Classical Reference Speaker??

[danbentley]

I am looking for a descent DIY project to listen to string/brass/vocal music that could pull light home theater duty (very little) with the assistance of a sub (to be matched with speakers later). This is a very opinion-encouraging question...please share experience with this type of music...and of course money IS an issue >$500/pair (w/out sub). Thanks, Dan

[dancarroll]

Mr. Kittinger is a Classical Music aficionado. Hope he can help you.

> I am looking for a descent DIY project to
> listen to string/brass/vocal music that
> could pull light home theater duty (very
> little) with the assistance of a sub (to be
> matched with speakers later). This is a very
> opinion-encouraging question...please share
> experience with this type of music...and of
> course money IS an issue >$500/pair
> (w/out sub). Thanks, Dan

[Paul K.]

I listen almost exclusively to symphonic music and favor the Classical and Romantic periods of music, plus do like some of the Modern period. I don't particularly like vocals or chorals, but sure do like brass, percussion and strings. My current 3-way speakers (RS225, MDM55 and XT19), the Alicantes, work very well for my musical tastes and would likely delight you, but it would cost about $700-$750 for all of the materials and components to replicate them. Plus, the crossover is not a "public" design, having been designed by Rick Craig of Selah Audio (who has special expertise in designing with/for the MDM55), and you would likely have to pay a fee to Rick or outright buy the crossovers from him. I've just started on another 3-way project which should be less expensive, and although Rick is also designing that crossover, it will be a public design that I can share. I've built a number of speaker systems in the last 10 years, and while I've only built one dud, the Alicantes are everything I need and want in a speaker system in terms of musical enjoyment. The primary reason I'm building another pair is to gain voltage sensitivity, by using a pair of smaller woofers, and to try out a ribbon tweeter (and besides, there's no such speaker as the last one you'll ever build!).
Paul K.
(Hi Dan)

> I am looking for a descent DIY project to
> listen to string/brass/vocal music that
> could pull light home theater duty (very
> little) with the assistance of a sub (to be
> matched with speakers later). This is a very
> opinion-encouraging question...please share
> experience with this type of music...and of
> course money IS an issue >$500/pair
> (w/out sub). Thanks, Dan

[danbentley]

I'm affraid the cost would be the downside for me right now. Based on the price I would assume that a quality 2-way would be about the only way to go? I could be wrong.
Would any of the PE kits fit the bill for a descent classical speaker? Just a thought?

[paul_n_oneal]

> I'm affraid the cost would be the downside
> for me right now. Based on the price I would
> assume that a quality 2-way would be about
> the only way to go? I could be wrong.
> Would any of the PE kits fit the bill for a
> descent classical speaker? Just a thought?

There are tons of two ways out there at lower cost. Eventually you will get to the $700+ range for speakers. It happens to use all, maybe longer or shorter depending on the person, but in the end, I've seen just about everyone make a big one. To that end there were a bunch of designs at the Iowa DIY event that would be up your alley. CurtC won 1st in a few categories and no ones sounded bad. You could tell that all the folks there were really DIY guys that were serious about sound. Zaph has some nice two ways on his site too. I have a few designs myself. The PE showcase has some too. Lot's of projects available once you know what your budget is and how low and how loud you want it.

Paul

[davidroberts]

Provided Link: http://www.murphyblaster.com


> I am looking for a descent DIY project to
> listen to string/brass/vocal music that
> could pull light home theater duty (very
> little) with the assistance of a sub (to be
> matched with speakers later). This is a very
> opinion-encouraging question...please share
> experience with this type of music...and of
> course money IS an issue >$500/pair
> (w/out sub). Thanks, Dan
I think one of Dennis Murphy's designs would fit the bill. Not only does Dennis use this type of material when voicing his xovers he also is a symphony musician so he knows what it should sound like. Check out the MBOW1. In the future if you decide you want more it can even be made into a 3-way.

[dennismurphy]

Hi I listen almost exclusively to classical music and have played violin or viola in orchestras for around 40 years. All of my designs are voiced using classical music. At your price, it's really a matter of bass extension. If you can get away with 50 Hz as a lower limit, you might check out my CA0W1 at <A HREF="http://murphyblaster.com/content.php?f=CAOW1.html">http://murphyblaster.com/content.php?f=CAOW1.html</A>

> I am looking for a descent DIY project to
> listen to string/brass/vocal music that
> could pull light home theater duty (very
> little) with the assistance of a sub (to be
> matched with speakers later). This is a very
> opinion-encouraging question...please share
> experience with this type of music...and of
> course money IS an issue >$500/pair
> (w/out sub). Thanks, Dan

[castlesteve]

> I am looking for a descent DIY project to
> listen to string/brass/vocal music that
> could pull light home theater duty (very
> little) with the assistance of a sub (to be
> matched with speakers later). This is a very
> opinion-encouraging question...please share
> experience with this type of music...and of
> course money IS an issue >$500/pair
> (w/out sub). Thanks, Dan

Maybe try something like these:http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/3WClassic.htm
I like 3 ways for classical.

Steve.

[castlesteve]

> Maybe try something like
> these:http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/3WClassic.htm
> I like 3 ways for classical.

> Steve.
These should be doable for $500 if you don`t go crazy on boutique crossover parts.

