[Danny Richie]

I was just going to copy the MTM design of the Super 7, which has the Neo10's oriented horizontally and stacked 2 above, and 2 below, the tweeter.  Except I was going to do 2 more above and below to give me a total of 4 panels above the tweeter and 4 panels below the tweeter.  I know these drivers are crazy transparent, but I wanted to stack as many as I could in order to get more surface area so that there is more slam in the lower mids and upper bass.

Using more than 4 causes an impedance mismatch. And at 97db sensitivity you will never drive them very hard as it is. Adding more of them really isn't going to give you any more slam. That slam is handled by the lower woofers.

[Danny Richie]

I'm pretty sure Danny doesn't like them either though.

They are the best of the currently available units out there. But they are still well behind the quality of a good DAC.

[Danny Richie]

I was also thinking that with the Neo10's and the AMT, they have such strong overlap, that I could probably implement a 1st order crossover and not worry about out of band nasties or driver breakup. 

1st order networks won't work with those drivers. If it would, I'd sure be using them.

Actually, Rick's idea of a giant square of Neo10's around the AMT sounds pretty interesting.  2 Neo10's above, 2 below, 2 to the left and 2 to the right of the tweeter.  It would be a coaxial planar magnetic speaker.  Hmmmm....

That would actually cause a lot of problems. The off axis response in the horizontal plane would fall off too quick, and the AMT wouldn't be able to play down low enough to fill the gap. And the added surface area would disrupt the response of those drivers by a LOT. And it would image like an in-wall.

Tyson, just buy a pair of the Super-7's. I'll make you a deal.

[Danny Richie]

Have you seen the Hawthorne AMT/waveguide? Looks pretty nice, and open baffle ready 

http://www.hawthorneaudio.us/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4934

Actually that unit pictured there is here at GR Research right now. I just designed a crossover for it. That is an incredible tweeter.

We are also working on a shorter version that I plan to use with some new kits (X-Otica, X-Optima, X-Streme....). Hawthorne Audio may be offering them as well.

[Ric Schultz]

Looks like about $368 each for the AMT (page 4 on the above mentioned thread).  Looks like it could be a killer way to make a three way using say 4 of the Neo 10s like in the Serenity 7 but use the AMT in the middle since it has high enough sensitivity to match the 4 Neo 10s.  You could cross around 1.5K (maybe lower?) and you would have the clarity and dynamics of the 4 Neo 10s in that critical voice range (rather than using the 15 inch slower drivers there).

Danny, never tried the H frame versus same plane but my gut tells me that I would probably like the same plane better.  Currently I have a Neo 10/Neo3 on an open baffle and it rolls off -6 at 250hz.  I have my woofs set to be -6 at 250hz as well.  I have to move the mid/tweeter back to time align them to make them sound correct.  When I listen to the woofs by themselves (24db per octave xover) I hear the fundamentals of male voices.

[Danny Richie]

The biggest one is only available on their "Reference" series finished speakers, but the smaller ones are intended for DIY. Both of them go fairly low compared to most AMT's.

I crossed it at 800Hz to that 15" woofer. I think they may be the best built AMT's out there. The shorter one we are working on might cross as low as 1 to 1.2kHz. But it will allow much closer center to center spacing and better vertical dispersion.

[Danny Richie]

No idea but I'd guess that he would still prefer a passive crossover being that he sells all the parts. 

Actually I don't recommend the passive parts because I sell them. If I had my rathers I would really love to use an all digital crossover. However, as of right now none of the currently available units beat passive parts and a good DAC. I recommend whatever will sound best, period.

There is some new stuff in the works though. So I am hopeful this may change soon.

[jtwrace]

They are the best of the currently available units out there. But they are still well behind the quality of a good DAC.

Dac and Crossover are different though so...?  Of course the Hypex DLCP will solve all the issues and I happen to have one.   

[Danny Richie]

Looks like about $368 each for the AMT (page 4 on the above mentioned thread).  Looks like it could be a killer way to make a three way using say 4 of the Neo 10s like in the Serenity 7 but use the AMT in the middle since it has high enough sensitivity to match the 4 Neo 10s.  You could cross around 1.5K (maybe lower?) and you would have the clarity and dynamics of the 4 Neo 10s in that critical voice range (rather than using the 15 inch slower drivers there).

