Statement Monitor?

pslate · « **on:** 30 May 2018, 12:54 pm »

Hi Danny,

This is a question I had in my mind for weeks and I thought I'd ask, especially as you are noodling on crossover design. Do you have any thoughts on a statement type monitor for 2018, or the future? I know you have to temper the desire of gear nuts, with the more deliberative pace of the advancement of audio drivers, so perhaps the answer is there is no need for a design newer than the N series. I get that. I just wonder what a no holds barred effort for you would be in a relatively affordable and easy to make, or source, format/cabinet would be for the enthusiast. Monitors are just fun to get into, and spouse's tend not to raise eyes as much with them

Paul

Danny Richie · « **Reply #1 on:** 30 May 2018, 02:22 pm »

Yes, I have had one on the drawing board for a while now. Jay already sent me some baffles for them. As soon as I can get a caught up I am building out a pair.

The design is for a true studio monitor that can bring high end audio and true accuracy to the professional and home based recording studios. They will also be great monitors for the audiophiles with smaller to medium sized rooms, especially with the addition of a servo sub to cover the bottom end.

It will use our new planar tweeter in a large wave guide and the new M-165NQ 8 ohm woofer.

pslate · « **Reply #2 on:** 30 May 2018, 02:45 pm »

Exciting news Danny! Thank you very much for sharing.

fdjslkgh · « **Reply #3 on:** 30 May 2018, 06:22 pm »

Any chance for a sealed box design? Or will this be rear-ported as well?

Folsom · « **Reply #4 on:** 30 May 2018, 08:02 pm »

I suspect this one will probably have something more interesting than just a regular port?

Danny Richie · « **Reply #5 on:** 30 May 2018, 08:42 pm »

Guys using these in the studio will often need them near the front wall. So they will be a sealed design. And the serious audiophiles will be adding a sub regardless.

If this works as well as I think it will then I'll follow it with a floor standing version that uses a pair or maybe three of our standard M-165/16's covering the bottom end and crossed over to the M-165NQ fairly low. But they will likely be in a sealed box as well.

fdjslkgh · « **Reply #6 on:** 31 May 2018, 02:57 pm »

If I can make additional pushy suggestions, I hope someone will offer (at least) pre-cut baffles, since that waveguide looks a little daunting for those of us with rudimentary woodworking skills.

Danny Richie · « **Reply #7 on:** 31 May 2018, 03:15 pm »

Quote from: fdjslkgh on 31 May 2018, 02:57 pm

If I can make additional pushy suggestions, I hope someone will offer (at least) pre-cut baffles, since that waveguide looks a little daunting for those of us with rudimentary woodworking skills.

The kit will come with the front baffles.

jtwrace · « **Reply #8 on:** 31 May 2018, 03:24 pm »

Quote from: Danny Richie on 30 May 2018, 02:22 pm

It will use our new planar tweeter in a large wave guide and the new M-165NQ 8 ohm woofer.

Hardly large or a waveguide! Where are those polar plots!?!?!

Danny Richie · « **Reply #9 on:** 31 May 2018, 03:34 pm »

Quote from: jtwrace on 31 May 2018, 03:24 pm

Hardly large or a waveguide! Where are those polar plots!?!?!

Yeah, it's a good sized wave guide and not a horn. Polar, or off axis responses, look great on the other models that I'm measured them in.

Folsom · « **Reply #10 on:** 31 May 2018, 05:46 pm »

Quote from: jtwrace on 31 May 2018, 03:24 pm

Hardly large or a waveguide! Where are those polar plots!?!?!

The planar tweeters are already much more directional. But maybe this really should call for a deeper guide that needs to be made with more than 1 layer of wood?

It seems like the woofer may be begging for some more tech in some way, too. What? A guide? Cardioid? Aperiodic vent? I dunnno.

