Best Sounding Single Drivers

planet10 · « **Reply #80 on:** 21 Nov 2010, 11:11 pm »

Quote

CHR70

In reply #40 Don (aka Doorman) posted a pic of his fully done up 1st gen CHRs in the CHR-Ken enclosure (pronounced as in the sea monster)

dave

doorman · « **Reply #81 on:** 22 Nov 2010, 12:41 am »

And thanks to Dave & TerryO, they wound up in the above enclosures!!
(plan to attend next years Vancouver Isl. DIY fest, and you too could get lucky!!)
Best, Don

chrisby · « **Reply #82 on:** 22 Nov 2010, 07:05 pm »

Quote from: rajacat on 21 Nov 2010, 08:06 pm

IMO the Omega 5" hempcone drivers handle high frequencies very well. They can catch the slightest shimmer of cymbals and hold on to it. I can hear the piccolo in a symphony and catch the entire range of the orchestra. (I think! ) However, in order the capture all the lows and their impact a sub is required. I have the Omega Hemp Bipoles that double the displacement so that the little drivers aren't overwhelmed with larger works. The bipoles also help with the baffle step problem and and my homemade felt defraction busters help too.

I surprised that the bipole configuration hasn't received more attention by speaker builders. I suppose it's because the form requires a substantial distance from the back wall to work properly. If you have a dedicated audio room the problem is solved. I suppose that, intuitively you'd think that they wouldn't image well but I've found mine to image well enough to place the instruments in an orchestra and small jazz groups it's almost pinpoint. Their main drawback would be the lack of that big speaker feel although it's amazing how those 4 little drivers can fill a room. Also if I push them hard they'll sound stressed at very high volume.

yup, bipoles (or dipoles / panels etc) certainly have their placement issues, but in the right room /placement can do amazing things

I had a chance to hear Louis' little bipole Super3s at VSAC back in 2003 (this was still Fostex FE127 - long before he adopted the OEM Hemps) - silly good speaker more well suited to the type of crappy hotel suites common at these shows than many of the large multiways or front loaded horns. When connected in parallel, a little 3-4 watts of EL84 SET was more than enough (for chicks and guitars anyways

)

motosapien · « **Reply #83 on:** 24 Nov 2010, 12:54 pm »

Quote from: sts9fan on 18 Nov 2010, 08:41 pm

I am building the smaller Dunideer.

http://www.wodendesign.com/dunideer.html

These are lovely designs. Scott's got the cabinet volumes spot on judging by the performance of my Coniston^2's which are similar double mouth horns.

JohnR · « **Reply #84 on:** 24 Nov 2010, 03:23 pm »

I feel a bit lost when looking at some of those plans. What tolerance is typically needed on the positioning of the internal panels?

sts9fan · « **Reply #85 on:** 24 Nov 2010, 04:21 pm »

This is my first build of folded horns so I really have no idea. I would love to get some feedback from Dave, Chris or someone with lots of experience building these types of boxes. I will say that I cannot worry too much over 1/16" or else I would never be done.

chrisby · « **Reply #86 on:** 24 Nov 2010, 06:03 pm »

Quote from: JohnR on 24 Nov 2010, 03:23 pm

I feel a bit lost when looking at some of those plans. What tolerance is typically needed on the positioning of the internal panels?

Quote from: sts9fan on 24 Nov 2010, 04:21 pm

This is my first build of folded horns so I really have no idea. I would love to get some feedback from Dave, Chris or someone with lots of experience building these types of boxes. I will say that I cannot worry too much over 1/16" or else I would never be done.

The engineer in Scott would likely say: tolerance is pretty darned important - and I'd suggest within 1mm ( 1/25th in). On many of the concatenated 90` manifold designs, cumulative error of more than that on cut lengths can result in parts that might "fit" but change the CSA or length of individual sections.

Of course the speaker will still make sound, and unless errors are egregious, it might be harder to actually hear than measure any deleterious effects.

One of the table saws that I regularly use has an off calibration gauge on the sliding fence ( honestly - the adhered tape measure is misprinted, and varies in accuracy depending on distance from blade). It's easy to forget about it, and has resulted in having to recut parts to actually fit together countless times. As long as all corresponding parts on the manifold designs are cut at the same setting, things seem to work out, and no listener has yet identified minor variances from drawn dimensions.

planet10 · « **Reply #87 on:** 24 Nov 2010, 06:07 pm »

Quote from: JohnR on 24 Nov 2010, 03:23 pm

I feel a bit lost when looking at some of those plans. What tolerance is typically needed on the positioning of the internal panels?

Woden plans are (eventually) rationalized for either imperial or metric depending on the sheet material, but the CAD software allows display of (and we use) both. Scott gives me the design dimensions in inches. So if you see a metric to a tenth of a mm then it is an inches derived design. If you see 32nds of an in then metric. If both, then we aren't done (usually). Accuracy to 1/8 or a couple mm is usually fine -- as long as there are no gaps. Available sheet material can vary this much, and we've seen almost that much in the same sheet.

