Aura NS6-255 and Vifa BC25SC TM

[donradick]

Re: Aura NS6-255 and Vifa BC25SC TM

Well, I have my Aurbacs built. As previously stated, the satellites are in .3 cuft sealed cabs using an Aura NS8 for sub duties, the whole thing running off the PE 2.1 plate amp. The satellites are long low profile cabinets, necessary to keep the speakers hidden behind the crown molding and lighting installed above our kitchen cabinets.

First impressions of the satellites is pretty good! I've only listened to them for a few minutes so far. If anything the tweeters might be a little bright, but I'll do some more intense listening tonight. These are set up in my basement right now, not on top of the cabinets yet.

I'm really impressed with the NS8. I have it in .65 cuft tuned to 30hz and it plays with authority well into the 20's. I'll try to get a few pics up soon.

re: balance
The NS6s will play a little louder as they break in, whihc happens pretty quickly.
In the final placement, on top of the cabinets and next to the ceiling, bass might be a little too strong, so you actually might
want the tweeter a bit brighter. Hard to tell until you put them into position.

Glad you like the NS8, I've looked at that more than a few times.

<slaps hand to forehead> What! you're going to have a sub in the kitchen?
Woohoo, that's a kitchen I want to cook in and hang out in. Way to go!

[Leroy R]

Re: Aura NS6-255 and Vifa BC25SC TM

I originally thought the tweeters were hot when I built the Aurbocs, but after some break in, they are just right. I'd give them a bit of a workout, before you decide the tweeters are hot and make mods to the crossover.

[superspeeder]

Re: Aura NS6-255 and Vifa BC25SC TM

I've been listening to this setup all evening in the basement. I'm really impressed! It actually bums me out to think of how these will sound when I stuff them on top of the cabinets pointed at the ceiling.

There's lots of detail in the mids, and clear midbass right down to where the sub takes over. After playing around with the eq in iTunes I've settled on having the three highest sliders (4k and up) pulled back by 3db. This seems about right, with bright material still bright but without beeing overdone on guitar string harmonics etc.

The NS6 might take more than I can give to break it in... I live in a townhouse so I have to keep the neighbors in mind. As you both mentioned, by the time I cram these in their final resting place the highs might sound just about right.

Yep, a sub in the kitchen. Doesn't everyone do that? There's a couple of reasons for that. I couldn't build a stereo pair of enclosures big enough (they would be visible), and I also wanted some added flexability tuning the bass since it's such a cramped placement.

I'm blown away by this little NS8! I can't believe it's in such a small enclosure and effortlessly dropping sub-30 Hz tones with such authority. This is on my concrete floor and beside a concrete wall in my basement, so it's getting lots of reinforcement, but it's a big step up from the Energy ESW-V8 that normally plays in that same location, and that's a much bigger enclosure.

It hits bass drums so nicely and has lots of detail in bass guitar. Until now I've never heard anything this small sound so big and life-like. I bought a case of 8 of these when mad had them on clearance, and I'm glad I did!

The only let down so far has been the DA 2.1 plate amp. As an amp it seems to do its job ok, but it operates with a high pitched whine, similar to the sound of a CRT television, but much louder and more apparent. It also has a bit of audible hiss coming through the amp... not something you'd want for near field listening. I'm wondering if I maybe have a defective unit? Maybe I'll call PE tomorrow a d see what they have to say.

I'll try to get some pics of the cabinets up soon. I'm planning to have this all set up in the kitchen by the end of the week.

[donradick]

Re: Aura NS6-255 and Vifa BC25SC TM

@superspeeder:
The NS6s don't really take much to break them in.
My favorite breakin "trick" is to wire the 2 woofers out of phase and place them about 6 inches apart.
You can pump a lot of volume through them with very little sound pressure.
On the other hand, be a little considerate of the NS6s - I last did that with a couple of RS180s.

[superspeeder]

Re: Aura NS6-255 and Vifa BC25SC TM

Good tip! Maybe I can use the sub output on the 2.1 amp and use a low freq, the satellite outs are high passed.

