I bought the complete speaker kit of Tuxedocivic's SEOS design, the Fusion-10 Max ( speaker kit product page , forum thread of design ).
This build thread is pretty redundant to Java's , but I'll use this to document what I'm doing, any tips that may help anyone as noobish as I am, and to ask questions and check things like the crossover.
With few DIY skills, I'm nervous, but I'm game!
Why?
I've been interested in attaining the dynamics I've heard in even some mediocre commercial theaters that I wasn't getting at home. I've read Floyd Toole's and Alton Everest's books, measured impulse response in my room, calibrated my subs, measured distortion in the speakers with compression tests.
I maintain a list of High SPL Speakers ( AVS thread , spreadsheet ), so I'm interested in being able to listen at higher SPL than the 94 dB my speakers poop out at (and they sound harsh by that point, and maybe the receiver is overtaxed too) with low distortion.
Ironically, it's my wife who often turns up the volume, or asks to turn it up (yes, she's fantastic). I wince a bit on the loud scenes, and when the movie is done, I check the receiver at the back of the room, and I'm aghast at the level we were at: -8. No wonder I was wincing. We're being inflicted with mega compression and distortion!
Enough was enough-- that's no decent way to live. On the one hand, there are attraction forces like the excitement over the SEOS designs, their affordability as DIY and with the discounts Erich get us. And the great body of documentation that's growing (thank you Java!). On the other hand, negative forces pushing me away from other products were the CHT speaker compromises (smaller horn), my limited finances, and eD going out of business. Econowave high sensitivity designs were a possability, but it was painful to wade through. Probably a Pi speakers kit would've been the only other option.
I was in post-Christmas glow. It's really cold out in North Dakota. The decision was made for me. Out of my hands. Destiny. Plus, we deserve better, dammit!
Fusion-10 Max
The speaker (photo at right is of Java's, for now) sits in the middle of the pack versus the rest of the kitted SEOS designs ( comparison spreadsheet ), which is probably why I picked it. In all actuality, the Karma-10 would have been fine, as I don't expect to exceed reference levels in my small theater. I'm sure you all know the feeling, where you're afraid to speculate or regret the decision to get the cheapest model?
Upgrade From
Paradigm Performance line:
Setup & Room
Use of SEOS Pair
I'm going to try phantom center for now, as I don't have an acoustically-transparent project screen (yet). The best place for the sub is centered at front under the screen (as a speaker stand for the center. So I would have to move the sub to accommodate a taller center speaker. From what I read, the pair should give a great wide sweet spot that will be fine for the three seats across.
I intend to toe them in to crossfire at the opposite seats, as per Bill Waslo's article on the setup of constant directivity speakers so that through time (distance)-intensity trading, equal sound level is delivered to the left and right seats. Crossover at 100 Hz (although I'll have to measure to see if this should change).
I bought the complete speaker kit of Tuxedocivic's SEOS design, the Fusion-10 Max ( speaker kit product page , forum thread of design ).
This build thread is pretty redundant to Java's , but I'll use this to document what I'm doing, any tips that may help anyone as noobish as I am, and to ask questions and check things like the crossover.
With few DIY skills, I'm nervous, but I'm game!
Why?
I've been interested in attaining the dynamics I've heard in even some mediocre commercial theaters that I wasn't getting at home. I've read Floyd Toole's and Alton Everest's books, measured impulse response in my room, calibrated my subs, measured distortion in the speakers with compression tests.
I maintain a list of High SPL Speakers ( AVS thread , spreadsheet ), so I'm interested in being able to listen at higher SPL than the 94 dB my speakers poop out at (and they sound harsh by that point, and maybe the receiver is overtaxed too) with low distortion.
Ironically, it's my wife who often turns up the volume, or asks to turn it up (yes, she's fantastic). I wince a bit on the loud scenes, and when the movie is done, I check the receiver at the back of the room, and I'm aghast at the level we were at: -8. No wonder I was wincing. We're being inflicted with mega compression and distortion!
Enough was enough-- that's no decent way to live. On the one hand, there are attraction forces like the excitement over the SEOS designs, their affordability as DIY and with the discounts Erich get us. And the great body of documentation that's growing (thank you Java!). On the other hand, negative forces pushing me away from other products were the CHT speaker compromises (smaller horn), my limited finances, and eD going out of business. Econowave high sensitivity designs were a possability, but it was painful to wade through. Probably a Pi speakers kit would've been the only other option.
I was in post-Christmas glow. It's really cold out in North Dakota. The decision was made for me. Out of my hands. Destiny. Plus, we deserve better, dammit!
Fusion-10 Max
- Horn: SEOS-12
- Compression Driver: Denovo DNA-350 (B&C DC-250 clone)
- Woofer: Eminence Delta 10A 10"
- Cabinet: 1 cubic foot, ported (3 slots)
- Sensitivity: 98dB
- 55-18k Hz
- Crossover: 1150 Hz
- Power Handling: 200w 325w peak
The speaker (photo at right is of Java's, for now) sits in the middle of the pack versus the rest of the kitted SEOS designs ( comparison spreadsheet ), which is probably why I picked it. In all actuality, the Karma-10 would have been fine, as I don't expect to exceed reference levels in my small theater. I'm sure you all know the feeling, where you're afraid to speculate or regret the decision to get the cheapest model?
Upgrade From
Paradigm Performance line:
- Titan v3 bookshelves (replace with SEOS) (86db sensitivity)
- CC-170 center (replace with SEOS) (87db sensitivity)
Setup & Room
- Receiver: Pioneer 1014 ~110w
- Surrounds: Paradigm ADP-170 (small dipoles)
- Subwoofer: SVS PB-10 & a borrowed CV (yes, a subwoofer addition is in my future!).
- Room: 11.5' x 24' theater (12' listening position), non-sealed
- Acoustic Treatments: six 2' x 4' 2" panels
- Display: Epson 8500 Projector
- Screen: 109" 16:9 DIY blackout cloth
- Measurement: external soundcard, Galaxy CM-140 meter, REW
Use of SEOS Pair
I'm going to try phantom center for now, as I don't have an acoustically-transparent project screen (yet). The best place for the sub is centered at front under the screen (as a speaker stand for the center. So I would have to move the sub to accommodate a taller center speaker. From what I read, the pair should give a great wide sweet spot that will be fine for the three seats across.
I intend to toe them in to crossfire at the opposite seats, as per Bill Waslo's article on the setup of constant directivity speakers so that through time (distance)-intensity trading, equal sound level is delivered to the left and right seats. Crossover at 100 Hz (although I'll have to measure to see if this should change).