Markaudio CHR-70A Desktop Speakers

[chad1376]

I had some leftover plywood from my Fostex horns, so I decided I needed some new desktop speakers for work. I decided to give the Markaudio CHR-70As a try. The boxes are just a tad larger than the suggested box, and tuned a tiny bit deeper and flatter.

I'm not super happy with the finish on the boxes. I started to do stained plywood, but ended up with splotches, so I cut my losses and used green Hammerite. The paint looks fine, but if I had planned to use it from the beginning, I would have built these with MDF and spent more time filling/sanding. Theres a lot of annoying plywoodness reflecting throught the paint.

Here they are - still being broken in. They are bright (as expected), but are starting to round out after just a few hours. I'm trying to decide if I should run them at home for a few days before I bring them to work. I typically listen at such low volume at work, I'm worried they'll take forever to loosen up.

[fixthedoor]

Re: Markaudio CHR-70A Desktop Speakers

Nice. Been eyeballing these speakers for awhile now, and am curious to hear about your impressions in this enclosure. Is that the shoe box design?

Regarding volume levels during break in, the Mark Audio data sheet suggests "very low volumes" for the first 100 hrs and then gradually increase the volume to normal levels.

[chad1376]

Re: Markaudio CHR-70A Desktop Speakers

My cabinet is just a tad larger and tuned a bit flatter than the suggested box, not by much though. Dimensions are a little different since I was using leftover wood.

I have probably 20-hours on them right now. They sound very fast and crisp, but a little "etched". Hopefully they'll mellow with more time. Right now, they're sitting on top of my home speakers, so there's no boundary to accentuate the bass, but it is surprisingly deep (for such a small driver). I think when they are on my desk at work, the desktop surface will give the bass a good balance.

My listening at work will be nearfield and low volume, so I'm not too worried about pushing them too hard during break in.

I'll let you know next week how they sound on a desktop, and after some more break in.

[dstmbgh]

Re: Markaudio CHR-70A Desktop Speakers

I'm not super happy with the finish on the boxes. I started to do stained plywood, but ended up with splotches, so I cut my losses and used green Hammerite.

I actually like the way this green looks with colors of the driver. Is the cone color what they call champagne? What you ended up with is way less "ordinary" than stain would be, in my opinion.

I hope they break-in to a balance that pleases you more.

[chad1376]

Re: Markaudio CHR-70A Desktop Speakers

They are the "raw" brushed aluminum. It's a lot brighter looking than my picture, or those on the Madisound website - about the same sheen as the inside of a soda can. I am happy with the paint and it looks great against the aluminum, I just get too critical of my own small mistakes.

I have them at work now, and compared with my previous speakers, they are night and day. I have actual "imaging" right where my monitor is, and they sound absoulutely transparent. With just a little bass boost, they're quite deep, tonal and punchy at low volume - without the muddy "bloop" that a cheap PC speaker/subwoofer makes. Still a little bright. I have them toed out a bit, as suggested by Mark of Markaudio, and it helps the balance a lot.

I'm dying to turn them up, but I'll have to wait for the office x-mas party to do it.

[xxbaker]

Re: Markaudio CHR-70A Desktop Speakers

I have a pair of speakers I built pretty similar to this. I forget the exact box dimensions but it works out to just under .3cu ft. f3 ends up somewhere in the 60s I think. I ran without a filter for a while and ended up throwing a BSC circuit on there to help even out the sound to my ears. The high end can be a bit brittle(?) to my ears, they can't play especially loud (though plenty loud for near field), and of course depending on the music a sub can make a huge difference.

But for the price they sound quite good. Even despite that there's always something that sounds good with full range speakers despite their flaws. I'm very happy with these drivers. Attached a picture so you can get an idea of the size. I used the champagne colored drivers as well.

[Derekj]

Re: Markaudio CHR-70A Desktop Speakers

Looks good Chad! I too have been thinking about using a set of Mark drivers - I want to do a floor stander version though.

[chad1376]

Re: Markaudio CHR-70A Desktop Speakers

I have a pair of speakers I built pretty similar to this. I forget the exact box dimensions but it works out to just under .3cu ft. f3 ends up somewhere in the 60s I think. I ran without a filter for a while and ended up throwing a BSC circuit on there to help even out the sound to my ears. The high end can be a bit brittle(?) to my ears, they can't play especially loud (though plenty loud for near field), and of course depending on the music a sub can make a huge difference.

But for the price they sound quite good. Even despite that there's always something that sounds good with full range speakers despite their flaws. I'm very happy with these drivers. Attached a picture so you can get an idea of the size. I used the champagne colored drivers as well.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]42753[/ATTACH]

Sounds like we've built very nearly the same box. When mine were perched on my floor-standing speakers at home, with nearly no boundary surfaces, I'd agree a BSC would have been needed. At work, I have both the desktop near the port, and the speakers are right next to my monitor, acting kinda- sorta of like a "supra-baffle", so the overall FR sounds pretty darn good.

With some more time on the speakers, the brightness seems to have smoothed out. I can never tell if it's really the speakers breaking in, or if it's just my ears getting "used" to them.

Looks good Chad! I too have been thinking about using a set of Mark drivers - I want to do a floor stander version though.

DIYAudio.com has subforums for both Markaudio and full range speakers that might give you some good ideas. It looks like there's a few zealots in there too, so some of their ideas might be a little "out there", if you know what I mean.

[Derekj]

Re: Markaudio CHR-70A Desktop Speakers

DIYAudio.com has subforums for both Markaudio and full range speakers that might give you some good ideas. It looks like there's a few zealots in there too, so some of their ideas might be a little "out there", if you know what I mean.

Thanks Chad - I will check it out;)