SoundScape 10/12 (HT4) design finalized

satfrat · « **Reply #60 on:** 8 Mar 2010, 08:55 pm »

Quote from: Philistine on 8 Mar 2010, 08:44 pm

Congratulations to Jim and the team on this.
I'm ready to fit them in the following space

I gotta hunch you'll be making room 1 way or another Phil.

Cheers,
Robin

jsalk · « **Reply #61 on:** 8 Mar 2010, 09:41 pm »

Steve -

Quote from: srb on 8 Mar 2010, 08:40 pm

I can see that the mid/tweeter module is made of laminated sections. Does this same construction extend to the woofer module?

Chances are we won't do that unless it is requested. It is terribly labor-instensive. As for the top sections, we will do that for only a short time until we make a mold. From that point on, we will mold the top section with a custom polymer formulation that will be slightly more dense than MDF.

Quote

If so, what is the resultant wall thickness (I assume the same section pieces would be used whether MDF or Bamboo plywood), and what is the approximate weight of either version?

Regardless of the technique used, the 12" version will have 2" thick walls and the 10" version will have 1.5" thick walls. Both will be very heavily braced.

- Jim

jtwrace · « **Reply #62 on:** 8 Mar 2010, 11:12 pm »

Quote from: jsalk on 8 Mar 2010, 09:41 pm

Steve -

As for the top sections, we will do that for only a short time until we make a mold. From that point on, we will mold the top section with a custom polymer formulation that will be slightly more dense than MDF.

- Jim

Injection mould? I've been thinking of having my injection moulder do it...then I designed / priced the tooling and thought otherwise.

Especially for ONE pair...

I look forward to hearing this speaker at RMAF.

jrg4785 · « **Reply #63 on:** 9 Mar 2010, 10:31 pm »

awesome. I'm close to in for these...

Jeff B. · « **Reply #64 on:** 9 Mar 2010, 10:43 pm »

Wow! I am glad to hear this design saga is finally coming to close and we will have a finished speaker to admire. It should be awesome too. Jim - I am glad I could help. I hope we can get together next month and check them out (along with a couple other new speakers as well). I am looking forward to it, if everything works out. Dennis - thanks for hanging in there. I would have selected the second order acoustic crossover as my preference too, and knowing your propensity for perfection, I am sure it sounds great. Congrats guys.

Jeff B.

JP78 · « **Reply #65 on:** 9 Mar 2010, 11:20 pm »

Why did you guys decide to finally scrap the FAAL? It's a great midrange, as is the Accuton.

writeface · « **Reply #66 on:** 9 Mar 2010, 11:47 pm »

How heavy is HT-4? Heavier than HT-3? 150 - 200lbs?

HT-4 costs twice the price of HT-3. I wonder what the difference is - particularly the SQ...

Well,I'll never know unless I buy a pair, and A-B them with my lovely HT-3s.. If only I had room.. Darn!

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #67 on:** 9 Mar 2010, 11:59 pm »

Quote from: writeface on 9 Mar 2010, 11:47 pm

How heavy is HT-4? Heavier than HT-3? 150 - 200lbs?

HT-4 costs twice the price of HT-3. I wonder what the difference is - particularly the SQ...

Well,I'll never know unless I buy a pair, and A-B them with my lovely HT-3s.. If only I had room.. Darn!

Very, but now in two pieces so manageable.
Twice the sound quality, of course! The HT3 can't deliver the bass nor soundstage the open back mid of the HT4 allows.
You won't have to have them side-by-side to A-B them!

And hello from Portland - cloudy with a chance of clouds - my trip for the week.

writeface · « **Reply #68 on:** 10 Mar 2010, 12:33 am »

>The HT3 can't deliver the bass nor soundstage the open back mid of the HT4 allows

Oh please... don't tell me that! I just bought it:-)

Again, how heavy are the individual pieces?

and hello from the sunny sunnyvale (albeit a bit chilly)!

DMurphy · « **Reply #69 on:** 10 Mar 2010, 02:11 am »

Quote from: writeface on 10 Mar 2010, 12:33 am

>The HT3 can't deliver the bass nor soundstage the open back mid of the HT4 allows

Oh please... don't tell me that! I just bought it:-)

Again, how heavy are the individual pieces?

and hello from the sunny sunnyvale (albeit a bit chilly)!

