DIY Super Center Channel

Systems

Early B. wrote: »

Ben & GV --

What do you think about this driver --

http://www.madisound.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=834

Not bad but won't dig real deep and the xmax is not even close to the Dayton I linked to.I use a variant of this in my mains crossing it over at 60 and 300.hz

Sensitivity may only be 88db but using 2 will add 6 db.

Systems

ben62670 wrote: »

I looked at that driver, and yuck! What a bumpy road:eek:

Which one?If you are reffering to the coax's response shown in the datasheet then yes the tweeters response is a bit rough but this is the raw response without the crossover.With the xover the response will be substantially smoother.

Several years ago I built a pair of speaks ( even had an article printed in a Speaker Builder ) using the first generation of the SEAS coax.It has a number of benfits that make it a good choice for center channel usage.

Early B.

megasat16 wrote: »

And also high efficiency driver with good sound (Fs) is very hard to achieve at this price point. It's like you gotta make a trade off between efficiency and sounds quality and decides what favors you. You can hardly get the best of both world under strict budget.

Agreed.

So what are tradeoffs? Perhaps my speakers won't go as low as I want them to. I can live with that. Maybe the speakers aren't high efficiency. I can live with that, too. But sound quality is the most important factor here, so that's where I need to focus my attention.

I agree with Ben's view of the ribbon tweeter. Yeah, vertical dispersion may be an issue, but it is not enough to rule it out, IMO. The VMPS center channel I sold yesterday was the best one I've owned and it had a ribbon tweeter and a ribbon midrange, but from what I could ascertain from the sitting position, vertical dispersion was never an issue. This center channel will sit even higher.

Systems

Early B. wrote: »

Yeah, vertical dispersion may be an issue, but it is not enough to rule it out, IMO. The VMPS center channel I sold yesterday was the best one I've owned and it had a ribbon tweeter and a ribbon midrange, but from what I could ascertain from the sitting position

How long were the ribbons in it?It's less of an issue with shorter ribbons.

This center channel will sit even higher.

Ah OK, I initially thought it would be sitting very low.

Early B.

GV#27 wrote: »

How long were the ribbons in it?It's less of an issue with shorter ribbons.

The proposed ribbon tweeter will be 3".

tryrrthg

My advice, build a proven design like the WTMW design built with the Dayton Reference Series drivers. Two 8 inch drivers.

summarized in these two threads

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=15323

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=22393

or there is the Statement center channel that uses a ribbon tweet, but only 6.5" mids.

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=27552

Systems

tryrrthg wrote: »

My advice, build a proven design like the WTMW design built with the Dayton Reference Series drivers. Two 8 inch drivers.

summarized in these two threads

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=15323

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=22393

or there is the Statement center channel that uses a ribbon tweet, but only 6.5" mids.

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=27552

I have read through some of those threads previously and there are some excellent choices amongst those designs.

tryrrthg

GV#27 wrote: »

I have read through some of those threads previously and there are some excellent choices amongst those designs.

Yep, those guys know their ****. I wish I was that knowledgeable about speaker design.

ben62670

I am thinking the RS 7" 4's would be a good option. The Dayton's seem to be a little more honest with their ratings than some of the brand names. They are pretty flat too:)

Or a wmtmw
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=295-374&ctab=2#Tabs

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=295-376

ben62670

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=27552 I like some of the speaker designs in the avitars;)

Love the limited edit feature:rolleyes:

tryrrthg

Yep, the Statements look bad ****.

http://www.geocities.com/cc00541/Statements.html

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=28728

Early B.

The Statement is cool, but not big enough. What I want is essentially a large floorstanding speaker for a center channel. Hell, I even thought about using one of my VMPS speakers as a center channel (16x16x44).:p

Early B.

This center channel comes closest to what I'm trying to do. Check the specs:

http://www.sierraaudio.com/loludspeakers/spc.html

Systems

Here ya go.It even has the ever popular ring radiator tweet. http://clearwaveloudspeaker.googlepages.com/dynamic4ccpictures


He sells a parts kit(no box) including all drivers and crossover parts for $452.

ben62670

GV#27 wrote: »

Here ya go.It even has the ever popular ring radiator tweet. http://clearwaveloudspeaker.googlepages.com/dynamic4ccpictures


He sells a parts kit(no box) including all drivers and crossover parts for $452.

Now those speakers are hot!

Early B.

GV#27 wrote: »

Here ya go.It even has the ever popular ring radiator tweet. http://clearwaveloudspeaker.googlepages.com/dynamic4ccpictures


He sells a parts kit(no box) including all drivers and crossover parts for $452.

