Neat system...

[Jack Gilvey]

Apparently this guy is just getting into home audio from the car audio world. I thought his first crack was pretty cool, Voight pipes/full-range drivers, a slew of T-amps, and a bass-horn.

http://www.teamtoxicbass.com/~pete/home_audio/index.html

[joetama]

I've bought subs off these guys before... Pretty good guys....

[wkhanna]

Very Neat, and clean, and simple.
I like his philosophy and ROI.
Nice form on his DIY equipment rack, too.

I especially got a kick out of his opinion of the Bose towers.

[Exocer]

Yeah Jack, definitely an extraordinary system he has there. Cool.

[Bent]

Would such a speaker enclosure (the 1/4 wavelength Voight pipe) work well with the correct crossover and a 5-14" driver (something that doesn't get too jagged untill well past the usefull range) of this pod-type tweeter?

[joecarrow]

Glad to see someone did it!

Very, very cool. I nearly built a quarter wave enclosure with that Pioneer full range driver back in 2004, but I ended up using an eminence Beta 8 and a tweeter instead. I don't think I really made the right choice there...

I'd love to hear this setup. Like wkhanna says, it looks like a lot of bang for the buck. I'm impressed.

Edit- The only comment I really have on his system is that those drivers in that enclosure are probably capable of handling a solid 50 watts, especially if he runs them as "small" with a highpass above 60 hz. I guess that's an upgrade route some day; but if it's loud enough for him then that's awesome that he could do it with so little.

[Jack Gilvey]

Would such a speaker enclosure (the 1/4 wavelength Voight pipe) work well with the correct crossover and a 5-14" driver (something that doesn't get too jagged untill well past the usefull range) of this pod-type tweeter?

As I recall, the real purpose of the 1/4-wave pipe is too get as much bass as possible from very-excursion-limited, high-efficiency full-range drivers, short of actual horn-loading. It's been so many years since I even thought about those that I didn't even have the bookmark on this computer, but this forum should have an answer:

http://fullrangedriver.com/forum/

I like his philosophy and ROI.

I was really surprized to see such relative esoterica as pipes and horns. Now I gotta get me some...

but if it's loud enough for him then that's awesome that he could do it with so little.

I think the whole idea is low power/high efficiency. The low-power, Class T architecture supposedly has a lot going for it sonically.

[joecarrow]

I think the whole idea is low power/high efficiency. The low-power, Class T architecture supposedly has a lot going for it sonically.

Yes, I've heard them and I presently use a different digital amplifier for my home theater setup. It's quite nice.

I was just saying, he could get about 5 db more out of his system, and get better headroom and lower distortion playing loud if he had an honest 50-75 watts. It's probably great- I'm just saying he still has an easy upgrade path, perhaps with some Hypex UCD modules, or something from 41hz.

[Jack Gilvey]

Gotcha, Joe. Could you expound on your apparent regret over going with the Beta/tweeter over a full-range? I remember wanting Diatones way back when...

[joecarrow]

I just didn't execute the crossover properly. Overall, it was a huge learning experience. To sum it up, here it is-

1) I didn't account for baffle step, and didn't realize how bass-shy my enclosure design was to begin with. I had to fix that with a lot of parametric equalization.

2) I did a first order crossover at 5 or 6 khz without really taking into account the driver sensitivity differences. I was able to repair the on-axis response with more EQ, but the polar response really wasn't fixable. This translated into a really small sweet spot. If I completely re-did the crossover with a higher order crossover down closer to 2 khz, it probably would have sounded much better in the room.

The idea of a "full range driver" has a few things going for it, but mostly if you're on a really tight budget.

I fully believe that any of the projects in the Mission Accomplished section will produce superior sound in comparison to his project (given a decent amp), but the price difference is huge. If I was back in college (huge room, tiny budget), I wouldn't hesitate to copy his project.

[PMazz]

I think he's gonna have a fun learning curve going from his "mobile" way of thinking and into home audio/HT. Ah, the good old days when we bought lots of stuff to try out for ourselves, only to move on to something new as soon as it was done.....Oh, wait....we're still doing that....

Pete

[Jack Gilvey]

Hah...it's about building, not just "having".

