Simple OB - Hawthorne Audio & MiniWatt

bombadil111 · « **on:** 6 Mar 2010, 06:49 am »

Hi folks. First time poster, long time lurker. After much deliberation I've finely got around to building my first OB.

At first, I had thought about going the fullrange route. But I was looking for the simplest build possible and happened upon Hawthorne's site. He incorporates a coaxial unit in his designs. Not guite "fullrange" but the idea was intriguing. Also, the 15" coaxial could be run full range without a sub in most cases. To me, this seemed the simplest and most cost effective way to get my feet wet in the OB world. So I ordered the 15" Silver Iris'

I was pleasantly surprised to find what the Hawthornes have packaged for $170 per speaker. The coaxial includes a very nice crossover assembled on a piece of mahongany! A nice touch.

Anywho, after a couple hours to assemble a simple baffle, the Iris' were ready to play. So I hooked them up to my Sherwood

receiver and they sounded guite good. Lately, however, I've acquired a MiniWatt N3 and have burning it in on the Iris' for the past couple days.

So far this system has met and exceeded my goals of finding a simple OB that sounds great . . .and for what I would consider an extraodinary value.

Thanks for looking!

Cliff

mcgsxr · « **Reply #1 on:** 6 Mar 2010, 04:14 pm »

Nice straightforward setup - thanks for sharing!

bombadil111 · « **Reply #2 on:** 6 Mar 2010, 07:30 pm »

Quote from: mcgsxr on 6 Mar 2010, 04:14 pm

Nice straightforward setup - thanks for sharing!

Hey Mark. Thanks for looking!

Yeah, it doesn't get to much simpler than this

After some extended listening some things have become apparent: These big 15" paper cones throw up a very nice soundstage. Lively, and surprisingly detailed (Previously I've owned Monitor Audio and Ascend Acoustics, along with some Klipsch La Scalas man years ago).

Anothe surpirse is the compression tweeter. This is the entry level set-up so of course I was conerned there might be a bit of harshness/honkiness . . . but the Eminence tweeter is actually quite sweet; blends in nice, not calling attention to itself.

Considering cost and relative ease of set-up . . . I really can't ask for much more. At the risk of sounding like a fan-boy I'll leave it at that. One more thing tho, I've been listening to music that I never listened to thru my previous speakers. The Iris' sound nice with a wide variey of material . . . even recordings that are less than ideal.

Cliff

luckylou · « **Reply #3 on:** 8 Mar 2010, 01:40 am »

Cliff you did a nice job ... they look sweet like the way they stand ..

Looks smiple yet i bet it throws well so how that 3watts amp doing for you ...

bombadil111 · « **Reply #4 on:** 8 Mar 2010, 03:24 am »

Quote from: luckylou on 8 Mar 2010, 01:40 am

... 3watts amp doing for you ...

3.5 watts

The MiniWatt drives the Iris' to very high spl's. I generally don't have the volume much past 12 o'clock . . . 2:00 is very loud!!!

Yep, I'm quite enamored with this set-up. And like you, I'm thinking of ways to make it better. A new CD player (running a cheapie right now) . . . and maybe some better cabling down the road. Yep that ought to do it . . . that is of course until I add the "Augies" (OB woofers).

Cliff

preiter · « **Reply #5 on:** 12 Mar 2010, 06:29 pm »

One tweak I would definitely recommend for the Silver Iris is to damp the frame (I used duct sealer). It rings pretty badly.

freddyi · « **Reply #6 on:** 14 Mar 2010, 02:31 pm »

there is high value and fun factor in Hawthorne's original Silver Iris - I wanted to piddle with the xover and dope/damp the cone but didn't get around to it as I jumped into other stuff. Cute little amp - how does it sound to you vs other amps? do they provide a schematic?

ngomez745 · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 Mar 2010, 02:18 am »

I am too, a long time lurker... how do you have the N3 when it's not out yet? I am planning on pre ordering my N3 this week.

DanTheMan · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 Mar 2010, 05:30 am »

Freddy, is that response gated?

Thanks,

Dan

freddyi · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 Mar 2010, 05:47 am »

hi Dan - its whatever Murphy has setup in TrueRTA's math and I set the smoothing to 1/12th octave (1/24th octave is max resolution with TrueRTA) - Best, Freddy

DanTheMan · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 Mar 2010, 06:16 am »

Oh, that probably means it just wide open.

This is gated to eliminate room reflections on a prototype crossover I was working on so this doesn't represent the PSI as it's sold:

The bass response looses all resolution with these short gates and REW clips the lowest end off.
Treble looks surprisingly similar to yours except yours seems to start the tweeter break up earlier. Have you performed any/all the tweeter tweaks?

Dan

freddyi · « **Reply #11 on:** 15 Mar 2010, 03:19 pm »

-sure like to know any tweaks including tweeter/xover/cone dope-damping mods -they've sat unused for ~3yr - reducing that ~3K peak might help the roughness
-oh - here's an old outdoor graph so see effect of series resistance

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 Mar 2010, 03:47 pm »

Congratulations on the speakers Cliff. Great to hear you're enjoying them.