So before cutting, measure how thick your plywood is, and adjust dimensions as required. Slot ports & internal dimensions trumping external dimensions. Eventually all the Woden plans should have a number of different plans for different sheet thicknesses. By default we start with 3/4", 18mm, 15mm. This means you can start from the plans that have the material closest to what you have purchased.

dave

sts9fan · « **Reply #88 on:** 24 Nov 2010, 06:29 pm »

That makes me feel better. I have not been 1/8 off on any panel.

wushuliu · « **Reply #89 on:** 5 Dec 2010, 08:07 am »

I have Alpair 12s breaking in a (less than ideal) ported box. 50hrs in and in some ways they sound much better than I expected. I'm comparing them to my Modula MTMs (see gallery), which couldn't be more opposite (the crossover cost more than the drivers). With a sub filling in the <100hz, it's definitely full range. Dispersion is great, not a lot of toe-in needed. Definitely does not need a tweeter. Lots of break-in time left so I will wait before commenting more, but one thing I found cool is that my Stones Sticky Fingers was the one album that really didn't sound good w/ the Modulas. Everything else awesome, but this just sounded like a poor 70s recording. The Alpairs on the other hand has a competely different delivery and the album now sounds terrific. Surprised the heck out of me, especially as it's a gritty and sometimes 'busy' rock album. In general, the Alpairs handle rock really well so far. At least at moderate volumes (I'm not a turn it to 11 type of guy). Hope they pan out so that I can get rid off all my inductors and caps and resistors and...

JohnR · « **Reply #90 on:** 5 Dec 2010, 11:28 am »

Interesting to hear. What (type of) box are you planning to put them in eventually?

wushuliu · « **Reply #91 on:** 5 Dec 2010, 06:22 pm »

Quote from: JohnR on 5 Dec 2010, 11:28 am

Interesting to hear. What (type of) box are you planning to put them in eventually?

I'd like to try the SuperPensil 12, but the gf probably wouldn't be too keen on that. Since I rely on the local lumber/hardware store to do my cuts, I can't get too crazy with box design. So either Dave's double bass reflex, basic bass reflex, or Classic GR. That said, the current box (19L with 2.75"x3.75" port, from spare stuff I had lying around) sounds pretty good. Winisd shows a 2db peak at 70-80hz, but I don't really hear it...

sts9fan · « **Reply #92 on:** 5 Dec 2010, 06:41 pm »

Nice! I need to decide what to build next. Either the Frugal Horn 3 or an Onken with the Alpair10. I sanded up my Dunideers today. Now I just need to finish them.

planet10 · « **Reply #93 on:** 5 Dec 2010, 11:02 pm »

Quote from: wushuliu on 5 Dec 2010, 06:22 pm

Dave's double bass reflex

Scott gets credit for that design... i just drew it up.

dave

mor2bz · « **Reply #94 on:** 6 Dec 2010, 09:16 pm »

very interesting wush: wish i could hear them. what do they sound like with
the port stuffed?

what about a cab like that sealed (for better driver protection at higher
vol.) but with the driver on the big face ( for less baffle step loss)
+ 2 subs on the bottom (seem bastani forum for integration info)?

wushuliu · « **Reply #95 on:** 7 Dec 2010, 06:33 am »

Quote from: mor2bz on 6 Dec 2010, 09:16 pm

very interesting wush: wish i could hear them. what do they sound like with
the port stuffed?

what about a cab like that sealed (for better driver protection at higher
vol.) but with the driver on the big face ( for less baffle step loss)
+ 2 subs on the bottom (seem bastani forum for integration info)?

They naturally sound a little cleaner with port stuffed but the large box size creates an early roll-off. 2 subs on the bottom?! I'm afraid my relationship is not a democracy... she would not be happy about that.

wushuliu · « **Reply #96 on:** 7 Dec 2010, 06:38 am »

Quote from: sts9fan on 5 Dec 2010, 06:41 pm

Nice! I need to decide what to build next. Either the Frugal Horn 3 or an Onken with the Alpair10. I sanded up my Dunideers today. Now I just need to finish them.

Pics!

chrisby · « **Reply #97 on:** 8 Dec 2010, 07:49 pm »

Quote from: sts9fan on 5 Dec 2010, 06:41 pm

Nice! I need to decide what to build next. Either the Frugal Horn 3 or an Onken with the Alpair10. I sanded up my Dunideers today. Now I just need to finish them.

if it's not too late , and if you're looking for votes

- of the 2 listed, I'd definitely go for a "-ken" style with any of the Mark Audio drivers larger than 70mm ( ie. CHR / EL 70 or Alpair 7)

The FH3 kicks serious a$$ with the FE126E, but IMHO the more refined and evenly balanced Alpairs don't need the same degree of help in the lower frequencies, and come into their own in a sealed or resistively vented enclosure.

sts9fan · « **Reply #98 on:** 8 Dec 2010, 08:16 pm »

I think my post was poorly worded. I do have a pair of 126e for the FH3. I think I am leaning towards the Onken anyway. They both will be built its just a matter of order.

Kris

JohnR · « **Reply #99 on:** 9 Dec 2010, 11:45 am »

Quote from: sts9fan on 5 Dec 2010, 06:41 pm

I sanded up my Dunideers today.

That was fast