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I just moved into this room earlier this month.It sounds a little different in person, but don't they all http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXencHD0F1c
sebrof - very nice. Altec 416's and Heil AMT?
So sweet! Seems like it was PRETTY loud in there, too . What did you record that on? The audio came through nicely.Can you tell us about the speaker design and concept?
ExactlyI used a Canon Eos Rebel T3, a still picture camera. That's the first time I've ever used it for video.As Mike mentioned above, the speakers are an Altec 416 15" Woofer/Midrange with a Heil (I believe they called them Great Heils) Air Motion Transformer tweeter. I just made them over the 2012/2013 New Year break, so I'm still messing with them. Cabinets are 3/4" Baltic Birch Plywood, 40" x 30" x 20" which comes out to be about 10 cu/ft after bracing and driver.Right now the 416s are crossed at 850Hz 1st order (they naturally drop off at 1600 Hz, so they're only 6db down at that point theoretically). The Heils are crossed in at 1200 Hz 3rd order. I used Obligato oil caps, and they were out of stock for 10 uF caps. I plan to cross them at 1K Hz when they get their stock in. Cheap LPads are right smack in the signal path, and once I figure out what values I like best I'll replace them with better descrete resistors.I've read a number of times that the Heils do better in a 3-way, and that may be true but these things really do sound wonderful. maybe someday I'll complicate my life drastically and add a midrange.
Why that size and shape box? Did you base it on an existing design?
I wanted the top of the box at 34" with feet so the spot between the Altec and Heil would be at ear level when I'm sitting in my spot. So 30" it is. From there I tried to get a 1.6:1:.6 ratio in a 9cu/ft minimum that would physically fit in my room. It's as close to that ratio as I could accommodate.
Ok, I made a MUCH better video with high quality audio... what do you guys think of this?http://youtu.be/A1IOqA7lLqQ
I think it sounds great, way better than I expected for a YT video. You are kind. Actually the room very much drives the speaker placement. Pretty much every speaker I've had in there sounds best in almost that exact spot, a little one way or the other, but that seems to be where all the modal anomalies are minimal. The only exception so far is when a friend brought over a pair of "The Clue" speakers, they are designed to work against the wall, so that is where they went. Apex yes, equilateral, not quite. I sit about 117% of the distance between the speakers, again driven by where the modes in the room are smoothest. Further forward offers a somewhat more immersive sound stage but things can be a little aggressive and the bass is not as smooth. Further back and the imaging isn't as good, the bass is worse and rear wall reflections come into play, though I do have some absorption on that wall as well, not a lot tho.I was fortunate on the room, about a year after we moved into this house my wife suggested I finish part of the basement as a listening room, so I had one chance and I spent considerable time working with Bryan Pape from GIK Acoustics on the design. I did the best I could within the budget and building codes. Strongly recommend consulting with him or another professional if the situation allows.
Mike, the info contained in your reply and a listening session at a friend's caused me to make the following adjustments: a) I seperated my speakers by another 4" and (b) I changed the settings on the back of my (active) speakers to remove a -2db above 7500Hz. What I had heard in my friend's rather terrible room made me want to try a flat setting. It was the manufacturer's brochure (Meridian) that recommended the former generic setting. My room is larger than the average room in the UK, so I guessed that the setting was for the expected audience. Well, I'm thrilled that I did both things. My frequency response is audibly flatter. That, and the bass has improved tremendously. Thank you for helping in the improvement in bass performance. Now, dig this. I did NOT move by chair backward to equal out my triangle. I'm sitting just inside of it. Toe-in is the same as before. I can plainly see the inside panels of my cabinets still, but the bass sounds phenominally better and I am immersed in the sound field. On some recordings the different left and right seperation is apparent, but on the ones that I listen to the most with acoustic instruments and made on location, it is so much more live and real sounding. I think there was some bumpiness previously that no longer exists. And, the rolloff from the settings before. I must have listened to 20 albums last night and am about to resume listening tonight.
Neeko, hi. How's about posting a link to your speaker maker's website. I just re-read and realized that your 8" driver is self powered. How much did you say they cost? Thanks
Well, here's my mess... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-G5Vwh5VyU