Steve.

[danbentley]

These perspectives are really great! I am in a military band and listen to a lot of "band" music. The ranges would be about the same as the orchestra but the darker timbre of the orchestra is what I really love. Or sometimes full on pipe organ music. Of course being a brass player I listen to music at slightly higher levels. I know there is no one right speaker, but I enjoy learning about some of the great options. Keep em comin...thanks Dan

[danbentley]

The "sound" of the speaker seems fine, the looks=wife factor end of it might be a hard sell for the size room we have (13x15)

[danbentley]

How would the Vifa/Dayton MTM handle classical music? Or perhaps the Dayton Euro Monitor?

[danbentley]

Usher 701 looks pretty nice...any experience yet with this?

[castlesteve]

> The "sound" of the speaker seems
> fine, the looks=wife factor end of it might
> be a hard sell for the size room we have
> (13x15)

I think with a nice finish they would be acceptable but thats me! If you want a small speaker you could try these <A HREF="http://www.humblehomemadehifi.com/Extremon.html">http://www.humblehomemadehifi.com/Extremon.html</A>
This designer seems to get good feedback from his designs.

Steve.

[dennismurphy]

The frequency response doesn't look too promising. There's a problematic peak at 700 Hz, combined with what looks like too little baffle step compensation. I've worked with the Extremis woofer, and it's very tricky. The real advantage is superior bass extension (at the sacrifice of sensitivity). Midrange accuracy is where it's at for classical music. You can say that's true for any type of music, and it is, but what distinguishes a lot of classical music is the richness of the overtone structure in the mids and mid-highs. I recently demonstrated my crossover modification for the Best Buy Insignia speaker at a recent DIY event in my home, and there were certainly noticeable differences on pop music. But it took French Horns at full cry playing Wagner to really highlight the deficiencies of the stock crossover. That's when it was obvious that the peak in the midrange and dip in the midtreble were seriously coloring the sound. If there's any rule-of-thumb for choosing 2-way speakers particularly well suited for classical music, it's the need to accept limitations in the bass reach to achieve a really accurate, detailed upper midrange.

[jclin4]

Provided Link: Modula MT


> I am looking for a descent DIY project to
> listen to string/brass/vocal music that
> could pull light home theater duty (very
> little) with the assistance of a sub (to be
> matched with speakers later). This is a very
> opinion-encouraging question...please share
> experience with this type of music...and of
> course money IS an issue >$500/pair
> (w/out sub). Thanks, Dan

I also listen almost exclusively to classical, mostly symphonic, although my own background is classical piano. I've been on a chamber music kick lately as well.

For less expensive 2-ways, you may also want to consider Jon Marsh's Modula MT. I've been listening to these for over a year and am extremely pleased with them. Worth taking a look at. There is an MTM version as well.

[scottc]

In addition to Dennis Murphy's designs, you might look at Danny Richie's products at GR-Research. His AV-3 kit might be a very nice option for around $200
<A HREF="http://www.gr-research.com/kits/av3kit.shtm">http://www.gr-research.com/kits/av3kit.shtm</A>

[scottc]

> In addition to Dennis Murphy's designs, you
> might look at Danny Richie's products at
> GR-Research. His AV-3 kit might be a very
> nice option for around $200
> <A HREF="http://www.gr-research.com/kits/av3kit.shtm">http://www.gr-research.com/kits/av3kit.shtm</A>

Oops- make that figure about $400. Sorry for the typo.

[tedwilt]

Provided Link: http://www.zaphaudio.com/6.5test/


The $35 AA6.5 midbass had some of the lowest distortion on this Zaph test. The $28 (@Zalytron)Seas 27TBFCG tweeter is a low distortion tweeter. I will be using these in a system and possibly adding a subwoofer later if needed. I believe Pete and others are already using these too. I listen to Wagner, Beethoven, Brahms, late Mozart, Berlioz, Mahler, Puccini, Verdi, Bach ++.

[castlesteve]

> The frequency response doesn't look too
> promising. There's a problematic peak at 700
> Hz, combined with what looks like too little
> baffle step compensation. I've worked with
> the Extremis woofer, and it's very tricky.
> The real advantage is superior bass
> extension (at the sacrifice of sensitivity).
> Midrange accuracy is where it's at for
> classical music. You can say that's true for
> any type of music, and it is, but what
> distinguishes a lot of classical music is
> the richness of the overtone structure in
> the mids and mid-highs. I recently
> demonstrated my crossover modification for
> the Best Buy Insignia speaker at a recent
> DIY event in my home, and there were
> certainly noticeable differences on pop
> music. But it took French Horns at full cry
> playing Wagner to really highlight the
> deficiencies of the stock crossover. That's
> when it was obvious that the peak in the
> midrange and dip in the midtreble were
> seriously coloring the sound. If there's any
> rule-of-thumb for choosing 2-way speakers
> particularly well suited for classical
> music, it's the need to accept limitations
> in the bass reach to achieve a really
> accurate, detailed upper midrange.
That`s why i recommended the 3way first as it seems to me that a good 3way is going to offer a better midrange and also fill out at the bottom. I know you listen to a lot of classical as i do also and i love your CAOW1s but i still feel that a 3way is the way to go.

Steve.