Danny Richie · « **Reply #11 on:** 31 May 2018, 06:24 pm »

Quote from: Folsom on 31 May 2018, 05:46 pm

It seems like the woofer may be begging for some more tech in some way, too. What? A guide? Cardioid? Aperiodic vent? I dunnno.

I don't think there is a woofer out there that is anything like this one. It uses a push pull motor design that I have never seen on any other woofer. It is maxed out with the voice coil design as well including Copper shorting rings. I don't think it really gets any better in a small woofer design.

mresseguie · « **Reply #12 on:** 31 May 2018, 06:38 pm »

Danny,

What are the chances it will be ready for market by mid-October? [My 'ready for market' means I could buy flat packs from Jay and gear from you to be delivered to my home before the end of October.]

How much does the M-165NQ 8 ohm woofer weigh?

Regards,

Michael

Danny Richie · « **Reply #13 on:** 31 May 2018, 06:44 pm »

Quote from: mresseguie on 31 May 2018, 06:38 pm

Danny,

What are the chances it will be ready for market by mid-October? [My 'ready for market' means I could buy flat packs from Jay and gear from you to be delivered to my home before the end of October.]

How much does the M-165NQ 8 ohm woofer weigh?

Regards,
Michael

My plan is to be on these in a few weeks.

The woofer weighs almost four and a half pounds.

Folsom · « **Reply #14 on:** 31 May 2018, 07:18 pm »

Quote from: Danny Richie on 31 May 2018, 06:24 pm

I don't think there is a woofer out there that is anything like this one. It uses a push pull motor design that I have never seen on any other woofer. It is maxed out with the voice coil design as well including Copper shorting rings. I don't think it really gets any better in a small woofer design.

I meant with the box, not the driver itself.

Danny Richie · « **Reply #15 on:** 31 May 2018, 07:20 pm »

Quote from: Folsom on 31 May 2018, 07:18 pm

I meant with the box, not the driver itself.

For the application of being used as a studio monitor for mixing I really need to keep it in a sealed box.

mlundy57 · « **Reply #16 on:** 31 May 2018, 07:48 pm »

Quote from: fdjslkgh on 31 May 2018, 02:57 pm

If I can make additional pushy suggestions, I hope someone will offer (at least) pre-cut baffles, since that waveguide looks a little daunting for those of us with rudimentary woodworking skills.

It's good the baffle will be part of the kit. To cut that waveguide with a router in a 1-1/2" thick baffle, you would need a 90 degree V bit with a 2" cut length. Router bits don't come that large, they would be too dangerous for router use. Bits that size are for shapers not routers. With a CNC router you can get the precision you need to shape the waveguide with stepped cuts using a straight bit. You could probably rough it out by hand with a router then with rasps, files, sandpaper, and a lot of elbow grease refine the shape into the waveguide but I'm way too lazy for that

Mike

Folsom · « **Reply #17 on:** 31 May 2018, 08:07 pm »

Quote from: Danny Richie on 31 May 2018, 07:20 pm

For the application of being used as a studio monitor for mixing I really need to keep it in a sealed box.

I would go aperiodic.

How low can the tweeters cross in that waveguide?

Danny Richie · « **Reply #18 on:** 31 May 2018, 08:55 pm »

Quote from: Folsom on 31 May 2018, 08:07 pm

How low can the tweeters cross in that waveguide?

We have already crossed them as low as 1.3kHz in that wave guide.

Folsom · « **Reply #19 on:** 31 May 2018, 09:11 pm »

In that case I would off center the tweeter to get it out of the direct path of resonances from the woofer, as you've got about 10 inches center to center.

Going aperiodic will lower the impedance hump, and reduce the tendency for amplifiers to over-damp the woofer because of room boundaries feeding back at it, because the aperiodic vent will bleed off resonances that are too stiff and cause this reaction. Well I'm thinking it'll half them, anyways.

I suppose you could put the woofer and tweeter down so there was an open space at the top. It would look strange but it might help keep the woofer out of a resonance node that will also tend to damp it more than desired.