[Folsom]

Hi all,

Unfortunately while a project with a friend was going to include Omega's 7A DIY driver, Louis has boxed them up and thrown them in the closet because all of you are buying full speakers and keeping his hands tied! So it appears. Sadly I really wanted some 5F speakers to go in my horn boxes...

Anyway, new ideas, budget $300-400 for drivers and crossovers. Box size is negotiable. Not going to be paired with a subwoofer at this point (active crossover doesn't really fit with everything else, not yet), so should play down into at least 50hz range like the 7A would have done. 50/30w 8/4ohm is looking like the power range going to be available. They will probably be more located into the corners of the wide room (with two story ceiling).

I get lost in all the speaker projects out there. The GR N1 looks nice. But I don't have a CLUE what actually sounds good compared to what, because people build so many speakers, constantly, that it's like a sea of them and it's hard to spot the winners. I mean I got no idea of Madisound kits are really damn good, like if any are notable, or if you should just buy Salk's for the same price, etc.

On the other hand I'm all about power, that I get 

[Folsom]

http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/2-way-speaker-kits/zaph|audio-sr71-kit-pair-parts-only/

http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/2.5-way-speaker-kits/zaph|audio-za5.3t-tmm-tower-pair/

http://gr-research.com/n1.aspx

I fear it's hard to compete with the Omega drivers though...

So many on here, don't have a clue... http://www.diysoundgroup.com/

Will defiantly be listening to some Sludge Metal  (not me, the speakers' owner)

[S Clark]

I've used the Madisound crossover design service with results that were not all that great.  Danny's N1 has a pretty good woofer (does little wrong unless you overdrive it) and a damn good Neo 3 tweeter.  All in all, it's hard to beat.

[Captainhemo]

Here is a recent build of the GR N1X kit .  Mike, the builder,   I'm sure would be glad to   offer his insights  as to how they sound/perform, just shoot him a PM.

Also look at the AV3 and the N3 TL kits ( the N3 TL is  a bit more $4  than the budget but it is a wonderful speaker).  Both use  Danny's M130q16  in pairs and will produce very clean, tight bass down to   the 40hz range through the  TL design.  Both kits use identical TL's.  Don't let those small 5 1/4 " woofers fool you,   the bass is very impressive.  Also worth noting is that  the TL's can be flipped during assembly  if the speakers need to be up against the front wall which can be handy.

AV3's  http://gr-research.com/av-3.aspx
N3's   http://gr-research.com/n3.aspx

All the stock crossover parts are of very good quality ,  Danny also offers some optional upgrades with the kits.

-jay

[Guy 13]

Hi all.
I have a GR Research from Danny the model N3 that I have modified and Yes the bass is impressive for such small drivers. I drive them with a Pioneer 100 wpc A/V receiver.
Danny's technical support is No. 1

Guy 13

[Folsom]

I think TL designs might be a bit too complicated for this project.

When you mention N1 woofer pushing, you mean too many watts?

[Folsom]

A/V O and 2 look fun.

[rajacat]

So many on here, don't have a clue... http://www.diysoundgroup.com/

What do you mean they don't have a clue?

[Folsom]

What do you mean they don't have a clue?

I know nothing about what is reputed as good on it. Some have designers that are known but I am ignorant of them.

[rajacat]

I know nothing about what is reputed as good on it. Some have designers that are known but I am ignorant of them.

Ah ha, so its you that don't have a  clue.

[Vapor Audio]

Ah ha, so its you that don't have a  clue.

Haha, I was wondering the same thing.  First post says "I don't have a clue", and then later "they don't have a clue". 

Sounds like a perfect case to just build something from Danny who does have a clue.  Or one of the Jeff Bagby kits on Meniscus, a guy who also has a clue. 

[rajacat]

Or one of Jeff Bagby's kits on diysoundgroup.com.
http://www.diysoundgroup.com/waveguide-speaker-kits/fusion-series-kits/fusion12-kit.html

[Folsom]

The X-LS with upgrade looks like a great kit from Danny, mostly because the MTM's with 130's are higher price, and the singles might be ill suited for room size. (Are they sold in pairs, the X-LS?)

How does the X-LS stack against N1? I have a small room and might want to build something for myself.

My clueless comment was as if I was talking where tone would have implied it was me.

[Vapor Audio]

Or one of Jeff Bagby's kits on diysoundgroup.com.
http://www.diysoundgroup.com/waveguide-speaker-kits/fusion-series-kits/fusion12-kit.html

Bet that would be a fun speaker - lacking in resolution, detail retrieval, and sweetness up top ... but likely have excellent mid-bass reproduction and dynamics.  Also very room friendly.  I would add a layer of 3/4" Birch Ply behind the MDF on the baffle, cut and flush trim the holes to match.  Make the ply layer the same width/height as the cabinet opening so it'll rabbet into the front.  Then overbuild the cabinet with thick walls and plenty of bracing. 

[Folsom]

Jeff's speaker is a bit to pricy. That's a single price. I'm sure they can rock your socks off though.

[rajacat]

Bet that would be a fun speaker - lacking in resolution, detail retrieval, and sweetness up top ... but likely have excellent mid-bass reproduction and dynamics.  Also very room friendly.  I would add a layer of 3/4" Birch Ply behind the MDF on the baffle, cut and flush trim the holes to match.  Make the ply layer the same width/height as the cabinet opening so it'll rabbet into the front.  Then overbuild the cabinet with thick walls and plenty of bracing.

Actually, I'm in the process of building a SEOS based speaker. I'm not using one of the kits but building from scratch using the SEOS18 waveguide , AE TD15M woofer and the BA750 compression driver. I am over building the enclosure (bass bin) for the woofer using Europly, Baltic Birch, bracing and some constrained layer damping. Baffle will be 45mm thick. The WG will be mounted on top in its own enclosure thereby decoupling from the bass bin and allowing other waveguides or whatever to be substituted in the future if I want to explore other possibilities. I'll use an active crossover. Personally, I don't think that this setup will be lacking in detail retrieval and if there's any sweetness lacking at the top I'll experiment with a supertweeter.

[Captainhemo]

I can't imagine anyone being desappinted with any of Danny's X series kits.   I haven't  heard  the  X LS or Encore MTM but built a pair of  X LS Encores for my niece's room.. It is important to get that 1 sheet of no rez (more for the MTM's)and line  the cabinets.  They are very impressive throught the range, play down to about 50hz if I remember right, and  the bass is again clean, tight, and  detailed.  I can put the pair down in my listening room (18x12) and  they easily fill it.
  Pretty easy build too and actually, Ruben (FallenDnclosures) has a few  flat packs left for only $80/pr right now   

-jay

edit:  here's a link to the flatpacks if anyone is interested:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=123677.0

[Folsom]

Hm pairs or not this looks ideal.

[Folsom]

Said and done! They are pairs, upgraded the caps, resistors, and got no -rez.

We are both going to build a pair  . The guy selling flat packs had to take a second read, wondering why I said two pairs. 

Thanks everyone. I know Danny's great so happy to be giving him and the back pedal of AV123 business.

[Captainhemo]

Good call on the sonicapscaps/ mils resistors, and no - rez.  One more  recommendation... when you    get the fill for the  speaekers,  use  "Acuta-Stuf",  you can get it in  1 lb bags from amazon or PE.   It  really does make a difference over dacronl.  Use abouot an ounce   fluffed up  over the  back wall of the cabinet just be sure not to block the prot at all.
Enjoy man   

-jay