Tweet
Re: DIY Flat Panel Speaker Love
Here is what I've listened to on lightly suspended XPS panels of various sizes. This is all going from memory and really would need to do more comparisons and take notes as I've listened to lots of different panel/exciter combinations, treatments and EQ settings so below is a very general recollection. From my favorite to less enjoyable:
1. DAEX32U-4 (Ultra) - These have not been reliable for me and have lost 4 in total now. These were excellent right from the first listen. The high compliant, floating motor design makes for a panel with less panel noise. A few seconds into the first track you could hear this quality. With a quieter panel, I could hear more detail. It also sounded warmer to me. But now going back after listening to my KEF's, the warmth may be the underlying vibrational character that I really noticed after switching. Not good on heavier panel materials... even light, 1/16" ply. Its magic may be limited to small, lightweight panels. Still my favorite on XPS.
2. DAEX32EP-4 (Thruster) - These have been reliable for me and have not lost one yet with 2 pairs for what it is worth. This doesn't seem to be the case for others. These were my favorite until the Ultra's came along. These were more detailed, than others before it. The mid-range is good but sounds hotter than the Ultra's so EQ was required on XPS. Works well on XPS and ply and heavier materials so works good on many different panels. Little to complain about on smaller panels.
3. DAEX25FHE-4 Framed High Efficiency 25mm Exciter 24W 4 Ohm. This was the first exciter that I really started spending more serious time with. It is more efficient than the Ultra/Thruster and seems well built and reliable. I used these on large panels and the original 2'x2' XPS project panels. The large panels were not for me for all the reasons you know well enough now
and did not spend a lot of time with them there. The project panels were not rounded; corners nor edges so more panel noise... thought it might be the exciter as it seemed louder (and added more noise to the panel) but that could be the venting too so really want to go back and listen again. Not as much detail as the Ultras/Thrusters but I enjoyed them and just seem solid and sounded good for such a cheap exciter. I kinda want to try these for a larger multi-panel array...cheap and won't break the bank for such a design.
4. DAEX32Q-4 Dual Steel Spring Balanced 32mm Exciter 40W 4 Ohm. Not a good sounding exciter on 2'x2' XPS anyway but the corners and edges are not as round as my other slightly bigger panels. Regardless, colored right from the start with a nasally, hallow, cupped hands like coloration. Built like a tank and hoping that it is reliable and might sound better on different panel materials!?!?! Sounds smoother than either the Thruster or Exciter but may be due to the hallow sounding mid range. Also seems quiet on the panel so some good aspects and if not for the coloration there is something that I like about this. No amount of EQ helped the sound quality... was able to reduce the coloration but when I went back to the Ultras I was happy again.
5. DAEX58FP Flat Pack 58mm Exciter 25W 8 Ohm. These spent the least amount of time on a panel and sounded a lot like DAEX32Q-4 (exciter 4) but worse. Sounded awful but didn't even let it break in honestly as it really did sound that bad right from the start. No panel magic at all with these. The thought (over at AC) was that the plastic plate is responsible for the poor performance. Strangely these measured the flattest of all the exciters. I should have given it time to break in and the reason why I stuck with the DAEX32Q-4 for a few weeks to be more diligent unlike my approach with these.
Next up...
6. Tectonic Elements TEAX25C10-8/SP 25mm High Power 8 Ohm Frog Exciter. Want to try this in a multi-panel array for a 4ohm load. Hope these are reliable.
On the list...
DAEX30HESF-4 High Efficiency Steered Flux Exciter with Shielding 30 mm Exciter 40W 4 Ohm. Odal3 over at AC likes these a lot... possibly better than the Thrusters. The DAEX25FHE-4 (exciter 3) appears solid and reliable and hope that this might displace the Thruster as it sounds as good but more sturdy.
Originally posted by Kornbread
View Post
1. DAEX32U-4 (Ultra) - These have not been reliable for me and have lost 4 in total now. These were excellent right from the first listen. The high compliant, floating motor design makes for a panel with less panel noise. A few seconds into the first track you could hear this quality. With a quieter panel, I could hear more detail. It also sounded warmer to me. But now going back after listening to my KEF's, the warmth may be the underlying vibrational character that I really noticed after switching. Not good on heavier panel materials... even light, 1/16" ply. Its magic may be limited to small, lightweight panels. Still my favorite on XPS.
2. DAEX32EP-4 (Thruster) - These have been reliable for me and have not lost one yet with 2 pairs for what it is worth. This doesn't seem to be the case for others. These were my favorite until the Ultra's came along. These were more detailed, than others before it. The mid-range is good but sounds hotter than the Ultra's so EQ was required on XPS. Works well on XPS and ply and heavier materials so works good on many different panels. Little to complain about on smaller panels.
3. DAEX25FHE-4 Framed High Efficiency 25mm Exciter 24W 4 Ohm. This was the first exciter that I really started spending more serious time with. It is more efficient than the Ultra/Thruster and seems well built and reliable. I used these on large panels and the original 2'x2' XPS project panels. The large panels were not for me for all the reasons you know well enough now
and did not spend a lot of time with them there. The project panels were not rounded; corners nor edges so more panel noise... thought it might be the exciter as it seemed louder (and added more noise to the panel) but that could be the venting too so really want to go back and listen again. Not as much detail as the Ultras/Thrusters but I enjoyed them and just seem solid and sounded good for such a cheap exciter. I kinda want to try these for a larger multi-panel array...cheap and won't break the bank for such a design. 4. DAEX32Q-4 Dual Steel Spring Balanced 32mm Exciter 40W 4 Ohm. Not a good sounding exciter on 2'x2' XPS anyway but the corners and edges are not as round as my other slightly bigger panels. Regardless, colored right from the start with a nasally, hallow, cupped hands like coloration. Built like a tank and hoping that it is reliable and might sound better on different panel materials!?!?! Sounds smoother than either the Thruster or Exciter but may be due to the hallow sounding mid range. Also seems quiet on the panel so some good aspects and if not for the coloration there is something that I like about this. No amount of EQ helped the sound quality... was able to reduce the coloration but when I went back to the Ultras I was happy again.
5. DAEX58FP Flat Pack 58mm Exciter 25W 8 Ohm. These spent the least amount of time on a panel and sounded a lot like DAEX32Q-4 (exciter 4) but worse. Sounded awful but didn't even let it break in honestly as it really did sound that bad right from the start. No panel magic at all with these. The thought (over at AC) was that the plastic plate is responsible for the poor performance. Strangely these measured the flattest of all the exciters. I should have given it time to break in and the reason why I stuck with the DAEX32Q-4 for a few weeks to be more diligent unlike my approach with these.
Next up...
6. Tectonic Elements TEAX25C10-8/SP 25mm High Power 8 Ohm Frog Exciter. Want to try this in a multi-panel array for a 4ohm load. Hope these are reliable.
On the list...
DAEX30HESF-4 High Efficiency Steered Flux Exciter with Shielding 30 mm Exciter 40W 4 Ohm. Odal3 over at AC likes these a lot... possibly better than the Thrusters. The DAEX25FHE-4 (exciter 3) appears solid and reliable and hope that this might displace the Thruster as it sounds as good but more sturdy.
Comment