[jonwb]

Why go through the trouble of curving wood / MDF when you have to attach flat drivers anyway?

The four segments across the front just need the proper bevel cuts onto each long edge.  Driver holes could be cut into each individual flat panel before or after assembly.

I've been fidiling w/ the design as time allows, but basically I'm thinking there will be a small cavity behind the NEO8's  and then I was going to have three braces, each running from the joint of each pair of panels, running rearward about 4 inches.  Additionally, I planned on installing a large cross brace (running the width of the enclosure) with three big holes in it.  Finally a couple braces (between each pair of holes) running from that panel to the back wall.  I'd double wall the whole thing but I don't want it to reduce my entertainment center to rubble.

...easy as pie  

[Danny Richie]

Danny were you thinking ~4 neos/woofers would work? I thought you figured it'd need more like 6?

4 can be made to work, but 6 and 6 will have a wider coverage area, and the impedance groupings would more closely match.

I would lean towards a 6 and 6 array with about 10 degrees of curve per segment, and in a sealed box.

[azryan]

What would the volume need to be on that? Or 'about' what volume?


jonwb,

Did you finish your Alphas yet? I didn't see any pics. Your avatar is Danny's pair that Hank made right?

[jonwb]

Danny were you thinking ~4 neos/woofers would work? I thought you figured it'd need more like 6?

4 can be made to work, but 6 and 6 will have a wider coverage area, and the impedance groupings would more closely match.

I would lean towards a 6 and 6 array with about 10 degrees of curve per segment, and in a sealed box.

I'd like the coverage 6 sets would provide and the additional "presence".  Problem for me is the box would be pushing 48" wide.  I would need to this box either above or below my TV.  Its a 38" 16x9 tube.  I think its "only" 43in wide and my TV stand is only about an inch wider on either side.  

As my design sits, I've got about .3in on either side of the NEO8 recess.  5 sets would be perfect, but wiring would be impossible.  How about making the sixth set of drivers facing rearward?  

jonwb

[DeanSheen]

Danny, what amount of volume for the 6?

[Danny Richie]

Danny, what amount of volume for the 6?

Only .635 cubic feet sealed with a .707 Q.

It could be made a bit larger though.

1.3 cubic feet ported looks good too though if you have the open air space behind them to work with.

Hey Jonwb,

Just tell your wife you need to build a bigger center channel to match the main speakers and now your TV is to small so you are going to have to get that new HDTV that fits the size of your center channel.  

[jonwb]

Only .635 cubic feet sealed with a .707 Q.

It could be made a bit larger though.

1.3 cubic feet ported looks good too though if you have the open air space behind them to work with.

Hey Jonwb,

Just tell your wife you need to build a bigger center channel to match the main speakers and now your TV is to small so you are going to have to get that new HDTV that fits the size of your center channel.  

Nice try  

Tammy will smack me upside the head for even suggesting I build a new center channel.  Her spidey-senses are probably tingling with me just discussing it here!  Actually we both love our current HDTV.  Neither of us have seen anything worth replacing it with.  

I'm about 1 weekend of hanging molding away from being able to hit the Alpha project hard again.  

So Danny, does your silence mean you don't like my two rear facing drivers w/ five across the front idea?  5 segments across would make for a 40in wide box which would be perfect.  I think I've seen some KEF speakers w/ a tweeter and/or mid on the back side of the box.  Maybe they are wired out of phase?

[Hank]

So Danny, does your silence mean you don't like my two rear facing drivers w/ five across the front idea? 5 segments across would make for a 40in wide box which would be perfect

OMG, shades of the Bose 901!!!!

[Danny Richie]

So Danny, does your silence mean you don't like my two rear facing drivers w/ five across the front idea? 5 segments across would make for a 40in wide box which would be perfect. I think I've seen some KEF speakers w/ a tweeter and/or mid on the back side of the box. Maybe they are wired out of phase?

Actually that can be made to work quite well if you have enough air space behind the speaker.

It's output can easily be adjusted or attenuated with damping material along the rear wall.

[azryan]

Ok...

6 woofers, 6 neos in a .635 cu. ft. sealed cabinet... and it's F3 would be about what?

I'm thinking of doin' this just for the fun of it (and 'cuz stupid DVD-A/SACD seems to not be downmixing the center right on certain disc's etc..).

A nice matte black Alpha center would look pretty invisible right below my 65" RPTV screen. I wouldn't veneer it like my Alphas 'cuz I think I'd get distracted by it while watching a flick.

Sealed neo section just like the Alphas too right?

[Danny Richie]

6 woofers, 6 neos in a .635 cu. ft. sealed cabinet... and it's F3 would be about what?

Mid 80's with a gradual roll off.

Sealed neo section just like the Alphas too right?

Yep.

[wshuff]

Somebody build one of these things and post some pics!  Having a center channel in the lineup would certainly make the Alphas more appealing to the HT crowd, even though I realize that there are some vocal proponents of the ol' phantom center.  Plus, I'd like to see this curved cabinet.  Unfortunately I myself do not have the skills to do it myself, and since I like having my thumbs and fingers where they are, I'm not the man for the job.