Speaker idea...

Toxis
Toxis Posts: 5,116
edited August 2005 in DIY, Mods & Tweaks
I'm toying around with the idea of building a line array speaker. Not sure exactly how I want to go about this but found some speakers that look kinda beefy and wanted you DIY'ers opinions. Gotta love the 'bay!

This is an auction for 6 1/2" woofers, in a case of 12 drivers for $48.
http://cgi.ebay.com/6-Woofers-new-WOF10662case_W0QQitemZ5750902329QQcategoryZ51000QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

This is an auction for 5 1/4" drivers, in a case of 16 for $64.
http://cgi.ebay.com/5-1-4-WOOFERS-new-WOF10575case_W0QQitemZ5758143976QQcategoryZ51000QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Thoughts? I know they don't have a name but I wanted to know how they'd work for a line array setup. 8 5.25's in each speaker or 6 6.5's... I'd still have to find a tweeter but I'd probably lean towards a nice Ribbon or maybe a Vifa silk dome. I know I'd have a lot of work to do in terms of x-over points and what-not but I'm sure that can be calculated somehow later down the road. Right now, I'm just playing around with different concepts mentally.

I found this guy online because he had some 8" subs (HERE) on sale for $40/pr. and my buddy bought a pair. He is absolutely in love with them. He built his own cabinets that look real nice and he is running an NHT sub amp on them. Impressive for a "no name" brand. So I figured why not give his other driver's a chance...
Never kick a fresh **** on a hot day.

Home Setup: Sony VPL-VW85 Projo, 92" Stewart Firehawk, Pioneer Elite SC-65, PS3, RTi12 fronts, CSi5, FXi6 rears, RTi6 surround backs, RTi4 height, MFW-15 Subwoofer.

Car Setup: OEM Radio, RF 360.2v2, Polk SR6500 quad amped off 4 Xtant 1.1 100w mono amps, Xtant 6.1 to run an eD 13av.2, all Stinger wiring and Raammat deadener.
Post edited by Toxis on

Comments

  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited August 2005
    Have you considered using full range speakers?
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
  • unc2701
    unc2701 Posts: 3,587
    edited August 2005
    With 8 on each side you'll be able to get a more friendly impedence, but those 6.5's dig a lot lower... with the 5.25's you'll absolutely want a sub; with the 6.5's you can probably get away with out it.

    If you're going to go full range, I'd say forget the line array and go single driver, high effiency.
    Gallo Ref 3.1 : Bryston 4b SST : Musical fidelity CD Pre : VPI HW-19
    Gallo Ref AV, Frankengallo Ref 3, LC60i : Bryston 9b SST : Meridian 565
    Jordan JX92s : MF X-T100 : Xray v8
    Backburner:Krell KAV-300i
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,874
    edited August 2005
    I am not a big fan of line arrays per se. There are problems (challenges) with comb filtering between drivers and also challenging VC inductance effects when the drivers are series/paralleled to provide a reasonable impedance load for the amp to drive. The "tone" can be good but "imaging" is really weird at best IME (at least near-field). They are good for moderately long throw sound reinforcement, though.

    Curved arrays can mitigate the comb-filter issue for relatively near-field listening. Another option is the so-called "Bessel array", which is actually a bit complicated.

    Lots of line-array talk over the years at James Melhuish's full-range driver site and forum: www.melhuish.org and/or www.fullrangedriver.com

    The venerable (and long-gone) PartsExpress 269-469 4" fullranges were quite good and inexpensive (as little as 69 cents!) drivers for full range and/or line array experimentation, FWIW. See, e.g., http://ratch-h.com/farm.html and http://ratch-h.com/69centwonder.html

    art28a.jpg
  • burdette
    burdette Posts: 1,194
    edited August 2005
    Check Parts Express. They regularly have cheap buy-out speakers and the guys on their forums are always playing around with line arrays and various other set-ups to use the cheap drivers.

    For example, here is an Onkyo 6" full range driver for $0.75 each (!!).

    http://www.partsexpress.com/webpage.cfm?&DID=7&WebPage_ID=159

    They have several styles of Onkyo 3/8" mylar tweeters for less than 50 cents each. I found another mylar tweeter, not Onkyo, 1/2", for $0.93.

    There are other listings as well - other brands and price ranges.

    Go to the home page, scroll down, and along the right-hand side there is a heading called "Factory Buyouts". There are also a few things in the category just above that - "Inventory Clearance".

    Granted, you have to pay return shipping - but a nice thing about Parts Express (besides the great customer service and VERY helpful forums) is that you can return the stuff if you don't like it. You might not have the opportunity (and you certainly won't have the support) from an EBay buy.
  • neomagus00
    neomagus00 Posts: 3,899
    edited August 2005
    the bessel array isn't terribly complicated...

    the O is a tweeter, the X is a tweeter wired out of phase:
    OXOOO
    or
    OOOXO
    

    the interesting thing to see would be a 3-D bessel array, how would that turn out?
    OXOOO
    OXOOO
    OXOOO
    XOXXX
    OXOOO
    
    It's not good, very fundamentally simply not good. - geolemon

    "Its not good enough until we have real-time fearmongering. I want my fear mongered as it happens." - Shizelbs
  • gatemplin
    gatemplin Posts: 1,595
    edited August 2005
    Unless you can measure the TS specs of those drivers, I suggest you look elsewhere. The NSB (PE) drivers might still be available here and there, and there are lots of projects already.
    Graham
  • Toxis
    Toxis Posts: 5,116
    edited August 2005
    Well, price wise, I think I'm gonna have to build a set of bookshelf speakers instead. *Sigh* Oh well, someday...
    Never kick a fresh **** on a hot day.

    Home Setup: Sony VPL-VW85 Projo, 92" Stewart Firehawk, Pioneer Elite SC-65, PS3, RTi12 fronts, CSi5, FXi6 rears, RTi6 surround backs, RTi4 height, MFW-15 Subwoofer.

    Car Setup: OEM Radio, RF 360.2v2, Polk SR6500 quad amped off 4 Xtant 1.1 100w mono amps, Xtant 6.1 to run an eD 13av.2, all Stinger wiring and Raammat deadener.
  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited August 2005
    Come on man, go for it!!!
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.