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Get familiar with the reaction system: Introducing the Reaction System
DIY Speaker Recommendations with Specific Questions RE: Hivi 3.1, Helix Dome
in DIY
Application: Stand mount speakers to be positioned relatively near my computer desk. They will not be backed from a wall, my desk faces outwards towards the middle of the room so the only boundary issue of note is the sound coming at my desk and monitor themselves.
What I have now in that category:
AR11 (doesn't image well or work well near field), C-Note, Classix II (excellent), Econowave (doing duty elsewhere but probably also not great near field, mine has a 12" woofer)
What I'm looking for:
Another fun DIY build in the upgrade path i.e. what's next to try and listen to that would either be different from or an improvement on the Classix II - not that the Classix II is bad...I love it and it reproduces anything well...just because I love audio project and audio in general. I will be leveraging the system in a 2.1 configuration with a rolls high pass/low pass (and a Behringer crossover to sub in if needed) with a M&K 70B sub to supplement the low end. I like to listen at moderate volumes because my 46 year old ears like/need them and I enjoy some dynamics to the music. I'm preferring to spend $500 or less for this project iteration which eliminates Adelphos/Kairos for the most part. I will be driving the speakers with a McCormack DNA .5 so 4 ohm load based designs are wholly within scope. I'd prefer a bookshelf for stand mount form factor rather than mini monitors due to my desire to have some larger midbass drivers 6" or larger unless there is compelling reason to go smaller and maintain output/dynamics.
Under Consideration:
DIY Sound Group Helix Dome Kit (Bagby), Hivi 3.1 (intrigued by the ribbon), Carmody Spitfire, anything that is well documented and out there sold as a kit. Not married to ruler flat response, I want something that sounds good and can reproduce music beyond only music fit for critical listening. After some research those are the two that pique my interest the most but it's not out of the question to look at other items.
Some Specific Questions:
1. Just how good is the Hivi 3.1 kit? The price and comprehensive inclusion of the kit is compelling, I've never owned something leveraging a tweeter of that type (closest I've owned is EMIT on an Infinity RSII), and having a stand mounted 3 way might be interesting. Are there better DIY options i.e. for over 100 more would the helix dome be a better choice? I see all the crossover mods which are compelling as well i.e. that it's well documented and I can tweak it in a number of ways. In optimal condition, just how good of a deal and performer is it? This is one of the main reasons I joined the group, MAC seems to have spent the most time dissecting and solutioning on the 3.1.
2. Helix Dome...how does it stand against other similarly priced and aligned Bagby designs i.e. Piccolo, Soprano, Docere, etc. I like the idea of the Continuum II but I'm concerned that it might be too small and not have enough output even with bass supplementation.
Thanks in advance for all your help! If I was still living in Indiana I'd just attend one of your events...but it's only 5 hours away from Nashville so I'd absolutely consider driving up I still have family in Indy.
Let me add that if anyone wants to audition any of my speakers feel free to reach out to me and have a beer at my home in Mount Juliet TN a few miles away from Nashville. Audio people are always welcome!!
What I have now in that category:
AR11 (doesn't image well or work well near field), C-Note, Classix II (excellent), Econowave (doing duty elsewhere but probably also not great near field, mine has a 12" woofer)
What I'm looking for:
Another fun DIY build in the upgrade path i.e. what's next to try and listen to that would either be different from or an improvement on the Classix II - not that the Classix II is bad...I love it and it reproduces anything well...just because I love audio project and audio in general. I will be leveraging the system in a 2.1 configuration with a rolls high pass/low pass (and a Behringer crossover to sub in if needed) with a M&K 70B sub to supplement the low end. I like to listen at moderate volumes because my 46 year old ears like/need them and I enjoy some dynamics to the music. I'm preferring to spend $500 or less for this project iteration which eliminates Adelphos/Kairos for the most part. I will be driving the speakers with a McCormack DNA .5 so 4 ohm load based designs are wholly within scope. I'd prefer a bookshelf for stand mount form factor rather than mini monitors due to my desire to have some larger midbass drivers 6" or larger unless there is compelling reason to go smaller and maintain output/dynamics.
Under Consideration:
DIY Sound Group Helix Dome Kit (Bagby), Hivi 3.1 (intrigued by the ribbon), Carmody Spitfire, anything that is well documented and out there sold as a kit. Not married to ruler flat response, I want something that sounds good and can reproduce music beyond only music fit for critical listening. After some research those are the two that pique my interest the most but it's not out of the question to look at other items.
