AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › DIY Speakers and Subs › Coaxial Center Channel
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Coaxial Center Channel

post #1 of 24
2/16/13 at 6:13pm
Thread Starter 
Hello all. New to this forum and it seems to have more traffic than my usual forums, but just want to get some feedback and see what people think about this idea. I currently have a set of Tannoy i8 speakers for my main left/right speakers. They are coaxial drivers and I thought it would be a cool idea to carry that over to my center channel. Plus it would combat the problems associated with off axis response with a horizontal MTM design. Eminence has some 8" drivers than can be coupled with a 1 3/8" compression driver. The raw drivers can be had for a little more than $100. All I'd need to do is model an enclosure and design a crossover. What is everyones thoughts on this idea. Any experience with this idea. Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks.
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 24
2/16/13 at 6:16pm
Thread Starter 
Here are the drivers mentioned.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=290-500

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=290-525
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 24
2/16/13 at 6:19pm
I think mtg90 measured this coax and it was terrible. Double check, but if I'm right the tannoys are likely a better choice.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 24
2/16/13 at 6:24pm
Thread Starter 
I have the Tannoys already and am using them for my main left and right speakers. I'll have to do some searching around this forum. There's seems to be TONS of good information here.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 24
2/16/13 at 6:26pm
Pick up a third Tannoy for timbre matching.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 24
2/16/13 at 6:43pm
Thread Starter 
Yeah now that I have been doing some research on here, It looks like buying a raw Tannoy Driver would be a good option. The Tannoy 2046 speaker could be a good option. I just have to keep my eyes open online. Or possibly get one direct from Tannoy. I have a buddy who works at a Tannoy dealer.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 24
2/16/13 at 7:04pm
looks like the tannoy i8 is +/- 3db from about 90hz up.

http://efxireland.com/pdf/tannoy/ACF113.pdf

the 1.7khz cross seems about right for good directivity matching.

why not just get a third one?
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 24
2/16/13 at 7:15pm
Thread Starter 
I don't know if I can get the i8 anymore. My pair was pulled out of an old church that was a 10+ year old install. I think it is a discontinued speaker. Tannoys DI8 and VX8 both look very similar. The VX8 looks a little more similar as far as specs go.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 24
2/16/13 at 7:25pm
I did a surround build using the 10cx and I am still using them! I think they sound great and they measure pretty darn well for the money I spent. Moving up to the D220ti was a good move and even though they measure a little differently, I think the same response could be had just popping an L-pad into the stock emminence XO's to level everything out. I have the apt-50's and XO's layin around so PM me if you want to try them out smile.gif Read through the thread too:

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1353658/budget-eminence-coaxial-surround-build
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 24
2/16/13 at 7:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by todd.brust View Post

I don't know if I can get the i8 anymore. My pair was pulled out of an old church that was a 10+ year old install. I think it is a discontinued speaker. Tannoys DI8 and VX8 both look very similar. The VX8 looks a little more similar as far as specs go.
Ebay is your friend.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 24
2/16/13 at 9:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tuxedocivic View Post

I think mtg90 measured this coax and it was terrible. Double check, but if I'm right the tannoys are likely a better choice.

The coaxial I tested was this one: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=290-890 which now looks to be discontinued.



I used a DNA-150 CD in there and the results were not good at all, the only other screw on CD I have is the Selenium DH200E-E which would not screw in completely.

I was unsure if the other Eminence coaxials had a different horn flare or not and whether any other CD's might do better but I can't find FR graphs of any CD's tested in the Eminence coaxials so I am a little worried they might be just as bad. Only graph that does turn up is the one on US Speaker of the 10CX which does not look too bad actually.


Anyway if you can find a third matching Tannoy that would be the way to go.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 24
2/16/13 at 11:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by todd.brust View Post

I don't know if I can get the i8 anymore.
Email Tannoy and ask them if they still have spares or if they think any of their distributors might have one. They probably wouldn't sell you two, but one is easier; tell them an amp blew and damaged it and you need a replacement.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 24
2/17/13 at 6:34am
You could always do a clone of the Tannoy, assuming that you could find the matching driver and figure out the enclosure specs. Do these types of speakers have crossovers? I would guess not since they just use one driver, right? Or is that a coax driver that is comprised of a tweeter mounted inside a mid driver?
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 24
2/17/13 at 8:30am
Thread Starter 
Thanks a bunch for all the answers so far. I could pull the drivers out of my current Tannoy speakers and take measurements of internal dimensions. Clone The crossovers and get the speaker model number. I have already talked to by old boss and he's going to call Tannoy on Monday or Tuesday. Hopefully come up with some good results.

