Raal 140, Neo10, AE Dipole 15 in the works

THWO · « **Reply #140 on:** 21 Jun 2011, 09:50 am »

On one of the early photos (a board marked "front left") I see that you plan to place the baffles with tweeters located on the outside of the fronts. Was this a decision just for optical reasons or does that imply acoustical advantages (as well)? In other words: Would placing the tweeter on the insides instead have negative impacts?

Thanks,
Till

studiotech · « **Reply #141 on:** 21 Jun 2011, 10:33 pm »

Till, you the entire xover/eq/amp is digital. Have not decided 100% on xover points and final EQing, but during the protoyping the points were around 300Hz and 3.5-4KHz. At least 24dB/oct. Only passive component is a large value cap in series with the Raal for protection from DC and pops or clicks.

You correct in asuming that the tweeter placed beside the mids has an effect, you the opposite as it would have in an MTM configuration. Wit drivers spaced vertically, you also get verticle lobing when the distance btw drivers is far enough that they cancel each others output at certain frequencies. So, spaced hotzontally, you end up with lobes in the horizontal plane. In my case, the tweeter to the outside places the first lobe to the outside(in other words, the wall, not the center), so I'm pretty flat around the listening position. Tweeters to the outside also gets a little wider physical seperation which I need since the speakers are a little closer to each other than I would prefer given my listening distance. Ideally, I would be crossing from the mids to the tweeter an octave lower to minimize the cancellation, but the system just sounds better with the Raal crossed a little higher. Sometimes the sound wins over perfect measurements....did I just say that? Somebody shoot me, I'm high on fidelity!

Greg

studiotech · « **Reply #142 on:** 21 Jun 2011, 11:16 pm »

Forgot to answer you on the AE15. Depending on the levels you listen at, one 15 per side can be OK. If one is good, two is better though. Even with one driver per side, you CAN get to mid 20Hz, just keep your SPL under 95dB if there is a lot of sub 40Hz content.

Greg

JohnR · « **Reply #143 on:** 4 Jul 2011, 08:06 am »

How's it going at this point Greg! I'd put in a vote for measurements if you'd care to post them at any time. Out of curiosity/interest only, no worries either way.

studiotech · « **Reply #144 on:** 4 Jul 2011, 10:35 pm »

Quote from: JohnR on 4 Jul 2011, 08:06 am

How's it going at this point Greg! I'd put in a vote for measurements if you'd care to post them at any time. Out of curiosity/interest only, no worries either way.

It's going great! I've fallen asleep on the couch listening to them the last 2 nights. I bought a new sofa just for these! Even the sweet spot in the middle of the thing reclines. Took me a while to find one the that did it AND I could afford.

Once I am all done tweaking these things out, I will put up my final measurements.

Next on the list is a to make a new entertainment center that matches them and has a place for the center channel at the appropriate height.

Bill Baker · « **Reply #145 on:** 4 Jul 2011, 11:01 pm »

Hi Greg,
I hope there will be some pictures of the final arrangement. Especially with the custom entertainment center in place.

studiotech · « **Reply #146 on:** 5 Jul 2011, 12:59 am »

Quote from: Bill Baker on 4 Jul 2011, 11:01 pm

Hi Greg,
I hope there will be some pictures of the final arrangement. Especially with the custom entertainment center in place.

Of course!

Ric Schultz · « **Reply #147 on:** 4 Aug 2011, 05:46 pm »

Greg,
I am sure you are in heaven listening to your speakers.

I have a few questions. How low does the B&C driver go on your baffle with no eq? Are you eqing the bottom end and where are you crossing over on the bottom or are you just running it wide open the bottom without limiting it? What freq/slope are you xing the subs in at? Thanks.
Ric

studiotech · « **Reply #148 on:** 5 Aug 2011, 12:06 am »

Quote from: Ric Schultz on 4 Aug 2011, 05:46 pm

Greg,
I am sure you are in heaven listening to your speakers.

I have a few questions. How low does the B&C driver go on your baffle with no eq? Are you eqing the bottom end and where are you crossing over on the bottom or are you just running it wide open the bottom without limiting it? What freq/slope are you xing the subs in at? Thanks.
Ric

Still playin with settings, but currently I am crossing to the Rythmik subs at 60hz. I'll get you some measurements this weekend of the B&C on baffle with and w/o boost added.

Greg

studiotech · « **Reply #149 on:** 30 Oct 2011, 11:23 pm »

New addition for the room! Made a custom TV/equipment stand out of T-slot aluminum. Shelves will be made from the leftover bamboo plywood. Legs are 3" and connecting beams are 1.5". Overall length is 60" and depth is 20". Gives me plenty of room to upgrade to a larger TV, fit in the BG z62 center channel and hold all of the gear.

chrapladm1 · « **Reply #150 on:** 28 Dec 2011, 06:16 am »

What components did you use for your surrounds?

