I want to build some surround speakers

[chasw98]

I built my sub with Thomas and Steve Callas help and the results are fantastic. My confidence is up and I am ready for more. I own Ascend 340SE's across the front and have some old KEF's for surround in a 5.1 setup. I have been thinking of buying Ascend 170SE's and then I thought "Why not build a pair?". I want to build my surround speakers.
The only condition I have is that they will be mounted on some omni mount 20 pound supports from the ceiling so they should not weigh more than 20 pounds, I guess.



I'm not worried about price. I am looking for quality high end components that will sound very clean and natural. I'm not pressed for time either. What should I build with what components. I'm sure Jon or Thomas will say "Build _____". So please help get me started and let me know if more information is needed. Thanks.

Chuck

(DIY has bit me again!) :T

[ThomasW]

I don't think I've ever built a speak as light as 20 Lbs...

My suggestion is of course to built the Modula MT

[chasw98]

I don't think I've ever built a speak as light as 20 Lbs...

My suggestion is of course to built the Modula MT

OK, I'm adaptable. Throw out the 20 pound requirement. I'm obviously taking a leap of faith here to build a speaker I have never heard. Let me read the thread and come back with more questions.

[chasw98]

All right. I have read through the complete Modula MT thread. The .75 PE box with the RS180 and the RS28A appears to be the way it started. The tricks appear to be in Jon's cross over, that is the key. By reading sub threads, I gather Jon is shortly going to have a large shootout of tweeters. The North Creek looks interesting (and expensive).
I liked Mark K's sealed box using the RS225 8" woofer since my surrounds will be tucked up into the ceiling wall wall junction and not far enough away for a port to really work. But, does it matter for surround?
OTOH a pair of MT's as designed would probably be great with a set of LCR MTM's in the future :T
The responses from the people that have built these has been extremely positive. They like them a lot. Some say they are the best they have ever built. Others are amazed by them. So apparently this is no ordinary loudspeaker. More work to do.............

[nightanole]

I say do sealed. there is almost nothing in surround below 120hz ( when the .1 kicks in) and ive never heard of some one using full range surrounds ( unless they were towers behind them) so 9 times outa 10 your surrounds will be set to small anyway.

[cjd]

.1 is a separate channel, and it can contain content up to 200Hz officially.

Surround *can* have content all the way down.

Modula MT should be a great option. It's going to take more of a beating than the RS150 based MT I've done, and for HT use I think that's key. I've heard my MTM's up against the Ascend 340 SE's and the sonic signature is very similar, though the Ascends are more constrained through the lower midrange (vocal area). The Modula should similarly match up very well indeed.

C