On a side note, MTG20, what do you use for measuring? I was thinking of getting a measuring system, but don't know what to get. I have used SysTune before but that is way out of my price range. I just want something to toy around with.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 24
2/17/13 at 8:37am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Martycool007 View Post

You could always do a clone of the Tannoy, assuming that you could find the matching driver and figure out the enclosure specs. Do these types of speakers have crossovers? I would guess not since they just use one driver, right? Or is that a coax driver that is comprised of a tweeter mounted inside a mid driver?

It is two separate drivers. The compression driver is mounted behind the woofer.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 24
2/17/13 at 8:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by todd.brust View Post

Thanks a bunch for all the answers so far. I could pull the drivers out of my current Tannoy speakers and take measurements of internal dimensions. Clone The crossovers and get the speaker model number. I have already talked to by old boss and he's going to call Tannoy on Monday or Tuesday. Hopefully come up with some good results.

On a side note, MTG20, what do you use for measuring? I was thinking of getting a measuring system, but don't know what to get. I have used SysTune before but that is way out of my price range. I just want something to toy around with.

I'm down to my last 17 Tannoys that use the 2046 driver... smile.gif Don't have any I8 cabs, but do have a few single S8 complete cabs that would match perfectly.

Todd, PM me if you would like to discuss further.
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 24
2/17/13 at 9:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by todd.brust View Post

Thanks a bunch for all the answers so far. I could pull the drivers out of my current Tannoy speakers and take measurements of internal dimensions. Clone The crossovers and get the speaker model number. I have already talked to by old boss and he's going to call Tannoy on Monday or Tuesday. Hopefully come up with some good results.

On a side note, MTG20, what do you use for measuring? I was thinking of getting a measuring system, but don't know what to get. I have used SysTune before but that is way out of my price range. I just want something to toy around with.


Right now a Dayton UMM-6 and REW, <$100 and very easy to setup and use being a USB mic.
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 24
2/17/13 at 10:06am
You can get the UMM-6 from cross spectrum labs with a third party cal file as well. I use an ecm8000 from cross spectrum with their premium plus calibration. And I use HolmImpulse most of the time. Also check out Arta. A lot of people are using Omnimic as its plug and play and quite powerful, although I've never used it.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 24
2/17/13 at 1:25pm
Thread Starter 
I was looking at the Dayton OmniMic. The UMM-6 sure seems like a suitable idea too.

Is it as simple as plugging the UMM-6 into my computer and then install REW? For under $100 bucks, I think I can deal with that.
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 24
2/17/13 at 2:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by todd.brust View Post

Is it as simple as plugging the UMM-6 into my computer and then install REW? .
It is. I use it with HolmImpulse.
Reply
Reply
post #21 of 24
2/18/13 at 7:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by todd.brust View Post

Hello all. New to this forum and it seems to have more traffic than my usual forums, but just want to get some feedback and see what people think about this idea. I currently have a set of Tannoy i8 speakers for my main left/right speakers. They are coaxial drivers and I thought it would be a cool idea to carry that over to my center channel. Plus it would combat the problems associated with off axis response with a horizontal MTM design. Eminence has some 8" drivers than can be coupled with a 1 3/8" compression driver. The raw drivers can be had for a little more than $100. All I'd need to do is model an enclosure and design a crossover. What is everyones thoughts on this idea. Any experience with this idea. Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks.

There are a pair of i8's on eBay right now. (No connection to seller, etc.)
Reply
Reply
post #22 of 24
2/18/13 at 8:54pm
Thread Starter 
Damn, I am going to have a ton of Tannoys by the end of the Month. Haha
Reply
Reply
post #23 of 24
2/18/13 at 10:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by todd.brust View Post

Damn, I am going to have a ton of Tannoys by the end of the Month. Haha

This is how it all starts... wink.gif
Reply
Reply
post #24 of 24
2/18/13 at 11:19pm
I still have 8-10 Tannoys in storage...
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: DIY Speakers and Subs

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › DIY Speakers and Subs › Coaxial Center Channel