And what type of spl could be achieved for your OB setup and the surrounds?

I have been wanting looking at the TPL150 and Raal for a long time. I was looking at getting some of the BG's also to try in a line array but my monster LA will have to wait. So for now I was looking at building a 3 way. I had been thinking of a powerful MTM sitting in top of a bass cabinet for the 3rd part of the 3 way like this picture.
http://www.jirihifi.com/images/setup/Recent/system_01.jpg
Now I know his MTM is a TL design which I would not be doing. I was also looking at using the BC 6MD38 with the Raal. But after seeing your praise with the Neo 10 I am thinking maybe I should try and use two of those instead.

Either way quite a few questions but I will start there for now.

Awesome build by the way!!!

studiotech · « **Reply #151 on:** 15 Jan 2012, 03:49 pm »

Almost done with AV stand. I also finally have the custom grills for the rear side behind the Neo10s that I will install today.

Greg

panomaniac · « **Reply #152 on:** 16 Jan 2012, 12:27 am »

Superb! Looks great. And the bamboo ply is a very nice touch.

studiotech · « **Reply #153 on:** 16 Jan 2012, 12:37 am »

Quote from: panomaniac on 16 Jan 2012, 12:27 am

Superb! Looks great. And the bamboo ply is a very nice touch.

Thanks!

Bamboo ply is the leftovers from the open baffle project. Kinda ties it all together, except I only had enough for the top 2 shelves and now need an alternative for the bottom. An good ideas? I was thinking just some black plywood, but it will drive me nuts.

Greg

JohnR · « **Reply #154 on:** 16 Jan 2012, 12:05 pm »

I think it looks quite good without the bottom shelf, actually. If you hadn't said otherwise, I would have thought that was how it's supposed to be, stuff at floor level is just going to get kicked, what are you going to put there anyway?

It looks great regardless.

JoshK · « **Reply #155 on:** 16 Jan 2012, 01:59 pm »

I'd go with Black shelving, I'd think it would look nice personally...you might check out lumber liquidators for counter top type of shelf.

studiotech · « **Reply #156 on:** 17 Jan 2012, 02:02 am »

Quote from: JohnR on 16 Jan 2012, 12:05 pm

I think it looks quite good without the bottom shelf, actually. If you hadn't said otherwise, I would have thought that was how it's supposed to be, stuff at floor level is just going to get kicked, what are you going to put there anyway? It looks great regardless.

The picture is deceiving. The bottom supports are 4 inches off the ground and I need the space for amps and power distro. TV on top(with room to grow) center channel, DVD and cable box on middle shelf.

Greg

studiotech · « **Reply #157 on:** 17 Jan 2012, 02:06 am »

Quote from: JoshK on 16 Jan 2012, 01:59 pm

I'd go with Black shelving, I'd think it would look nice personally...you might check out lumber liquidators for counter top type of shelf.

I have some butcher block counter top material from Ikea that was on clearance last year. It's too short to go the whole length, but I have 2 pieces, so it is possible I might try this. As long as the color of the wood does not clash too much. Thanks for the idea.

Greg

studiotech · « **Reply #158 on:** 23 Jan 2012, 12:33 am »

OK, she's in place. Bottom shelf is the butcher block walnut. Also cut some cradles for the subs to rest on. Next up is the custom cabling and LED lighting.

Greg

bill13 · « **Reply #159 on:** 28 Sep 2012, 02:55 pm »

StudioTech's {GREG} success with this Open baffle design inspired me to build a similar speaker but with three (3) stacked Neo10s instead of two per side. I prefer the perceived sound to originate from a higher elevation. Also, using the RAAL 140-15D tweeters with the amorphous transformer cores. I am currently using the same 15" B&C woofers.

However, I have a pair of TC Sounds Pro 5100 18" Neo Subwoofer Drivers which may be better up to say 275 Hz (much lower distortion and smoother bass with substantially less needed EQ at my 2+ meter listening location). So, I may be making a woofer change. Possible problem is that the 18" cone moving mass is much greater than the 15" cone & wonder if this would somehow effect the SQ. Perhaps the TC Sounds 5100 high power underhung radial Neodymium motor with 4" VC would compensate?

I am using a miniDSP 2X8 for crossover with some EQ. Instead of two subs, one Velodyne DD15 for below 70 Hz immediately behing my couch listening location, works fine.

Maybe I will attempt to post a picture of my OB project someday .. currently, it's just a sloppy experimental prototype.

I did not see any posted {final} OB speaker measurements by Greg - wonder if he made any changes since his last post?

Bill