[Louis O]

Hi All,

This may be something I will do more of.

Got the opportunity to make a set of custom console speakers.

Shown below is a picture of one of them. I did make a pair and they are mirror image. I used shop light so he picture is a little cold looking.




These are chambered and the Bass is active. The top driver is the RS7 in a ported separate cabinet. The bottom is basically a Micron. I didn't have too much room to work with, but it all fit. I'm sure I can make them even smaller with RS5's.

Active bass is the way to go.

In this system you have so much versatility with the bottom end.

Volume controls on both sides so you can tune for either side even if one side is different than the other.
Variable active low pass on the bass.
Run the top ported or sealed or turn the bass off and run the tops pure full range.

I'll be exploring much more regarding this and look into using the Speed12 driver as well.

Thanks again,
Louis

[JLM]

Yuck, a stupid 2-way!

Sorry Louis, but how about a 2 piece for the RS5 like you have for the Hoyt-Bedfords?  Buy the main speaker now, add sub as needed/funds become available.

[beowulf]

Yuck, a stupid 2-way!

Sorry Louis, but how about a 2 piece for the RS5 like you have for the Hoyt-Bedfords?  Buy the main speaker now, add sub as needed/funds become available.

Wouldn't that still be a 2 way?

[DaveC113]

I think it's awesome and believe it is the way forward... Single drivers have disadvantages in terms of maximum output, also with mid-bass impact a single driver is just can't compare to a speaker with a large woofer surface area no matter what size room it is in.

The Speed 12 is a great option to augment existing single drivers, but a lot of people would prefer a traditional pair of speakers so building an augmented single driver like what is pictured above makes perfect sense. I'd trade my Super 3 XRS for those in an instant.

That is also why I have a pair of 97 dB efficient JBL 15" woofers (that I bought right before the S12 was made public  ) that I plan on pairing with some RS5 drivers...

If a RS5 based speaker could play 120 dB with great dynamics it would be one of the best big speakers in the world, and that's a nice market to be in.

I'd also mention that it is possible to build a crossover with modern film caps that does minimal damage to the sound. It isn't cheap but parts like Clarity ESA caps, air core inductors made with high purity OFC copper ribbon and Mills resistors make for a very good and fairly transparent crossover... like anything implementation is everything!

[RDavidson]

Yuck, a stupid 2-way!

Sorry Louis, but how about a 2 piece for the RS5 like you have for the Hoyt-Bedfords?  Buy the main speaker now, add sub as needed/funds become available.

The subject line says "Something Different"
Not everyone wants separate powered subs for various reasons. I think this is a cool idea and gives people looking for something like this a lot of flexibility. Bass integration may be even better than using separate subs too.

[pslate]

This is an absolutely excellent design decision my humble opinion. Once you have active bass in a monitor it's quite the revelation, and for me it's hard to go back. Way to go Louis!!!!

[Vinnie R.]

Wouldn't that still be a 2 way?

Looks good!

I think it would be called a "1.5 way" because the full range driver still runs full range (no crossover, no tweeter), and the bass driver is active with a  low-pass filter.  So it probably adds some more foundation weight from 100Hz on down, user adjustable in crossover freq. and gain.
I think it's a cool alternative to adding a pair of stereo subs.

[DaveC113]

I'd guess the single driver has at least a cap on it to roll off the lows...

[Guy 13]

Hi Louis.
Good idea and nice lloking.
The extended range drivers definitely needs help in the basement.
You might enjoy the extended range driver, but once you have
tasted the sound with the help of the subwoofer,
you can hardly live without it.

Guy 13

[rollo]

   Good idea Louis. All in one box as it should be. KISS. How low does it go ?


charles

[Louis O]

Hi All,


Many thanks for the great posts. It's quite the concept and has opened up a few different ways to go with it. In this format is really nice that you can use the system as a whole and get down to around 28Hz or just run the RS7's by themselves. Pretty much getting two speakers in one and having full control of the bass that you can't get passively. In this setup it's pretty much a sub sat with stereo subs. I actually shouldn't call them subs though as they don't technically go below 20Hz. I would use no passive components though and there are ways to do this and block the deep bass from the full range drivers.

Hi JLM,

Thanks and pretty much the same concept except 1 box and a lot more compact

Hi Dave

Many thanks and going forward I will be using the speed12's in these systems. As far as the RS5's, I can go with a sealed cab in the 5 liter range and knock out the deep bass naturally at 150 ish Hz. The bass unit's active crossover will get the blend right with a little overlap on the setting.

Will get more output out of the RS5's.

Hi RDavidson,

Thanks and happy you like it. The big plus is that you will always have 2 bass units which makes a huge difference and much better than 1 outboard sub.
The other is that it makes a compact speaker with deep fast bass.

