How much did the Whisper Klone project cost?

[warnerwh]

I'm curious as to what the Whisper clone project cost. How did this speaker sound?

Thanks

[ThomasW]

Approx $2500 in parts and materials, plus hundreds and hundreds, and hundreds of man hours to build. In total they took almost year to construct.

Some of the drivers were purchased at deep discounts.

They sounded pretty good, certainly was as good as the real ones I that heard at a Legacy Audio road show.

What we learned from this exercise was how good dipole bass/midbass could sound. From there we went on to the Arvo Part design, where we learned how much better a fullrange dipole sounded.

I don't recommend anyone build their own Whispers. What we learned subsequent to their construction makes our newer designs far better sonically, and significantly easier to build.

[warnerwh]

Yes the Arvo does look intriguing. The only open baffle speakers I've heard had the RD 75's in them. In both cases the midrange naturalness and openness had been beautiful.

[kingpin]

They are wickedly gorgeous though(whispers).
I love being able to see all the mechanical components and not the standard coffin style speakers. :W :W
Wait a second, I am building those coffin speakers aren't I. :B

For those who haven't seen them.

Images not available




Mike

[warnerwh]

It seems odd that those midranges are placed side by side. Doesn't that usually cause diffraction problems? Those are I think 15k retail speakers. Seems odd that I never see that design with those mids. I don't understand alot of how speakers are designed though either.

[ThomasW]

http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/806legacy/

[ttan98]

ThomasW,

Since you have built the Whisper DIY project, I am curious about the 4 midrange drivers, mounting them in this configuration may experience off axis cancellation. His explanation is as follows:

Putting all four woofers into an arrangement like that causes some
off axis problems. They will cancel each other out in the off axis in
both vertical and horizontal directions. A low crossover point to the
tweeter that is below 1kHz can solve this problem but not too many
tweeters can be crossed that low.

do you experience them? any explanation is welcome. thanks.

[ThomasW]

We didn't like the choice of tweeters in the original Whisper (Audax 1.25" dome and fairly low cost planar tweeter) so a Focal TC120 with a 2.5kHz crossover point was used in the klones. The intent was to upgrade to a large Raven ribbon tweeter, but the speakers were sold because I wanted to move closer to a full-range dipole (Arvo Part)

[ttan98]

Thomas you have not answer the question, anyway, if you can characterise briefly the differences and/or similarities between the Whisper and Arco speakers in terms of sound reproduction?

[Nemophyle]

yeah i did quite wonder about this midrange configuration too , does it provide any substantial advantage / inconvenient.

It is advertised as a "coaxial" kinda by legacy, and provided it is crossed over low enough it could work as it sounds, but there is no free meal so ...

[ThomasW]

Thomas you have not answer the question,

My apologies.

anyway, if you can characterise briefly the differences and/or similarities between the Whisper and Arco speakers in terms of sound reproduction?

A tomato and a banana are fruit.

[69Stingray]

Thomas, been meeting to congratulate you one such a great Klone. I have always admired the Whispers. I love the appearance and woodwork. I am also a fan on cone surface area. I would love to be able to hear a pair.

Anyone hear the Helix? If I recall, they come with even more electronics.

If you took a tall tower speaker and had two woofers on the front baffle and two woofers on the back panel (traditional box), would you get close to the same dipole effect? I guess they would have to be wired out of phase.

Also, the Stereophile article said the passive radiator was to absorb wall reflected, I assume it was tied to the midrange unit and proved the "low-end" for the midranges.

P.S. Tomatoes should be vegetables, IMHO :-)

[ThomasW]

The midwoofer enclosures are sealed PVC tubes. The PR (drone) is used to absorb the rearwave off the woofer.

[ttan98]

My apologies.
A tomato and a banana are fruit.

you can be a politician, you didn't answer the question again....I do know know whether it is on purpose or it takes too long to explain or something else. Some readers including myself out there would like to know.

I leave it to you. I won't lose sleep over it.

[---k---]

Some readers including myself out there would like to know.

Thomas isn't a paid advice columnist. He's avoiding the question.

[ThomasW]

Thomas isn't a paid advice columnist. He's avoiding the question.

Actually the questions have been answered within reason...

you can be a politician, you didn't answer the question again....I do know know whether it is on purpose or it takes too long to explain or something else. Some readers including myself out there would like to know.

I leave it to you. I won't lose sleep over it.

As a teacher you're familar with the concept of an analogy (Whisper vs Arvo = tomato vs banana).

Why?

The online documentation of the Whisper Klones and the Arvo Part design provide the following...

4 driver sealed box monopole midwoofer vs 2 driver dipole midwoofer
low order slopes vs high order slopes
Whisper Klone midranges operate in a passband different from the Legacy versions
WMTMW configuration vs MTMWW configuration

These alone mean comparisons are problematic.

Now combine the above with following...

The Whisper klones were built 7yrs ago, at no time were they in the same room with the Arvo.
The Arvos are also long gone, they haven't been in the listening room for 2 yrs.
We're not all that interested in polar plots, that's why none are posted.

All this means answering your questions would be pure speculation on my part. In addition, attempting to provide meaningfull comparison for things as dissimilar as these via an online forum, is fundametally as problematic as trying to do the same with a tomato and a banana.

"Talking about music is like dancing about architecture."....in other words, certain things must be experienced to be understood.

[ttan98]

Actually the questions have been answered within reason...

All this means answering your questions would be pure speculation on my part. In addition, attempting to provide meaningfull comparison for things as dissimilar as these via an online forum, is fundametally as problematic as trying to do the same with a tomato and a banana.

Without your explanation now it very hard for me to read your mind by just saying "tomato and a banana." I have no clue what you are saying. Your explanation helps.

I am after your memory of the sound reproduction of each speakers, I am not after which speakers is better.

I can understand you have forgotten what you have heard from the spearkers you built so many years. Each speakers leaves a certain impressions/imprints which I cannot forget. I am after that impression.

The whisper is still selling which means there are still buyers.

[JonP]

"Talking about music is like dancing about architecture."....in other words, certain things must be experienced to be understood.

Ahhh, one of my favorite Frank Zappa quotes.....