It is a bit too tall for that application. Acoustic centers get pretty far apart, and doesn't have the vertical dispersion of the Neo 3.

Danny, never tried the H frame versus same plane but my gut tells me that I would probably like the same plane better.  Currently I have a Neo 10/Neo3 on an open baffle and it rolls off -6 at 250hz.  I have my woofs set to be -6 at 250hz as well.  I have to move the mid/tweeter back to time align them to make them sound correct.  When I listen to the woofs by themselves (24db per octave xover) I hear the fundamentals of male voices.

Your baffle design is limiting the low frequency extension of the Neo 10. And it will cause some ripple in the upper range of the Neo 10's as well. I tried some versions like it.

And the baffle design (with short side wings) of the Super-7 allows a crossover point in the 180Hz range. So the woofers don't have to play up that high.

[Ric Schultz]

Danny,  As soon as I typed my message I thought "Danny is going to say the tweeter is too tall".  Still, it could sound killer.

[Danny Richie]

Danny,  As soon as I typed my message I thought "Danny is going to say the tweeter is too tall".  Still, it could sound killer.

That tweeter sounds great!

[Danny Richie]

Oh yeah, and Serenity Acoustics Line Force model is getting close. Baffles have been cut. Yes, it is all Aluminum.













Each speaker also get a matching small sub tower with three 12" servo subs in an open baffle H frame.

[HAL]

Nice!   

[SoCalWJS]

Nice! 

Looks like an OB Neo with aluminum frame similar to the Mockingbird effort?

[rajacat]

Dac and Crossover are different though so...?  Of course the Hypex DLCP will solve all the issues and I happen to have one.   

How about a review of the DLCP? Off topic here but certainly worthy of a dedicated thread.
I'm on the verge of buying a miniDSP but definitely interested in alternatives.

[Captainhemo]

Oh yeah, and Serenity Acoustics Line Force model is getting close. Baffles have been cut. Yes, it is all Aluminum.



Each speaker also get a matching small sub tower with three 12" servo subs in an open baffle H frame.

WOW 
All that machined aluminum is beautiful (I'd like to see it in a high gloss machined finish).  By chance,  is Matt over at Aluminati doing the machining ?
Was there any resonance issue(s) with the aluminum you had to deal with ?
Any chance these will be ready for Serenity to show off at RMAF ?

Very cool

-jay

[Ric Schultz]

I understand you wanted to extend the low frequency response of the 10s hence the wing....but the whole thing looks rather asymmetrical, clunky and industrial.  Don't care for the feet at all.  When people buy things this expensive (I imagine at least $60,000?) then how it looks is really important.  The Radia FS880 is slim and symmetrical with nice outriggers at the bottom.  Way nicer look.  Maybe black anodizing would help.

When I make mine it will have a really nice wood front finish (constrained layers for damping....bamboo/birch ply/ultra refined MDF/Green Glue) with nice outriggers at the bottom and the bass panel would also be wood with 6 8 inch servo woofs on it.  Both panels about 1 foot wide.  With a nice grill over the drivers and all that wood it would look pretty cool.  The grill comes off for listening (of course).

[Captainhemo]

I'd think you'd get  those  who prefer  the aluminum  and also those who'd prefer a  fine wood  finish.
I'd assume the aluminum will be available in anodized finisheds as well  as a  natureal  machined look.

I don't think just because a speaker  sells for a significant amount of $$ it  needs to be   finished in  wood.    I like beautiful wood finisheds too but  I think aluminum can be  be impressive as well 
-jay

[Danny Richie]

Nice! 

Looks like an OB Neo with aluminum frame similar to the Mockingbird effort?

Yep.

[Danny Richie]

How about a review of the DLCP? Off topic here but certainly worthy of a dedicated thread.
I'm on the verge of buying a miniDSP but definitely interested in alternatives.

That may be the worst sounding of all of them out there. There is some new stuff hitting the market that might be just the ticket. Hang in there. I'll see if I can get you some feedback on some new stuff.