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3-way center channel build

16075 Views 62 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Will Mac, Sep 26, 2014

nexxest

Discussion Starter · Mar 31, 2014

I have been enjoying movies in 4.1 configuration for a while. MA BX2-s are undoubtedly great sounding speakers. But I think it's time to move on, to DIY land.

So I present you my 3-way center channel build:

As you may notice, it has:

1 x NeoX2.0 Silver

1 x Scanspeak 10F/4424G00

2 x Seas U18RNX/P

I already ordered the drivers. And I have 3/4" and 1" MDF. Friend of mine lets me use his CNC-machine to cut everything. In couple of weeks I will start building this thing (and if all goes well, matching left/right floorstanders aswell).

If you have any comments, please let me know. The size and shape of the cabinet is still undecided. Also, since a local DIY guy is designing the crossover for me, any guideline in that area is particularily welcome.

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chalugadp

· #2 · Mar 31, 2014

What's the sensitivity of that center and how loud do you like to listen to movies?

nexxest

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 31, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by chalugadp /t/1525125/3-way-center-channel-build#post_24550189

What's the sensitivity of that center and how loud do you like to listen to movies?

Sensitivity of the drivers: tweeter 94, mid 90 and woofers 88 dB. I'm still learning crossover theory but does this imply that final sensitivity could be around 89-90 dB?

I don't listen very loud (10 dB below ref with my Denon).

chalugadp

· #4 · Mar 31, 2014

I think so. Some of the 3 way designs I have seen have sensitivity of around 85. Tough to power with avr at reference. At your numbers the denon will do fine. Looks like a nice build

Reactions: 1

Martycool007

· #5 · Mar 31, 2014

That design looks very similar to the Ascend Acoustics Horizon center channel. I really like this design as it is able to incorporate two woofers without the same MTM issues that plague many center channel designs! This should be a pretty sweet speaker with those drivers, assuming the crossover is done right!

I would love to see a similar designed center channel but with an RAAL tweeter!

nexxest

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 31, 2014

RAAL costs an arm and a leg here in Europe

What could be the optimal size of the box for dual Seas woofers?

According to http://www.mh-audio.nl/CBC.asp , using Fs 43, Qts 0.37, Vas 22, Qtc 0.6 - 13.5 l per driver, so 27L. Seems ok?

Cabinet will be sealed and crossed to subwoofer at 80 hz. That makes me think a port or a pair of ports are not needed.

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nexxest

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 31, 2014

I may be wrong. According to http://www.micka.de/org/en/index.php#ideal , using T/S parameters, QTC 0.6 and sealed configuration, F3 is 84.32 Hz. So port may be needed after all.

Martycool007

· #8 · Mar 31, 2014

I can't help you with regards to the ideal box volume, but, I would go with a ported enclosure if it were me. I like the way that ported mains sound compared to sealed.

To me ported mains just sound more full, and have a somewhat different tone on the low end compared to sealed. Some folks will tell you that this is not possible as the lows are Omni-directional, and while the lows are indeed Omni, I still believe there is a different sound.

Reactions: 1

pgwalsh

· #9 · Mar 31, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by nexxest /t/1525125/3-way-center-channel-build#post_24550182

I have been enjoying movies in 4.2 configuration for a while. MA BX2-s are undoubtedly great sounding speakers. But I think it's time to move on, to DIY land.

So I present you my 3-way center channel build:

As you may notice, it has:

1 x NeoX2.0 Silver

1 x Scanspeak 10F/4424G00

2 x Seas U18RNX/P

I already ordered the drivers. And I have 3/4" and 1" MDF. Friend of mine lets me use his CNC-machine to cut everything. In couple of weeks I will start building this thing (and if all goes well, matching left/right floorstanders aswell).

If you have any comments, please let me know. The size and shape of the cabinet is still undecided. Also, since a local DIY guy is designing the crossover for me, any guideline in that area is particularily welcome.

Could always go this route.

http://www.speakerdesignworks.com/Statements_Center_Channel.html

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Reactions: 1

Martycool007

· #10 · Mar 31, 2014

I wonder how the NeoX2.0 sounds compared up the NeoCD3.0 used in the Statements? Fountek recommends crossing over the NeoCD3.0 at 2,500 and the NeoX2.0 at 2000. I am not sure if using the Neo2.0 would be of any benefit over the NeoCD3.0 when crossed to a dedicated mid in a 3-way setup. I have heard the NeoCD3.0 in the Statement Monitors, and I personally thought that it was an outstanding performer.

