[mccarty350]

https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/110583-fast-fun-inexpensive-ob-project.html

That link didn't take you to the build post? 

[sunnydaze]

That link didn't take you to the build post?

Nope.  Link I refer to is in reply #3.

https://manzanita-audio.com/manzanita-cv

You posted the build link after I made my first comment.

[mccarty350]

The diyaudio link in the post above and a few posts back are the ones that are build specific.

[glynnw]

Let me put in a plug for Manzanita, having heard them at several Lone Star Audio Fests.  If they were compatible with low powered amps I would have bought a set, but they need around 40-50 watts to come alive, according to the maker.

[mccarty350]

That's a great endorsement, I wanted to at least hear an affirmation from someone that heard some in person.  And really 300 bucks and change for a nice design to diy is very reasonable.

[Early B.]

And really 300 bucks and change for a nice design to diy is very reasonable.

Well, you get what you pay for.

I also wouldn't consider it a "nice design" because the drivers aren't built for open baffle use. At least use drivers appropriate for the application.

[opnly bafld]

https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/110583-fast-fun-inexpensive-ob-project.html
 

I heard these at RMAF and they were very good.

[mccarty350]

As I said earlier I already have a 4-5k endgame open baffle floor stander speaker, I'm not expecting miracles I'm expecting a fun stand mounter project.  I rotate speakers while I work all day every 3-4 hours to another set of bookshelf speakers, I'm looking for another fun flavor and a project, if I want endgame I'll walk down the half flight of stairs to my theatre room.

These were designed by members here, just read the local audiocircle build thread that got mirrored at DIY audio.

I disagree with the 'you get what you pay for' statement, I listened to 200k wilsons the other week and thought they sounded abysmal.  We all have different ears.  I've heard very cheap full range driver designs that sounded amazing and astronomical speakers that sounded like a bag of doorknobs.  It's audio and it's mostly subjective and a myriad of opinions. 

[mccarty350]

I heard these at RMAF and they were very good.

Did they have any of linkwitz's designs or do they no longer posthumously display is designs?  Would love to go to RMAF!

[opnly bafld]

Did they have any of linkwitz's designs or do they no longer posthumously display is designs?  Would love to go to RMAF!

It was probably the 2007 RMAF when I heard them.
Linkwitz was also there with Orions, I don't think I heard them at their best. 

[mccarty350]

I never heard the Orions, they were kind of a 'semi open baffle' design.  Did they sound like crap?

[opnly bafld]

[

[mccarty350]

When I saw the Orion photos I always assumed the bass in the bottom was in an acoustic suspension cabinet while the upper drivers were open baffle.  I assumed that the LX521.4 rectified this in it's logical progression and implemented true open baffle bass but after digging in and reading the Orion design documentation it turns out that the photos fooled me - those are push/pull open baffle woofers not in a bass bin, it just looks like an acoustic suspension on surface examination.

Is that the reason for the head scratch?  I amend/retract my 'semi open baffle' statement regarding the orion. 

[JohnR]

Here is how much and what the $2000 Manzanita costs if you build it yourself....300-400 bucks between drivers and crossover components.

I just put the parts for the TC9+830669 version into my PE cart, comes out at $317 

[sfdoddsy]

It's not a kit, but you could build a simple and very nice sounding OB/hybrid using the Seas Loki driver and crossover from Madisound.

https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/coaxial-speaker-kits/seas-loki-mkii-coaxial-kit-parts-only-each/

Mount it in a flat open baffle, then that baffle to a small sealed box using the Dayton RS225. You can get a basic passive crossover from Parts Express for this part.

Drive it with a MiniDSP and your power amp of choice. The MiniDSP can do any overall EQ needed.

Easier would be to use the MiniDSP Power Ice.

Even easier would be to use a Paradigm PW AMP with built-in Anthem ARC Room EQ to do the EQ.

[mccarty350]

I just put the parts for the TC9+830669 version into my PE cart, comes out at $317 

All of the drivers are backordered until at least the end of January GRRRRRR

[mccarty350]

I just put the parts for the TC9+830669 version into my PE cart, comes out at $317 

I switched over to the stand mount version with the 15" GRS woofer, it adds a few inches more to the baffle dimensions but still falls into the 'stand mountable' category.  Total of parts (because I had to order them from different places since parts express was sold out on the tweeters) came out to just a touch over 200.  Buying the erse coils directly from erseaudio.com versus parts express saves you quite a bit of cash.

[JohnR]

Ah, I didn't realize that the 15" had a standmount version!

[mccarty350]

Ah, I didn't realize that the 15" had a standmount version!

Yeah, it wasn't super clear as there was no dedicated sticky that showed it, if you read down in the forums a bit on the DIY audio site it turns out:

1.  You can use the GRS 15" woofer with the same exact crossover as the 12" peerless in a stand mount.
2.  I believe (off the top of my head) that it it increases the baffle size laterally to 17" wide and 29" tall" don't quote me on that but it's a few inches wider and taller than the baffle for the peerless variant.
3.  It's cheaper and increases the efficiency and lf response with the 15" variant.

[JohnR]

It's almost too cheap not to build!  Good tip on the coils too. I need to add the TC9 to the resources page.