Hello Steven,
Thanks for joining in over here, and thanks for the well written review.
I just wanted to reduce the amount of midrange energy which comes off the backs of the midrange drivers themselves.
You may have great results in doing this. It might be a mixed bag for others though as it will alter the back wall reflections. It might come down to a subjective issue.
Also the metal enclosure on the back of the driver has a resonant frequency that can be excited at higher SPLs that I wanted to damp.
I would think that it would take quite a bit to set that shielding cut off. It would take just the right frequency range to excite it too. The fact that the frame is a high strength polymer will keep it from transmitting anything to the front baffle (a big plus). No frame ringing either.
A small piece of No Rez would do it.
You might kill two birds with one stone cutting a narrow strip of No Rez and wrapping it around the outside of the shielding cup. It is easy to cut, and the pressure sensitive adhesive will make it easy to apply.
Have you investigated upgrades to the drivers on the X-Statik and Voce?
It would be tough to upgrade them. They are already top level drivers.
I have used every top level tweeter out there from Revelators, Millennium's, Usher, etc. As dome tweeters go this one is right there.
The woofers will be tough to beat without getting crazy too.
I think the cabinet and basic design is great, but I'd love to hear what sonic changes better components would make.
That can be fairly significant. You'd be really surprised. Lining the cabinet with No Rez and stepping up the quality of caps and resistors goes a long way. You could take it even further with a point to point wired network with better wire and inductors.
I would like to hear these speakers with a BG neo 3 tweeter.
The BG tweeter is a step up. You can't add it to the existing X-Statik though as it physically will not fit. If you want to go that route then you might as well build a set of OB-7's.
I have been wanting to give Steve's mod a try on my OB's and have been trying to find some felt locally but striking out. Would acoustic foam acomplish desired results as well?
No Rez would be easy to use, but you (Nick) don't have the ringing of the shielding cups to contend with as your drivers are not shielded.
A BG tweeter, or perhaps the one used in the Genesis 6.1 designed by Arnie Nudell...drool...
The BG is one of the best I have ever used. If the Genesis uses the one I am thinking of then I would pass on it. It has no rear chamber or back wave damping. The Fs is really high and it won't play down below 3kHz well at all. The BG is the complete opposite.
