[yardbird]

I am currently listening to the Er18 that Dennis Murphy designed and like them a bunch, but the OB idea has me hooked. I have build Danny's AV1s and they really sounded great for a small 2 way.  Really natural and brass instruments were so well produced it blew me away. I have built the Modula by Jon Marsh and they were fun and sounded good as well, but the AV1 just got things right (IMO).

I would like to build a full range OB speaker. Not crazy about a powered bass cabinet but will entertain. I haven't heard that bass so I am not yet seduced by what folks seems to really dig.  I have a Pass Model 6 amplifier thet is good for about 25 wpc into 8 ohms and around 40 or so into 4 ohms (not really enough for the ER18).  I really like the amp and would like to continue to use it. Am selling a PL Prologue 4 to pay for the speaker build.

My budget is about $1000 for drivers and xover stuff. I looked at Troels design but it is big and the parts are substantially more than $1000. There is a cheaper OB speaker here on AC that looks cool but I want to spend more money (is that wacked or what). The Hawthorne stuff seems defunct. I am unclear what the status of the BG tweeter is. THe Pure Audio stuff looks nice but is wicked expensive.

Is there a good GR research option i am missing? Am happy to wait for a new design/tweet. Really liked the AV1 and am hoping a more exoensive (and OB) design would be nice nice step up from my current rig.

Thanks for thoughts and advice!
Jeff

[Danny Richie]

I'd recommend that you consider the X-Statik kit.

http://gr-research.com/x-statikkit.aspx

This is one of those designs that everyone loves. It also has good sensitivity in the 91db range and is an 8 ohm speaker. So you can drive it easily with your Pass amp.

It is highly accurate and very smooth. It has great vocals. And that transparent box-less sound.

It was designed to be used with subs and you could start with a pair of our SW-12-08FR woofers in a common H frame or W frame placed in the middle between both speakers. Then power them with an A370PEQ or HX300 servo amp.

If you go with the HX300 amp to power the woofers then the whole thing it pretty close to your budget.

$379 for the X-Statik kit. $299 for the HX300 amps and $179 each for the SW-12-08FR woofers. $1,036. total plus shipping.

If you have some room in the budget there are several upgrades for the X-Statiks as well.

That will give you open baffle speakers with open baffle servo controlled bass. And with the bottom end separate and completely adjustable then you can easily blend it to the main speakers and get any response that you want from them with no room boom and a flat response to 20Hz.

[mlundy57]

If you can squeeze out the extra $100 go with the A370PEQ amp. It has more input options, more power and is much more configurable for dialing in compared to the HX300.

I've had both amps and would take the A370 over the HX300 hands down any day.

[Wind Chaser]

Didn't know the X-Statik was available as a kit. That's a very sweet deal! 

[yardbird]

I have been watching the X-Statik. Bet it sounds great and it is a rockin deal.I am sure the setup with the OB sub would sound great. Also looks easy to build. It clearly is the best value.

I also am curious about getting the OB7 or Wedgie and adding a good quality sub later.  Looks like PE has stocked the BG tweeter again. Am betting the Exotica with the BG is out of my budget. I have an old Assassin 12" woofer and a power amp that can be made into a sealed sub to buy time until i could build/buy the OB/servo sub.

Sorry for my nuttiness.  I am seduced by the planar tweeter. Can the OB5 or 7 be made in the same fashion as the X-Statik?

Thanks!
JG

[Danny Richie]

Sorry for my nuttiness.  I am seduced by the planar tweeter. Can the OB5 or 7 be made in the same fashion as the X-Statik?

If you pick up a pair of Neo 3 pdr's with deep back cups and face plates then I can sell you the OB-5 or OB-7 kit minus the tweeters. I can allow $97 off per speaker.

And you're right. The NX-Otica is quite a bit more expensive, but it is a lot more speaker.

[mlundy57]

You can build the NX-Otica MTM section within your budget, or close to it. You'd need a pair of the Neo3 PDRs. Jay has some very nice flat packs for the MTM section. Danny has everything else. I've been listening to a pair of these monitor style NX-Oticas for a month or so.

They are designed, and really need, a pair of the OB servo subs to sound their best. However, if your budget won't allow that up front you can start with one like Danny mentioned until you can afford a second one.

When I built my Wedgies I couldn't afford one OB sub so I used a regular sealed sub for six months until I saved up enough for the OB subs.

[corndog71]

Just so you know the X-Statik can also work without a sub if deep bass isn't a priority.  I highly recommend the crossover upgrade as well.

[S Clark]

I agree that sub is not especially needed for most applications.  Danny can give exact numbers, but I'd be surprised if the X-Statik didn't reach down to the upper 40's.

