unfortunately its to large for my size constraints.

Thanks for the quick responses.

I was curious if there is going to be a problem with the Peerless considering that they only come in 8 ohm. So the woofers being paralleled to 4 ohm, while the 10p is 8 ohm, both being on different amps. What issues should I be looking for? Or would it be better to go with the woofers I can get in 4 ohm?
 
Duncan - if you're bi-amping, and have individual and master level controls, the difference in impedances should be a non-issue. There's also the advantage when using 2 @ 8ohms in parallel in that most solid state amps should deliver more power into the load and still maintain a reasonable safety margin.

There is of course the theoretical advantage of a SS amp exhibiting lower distortion at the higher impedance load of 2 @4 in series, but I've never heard that demonstrated.
 
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frugal-phile™
Joined 2001
Paid Member
We haven't tried either of those Peerless, so i can't comment on them. The little 830870 is really good, the 5 ¼ in the same series likely carries some of the same pedigree.

We have only used the 830870 in ML-TL or ML-V. The Silver Flute W14 in a high aspect ratio vented enclosure (5 litre/driver), the 4" with a similar alignment is ~15 litre. Our next FAST will use 2 W14 in an ML-TL with FF85wKeN. The 140mm W14 is less pricey than the 100mm 830870.

Now, it should be noted that A10p in an appropriate enclosure will go lower than either of the 2. It isn't really something i'd pick for a FAST unless it was an OB (i do have one more of those in my head). 2 A10p in a 1.5 way should work well and move as much air as a FAST with it and 2 5 ¼".

Now if you are set of sealed that significantly reduces the selection. The SDX7 was outstanding in that respect but i have yet to find a replacement.

I'll have a quick look at those 2 Peerless and see how they align up.

dave
 
frugal-phile™
Joined 2001
Paid Member
Neither of the 2 1st mentioned Peerless are suited for sealed & bass production.

Standard sealed sims & a BR sim for each attached.

dave
 

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I listened to a 830991 and found it to be quite adequate. It was nicely extended with a smooth rolloff. Great detail, good vocal reproduction, wonderfully smooth violin section reproduction. Should be easy to cross to a tweeter even using a 1st order crossover.

I listened to a second, more expensive driver, an Audax HM170C0 6.5" carbon fiber cone midwoofer, at the same time. It had a smooth rolloff as well though not quite as extended. That said, a first order crossover to a wide range tweeter (SEAS H1189 or SB Acoustics SB29RBC) tweeter should work very well for a two way.

The 6.5" Audax definitely had more punch (but about the same total displacement when Xmax is factored in), as would be expected in the larger driver. Both definitely need some beefy woofers / subs below their operating range.

That said, I'm not using either in the latest design.
 
Neither of the 2 1st mentioned Peerless are suited for sealed & bass production.

Standard sealed sims & a BR sim for each attached.

dave

I wish I was at a point in my learning that I could make sense of those graphs, but I can't. I do have a question though, I'm trying to learn about using the Linkwitz Transform through the minidsp to add to the lower end. Would that help in the decision of using any of these woofers in a sealed enclosure?

Just some more info: I have 2 tpa3116d amps on there way that I will be using. I have yet to order my minidsp, but I plan on ordering it when I decide on some woofers.
 
Dave, do you have a graph of one of the woofers you have used previously, so I could compare to the ones you previously posted? I'd hopefully be able to spot the differences and deduce what you were referring to earlier about the speakers I mentioned not being good candidates. If it's somethings that you don't have to go to much trouble with.
 
We haven't tried either of those Peerless, so i can't comment on them. The little 830870 is really good, the 5 ¼ in the same series likely carries some of the same pedigree.

We have only used the 830870 in ML-TL or ML-V. The Silver Flute W14 in a high aspect ratio vented enclosure (5 litre/driver), the 4" with a similar alignment is ~15 litre. Our next FAST will use 2 W14 in an ML-TL with FF85wKeN. The 140mm W14 is less pricey than the 100mm 830870.

Now, it should be noted that A10p in an appropriate enclosure will go lower than either of the 2. It isn't really something i'd pick for a FAST unless it was an OB (i do have one more of those in my head). 2 A10p in a 1.5 way should work well and move as much air as a FAST with it and 2 5 ¼".

Now if you are set of sealed that significantly reduces the selection. The SDX7 was outstanding in that respect but i have yet to find a replacement.

I'll have a quick look at those 2 Peerless and see how they align up.

dave

In which enclosure does alpair 10 will go lower than these woofers (silver flute W14 / peerless one). Is it BIB / frugal horn XL or any other?
Does it mean its better to go for a single alpair 10 speaker when compared with a fast setup with these woofers + FF85wk, (when not using a subwoofer)?
 
An answer to the second question could easily get confounded by the "how low do you Need to go for music / movies?" question, where much fun is to be had. I personally think that even with a competent front main pair, that at least one sub is always need for a HT system - certainly if you want the full body immersion sub 20Hz performance of which some extol the virtues, the optimal location may not be coincident with the mains.
 
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