L/C/R speakers for $4-6,000 options?

I'd keep an eye out for a Dynaudio Contour S or Paradigm Signature on audiogon. You'd be pushing $5,000-$6,000, but you'd be really happy with them. Considering you can get them half off used and they're worth over $10,000 new, it'd be quite a good deal. You can probably find a local dealer to have a demo. I think down the line I'll end up picking up the Paradigm Studio line which is awesome.

4pi with de250 and jbl 2226 upgrade
http://www.pispeakers.com/catalog/pr...roducts_id/105
$1,360.00

JTR triple8 or triple12
http://jtrspeakers.com/home-audio/triple-8ht/
http://jtrspeakers.com/home-audio/triple-12ht/
$1099 or $1499

JBL 3677
http://www.jblpro.com/catalog/genera...x?PId=71&MId=1
$850

You could build 3 of these for around $1300 (not including wood, paint, screws)
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1265019

I'd really audition the Dynaudio Contour S line and Paradigm Signature series to give you an idea of the awesomeness of the regular home theater speakers instead of just the professional audio you've been looking at.

If I had $6,000 to spend on speakers, I'd actually probably go custom speakers with active crossovers, equalizers and really nice drivers like the Scanspeak Illuminator series.

You're approaching this the wrong way - room first them gear

In saying that - what about these:

http://www.gedlee.com/abbey.htm

JTR Triple 8's and bury the savings and your DIY energy into multiple subs.

Forget Triad in Australia - WAY too expensive....

....I think the Oz Theater Screen guys can get JTR

You can buy Procella here

Seriously - hold off until the room is done before thinking about any gear....I made that mistake and now have neither (sold all the stuff I purchased becuase it wasn't suitable)

I still say you should say screw it, buy some Behringer DCX2496s and make some really awesome custom speakers. Custom speakers will own anything you can buy retail. If you want the best, that is the best, hands down. I know of a guy on a different forum who is very knowledgeable about custom speakers. He'd definitely give you advice if you needed it as well.


You look at the $13,000 Triad InRoom Platinum LCRs and all you have is a Seas tweeter, ScanSpeak woofers, a crossover and a cabinet.

5 ScanSpeak Illuminator D3004/6620s $1,145, 8 ScanSpeak 4.5" Illuminator midrange 12MUs $2,128, and 8 ScanSpeak 7" Illuminator 18WUs $2,448 for a total cost of $5,271. 3 Behringer DCX2496s $750. That's $6,000 + cabinets for one of the best 5.0 speaker setups on Earth. Don't foget that active crossovers destroy passive crossovers in every aspect.

Yeah, that's all you get.

I think you also get a massively over-built and braced cabinet that could NEVER be duplicated in the DIY world without a CNC machine and the knowledge to use it.

You also get a CNC cut dispersion lens that improves the dispersion and sensitivity of the tweeter. You can't possibly duplicate that in the DIY world without a CNC machine.

You also get a well designed, vetted and constructed crossover that you could only duplicate in the DIY world IF you have some rigorous test equipment and the knowledge to use it.

You can also get a custom finish in any wood or color you like. They'll even match something you send them. You could duplicate that in the DIY worlf IF you have some pretty serious wood working/finishing skills.

Did I mention that they sound incredible? Whether they're worth the $$$ is a value judgement. I can tell you that I went to the AXPONA High End Audio Show in NY last Saturday. I heard quite a few systems that cost several multiples the cost of the Triad Platinums. I didn't hear *anything* that sounded better than my Platinums to me.



BTW, I suggested the Triad In-Room Gold LCR, not the Platinum. The Gold LCR is not $13K. In he US, it fits the OP's budget. I didn't realize he's in Australia. If it's too expensive there, I apologize.

I also apologize for the OT post, but I couldn't let that nonsense go unchallenged.

Craig

Forget what everyone else has said and buy my brand preference. There really are no other choices cause I am really smart about this stuff and, I know what is best for you.

Edit: BTW, I'm not referring to the post directly above or it's author

STOP THAT!!!!!!

You're making me jealous.........

Just do what I tell you --- Don't worry about it !!!

LOL

I don't believe I ever claimed they were bad speakers. Granted I never heard them, I'm just assuming they are really great. But for the record, a passive crossover will never beat an active crossover period, end of discussion. You may not get the same cabinets, but you can build really awesome cabinets fairly easily. Don't sell custom short. Looking at a value standpoint, custom built speakers decimate just about everything from commercial offerings.

I also misunderstood the OPs first post as well. I thought he said he's only done DIY, not only just interested in. Without any experience in this realm, I couldn't recommend this setup.