I think what struck me aobut his system is that it's nothing like what I'd expect a car audio guy to do, seems to have put lots of thought into it. Low power, talking about SET's, horns, full-range? I know I'm stereotyping (haha), but I'd expect big amps, big multi-way speakers, and a huge bandpass sub.

[jonathanb3478]

I am wondering why no one pointed out that he appears to still be using his Bose "low profile" center channel?

I think it is on the top of the amp rack. The first picture shows the most detail, and I am pretty sure that is the low profile Bose center channel.

But he is going for quality???

I understand that his reference point was pretty far down the chain (he did start with Bose, after all), but he has to notice that center is not up to its job in movies.

No one else noticed that little Bose center channel? Am I seeing things?

[Jack Gilvey]

Oops...in my enthusiasm, I forgot to fixate on the flaws. I saw it but, as he points out, he's replacing the older stuff piece-by-piece. Not gonna kill him for not getting to the center yet.

[Hdale85]

I noticed it, I was kind of wondering the same thing....but all the work into those speakers is kind of awesome makes me want to build them! Be nice if he could put the cut list of the cabinets up

[---k---]

Through extensive auditioning, I’ve also concluded that I have very little use for any significant reinforcement below 25Hz.

Interesting.

Obviously he doesn't hang out on any of the typical forums. :B

[Hdale85]

Apparently not ....wasn't he talking about the towers with that comment? I'm pretty sure he does sub 25Hz with the sub? Maybe I read wrong.

[Jack Gilvey]

Be nice if he could put the cut list of the cabinets up

What led me to that site was this Aperiodic Bi-Chamber sub he designed...cool stuff:

http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=110018&highlight=abc

Obviously he doesn't hang out on any of the typical forums.

No, definitely not. He's chosen practically unlimited clean headroom from 25Hz on up over extension. I'd like to experience a bass horn some day.

[soho54]

Am I the only one that wanted to punch this guy by the time the "first" pic of him showed up? Geez, how do you get that far up your own butt? The guy talks about "years of acoustic engineering," and he is only just now thowing the Bose gear out? :roll:

Getting back OT, yeah pretty neat. Just to much self-promotion.

[Jack Gilvey]

Heh...I agree about the first pic, I was like..."WTF?". I kept reading anyway.

[---k---]

Apparently not ....wasn't he talking about the towers with that comment? I'm pretty sure he does sub 25Hz with the sub? Maybe I read wrong.

That comment is found under the Subwoofer II heading.

It would be interesting to do the typical WotW demo on his system. I can't imagine it being nearly as fun unless he has some butt shakers.

[jonathanb3478]

Oops...in my enthusiasm, I forgot to fixate on the flaws. I saw it but, as he points out, he's replacing the older stuff piece-by-piece. Not gonna kill him for not getting to the center yet.

OK, I saw the Bose first thing, and just skimmed a bit. I missed the "piece-by-piece" part. That is fine. As long as the Bose dies eventually.

Oh, and far from fixating on the flaws, I saw too much unrestrained enthusiasm up to my post. Had to do something about that.

I see the enthusiasm a lot for fullrange drivers in horn designs. There must be something there. I just don't get it, personally.

Maybe once I have heard one, this will change.

[Hdale85]

I just think the horn designs look neat I'd love to try it out....not sure if i could build a box with the same quality though.

[Jack Gilvey]

Oh, and far from fixating on the flaws, I saw too much unrestrained enthusiasm up to my post.

Well, I'm stickin' with the "pretty cool" from my first post. The whole system might sound like *ss...I just liked the thought process and the execution.

It would be interesting to do the typical WotW demo on his system. I can't imagine it being nearly as fun unless he has some butt shakers.

Now that'd be a combo...horns for the audible stuff, tactiles for the tactile.

[Hdale85]

How would you go about designing a Voight Pipe? I'd use a different driver probably and maybe bridge a t amp one per speakers if thats possible... just curious?

[Dennis H]

The T-amp is already bridged so you can't do it again.

[Jack Gilvey]

How would you go about designing a Voight Pipe? I'd use a different driver probably and maybe bridge a t amp one per speakers if thats possible... just curious?

Some info here:

http://melhuish.org/audio/tqwt.html

Most of the links appear dead, but it's good clicking practice.