I hope Darren K doesn't mind

[jeffrey8128]

I built the cynosure (mmmtmmm)center channel that Darren designed, making a small change to dimensions - wider to spread the drivers out a little, shallower to compensate for for width to keep internal volume equall to his original design. sounded pretty good and I've been happy with it..... until I read some of the posts on bipole designed speakers. That got me to thinking that I could modify the cynosure design, using the drivers and crossovers, and build a cabinet that basically placed 1/2 the drivers and ports on a 45 degree angle mounted above the front facing drivers about 6" back from the front edge of cabinet. As my center is above my big screen, about 3 feet from the ceiling, I am thinking that by bouncing some of the sound off the ceiling I will get a slight delay that will enhance sound dispersion. Before I go and start building this contraption, I thought I'de ask you guys if this a reasonable idea, and if it would be better to mount the tweeter and the 2 inner drivers that go to 2K on the top "angled" baffle, or would it be better to place the outer, lower cutoff mids on top and leave the tweeter and higher ranging mids facing forward.
I am not afraid to try both, but felt a question to the board was in order.

[matthewkolson]

> I built the cynosure (mmmtmmm)center channel
> that Darren designed, making a small change
> to dimensions - wider to spread the drivers
> out a little, shallower to compensate for
> for width to keep internal volume equall to
> his original design. sounded pretty good and
> I've been happy with it..... until I read
> some of the posts on bipole designed
> speakers. That got me to thinking that I
> could modify the cynosure design, using the
> drivers and crossovers, and build a cabinet
> that basically placed 1/2 the drivers and
> ports on a 45 degree angle mounted above the
> front facing drivers about 6" back from
> the front edge of cabinet. As my center is
> above my big screen, about 3 feet from the
> ceiling, I am thinking that by bouncing some
> of the sound off the ceiling I will get a
> slight delay that will enhance sound
> dispersion. Before I go and start building
> this contraption, I thought I'de ask you
> guys if this a reasonable idea, and if it
> would be better to mount the tweeter and the
> 2 inner drivers that go to 2K on the top
> "angled" baffle, or would it be
> better to place the outer, lower cutoff mids
> on top and leave the tweeter and higher
> ranging mids facing forward.
> I am not afraid to try both, but felt a
> question to the board was in order.

sounds like quite an experiment, which is what it will be... so i'd make sure that you mock it up w/ cheap wood first and see how you like it... if you do not have measurement equipment its really difficult to guauge what those angled drivers will be doing. measurements aren't everything... but they sure do help. i would say that you should stick to darrens design best you can... why mess w/ success? sounded good to me when i heard it but...if you have them time and the $$... go for it. i'd say your time and money might be better spent elsewhere like making a new sub or better main speakers or something. just a thought

-Matthew K. Olson DMD

[jeffrey8128]

> sounds like quite an experiment, which is
> what it will be... so i'd make sure that you
> mock it up w/ cheap wood first and see how
> you like it... if you do not have
> measurement equipment its really difficult
> to guauge what those angled drivers will be
> doing. measurements aren't everything... but
> they sure do help. i would say that you
> should stick to darrens design best you
> can... why mess w/ success? sounded good to
> me when i heard it but...if you have them
> time and the $$... go for it. i'd say your
> time and money might be better spent
> elsewhere like making a new sub or better
> main speakers or something. just a thought

> -Matthew K. Olson DMD

Thanks, Matthew.
It's funny how this hobby can just grab a hold of you. I already built a sub, and mains. And now playing with this center concept.I AM ADDICTED TO PARTS EXPRESS!!! Next I want to do some surrounds. My son wants me to build a complete speaker system for his HT. I CAN"T STOP!!.... well, until I run out of funds.
I am looking into measuring equipment. Right now all I have is my Ratshack meter, which is helpfull in setting up and getting an idea of where some holes and peaks are in frequency response.

[matthewkolson]

> Thanks, Matthew.
> It's funny how this hobby can just grab a
> hold of you. I already built a sub, and
> mains. And now playing with this center
> concept.I AM ADDICTED TO PARTS EXPRESS!!!
> Next I want to do some surrounds. My son
> wants me to build a complete speaker system
> for his HT. I CAN"T STOP!!.... well,
> until I run out of funds.
> I am looking into measuring equipment. Right
> now all I have is my Ratshack meter, which
> is helpfull in setting up and getting an
> idea of where some holes and peaks are in
> frequency response.

I'll tell you how to keep feeding this hobby. Those mains and sub you just built... move them to surround duty and then build a NEW set of subs and mains that are bigger and better Don't spend another dime on ANYTHING from PE until you get measurement equipment though. If you are really committed to this hobby that is one thing you can't live without nor can you afford to live without it. I spent lots of money before i got software...big mistake. Bad headaches... before i got that software. now its much easier to figure things out.

hope this helps

-Matthew K. Olson DMD