Which of your speakers?

[gimpy]

Jon, which of your speakers that you have designed or are discussed in this forum, "in your opinion" are the "best/best sounding" (take that to mean anyway you want to) up to about the $400 range in cost? I had planned on building either the Nat P's or the Modula MTM's. But then I see a few other designs (somewhat older, maybe) that aren't necessarily on the stickies. I.E., the "ARVO".

So, I thought I might should look into those other speaker designs. (M8Ta, ARVO, Dayton RS 3 ways, MT's, any others?). I guess the main consideration here is really the $400 price/per speaker cost. I don't think my better half will let me go higher than that, if that.

Right now, I am still leaning towards the Modula MTM's over the Natalie P's. If you could just give me a quick and dirty idea, I would appreciate it very much. I'm sure/know they all sound good and are great speakers/deals, but, sometimes price amounts are hard to find in your threads.

thx, Frank

[KeithM]

I'm not jon, but I can provide some insight. What are your room dimensions? What do you want to use them for? what music?

[cjd]

Not many of the designs hit your budget either. Or I should say, far fewer. Arvo won't. M8A TM might. MTM, not sure.

But Keith has the right next question for ya.

C

[JoshK]

You CAN do the Modula MTM for just about that budget but you'll have to forgo the more expensive caps/inductors for lesser expensive ones. The Natalie P or TM would fall under this mark I'd think. The Arvo Part will not even fall below this mark for the crossover components alone not including the drivers.

[cotdt]

ModulaTM is your friend.

[JonMarsh]

OK, to confirm your requirement, $400 per speaker, $800 total per pair. Including enclosures or enclosure materials, drivers, crossover, and wires.

Well, it all depends... driver pricing and crossover component cost has been somewhat variable, depending on how you source things.

The Modula MTM's just fit in that range, I think they will even with the RS28a tweeter, and using the nice pretty PE cabs. If you build your own cabs, and aren't picky about finish (say, sanded MDF with primer and truck bed liner), you might shave $100 off. Then you could build one of the larger versions with more bass extension. But you ought to know, all I have are one's built with the PE cabs. They shore do look purty...

If you build your own cabs and want more SPL and grunt in the bottom end, you could probably stretch the budget to the M8a MTM, using the RS28a instead of the original Vifa XT25. Even with the original Vifa XT25 they sound pretty nice, just ask Tibor or Paul H. ThomasW has heard those in the smaller sealed version which Tibor has.

Beyond that I can't think of anything I've done I'd recommend or would fit within that budget- the original M8a two way in Woodstyle cabinets that are heavily modified is close dollar wise. One thing to consider would be a simpler constructed version of the M8ta- in someways MarkK's very nice bookshelf with the RS225 + RS28a falls in that category, using the same crossover topology concept, and same woofer. I don't recall if I also did a crossover version with the RS28a- my main efforts were with the Hales Transcendence tweeter or the Seas Millenium Excel. Still, a two way in a 68 liter cabinet ported like the M8ta would probably work pretty nicely, with very deep extension for a system that size. OTOH, an M8a MTM might have more midbass "punch" or dynamics, due to the doubled Sd.

Consider how big you want the finished speaker to be, how much enclosure work you're willing to put in, and whether you'll be using them with a sub at some time in the future. I really like the vocal performance and dynamics of the Modula MTM- especially considering it's size. When coupled with a decent sub, scary things happen... that kind of combo plays well out of class, due to it's low distortion and dynamics. But it is also more revealing of lesser source components and sources. Sort of a two edged sword. The M8a MTM is a bit more forgiving, some might say more "musical", on a wider range of source material.

Maybe it's because of these difference that I keep creating new designs, each a bit differently optimized.

For about the same money, with

[gimpy]

Thx, for all the responses. Now for some answers to them.

1. Room size is about 16 (tv side) X 20 with a ceiling that is sort of vaulted. It starts at about normal 8 foot height but then "v's" to about 11-12 feet in the middle. The back of the room (part away from the main speakers/tv has a wide opening into the dining room. Actually, the seating area around the setup is fairly small. All of the seating, a couch and 1 chair, are away from the 2 side walls about 2-3 feet, and the other chair sits about 3-4 feet inside the large opening that goes into the dining area.

2. Jon, that is correct, about $400 per speaker, $800 for the pair. That total that I quoted is for all the "guts", so to say, of the speaker (crossover parts/drivers, etc.)(I do need shielded speakers).

3. I am in this for the diy, so, that budget does not include the enclosure. I will make (try to anyway) the enclosures myself. Maybe not save any/much money, but it is for the diy reasoning that I am doing it.

Jon, currently my setup includes the kit 281's (mains) with the P.E. Quatro Pro 15 inch sub in a surround sound 5.1 setup. All my diy speakers are sealed. I originally did this for the ease of building the enclosures and read that they gave "tighter" sound. I made them pretty big, 281's are 48 inches tall (I sealed off the bottom 2 feet or so) and the sub is a 20 inch cube (wife does want smaller). As stated in another post these will be given up to my son at the end of this year. Thus, the reason for building/upgrading (hopefully) to one of your designs. The wife is harping somewhat on making "smaller" speakers. (She especially wants that 3 cu. ft. sub to go to my son :roll. So, I am looking at the sealed (smaller) version of the Mod. MTM and a smaller sub. I do want a good sub (only a little smaller). And since I have never had/built a good ported design speaker, I am still leaving that option open a little (very little). Ported version, only if I put my "foot" down :E ops: .

I originally got into home theater setup's for movie (dvd's)/tv watching (thus the 281's and Quatro Pro 15), but have since started listening to music thru this set-up. I'm really enjoying the music much better and more often now, especially with the new sub (about a month old).

I push (right word?) these with a Yamaha A/V receiver (entry level type) and use a universal dvd player from Pioneer. Currently my front speakers are 4 ohm and the receiver (has a 4/8 ohm switch on the back) seems to have no problem with them. I guess it is possible (but somewhat doubtful) that I will ever upgrade (just because of cost) to much better equipment (i.e. amps, pre's, etc.) (but who knows ).

Sorry for the long post.
thx, Frank

(edit)--Jon, at the end of your post, your reply was cut off. Sounds like it might have been important?