[blossom]

Re: Aura NS6-255 and Vifa BC25SC TM

Cool, enjoyed reading this one. Came accross it by looking round to see what people are upto with the NS6. Well done Don, congrats on your achievement, it's such a great feeling when efforts are rewarded and to know that youa re furtharing yoru self.

[donradick]

Re: Aura NS6-255 and Vifa BC25SC TM

Cool, enjoyed reading this one. Came accross it by looking round to see what people are upto with the NS6. Well done Don, congrats on your achievement, it's such a great feeling when efforts are rewarded and to know that youa re furtharing yoru self.

I got lucky with some cheap drivers that sounded way better than their price tag, and with some help managed to make some pretty good sounding boxes. I am most gratified that others have built them and agree. thanks for your post.

[blossom]

Re: Aura NS6-255 and Vifa BC25SC TM

I got lucky

Na man, take the credit, lucky or not youve doen agreat job.;-)

[blossom]

Re: Aura NS6-255 and Vifa BC25SC TM

How about doing a 2.5 way with these drivers? Would this be a good idea? To achieve even better bottom end. Perhaps it could make the over all sensitivity even lower? Im not up with the play enough as to be designing this stuff my self.

[donradick]

Re: Aura NS6-255 and Vifa BC25SC TM

How about doing a 2.5 way with these drivers? Would this be a good idea? To achieve even better bottom end. Perhaps it could make the over all sensitivity even lower? Im not up with the play enough as to be designing this stuff my self.

If you want to build something, build the Maurbacs - they are pretty sensitive (4 ohm), and play pretty deep,loud and clear.
Simple crossover, and you can use it as a center channel also. You won't be sorry. (BTW, no, I am not going to design a 2.5 TMM)

[blossom]

Re: Aura NS6-255 and Vifa BC25SC TM

If you want to build something, build the Maurbacs - they are pretty sensitive (4 ohm), and play pretty deep,loud and clear.
Simple crossover, and you can use it as a center channel also. You won't be sorry. (BTW, no, I am not going to design a 2.5 TMM)

Right is see, that looks good. That will do. Sorry i was a bit missleading with my comment. I ment to mean, "how about the idea of a 2.5 way".

cheers, blossom.

[mpotoka]

Re: Aura NS6-255 and Vifa BC25SC TM

I've got the parts for these and I'm going to make them for my left/right in walls for a budget media room build. Any recommendations for removing the BSC or am I going to need to measure and re-work?

[donradick]

Re: Aura NS6-255 and Vifa BC25SC TM

I've got the parts for these and I'm going to make them for my left/right in walls for a budget media room build. Any recommendations for removing the BSC or am I going to need to measure and re-work?

I played around in PCD a bit, and came up with this version - but it will be better if you measure and tweak

Woofer:
.40 mH (.3 DCR)
16 uF and 1.5 Ohm to ground.

Tweeter:
first cap is changed from 7.5 uF to 6.0 uF
The rest the same.

Hope this helps!

[mpotoka]

Re: Aura NS6-255 and Vifa BC25SC TM

I played around in PCD a bit, and came up with this version - but it will be better if you measure and tweak

Woofer:
.40 mH (.3 DCR)
16 uF and 1.5 Ohm to ground.

Tweeter:
first cap is changed from 7.5 uF to 6.0 uF
The rest the same.

Hope this helps!

Thanks so much-had almost all the correct values sitting around in my stash. Got them up and buried behind the screen-they sound great. Later when I've got the rig out to tune my subs I'll take a couple measurements to see how they ended up. Appreciate the quick response!

[germanach]

Re: Aura NS6-255 and Vifa BC25SC TM

Crossover bill of materials (Parts Express) for a pair:


The final BOM should have:
Qty 2 1.20 mH 18 guage
Qty 2 .20 mH 20 gauge

A crossover schematic:


And a pic of the finished crossover:


(I paralleled a 1.0 and 1.2 to get .57 for R12)

The tweeter has NO series capacitor. Isn't that wrong in the schematic it seems to be connected the tweeter to the lowpass filter and the bass to the hipass filter.??