RS180S-8 MTM Towers

[Mattcc22]

Re: RS180S-8 MTM Towers

My plan right now for the finish is black baffle and base and veneer the rest. I have not decided on a veneer yet because the wife has to be involved and she still doesn't understand why I need more speakers : ( This will be my first time using veneer. Right now I'm leaning towards going with cherry.

[Mattcc22]

Re: RS180S-8 MTM Towers

Not a whole lot done this weekend, but I got the cabinets cleaned up a little. I have a little bondo work to do still. Also still trying to find a veneer that my wife approves of. Has anyone used any of the composite wood veneers from jsowoodproducts before? Opinions?

[fbov]

Re: RS180S-8 MTM Towers

I made a pair of NatP towers of similar dimensions, but done as a ported box, not recognizing the commonality with TLs. You will have bass... lots of bass.

Enjoy!
Frank

[coniacvsop]

Re: RS180S-8 MTM Towers

It seems that Jeff's design is popular right now as I am also building a set of these towers with almost the same dimensions. I have a build thread in here as well that I'm about to update. Funny, mine are going to replace some Polk Monitor 60's as well. They look great so far, I'm going to subscribe to this one. Thanks.

[lamski]

Re: RS180S-8 MTM Towers

I will also be following this thread closely. I was thinking about a tower design as soon as Jeff posted his original MTM thread. The MLTL should be sweet.

So will you be using this for dual duty (music & movies) and if so, what do you plan to use as a matching center channel? If not, have you seen anything that would be a good match for this MLTL RS180 MTM design?

[Mattcc22]

Re: RS180S-8 MTM Towers

It seems that Jeff's design is popular right now as I am also building a set of these towers with almost the same dimensions. I have a build thread in here as well that I'm about to update. Funny, mine are going to replace some Polk Monitor 60's as well. They look great so far, I'm going to subscribe to this one. Thanks.

Yea, I think I replied to one of your threads. You'll have to update me when you get them up and running and compare them to the polks. Things are pretty slow on my build with having a new baby in the house but I'm doing a little bit every weekend. I got some bondo work and sanding done last weekend and will hopefully have time to rout the baffles this weekend.

[Mattcc22]

Re: RS180S-8 MTM Towers

I will also be following this thread closely. I was thinking about a tower design as soon as Jeff posted his original MTM thread. The MLTL should be sweet.

So will you be using this for dual duty (music & movies) and if so, what do you plan to use as a matching center channel? If not, have you seen anything that would be a good match for this MLTL RS180 MTM design?

I love movies the most, but we listen to a lot of music as well, just not critical listening...usually just Pandora. I think I'm going to go with the khancenter for my center channel. That will keep it very close to this design. I saw that coniacvsop is building the zaph cc which should be a pretty good match as well.

[coniacvsop]

Re: RS180S-8 MTM Towers

Yea, I think I replied to one of your threads. You'll have to update me when you get them up and running and compare them to the polks. Things are pretty slow on my build with having a new baby in the house but I'm doing a little bit every weekend. I got some bondo work and sanding done last weekend and will hopefully have time to rout the baffles this weekend.

Yes you did, sorry about that. I'm more of the slow and steady type myself, so I just chip away a little bit at a time. Your bracing looks really good. I put up a new post on my thread, nothing earth shattering. After reading your thread it occurred to me that the MLTL relationship never entered my mind, so I didn't do any modeling based on that. There's not much I can do about it now, but I was just curious what volume you went with and size of your port? I also saw your Sub build on HT Shack, I was considering that driver to replace my 10" Titanic sometime in the future and was wondering how happy you were with the speaker? I've been slightly disappointed with the performance of the Titanic with music. Anyways, nice build, I'll be following.

[lamski]

Re: RS180S-8 MTM Towers

I love movies the most, but we listen to a lot of music as well, just not critical listening...usually just Pandora. I think I'm going to go with the khancenter for my center channel. That will keep it very close to this design. I saw that coniacvsop is building the zaph cc which should be a pretty good match as well.

Doesnt the Zaph CC use a different tweeter? Isn't it critical to use the same tweeter across the entire front soundstage? especially since the RS28 tweeters are crossed so low?

I also considered the Khancenter but isn't that a HUGE speaker for a cc?

Is there a sealed MTM RS180/RS28F design anywhere suitable for CC use?

[coniacvsop]

Doesnt the Zaph CC use a different tweeter? Isn't it critical to use the same tweeter across the entire front soundstage? especially since the RS28 tweeters are crossed so low?

I also considered the Khancenter but isn't that a HUGE speaker for a cc?

Is there a sealed MTM RS180/RS28F design anywhere suitable for CC use?

Unfortunately you are running into the exact problem I was facing. There are only a few RS 180 CC designs period. And the Khan center is too large for my taste. I decided to roll the dice on the Zaph 3.5CC because of the 9" height and the fact that it's a true 3 way center channel vs laying a MTM on its side. Is it a different tweeter? Yes. Is it going to be a huge step up from what I got? Yes. Is it going to sound off from the towers? Maybe, maybe not. I'll let you know when I get them fired up.