Some Specific Questions:
1. Just how good is the Hivi 3.1 kit? The price and comprehensive inclusion of the kit is compelling, I've never owned something leveraging a tweeter of that type (closest I've owned is EMIT on an Infinity RSII), and having a stand mounted 3 way might be interesting. Are there better DIY options i.e. for over 100 more would the helix dome be a better choice? I see all the crossover mods which are compelling as well i.e. that it's well documented and I can tweak it in a number of ways. In optimal condition, just how good of a deal and performer is it? This is one of the main reasons I joined the group, MAC seems to have spent the most time dissecting and solutioning on the 3.1.
2. Helix Dome...how does it stand against other similarly priced and aligned Bagby designs i.e. Piccolo, Soprano, Docere, etc. I like the idea of the Continuum II but I'm concerned that it might be too small and not have enough output even with bass supplementation.
Thanks in advance for all your help! If I was still living in Indiana I'd just attend one of your events...but it's only 5 hours away from Nashville so I'd absolutely consider driving up I still have family in Indy.
Let me add that if anyone wants to audition any of my speakers feel free to reach out to me and have a beer at my home in Mount Juliet TN a few miles away from Nashville. Audio people are always welcome!!
Comments
At a certain point I feel like you need to move to a 3 way to have significant gains in sound quality over most well implemented stand mount bookshelf speakers. Like all statements there are exceptions.
I also had a recommendation for Mark Audio Alpair 11s's which are full rangers on sale right now at madisound but the 100% box construction from specs sounded time consuming. What are your thoughts?
PS - you'll have to scroll to the beginning of the thread as the link goes near to the end
What time frame are you thinking for building a kit? Someone might be able to make a baffle for you.
I have heard hivi drivers from those product lines as well and they are good quality.
InDIYana Event Website
The 3.1 kit as it sits out of the box is a bit bright and anemic. With Scott's xover, it's a lot better.
InDIYana Event Website
As for the 3.1 kit with Scott's xover (the only way I'd do it) is the end product really good or just better than the default? At the end of the day do you really like that speaker when optimized compared to other options under $500?
BTW, I was just reading your write up on your Zingers on Meniscus (I've read up on all your designs that have kit forms behind them) and just as a heads up some of the text got cut off on the bottom of page 4 when you were doing your September 2005 update.
InDIYana Event Website
My replies are directed to anyone in the forum since most of them have heard the speakers, it's one of the main reasons I joined the forum. So I read that as an endorsement but only if I use one of Scott's crossover mods which is flat out the only way I would proceed. I'd likely shoot for the resistor mad as it's the easiest/cheapest unless there were signficant audible differences to go to the full boat 'perfect' crossover...I mean...it's 25 dollars I could easily go that way if there were audible gains but the impression I got was that the resistor mod was equally as effective. I like the summary of 'less than the sum of it's parts' i.e. I read that as 'you'd think this would sound good from the driver selection and components but the crossover was so off target they managed to screw that up with everything else going for the kit'. This doesn't surprise me, chifi iem's are often tuned bright as well, it's almost a 'house sound signature' for chifi.
The Sept 2005 date was the date of a forum software reboot for PETT, and was the the first version after BBS software if I'm not mistaken. It's on version 4 now I think. I actually joined PETT around 2002, and was posting there and the now gone old Mad-board. Mad died an internet death, and then most of use migrated over to PETT naturally.
InDIYana Event Website
Apparently it's 'highly asked for' too!? I guess I know what you mean now. You have to click the link to the PETT pages to read the whole thread about them, sans truncations.
InDIYana Event Website
Yes...I discovered all of this in looking at your designs to see if there was one in Kit Form that fit the bill for me and this is how I stumbled upon it. Madness right?
InDIYana Event Website
Sehlin Sound Solutions
Let me also add that if I could get SB to respond to my emails and provide the plans for the Bromo's I would be purchasing those drivers based on the recommendations in the thread and proceeding. Maybe some time down the road I'll get a response but so far I'm getting crickets and there is no email or phone number on the sb acoustics site, you can only contact them via form.
In the interim I'm likely going to take advantage of the madisound sale on Mark Audio's new Alpair MS's as I've had little experience with full range drivers and the cost of entry is pretty cheap for an experimental build. Anyone here have any experience with those drivers or heard anything based on Mark Audio's full range drivers? I haven't pulled the trigger yet but likely will at some point today.