Hell, yeah!!!! That's what I'm talking about!!!!

Ben -- change of plans. Let's do this one.

Thanks, GV.

ben62670

Nope. Not doing it.

Systems

Early B. wrote: »

Hell, yeah!!!! That's what I'm talking about!!!!

Yeah it looks like it has the potential to give you a good kick in the berries with appropriate sound tracks.;):D

Thanks, GV.

Your welcome.Here is a link to his home page.http://clearwaveloudspeaker.googlepages.com/home

Systems

ben62670 wrote: »

Nope. Not doing it.

:eek:

Early B.

Nevermind...

ben62670

I'll do it:) I was just kidding:D It does place it over budget, but that has to be one of the baddest centers I have seen. The TB mids are great performers from what I read. it does drop at about 75 pretty fast. The Dayton 8"er wants a huge box as in 8.5 feet to go low.The 7" Dayton kicks its butt all over the place. Also the 8" Silver flute romps it. Both will go to 40 3db down with a 4.5cf box.

Systems

ben62670 wrote: »

it does drop at about 75 pretty fast.

He states with that measurement he didn't slice in the ports response,thats why the apparent drop in level below 75hz.He claims response into the 30s.:)


All in all a nice little CC.

ben62670

I did model that Dayton, and the model agrees with his graph. The 7's would be able to drop down low, but the 8's can not pull it off. I would rather see 2 8's. It would not look as impressive, but the bass would be better. I just modeled 2 8's, and a 4 foot box tuned to 33hz with 2 3" vents 6.5 inches long would be flat to 40hz, and drop 3db at 30hz. 2 8's save $110, and he will be able to listen to all but the lowest notes on a pipe organ:D

Early B.

It's only 9" tall. Crazy question, but I gotta ask -- can we make it 12" without 'effing up the design? If not, I'll find a way to boost it by 3" once it's built so my TV will be centered at eye level.

ben62670

real rough figure is 50.5x14x16

Edit:I'm Also thinking some 5.5's for the mids to keep the power handling up. The tang bands don't like high power. I know:o

Early B.

ben62670 wrote: »

real rough figure is 50.5x14x16

Edit:I'm Also thinking some 5.5's for the mids to keep the power handling up. The tang bands don't like high power. I know:o

Huh? Once I buy the kit, that's it.

Ben -- what's the estimate on the cost of the cabinet? I'm waayyy overbudget.

ben62670

Early B. wrote: »

Huh? Once I buy the kit, that's it.

If you get the kit you still need to build the box, and finish it. Also you will not reach you design goals. I am thinking wmtmw. This would not only save money, but you will reach your goals. Who is going to finish the cab? I can veneer it for you, but you will stain, and clear coat it?

Systems

Early B. wrote: »

It's only 9" tall. Crazy question, but I gotta ask -- can we make it 12" without 'effing up the design?

The crossover was optimised for the 9" baffle but being as it is horzontal it likely won't affect response that much going to 12".However you do have to keep the internal volume the same so you can reduce the cabinet depth.

ben62670 wrote: »

Edit:I'm Also thinking some 5.5's for the mids to keep the power handling up. The tang bands don't like high power.

Using 2 of them and crossing them over at what looks like around 350hz,PH shouldn't be an issue.

ben62670

2 8's $110
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=295-376
2 5.5's $25
http://www.madisound.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=150&products_id=844
1 nippled tweeter $50
http://www.madisound.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=153&products_id=1181
I was thinking the double magnet Vifa, but the cheaper one should be a better match. It is 91.5 VS 92.7db. I would like to keep a resistor out of the tweetercuircuuit if possible. Also I prefer the Silver Flute 8's to the Dayton's. They are also cheaper, and go low.
The drivers would be less than $200:)

Systems

ben62670 wrote: »

Also you will not reach you design goals.

How does it not reach his design goals?

ben62670 wrote: »

2 8's $110
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=295-376
2 5.5's $25
http://www.madisound.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=150&products_id=844
1 nippled tweeter $50
http://www.madisound.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=153&products_id=1181
I was thinking the double magnet Vifa, but the cheaper one should be a better match. It is 91.5 VS 92.7db. I would like to keep a resistor out of the tweetercuircuuit if possible. Also I prefer the Silver Flute 8's to the Dayton's. They are also cheaper, and go low.
The drivers would be less than $200:)

But with the kit you have an expertly designed crossover that according to the measurements does an excellent job of blending the drivers.The xover is the most important part.