Yea but most of the $6,000+ speaker systems are using drivers that you can buy at Madisound or Parts Express, so it's not like you're missing out. The only thing that differs from DIY is quality, refined crossovers and cabinets. Since active crossovers/EQ like the Behringer DCX2496 are better than world class passive crossovers, the advantage is diminished. Factor in that you can build wonderful cabinets yourself and the answer becomes clear. The only thing is you'll need 15 channels of amplification for 5 3-way speakers. 3 Emotiva XPA-5s would be overkill, but dang they're really high quality and cheap. Even used, lesser quality amplifiers cost the same. WMTMW for fronts and TMW for the rears.

I'd really love to hear a PB13-Ultra. I'd say maybe try out one of those, but from the sound of it, you're building it yourself.


What are the details of the subwoofer you're going to build?

The Danley's are far and away your best bet in that price range. The JTR's are great but for the bit more you'll pay for the Danley's you'll get that magical phasetime coherent sound that, from what I can deduce, is the key to having the ultimate HT speakers. Don't bother with Dynaudio. Their sensitivity is way down on what makes a good HT speaker. My guess would be that their dynamic ability would suffer. I would consider them for a 2.0 system in a hearbeat.

Examining a hypothetical flowchart that directs one toward loudspeakers with robust characteristics that lend themselves well to high playback levels, with a high degree of linearity and a measure of directivity control. While progressing the flowchart, we're presented with "pro audio" style designs, with high sensitivities, high power handling. We also encounter compression drivers, and horns and waveguides.

Many of us here are well versed in the advantages of such designs, as many of us are well aware of the dis-advantages of such designs. The potential pros are relatively obvious; robust designs with high, and clean SPLs, directivity control offering less room/more recording, matched directivity between drivers at the crossover, reduction in horn coloration (horn honk), optimized response in the time and frequency domain, low diffraction and entirely inert cabinetry.

The potential cons being poor response in frequency and time domain, mis-matched directivity/off axis behavior around the crossover region, diffraction from sharply terminated edges from horn or cabinet/thus creating aberrant VER (very early reflections), horn coloration from HOM (higher order modes), boxy colorations from various issues.



It is relatively straightforward, and highly rewarding to implement a high sensitivity/high output design using pro drivers and horn/waveguide components. The real difficulty lies with an ideally optimized design combined with a perfectly inert and diffraction free cabinet. That's were offerings from Wayne Parham, and products from JBL, Meyer and others really get you closer. However, it appears that if one were to strip away all potential negatives of a pro approach, and throw in a relatively inert and diffraction free cabinet, Geddes work is what is left. The Summa (15" two way) isn't currently offered, however the solid polyurethane, 12" two way Abbey, appears to be a very solid performer.



Here's a quote from Dr. Earl Geddes;

"I don't mind people building their own speakers, but I do think that it is unreasonable to think that you could improve on mine or even match them. Let's face it, that's not realistic. I have a great setup for measurements, which very few people have, custom design tools that would be virtually impossible for you to match and vast experience to make it all come together. And lets not forget that this line of speakers has been in continuous development for almost seven years now. Thats a lot of optimization. So if you build your own speakers because it's fun then go for it, but you're kidding yourself if you are doing it because you think that you can do it better."


At the very least, interesting.


Thanks and good luck

Which Danleys, and how much are they?

I've not heard any of the SH products, however "far and away your best bet in that price range" is quite strong language, and gets my attention. What makes you say "far and away" etc?

Thanks

Epic!

Needs to be posted in the DIY section.

I think the SH-50 are like $3k+ each. As for why they're the best, I can only guess he means they are point sourced which differ from other conventional designs.

I would like to see an FEA done on that design, because that bracing seems to be very inefficient (diagonal braces don't do as much for the side panels as would perpendicular braces). The braces could be cut by hand with a jig/band saw, but those 45deg dados would be difficult. B&W does a much better job with their bracing IMO. 3 axis, each perpendicular to their respective panel they're bracing.



Because of the curve with a varying radius, that would be difficult bracing to build without a CNC machine. I know this, because I tried. Luckily I found someone with a CNC machine, but I have since changed my design.

It's possible, but I couldn't do it consistantly due to having to make a mold, then hand sanding the final product.

Agreed. Too difficult for me. I just rely on others who are good designers and build their designs.

Thanks

I do find the Danley SH line very interesting, did Tom ever determine whether there would be a DIY offering (similar to the DTS-10) based on the SH50 design?

Thank you

There will be no DIY SH50 project. As to this overall thread, I've yet to have anyone bring another cabinet that our Synergy Horns haven't significantly outperformed and some of these cabinets cost 10-20x's more than our products
Mike Hedden
Danley Sound Labs

(Preface: I apologize again to the OP for the OT post.)

That is the Triad Gold LCR cabinet, not the Platinum LCR. Which B&W speaker are you showing? It is appropriate to compare cabinets at similar pricepoints.


The "stepped" nature of the horizontal sides of the lens would make it significantly more difficult:







Craig