New home audio project
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Silver Member Username: ScubasteveAnnapolis, MD Post Number: 257 Registered: May-05 | Hey guys, this is my first time posting on the Home Audio side of the forum. I came across some very low costing drivers from the adire ebay outlet store. I bought some new Peerless 5" midbass speakers: http://www.d-s-t.com/link/peerless/data/850108.htm and a "lightly used" pair of Adire Mark 1 compression tweeters. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem%26item%3D5788096604&ed=11224148890 00&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOTB:US:6 I'll be building crossovers and a cabinet for these speakers and when I plugged them into my Box-Port design program, it recommended a volume of 7.82 Liters. Here's a printout: http://img113.imageshack.us/my.php?image=peerless57qm.png I was hoping that someone with more enclosure design experience could look over this configuration and see if looked good or if there was a better way to do it. Also, to avoid double posting on the amplifier page, if anyone knew what a good amp for bi-amping these speakers would be. Each component can handle about 100 W rms. I won't need a reciever, just a 4 channel amp that takes an auxiliary source input would be great. For the time being, the source for these speakers will be my computer, so I won't be needing any outboard equilization. I really appreciate the help with my first DIY home audio project. |
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Silver Member Username: ScubasteveAnnapolis, MD Post Number: 258 Registered: May-05 | gahhh, sorry about the non-functional ebay link, here's Adire's page for the Mark II version compression tweeters: http://www.adireaudio.com/Home/ACD1.htm |
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Silver Member Username: DakulisSpokane, Washington United States Post Number: 299 Registered: May-05 | Steve, I suggest that you have Tim or Jan take a look. There are several other folks that are pretty knowledgeable as well but these two would be your most likely sources and Tim has produced a great speaker that he's selling so he's been there, done that. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 4663 Registered: May-04 | Glad to help. My consulting fees begin at $150 per hour. I'm not sure what you're going for with this design. Firstly, why would you question what the computer told you was needed in cabinet volume? Secondly, why combine an 87dB woofer with a 98dB tweeter? I see a big box with a 5" woofer, a sizzling tweeter and a 4.25" port. With a -3dB point at 57Hz, this doesn't sound like the direction I would take a design. But, hey, tastes differ. |
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Silver Member Username: Joe_cOakwood, Ga Post Number: 753 Registered: Mar-05 | Hey , he might have a run at JBL with that one. |
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Silver Member Username: ScubasteveAnnapolis, MD Post Number: 259 Registered: May-05 | I see what you mean, but I thought I could solve that with some equilization. Like I said, these drivers were dirt cheap. I paid 40 for the pair of tweeters and would have no problem leaving them out of this project and maybe getting some less agressive dome tweets. The reason I questioned the computer program is that nearly 8 liters seemed awfully big for a 5 inch woofer. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. As I said, this is my first attempt at putting together a pair of 2-way speakers for home use. |
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Silver Member Username: ScubasteveAnnapolis, MD Post Number: 260 Registered: May-05 | Oh and Jan, for the port diameter and length, thats in centimeters, not inches. Now that I think about it, that seems a bit small, should I have any problems with port noise if I don't flare out the edges? |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 4666 Registered: May-04 | Yes, probably; but how much you notice is something only you can determine. People have and do make lots of speakers without flared ports. Just out of curiosity, why not build from a pre-designed kit? Most people don't start a design process from the drivers they could find "dirt cheap". |
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Silver Member Username: ScubasteveAnnapolis, MD Post Number: 268 Registered: May-05 | 1.) I'm a broke college student. 2.) I'm not a hard core DIYer. I do it out of necessity, not by choice. If I had a the money to buy a kit, I'd probably just buy a pair of speakers. 3.) I'm relatively skilled as a carpenter. 4.) I know how to design and make crossovers from scratch. Anyway, doing 100% of the design and construction is where the fun in DIYing is. Anyone can put together a prefabricated kit, but in the end, you can't look at it and say its yours. I've decided to save the Adire tweets for something more fitting. The Morel MDT 20 is a bit more than I paid for the Adires, but its sensitivity is around 88-89 dB for most of the range I'll be using it in. http://www.madisound.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi?cart_id=8297370.19782&pid=670 Do you think that would be a pretty good match? |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 4672 Registered: May-04 | Now you're asking something I can't answer. First, I don't know what you will find acceptable as a match. Secondly, I don't know the "sound" of the Morel driver, so I can't even comment on whether I would like the combination. Third, it is the combination that makes the speaker's "sound". It is how the drivers are placed in the cabinet, whether the designer knows enough to make the small compensations for a "close but no cigar" result, where and how the X-overs affect the response of each driver, the inherent characteristic sound of each driver, etc. You can take an Emminence woofer and pair it with a Dynaudio tweeter and have sensitivity specs that look good. But I can't imagine that combination sounding good. I certainly don't want to discourage your experimentation. However, when your funds are low, the possibility you may have to scrap an entire project or live with less than great results means you could be spending money in not the wisest of fashions. I would suggest you weigh the consequences of your choices before committing to a course of action. If you decide to proceed with a design from scratch, I would suggest you at least, keeping your funds in mind, look at some of the driver combinations that have been used in DIY speakers and choose what has already been proven a good match. Buying drivers based strictly on price is a rather certain route to disappointment. On the other hand, they will be yours from the ground up. There is no better learning experience and everyone loves their first child. |
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Silver Member Username: ScubasteveAnnapolis, MD Post Number: 270 Registered: May-05 | Jan, thank you for your wise advice. I did some more research for projects that use that peerless woofer and found the exact same combo offered in a kit by partsexpress.com. Their enclosure is .02 cubes smaller than the one I was going to make...but hey. For $112 for drivers and ~$30 for crossovers, I figure I can't go (that) wrong. http://www.partsexpress.com/webpage.cfm?WebPage_ID=209 "The overall sound is very neutral and relaxed, making them amazing all-around speakers that will sound great on any type of music." Or so they say. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 4678 Registered: May-04 | Yes, so they say. I've never read the ad copy that says "this is one of the most disappointing products I've ever encountered - stay away!" |
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Silver Member Username: ScubasteveAnnapolis, MD Post Number: 271 Registered: May-05 | thanks again Jan for the constructive input  |
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Silver Member Username: DakulisSpokane, Washington United States Post Number: 310 Registered: May-05 | Or as Jan suggests, the more likely full quote: "The overall sound is very neutral and relaxed, making them amazing all-around speakers that will sound great on any type of music . . . " except classical, rock, jazz, alternative, R & B, punk and country. But, it you like polkas, they're really above average." LOL |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 4686 Registered: May-04 | Polkas!? Oh, Mr Welk! |
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