Tang Band 4"er

ben62670

Well the 7B's are way too big for my desk, and I have been thinking about selling them. I picked up these...
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=264-828
Specifications:
Power Handling: 20 watts RMS/40 watts max
*VCdia: 1"
*Znom: 4 ohms
*Re: 3.80 ohms
*Frequency range: 60-15,000 Hz
*Fs: 63 Hz *SPL: 87 dB 1W/1m
*Vas: .26 cu. ft. *Qms: 4.21
*Qes: .54 *Qts: .48
*Xmax: 4 mm
*Dimensions: Overall Diameter: 4-9/16", Cutout Diameter: 3-3/4", Mounting Depth: 2-1/4".
Well I stuck them in a very small box just to test them out, and there is real sharpness to them. I just got them so no breakin, but for a single driver like this I wouldn't expect the kind of SQ(lack there of) from these
Anyone play with these?

Thanks
Ben

Systems

Havn't tried that one but I have one of these http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=264-850&FTR=w5-704d&CFID=2150669&CFTOKEN=55745645 for use in my center channel that I can hopefully get finished when or if I fully recover from my ailment.

TB drivers are known to offer very good price /perfomance ratio.

ben62670

I was hoping to stay small, but your looks like It would be just as happy in the same size box. On the SPL/Freq chart at about 1500 it starts to rise, and stays high the rest of the way up. I was hoping to not need to do any XO in this design, but it is way to forward, and sharp. I know I need a bigger box, and some fill, but it is looking like I am going to be doing some XO work.

Face

Keep your eyes open for a pair of Tannoy 6.5" drivers and crossovers on ebay, they pop up time to time.

ben62670

Face wrote: »

Keep your eyes open for a pair of Tannoy 6.5" drivers and crossovers on ebay, they pop up time to time.

Small box?

Face

IIRC, a 9 litre box will go down to 50hz.

ben62670

Found the solution!

zingo

My next project will be a single driver full range similar to what you're working on.

I've been eying the these.

ben62670

Just be cautious. The freq response does a very similar rise as mine, but not as peaky. At5k, and 12k its 6db up from the 150-500hz region. You will have to build an XO for it. I'll post progress with my project. I'm looking at a 1/2' box tuned to 50hz, or so.
Ben

Systems

zingo wrote: »

My next project will be a single driver full range similar to what you're working on.

I've been eying the these.

Have you seen these?http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=295-358

zingo

I like those too; and the review on them sounds solid. Is there any reason you wanted to go with a small driver Ben? I thought that this 8" Fostex look interesting.

mhardy6647

I have a pair of the selfsame TangBands in my basement (courtesy of Gary Kaufman) but haven't even tried them :-( They definitely have potential.

The Fostex FE206E mentioned in the post above is a nice FR but needs pretty fancy cabinetry to produce decent LF. The shielded FE207E has Qts just high enough to let one get away with a bass reflex enclosure. Here's one of mine (the cat is strictly ornamental, and not to enhance acoustic performance).

zingo

I dig the FE207E. What do you think of the sound of them?

mhardy6647

I like them a lot. I find it to be verall a much better balanced and more listenable driver than AlNiCo Lowthers I've heard (in any enclosure I've heard them in). The ones I have (which were designed and built by a fellow here in MA, not by me) can seem a little bass shy, but on program with real low bass (e.g., Jennifer Warnes song Way Down Deep) they acquit themselves nicely. They're also very efficient; single-ended 2A3 is more than adequate. I find that they work quite well on the floor or on low stands (haven't experimented much with placement).

EDIT: Here's an AA post with the cabinet dimensions and tuning of the cabinets I have, from their designer/builder:
http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/bottlehead/messages/6/69799.html



In the photo above, I was testing an EICO AF-4 (single ended EL84 pentode mode, ca. 4 wpc) with the FE207Es. Immediately behind the Fostex is a Quad ESL-57, so we have a pretty good idea of good midrange sound at my house :-)

Jim Shearer

ben62670 wrote: »

I was hoping to stay small, but your looks like It would be just as happy in the same size box. On the SPL/Freq chart at about 1500 it starts to rise, and stays high the rest of the way up. I was hoping to not need to do any XO in this design, but it is way to forward, and sharp. I know I need a bigger box, and some fill, but it is looking like I am going to be doing some XO work.

I think you may need a baffle step correction circuit, not a XO. I haven't built anything w/ TB drivers, but many others have--and have had good results w/ TBs. You might check out loudspeakers/full range area at diyaudio.com. I think some folks also have used notch filters w/ TBs. Look over different cabinet designs too. The cab really needs to be designed for each specific driver for best performance.

Cheers, Jim

ben62670

Thanks Jim. DIY is where I found the XO. These are for my desktop so I need to keep them small. I will continue my research before I build a cabinet.
Ben

ben62670

Well I put some stuffing in the box to try to reduce the mudding, and clean the highs. Its better, and a little help from the EQ. I don't know what would be worse the EQ, or the passive components to correct the peaks. Well here is a pic. Guess what cabs I dropped them in for now? Tweeters are disconected.

Ben

zingo

Those little cabs fit those drivers pretty well! (Nice web page )

ben62670

I wish those cabs worked with those speakers. I raised them off the desk about 4 inches. I tweaked the EQ to the freq charts supplied by the manufacturer. They are sounding better as time goes on. They really honked/rang hard for the first 10hrs. They are actually getting better to listen to. At times I feel like they are great, and then all of a sudden out of nowhere they just hurt my ears. The tune selection is very selective. Any "busy" music has troubles being reproduced, but acoustic, most piano, and lower vocal ranges sound fantastic. The highs really have surprised me with how crisp they are. Symbols have a nice crash, and on the lower end the kick, and snare drums have great extension, and impact(real fast). Please take my comments with a grain of salt till I have proper cabs, and a passive equalizer circuit(XO) done. The Accurian is a perfect match for these little speaker. I will probably build the cabinets tomorrow.
Ben

ben62670

These things are really shaping up.

ben62670

Well the enclosures are the Ipod tube amp speakers. I am not running a tweeter, and I still need to make an XO. These little speakers sure hit hard. I have really learned that even small boxes need to be braced. The Ipod speakers have 3/8 to 1/2 inch walls, and the resonances being emitted by the enclosures is very surprising. Hopefully this week I will be building the proper cabinets.
I'll of coarse take pics.
Ben

ben62670

Well I did one speakers XO mod. Its much smoother now, and enjoyable. They have brand new caps so I know not to be too critical yet.
Ben

Edit: I had to fix the post. I still had it EQed for the straight speaker.

ben62670

OK I did the other one. Real nice. It was harsh, and peaky before. Now its silky smooth:) I think I paid less than $20 on the XO parts. I modded an old Monitor 10 inductor. I only had to unroll 4 feet to get it to spec for this XO;)

zingo

Nice work. I assume you are still using the iPod speaker boxes?

ben62670

For now. They are way too small though. These really need 1/2 1 foot to really open up. They sound good, but don't dig low now. Kinda funny saying dig low when speaking of a 4" full range.
Ben

zingo

What are you powering the little guys with? I was looking at them yesterday, but they might be a little insensitive for my tubes. Although you never know until you try it...