[Tyson]

You can build the NX-Otica MTM section within your budget, or close to it. You'd need a pair of the Neo3 PDRs. Jay has some very nice flat packs for the MTM section. Danny has everything else. I've been listening to a pair of these monitor style NX-Oticas for a month or so.

They are designed, and really need, a pair of the OB servo subs to sound their best. However, if your budget won't allow that up front you can start with one like Danny mentioned until you can afford a second one.

When I built my Wedgies I couldn't afford one OB sub so I used a regular sealed sub for six months until I saved up enough for the OB subs.

"Saved up'.  What is this "saved up" you speak of?  Doth thou not havest credit cards?? 

[mlundy57]

"Saved up'.  What is this "saved up" you speak of?  Doth thou not havest credit cards?? 

No i do not. I have not used credit cards for over 30 years.

[ctviggen]

No i do not. I have not used credit cards for over 30 years.

Yikes!  How to you rent a car, make hotel reservations, buy airline tickets, heck buy anything online?  Paypal?  I only have one credit card and I pay it off each month, but I couldn't see being without a credit card. 

[Wind Chaser]

"Saved up'.  What is this "saved up" you speak of?  Doth thou not havest credit cards?? 

The average American household carries about 16K on their CCs. That's enough to buy some pretty nice speakers. 

[Tyson]

$16k, holy cow!  I use CC's but pay them off in full, and the CC companies are so nice that they give me free stuff!  Seriously, I have an Amazon card and i get $$ at Amazon from every purchase I make.  If I carry a balance, Amazon wins.  If I pay off the balance, I win

[Folsom]

Debit card.

[mlundy57]

Yikes!  How to you rent a car, make hotel reservations, buy airline tickets, heck buy anything online?  Paypal?  I only have one credit card and I pay it off each month, but I couldn't see being without a credit card.

I have a debit card and I use PayPal. I don't rent cars. We have four vehicles, three of which are paid for, so when one has to go in the shop I drive one of the others. If I travel anywhere I drive. The last time I flew anywhere was in 2008 when I flew from Tulsa back to Knoxville and that was to pick up the van we left behind when we moved to Tulsa. With all the wait time it takes to fly anywhere it's just as fast or faster to drive up to 8 hours. Longer than that and it becomes a cost vs time issue. I might get to a destination that is a 12 hour drive away 4 hours faster by flying but how much is that 4 hours going to cost? It's usually considerably cheaper to drive.

As for things, if I can't afford them I don't need them. If I want it bad enough I'll save up until I can buy it. That way I only pay for things once not two or three times over in interest.

[ctviggen]

I have a debit card and I use PayPal. I don't rent cars. We have four vehicles, three of which are paid for, so when one has to go in the shop I drive one of the others. If I travel anywhere I drive. The last time I flew anywhere was in 2008 when I flew from Tulsa back to Knoxville and that was to pick up the van we left behind when we moved to Tulsa. With all the wait time it takes to fly anywhere it's just as fast or faster to drive up to 8 hours. Longer than that and it becomes a cost vs time issue. I might get to a destination that is a 12 hour drive away 4 hours faster by flying but how much is that 4 hours going to cost? It's usually considerably cheaper to drive.

As for things, if I can't afford them I don't need them. If I want it bad enough I'll save up until I can buy it. That way I only pay for things once not two or three times over in interest.

We recently flew from CT to CA (San Francisco) and stayed there part of Thursday, all day Friday, Saturday, Sunday, left Monday morning.  It took about 6 hours or so to fly.  It would take me four days to drive that, easily.  I couldn't even be there before we left.  And that's 4 days, 12 hours a day, with two kids in the car. I don't see that happening.

We did not rent a car in San Francisco, but we were in the city and only there a few days.  Any longer, and we'd have definitely rented a car.  And it's possible to rent one without a credit card, but quite difficult to do.

If you're talking about CT to Pittsburgh, driving might be easier and cheaper. But any longer than that, and it doesn't make sense. For instance, two years ago, we flew to Sweden to visit my wife's sister and her family.  How do you get to Sweden without flying?  And how do you pay for that without a credit card?

For me, we charge so much but pay it off each month, that we get over $1,000 a year back from my credit card.  I haven't paid a credit card charge in so long I don't remember when it was.  If you have the money and the ability to pay credit each month, it's difficult to understand why anyone wouldn't have a credit card. 

You can build your life around not having a credit card, and there are definitely people (like you) who do that.  But in many instances, it's difficult or impossible to do. 

[yardbird]

speakers are good......speakers make you a better person......speakers will improve your relationships.......

[mlundy57]

And especially full range OB speakers