Well, hopefully you didn't think Jim would try to sell a $10k speaker that wasn't better than the HT3. That's kind of what this exercise has been all about. As for size, the 10" version doesn't look any bigger than the HT3 from the front. The difference is in the depth--the bass portion of the HT4 is about 7 inches deeper than the HT3. I don't know the specifics on weight, but I doubt that the bass portion weighs more than the entire HT3. And the midrange-tweet module isn't all that heavy. So I really think the decision between the HT3 and the 10" version of the HT4 is basically one of price, not room size--unless your only alternative is to slam the speaker flat up agains the rear wall. And that's probably not great for either speaker, though it would be particularly unfortunate for the HT4 since you would lose some of its soundstaging depth advantage.

Stylus · « **Reply #70 on:** 10 Mar 2010, 02:21 am »

Great to hear everything is finalized! For my own selfish reasons I am hoping it might increase the used HT3 market

gkinberg · « **Reply #71 on:** 10 Mar 2010, 02:55 am »

Quote from: vintagebob on 7 Mar 2010, 02:52 pm

Congratulations to you and your team!

We need pictures. ; )

The Salk Demo on the West Coast seemed to go very well.

Just curious, what Salk demo on the west coast? When and where did it take place? Was it open to the public or was this where the SoundScape comparison held? I would have loved to have attended nonetheless!

Thanks, Garth

vintagebob · « **Reply #72 on:** 10 Mar 2010, 04:52 am »

Quote from: gkinberg on 10 Mar 2010, 02:55 am

Just curious, what Salk demo on the west coast? When and where did it take place? Was it open to the public or was this where the SoundScape comparison held? I would have loved to have attended nonetheless!

Thanks, Garth

Hey Garth,

Maybe a poor choice of words on my part? We did have a Salk GTG on Saturday. The details can be found here:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=72983.msg746198#msg746198

writeface · « **Reply #73 on:** 10 Mar 2010, 07:42 pm »

Quote from: DMurphy on 10 Mar 2010, 02:11 am

Well, hopefully you didn't think Jim would try to sell a $10k speaker that wasn't better than the HT3. That's kind of what this exercise has been all about. As for size, the 10" version doesn't look any bigger than the HT3 from the front. The difference is in the depth--the bass portion of the HT4 is about 7 inches deeper than the HT3.

No, I don't think that. I think my HT3 are worth 10k:) So I was wondering how the HT4s will be...
just dreamin'..of getting these ... may be when my wife is out-of-town for few days... sneak these in?

gkinberg · « **Reply #74 on:** 10 Mar 2010, 09:31 pm »

Thanks Bob for the update, wish I could have been there. Garth

jtwrace · « **Reply #75 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 04:29 pm »

I'm sure it's been mentioned.

What ribbon tweeter is being used in the HT-4?

Looks like a RAAL?

jsalk · « **Reply #76 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 04:40 pm »

Quote from: jtwrace on 11 Mar 2010, 04:29 pm

I'm sure it's been mentioned.

What ribbon tweeter is being used in the HT-4?

Looks like a RAAL?

It is a custom RAAL tweeter. Aleksander did a great job with it.

- Jim

jtwrace · « **Reply #77 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 04:49 pm »

Quote from: jsalk on 11 Mar 2010, 04:40 pm

It is a custom RAAL tweeter. Aleksander did a great job with it.

- Jim

What's custom about it?

jsalk · « **Reply #78 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 04:58 pm »

Quote from: jtwrace on 11 Mar 2010, 04:49 pm

What's custom about it?

Tap values were selected to allow for flat response, -1 1/2 db and -3db response out of the same driver with no change in the crossover for these settings.

- Jim

jtwrace · « **Reply #79 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 04:59 pm »

Quote from: jsalk on 11 Mar 2010, 04:58 pm

Tap values were selected to allow for flat response, -1 1/2 db and -3db response out of the same driver with no change in the crossover for these settings.

- Jim

Nice. I take it that it's the 70-20XR?