In addition to the (wise) advice of dampening the frames, I would recommend to remove the screens from the compression tweeters. The nice thing about those two tweaks, is that both can be done for less than $4.

Bob

DanTheMan · « **Reply #13 on:** 15 Mar 2010, 05:42 pm »

http://www.hawthorneaudio.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=1980
this links leads to all the tweaks.

Here's what I got 11.25 off axis. Again this is not the production model but with pretty much all the common tweaks done, on a u-baffle and my own crossover mods.

This is 22.5 degrees off axis:

Adding series resistance should bump the bass a bit and decrease the midbass-lower MR some much like what your graph is showing. 22.5 off axis is looking pretty smooth and should probably be the listening axis. Great for extreme toe in, but flat baffles I've heard don't sound good like this. I'd suggest an L-Baffle so that lateral reflections can be increased. May well be the best of all worlds.

Dan

DanTheMan · « **Reply #14 on:** 17 Mar 2010, 05:56 am »

Oops!

Actually I didn't get it right in that last post. Series resistance should not boost the bass, but instead it should just attenuate it less than it attenuates the midrange and perhaps change the tonal balance for the better for those using tall and slender baffles and no Augie. Freddy's graphs show that as well as MJK mathcads.

This from scorpion:
1 augie:

one augie with 9.2 ohm resistance added in line:

Dan

bombadil111 · « **Reply #15 on:** 20 Mar 2010, 12:29 am »

Quote from: ngomez745 on 15 Mar 2010, 02:18 am

I am too, a long time lurker... how do you have the N3 when it's not out yet? I am planning on pre ordering my N3 this week.

That's a good guestion!

Actually, I ordered the original S1. It was sold out. I got an e-mail from MiniWatt customer service. They offered an N3 . . . was higher priced, but I whent for it. It arrived quickly and packed very well (styrofoam vault). There was nothing in the box but the amp.

Works for me.

bombadil111 · « **Reply #16 on:** 20 Mar 2010, 12:32 am »

Quote from: Bob in St. Louis on 15 Mar 2010, 03:47 pm

Congratulations on the speakers Cliff. Great to hear you're enjoying them.
In addition to the (wise) advice of dampening the frames, I would recommend to remove the screens from the compression tweeters. The nice thing about those two tweaks, is that both can be done for less than $4.

Bob

Hey Bob, thanks for the advice. I've already got my eye on some modeling clay (will not dry out), at the Hobby Lobby.

Now, that screen. Did you use an exacto knife to remove it?

The clay is somewhat pricey. Is there something that works as good for less $?

bombadil111 · « **Reply #17 on:** 20 Mar 2010, 12:50 am »

Sorry guys . . . been out of town for a couple weeks. Will be home soon. Then it's off for another loooong adventure.

So I'll have a couple weeks with the Iris'; then I'll have to pack 'em up for a year or so.

Someone asked about the N3. This is my first tube amp, and I haven't owned a decent amp since the early 90's (Soundcraftsmen). All I can tell you is this system is a pure joy to listen to. It plays nice with all kinds of music and sounds very real with percussion instruments

It's rediculous how little I have tied up with this amp and speakers. If you can't tell I'm just having alot of fun with this. Good stuff.

Cliff

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #18 on:** 20 Mar 2010, 03:28 pm »

The "clay" putty I used is $1 per pound. You can find it used mostly for sealing the entry points for the electricity and HVAC in most houses. Can't recall what it's called though. I found it at Home Depot in the electrical section. Comes in one pound "bricks". It doesn't harden, isn't messy to use, and comes off easily.

Regarding removal of the screen, I have an old thread on the Hawthorne site with pictures, but can't find it now. Basically, I used a 90 degree 'pick' to pull the screen off. It's held on with three drops of glue. I would pull it off as opposed to cutting to avoid pieces of debris falling into the throat.
I've got some pictures, I'll see if I can find them.

Maybe I missed it, but why are you packing up the speakers?
Bob

bombadil111 · « **Reply #19 on:** 21 Mar 2010, 01:54 am »

Quote from: Bob in St. Louis on 20 Mar 2010, 03:28 pm

The "clay" putty I used is $1 per pound. You can find it used mostly for sealing the entry points for the electricity and HVAC in most houses. Can't recall what it's called though. I found it at Home Depot in the electrical section. Comes in one pound "bricks". It doesn't harden, isn't messy to use, and comes off easily.

Regarding removal of the screen, I have an old thread on the Hawthorne site with pictures, but can't find it now. Basically, I used a 90 degree 'pick' to pull the screen off. It's held on with three drops of glue. I would pull it off as opposed to cutting to avoid pieces of debris falling into the throat.
I've got some pictures, I'll see if I can find them.

Maybe I missed it, but why are you packing up the speakers?
Bob

Thanks again Bob. I'll look at Home Depot.

I am an Army reservist and will be away from home for an extended period . . . so I'll propably pack up the system while I'm gone.

Cliff