[Mattcc22]

Re: RS180S-8 MTM Towers

Yes you did, sorry about that. I'm more of the slow and steady type myself, so I just chip away a little bit at a time. Your bracing looks really good. I put up a new post on my thread, nothing earth shattering. After reading your thread it occurred to me that the MLTL relationship never entered my mind, so I didn't do any modeling based on that. There's not much I can do about it now, but I was just curious what volume you went with and size of your port? I also saw your Sub build on HT Shack, I was considering that driver to replace my 10" Titanic sometime in the future and was wondering how happy you were with the speaker? I've been slightly disappointed with the performance of the Titanic with music. Anyways, nice build, I'll be following.

I calculated around 1.9 cu ft net. Based on the other thread about the MLTL the port should be a 3" diameter, 5" long straight port, but ill be using an aeroport so if I calculated right, it needs to be 6" long

I'm very happy with the sub. It was a very noticeable improvement over the 12" one I had that a lot of people rave about as an entry level sub. Even my wife who hates bass noticed
the improved clarity. I still have the driver to make a second one which maybe ill get to after these speakers.

[Mattcc22]

Re: RS180S-8 MTM Towers

Yea, the khancenter is pretty large! I'm either going to build or have built a custom tv stand to fit it similiar to the standoutdesigns horizon N702. I already have the design drawn up and a local furniture maker quoted me around $800 to build it.

I think the zaph cc will blend well enough for the average listener, but let us know how you like it when everything is fired up!

[Mattcc22]

Re: RS180S-8 MTM Towers

Is there a sealed MTM RS180/RS28F design anywhere suitable for CC use?

Depends what you are looking for. I believe someone has already built this same Jeff b design sealed to use as a center. If you don't have listeners too far off axis it should work well.

[fbov]

Re: RS180S-8 MTM Towers

...Is there a sealed MTM RS180/RS28F design anywhere suitable for CC use?

Unfortunately you are running into the exact problem I was facing. There are only a few RS 180 CC designs period....

I only know of one RS180-based, dedicated MTM CC. It's clearly based on a conventional MTM, but with 1) reduced driver C-C and 2) a small tweeter than can cross an octave lower.

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php?11475-Modula-MTM-Center-Channel

Jon Marsh is a very talented designer, and he's got this one right. Scroll down to post 30 for the in-wall XO circuit that most everyone will find fits their application better than the free-standing circuit. I used the D3004/602010 tweeter as the original unit is NLA and this is a drop-in replacement.

When comparing MTMs for dedicated CC use, consider how the designer has changed C-C spacing and crossover frequency in the CC design. Jon's dropped C-C from 12" to 9", and dropped XO frequency from 2.4KHz to 1.3KHz. (Note these are for the in-wall design; free-standing versions are a little lower). He also optimiized power response, not just on-axis response, to provide uniform response over several listening positions.

My CC history is sad... started by using TV speakers, then a cheap little Polk MTM, then a toppled freestanding MTM, then toppled in-wall MTM (same drivers) with the wrong tweeter polarity (discovered much later), which finally spurred me to spend the bucks on this design, roughly a 75% premium over a single MTM.

Hopefully, my tale of woe will spur appropriate spending decisions for some of you, sooner rather than later, as I did.

HAve fun,
Frank

[lamski]

Re: RS180S-8 MTM Towers

I only know of one RS180-based, dedicated MTM CC. It's clearly based on a conventional MTM, but with 1) reduced driver C-C and 2) a small tweeter than can cross an octave lower.

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php?11475-Modula-MTM-Center-Channel

Jon Marsh is a very talented designer, and he's got this one right. Scroll down to post 30 for the in-wall XO circuit that most everyone will find fits their application better than the free-standing circuit. I used the D3004/602010 tweeter as the original unit is NLA and this is a drop-in replacement.

When comparing MTMs for dedicated CC use, consider how the designer has changed C-C spacing and crossover frequency in the CC design. Jon's dropped C-C from 12" to 9", and dropped XO frequency from 2.4KHz to 1.3KHz. (Note these are for the in-wall design; free-standing versions are a little lower). He also optimiized power response, not just on-axis response, to provide uniform response over several listening positions.

My CC history is sad... started by using TV speakers, then a cheap little Polk MTM, then a toppled freestanding MTM, then toppled in-wall MTM (same drivers) with the wrong tweeter polarity (discovered much later), which finally spurred me to spend the bucks on this design, roughly a 75% premium over a single MTM.

Hopefully, my tale of woe will spur appropriate spending decisions for some of you, sooner rather than later, as I did.

HAve fun,
Frank

Thanks for the reply... If I recall corectly you were using the Nat P. on it's side correct? So, have you actually finished the Modula CC and if so can you comment on it's performance with your Nat P towers? Have you had any timbre matching issues? what differences did you find going from a toppled NatP. to a true Modula MTM CC design and did you find it was worth the 75% cost premium?