Small, wall mounted speakers, please review my shopping list? :)

[Dr. K]

Hi!

Some questions for the experts, please?

1: Would this shopping list magically turn into a couple of good, small, full range speakers, to put in a small enclosure to match flat-screen TV's?

2: Are there any simple, massive improvements within the price range?

The LPF is on the Daytons in series, off course, and the L-pad for adjusting the level of the W4 in relation to the Daytons...

Thanks!

[djg]

Consider Charlie Laub's recession buster project.

[dthomas]

Problem you will run into with a full range 4" driver is off axis they won't be too great. Sort of nothing more than a bit of an upgrade to the speakers that come in the TV maybe more/better bass. If you only watch TV on axis it will work pretty good. I am not a big fan of full range they work best if you listen to them in the nearfield. But for normal use they are going to lack a lot. Of course Bose makes a lot of money doing this very thing.

Add a Dayton ND16 neo tweeter and you are definitely on to something.

[Dr. K]

Now that's constructive feedback! Thanks!

Would it suffice to reduce the full range to the 3" version to get better dispersion?

Actually, I have a couple of those 3" in open baffles right now as computer speakers. Maybe I'll try to hang them on the wall next to the TV to see how they sound without the PC equalizer....?

Adding a tweeter will increase complexity, and complexity is something I'm not that comfortable with as of today.

[dthomas]

Now that's constructive feedback! Thanks!

Would it suffice to reduce the full range to the 3" version to get better dispersion?

Actually, I have a couple of those 3" in open baffles right now as computer speakers. Maybe I'll try to hang them on the wall next to the TV to see how they sound without the PC equalizer....?

Adding a tweeter will increase complexity, and complexity is something I'm not that comfortable with as of today.

Smaller will help but even a 3" driver is going to start to beam at 4500Hz so the radiation pattern will not be very good if you plan on listening to them off axis. As long as the off axis angle is not very severe they will work you just have to be prepared that this will be the compromise of using a full range driver. Usually for this type of application the best solution is to have a speaker that has superior off axis response. Also finding a full range driver that will work without some equalization is going to be a problem.

If you look at Tang Band's measurements on that driver it is 10db down by 100Hz so without some sort of contour circuit I suspect the sound will be at best thin with the region between 100 and 500Hz lacking a lot. You really need to at a minimum an RL network in series with the driver to level its response some and get its overall response down to around 80-82db or so, so it mates well with the little Dayton ND105-4 driver you are using.

[ligs]

In the past I have not paid too much attention to the high range part of speakers(comfort with New England school of mellow sound). However, having played with JVC ribbon super tweeters, BG plannars and more recently Infinity's CMMD, MMD, and anodized aluminum tweeters, I begin to appreciate there is so much information present in the top octaves. In fact I would give up some low end response in order to to keep the high end. Reasons:a good high end response seems to give more realism and definition to the rest of the speaker range. I refrain from using words like airly or better transient response but the chirping of crickets is just not real without the top end. Actually I would build a speaker using a top down approach, starting with the best tweeter that fits your budget, then the midrange and the last the bass. To a point our ears are more sensitive to the distortions to the highend than the low end.
BTW, you can buy one Scanspeak 1" Beryllium hard dome tweeter for about $520. I wonder if someone can comment on the sound of Beryllium tweeter?

[fish-24_7]

...I wonder if someone can comment on the sound of Beryllium tweeter?

There are a lot of opinions on Beryllium...

[Froste]

Here is some links to small speaker builds you might want to look at:

http://sites.google.com/site/undefin...ightsensations

http://zaphaudio.com/audio-speaker18.html

http://sites.google.com/site/taterworksaudio/whetstones

http://sites.google.com/site/frostespeakers/m4n-small

http://www.parts-express.com/project...ct=HiviJuniors

http://s18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...er/Sophomores/

I'm sure I missed many, but these I found quicky.

[Dr. K]

Thanks, Froste!

I've seen most of those "very small" designs before, I just need a little more SPL than most of the smallest ones can offer. Especially in the low frequency area.

I might be asking too much, I've heard very few small driver speakers.

I need a speaker that performs well in something like ~0.5-0.75 cu.ft, preferably well down into the 50-60hz area. At least 80hz with authority.

Outside dimentions of the enclosure must be: Less than 7" deep, but up to 28" tall. As wide as it has to be.

I can't find any "premade" projects like it...

Therefore my suggestion of the 3" fullrange with 4" low-frequency "boosters". To make it easy, affordable and awesome-looking.

[fbov]

Hi!

Some questions for the experts, please?

1: Would this shopping list magically turn into a couple of good, small, full range speakers, to put in a small enclosure to match flat-screen TV's?

No, you're not a magician.

2: Are there any simple, massive improvements within the price range?
...

Yes, get the Tritrix kit:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=300-700
or if towers will fit,
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=300-702

I'm not being flippant, just direct. I honestly don't see what you're proposing; the drivers selected are redundant. Neither can give you enough low end to be called a sub and both likely improve when mated with the right tweeter and crossover. Nice speakers, mind you, just not meant for one another.

HAve fun,
Frank

PS Tritrix can also be put in smaller boxes if not used with transmission line (PE's tower kits). His enclousre design notes puts this right in your sweet spot, size wise.
http://www.speakerdesignworks.com/Tritrix_pg_1.html

[dthomas]

Thanks, Froste!

I've seen most of those "very small" designs before, I just need a little more SPL than most of the smallest ones can offer. Especially in the low frequency area.

I might be asking too much, I've heard very few small driver speakers.

I need a speaker that performs well in something like ~0.5-0.75 cu.ft, preferably well down into the 50-60hz area. At least 80hz with authority.

Outside dimentions of the enclosure must be: Less than 7" deep, but up to 28" tall. As wide as it has to be.

I can't find any "premade" projects like it...

Therefore my suggestion of the 3" fullrange with 4" low-frequency "boosters". To make it easy, affordable and awesome-looking.

I have a design that uses the Tang Band W5-704d and the Alesis buyout tweeter that will hit 55Hz no problem and fit nicely in about .5ft3. PM me if you want the data on it. Great sounding budget system. A few people have built it I can hook you up with them if you want an idea about the sound quality, I have only heard them breifly all I did was the crossover modeling but the pair I heard sounded great. Nice an smooth midrange.

[Dr. K]

Thanks, dthomas!

But the poster right before you made me realize the Tritrix was enclosure friendly! I didn't read all about it, so thought it was "TL only" (allthough I know there's probably no such speaker).

Anyways, I'm definetly going for the TriTrix, since so many people are yay-saying it, and it's got great capabilities in such small enclosures!

Wow, awesome, thanks guys!