I wish that we had more designs in the $900 to $1,200 price range to choose from. I rarely ever see any thing with ribbons or even domes in this price range. You can get a RAAL 10d for $300. Pair that with a nice Seas or ScanSpeak mid, and perhaps some Dayton RS series woofers, and for $1000 you could build yourself a world class speaker! Maybe one day some will do a design like this and make the design available to us HIFI DIY guys!

nexxest

Discussion Starter · #11 · Mar 31, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by Martycool007 /t/1525125/3-way-center-channel-build#post_24550661

I can't help you with regards to the ideal box volume, but, I would go with a ported enclosure if it were me. I like the way that ported mains sound compared to sealed.

I will experiment a bit with this box calculation tool. F3 @ 84 Hz is not low enough.

Quote:
Originally Posted by pgwalsh /t/1525125/3-way-center-channel-build#post_24551735

Could always go this route.

Absolutely, but there is a possibility that a friend of mine starts selling these (if they come out OK of course). That's why I picked X2.0/SS/Seas combo. To my knowledge, it hasn't been done before.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Martycool007 /t/1525125/3-way-center-channel-build#post_24551845

I wonder how the NeoX2.0 sounds compared up the NeoCD3.0 used in the Statements? Fountek recommends crossing over the NeoCD3.0 at 2,500 and the NeoX2.0 at 2000. I am not sure if using the Neo2.0 would be of any benefit over the NeoCD3.0 when crossed to a dedicated mid in a 3-way setup. I have heard the NeoCD3.0 in the Statement Monitors, and I personally thought that it was an outstanding performer.

As I see it, X2.0 is newer, takes more power, has better horizontal and vertical dispersion. I have heard both, and they sounded the same to me. In fact, they sounded 95% as good as RAAL. And funny fact: X2.0 is 20€ cheaper than CD3.0.

Martycool007

· #12 · Apr 1, 2014

Well this should definitely be interesting and exciting to see a non-high efficiency build, but rather, more of a HIFI type build!

Perhaps I missed, but, what mains are you going to be pairing this center channel with?

nexxest

Discussion Starter · #13 · Apr 1, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by Martycool007 /t/1525125/3-way-center-channel-build#post_24554747

Perhaps I missed, but, what mains are you going to be pairing this center channel with?

Same drivers, vertical alignment

And perhaps 3 woofers, not 2.

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pgwalsh

· #14 · Apr 1, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by nexxest /t/1525125/3-way-center-channel-build#post_24554830

Same drivers, vertical alignment

And perhaps 3 woofers, not 2.

Sealed or ported?

nexxest

Discussion Starter · #15 · Apr 1, 2014

I have always been "sealed" guy, but I guess it shall be ported. There are not many people who would buy a floorstander that has F3 @ 80 Hz.

pgwalsh

· #16 · Apr 1, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by nexxest /t/1525125/3-way-center-channel-build#post_24555359

I have always been "sealed" guy, but I guess it shall be ported. There are not many people who would buy a floorstander that has F3 @ 80 Hz.

Could do satellites instead of floor standers. Could probably use them for your sides and rears too.

nexxest

Discussion Starter · #17 · Apr 1, 2014

Not "instead", but "and". Matching center, floorstanders and satellites.

What about design?

Larger is 800 x 260 mm.

Smaller is 600 x 280 mm.

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pgwalsh

· #18 · Apr 1, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by nexxest /t/1525125/3-way-center-channel-build#post_24555952

Not "instead", but "and". Matching center, floorstanders and satellites.

What about design?

Larger is 800 x 260 mm.

Smaller is 600 x 280 mm.

Could fire the ports out the back. Instead only because you're then designing 2 speakers instead of 3. I personally prefer satellites, but I've built the Statements for a friend and they are quite awesome.

nexxest

Discussion Starter · #19 · Apr 1, 2014

Due to the layout of my room, center channel will be touching the wall.

Again, if this project is successful, it could go on sale.

Martycool007

· #20 · Apr 2, 2014

This would be an awesome contender to the Statements, which now that I think about it, are quite different with their open backed mids and larger cabinet. I would love to see a nice, big floor standing tower with these drivers that the OP is using!

I would imagine that if the crossover is done right, these ScanSpeak mids would be as good if not better than the Tang Band w4's used in the Statements, and the Seas woofers would likely best the Dayton RS-225's.

1 - 20 of 63 Posts

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