Hi pslate,

Many thanks and I agree.

Hi Vinnie,

Many thanks and very happy for your post.
It's I guess more like a 1.1 way. A long time ago I made a speaker with 2 full range drivers and ran 1 of them full range and cut the other off at 300Hz. They were the same drivers and I ran 1 all the way while the other was just bass. I had considered that a 1.5 way. I guess it was pretty unique and I still have it actually.

Hi Dave,

That would work, but I'm going to try it naturally without components.

Hi Guy 13,

Thanks and happy you like it. The bass helps for sure.

Hi rollo,

Thanks and it goes down to 28Hz and nice and compact.

Also This was made to fit a console cabinet and going forward I will make them a little different. I also have Sound Anchor building stands for me so no worry about getting stands.

I did make a Super 3 XRS with Deephemp 8's front firing. The cabinet is only 1 inch deeper than stock. The top chamber is for sealed RS5's. This thing can go down under 30Hz. I took apart the test cabs, but I will be making a finished set.

Thanks again,
Louis

[Guy 13]

Hi Louis.
Thanks for taking the time off your extremely busy schedule to comment our posts.
Highly appreciated coming from a busy man like you.

Guy 13

[Folsom]

Have you thought about a drone/s? It might let you do the speed twelve in a more monitor-ish sized application, given it's not a terribly big box to start.

[HPDJ]

Hello Louis,

I've not been able to hear any of your speakers yet, but I enjoy keeping up on what new projects your up to and this one excites me because it offers a lot of flexibility and with the active subs it's one less thing for me to think about buying. This audio world can make certain things more complicated than they really need to be half the time it seems, and I tend to be drawn to things that offer some form of flexibility in as little a package as possible with out sacrificing sound quality and....at a relatively affordable price. The less things for me to worry about (as far as covering my bases with bass augmentation and stands etc) the better!

So I say KEEP GOING with these awesome ideas Louis. I love it when designers keep pushing and searching to improve their products and to offer valuable options. When the time comes for me to buy some speakers to pair with my wonderful little RWA Signature 16, I hope to audition your speakers

[JLM]

AJ in Florida (has a presence here at A.C.) first hit the market a couple of years back with the same passive/active concept (but smaller and with a concentric passive driver) which made for a largish stand mount.

How about fully active 2-way designs?  Why use the advantages of active only for bass?  A smaller stand mount (RS5 sealed with 8 inch woofer) for smaller rooms would be cool. 

Cooler still for bigger rooms a a two piece fully active tower (matching width/depth like the Hoyt Bedford) but slimmer using sealed bipole RS5 and a pair of opposing side firing sealed (or better yet transmission line) 12 inch woofers.  Now you'd be cooking with gas.

[DaveBSC]

Nice work Louis! Question: what do you think of the idea of doing very narrow cabinets with side firing active woofers - something like an Audio Physic but with your single front firing driver? Would that provide better performance than something like the little box/big box approach of the old Aerial 10T?

[Canada Rob]

The active sub/passive full range speakers that Louis plans to build will likely be one off pieces sold in the Omega Store which we hope to get up and running soon.  They will be built, then put up in the store - first come first serve.  Louis has many ideas he wants to bring into fruition, but introducing them into his main lines will create confusion, hence the Omega Store.  He also will not be building custom speakers to order as that will keep him from the core of his business, his production speakers.  If Louis does have a standard production active/passive speaker it will likely be part of the high end Paramount line which he is currently working on.

As far as the main lines go, Louis is moving toward wide baffle in almost every case, as the wide baffle generally produces better midrange and a superior image.  There are, of course exceptions to this rule such as the desktop where the Super 3 desktop and Super 3i work beautifully.  I personally have tried many speakers on the desktop, but nothing can touch these two speakers in any area of sound.  Their narrow baffles allow more space between them and the computer monitor, thus helping imaging.  The Super Alnico Monitor(medium baffle), Super 7 Monitor(medium baffle), and Super 3S(medium baffle) will fit in certain situations where a wide baffle may not.

There have been considerable changes in speaker models over the last three years as Louis works at improving the product, but we hope things will be settling down soon in the production lines.  Louis' fertile mind will vent itself in what shows up in the Omega Store, not that his production lines will be ignored - far from it.  Often what is designed for his Omega Store will filter down into the production lines, so the production lines will always benefit and never be left behind.

[chico71]

Super 3 XRS with Deephemp 8's front firing? Pictures please!

[Canada Rob]

Super 3 XRS with Deephemp 8's front firing? Pictures please!

Hello chico71,

They are not finished yet, but when they are we plan to post them.

[rypriest]

Here are some pics of the new home for these wonderful speakers.  It has been a great project from beginning to end.  Thank you Louis!  I am forever grateful.