Cup-a-Soup

[Rolex]

I'm interested in the cup-a-soup design from Tony Gee at Humble Homemade Hifi.

Has anyone had a chance to build or listen to this speaker? I know that was a thread a couple years ago discussing the soup. Some like it, and others didn't.

This is a newer design. I'd love to hear any feedback before I plunk down the serious cash it would take for this design.

Thanks!

[TacoD]

Tony did only the x-over. Another guy from a Dutch forum came up with the idea. I think you can spend your money more wisely. I would never do a 2-way with such a small mid/bas unit. You need to high pass the woofer, and combine it with a good sub.

You can better spend your money on the new design of Jon & Thomas. (see sticky thread at this forum).

For more info:
Info

[Rolex]

Interesting. thanks for your response. I've built a few and owned a few 5 1/2" midbass two way speakers and have been impressed by them. I am willing to trade off bottom end for quality midrange and upper end.

From the lack of response, I'm guessing not many have felt compelled to build this design.

[cjd]

I am willing to trade off bottom end for quality midrange and upper end.

This is silly. you just need to go 3-way. Then you can enjoy it all.

I'm not familiar with the design to really have any feedback or thoughts at all. But I know a TM with the RS150 (similar size) would not leave me satisfied. Even the MTM's I ran out of oomph. Great sound where they worked, but I did quite miss the bottom end too.

[TacoD]

I agree with cjd, try at least to mate this 2-way with extra woofer. You can replace the Eton 8" or Thiel 8" with a 8" Dayton. This should not add up to much.

[Rolex]

For the 15 years or so I've been into audio, I've only owned a handful of floor standers or "full range" (loose term) speakers, the rest have been stand mounts. I don't miss the bottom end. I do have friends with true full range systems. Even after listening to theirs, I still don't miss it listening to mine. I've never been satisified with a monitor/powered sub combo. I'm happiest listening to a smaller two way stand mount.


I've been pondering a "reference quality" stand mount for a while. There were thoughts of building someone else's design, or having a crossover designed for me. Perhaps with a scan speak midbass and a revelator tweeter, or a millenium tweeter. Then I saw the accuton thinking that could potentially be better overall sound. I'm not dead set on this design. Or any design for that matter. I'm in the middle of the research process to build a speaker that can beat any commercially available speakers I have owned.

[TacoD]

If you have money to spend I have a two way design with Audiotechnology 15H and Raidho planer (from www.eben.dk) Also possible with Scanspeak 7000 ringradiator.

Troels Gravesen also has a few very nice monitor designs.

I will repeat myself do not go smaller than 5.25 in a 2-way. Also the designs I've heard from Tony Gee didn't sound that great. Not better than what you can buy commercially for this kind of money.

[Rolex]

I would never want to go smaller than a 5 1/2", which is what I thought the accuton was. Now I see that it is a 5" driver.. I have looked at Troels designs, although it's been a while. I should go back and see if there is anything that intrigues me.

I will also check out eben.dk. Thanks for the info.

[Nemophyle]

http://www.zaphaudio.com/ZD5.html

i'd say this is exactly what you're searching for. From what i see, you couldn't find better drivers, nor a more wise way of using them.

[Rolex]

I've looked at that design extenvisvely. I realize I'm nitpicking, but I don't like the fact that you have to round over all the corners. Makes it tough to veneer, which is my choice of finishing. I'm a woodworker before I'm an audiophile.

If I was going to do a design with a scan speak midbass driver, I'd prefer to use a 6 1/2" driver. The accuton was the exception to this rule, as I had a feeling the ceramic midbass would be quite a bit better than the scan. Now, I'm questioning that thought process.

[Hank]

Rolex, I veneer all my speakers and do a 3/4" radius roundover on the front vertical edges and wrap one piece of veneer over the baffle and around both sides. Agree that handling a rounded over top baffle edge would be a bear, but I'm not sure that roundover is absolutely necessary. Maybe John will explain.

[Rolex]

Hank, I agree with you, one piece of veneer when only rounding the vertical edges is cake. Here is a quote from John's site regarding the ZD5:

"Strict requirements if you want this system to sound good: Countersink all drivers, scallop the rear of the woofer opening for airflow with a 1/2" chamfer bit and round over the top and sides with a minimum of a 1/2" roundover bit. A 3/4" roundover bit is even better if your router can handle it. The driver locations are important, and the cabinet width must be 7.0". Varying from any of these design elements will make this system be less than the reference standard design it is meant to be."

[BobEllis]

How about a solid wood top fastened only along its center to allow for movement?

Or solid wood corners that you first trim flush to the veneer then round over?

either option could match or contrast with the veneer depending on the look you are after.

[Rolex]

I wouldn't be concerned with movement from a solid wood top of that size. This is a very small speaker we are talking about. However your idea of solid wood corners is a good one. And would probably work just fine. Having said that, I'm not crazy about the look of the rounded corners.

Again, I realize I'm nit picking, but if I'm going to spend that kind of money, I want to like the looks. There is no doubt in my mind that the ZD5 is probably an incredible sounding speaker.

[dlneubec]

I have to agree, the rounded top just looks odd to my eye. I think part of it is that everything's rounded. If you were to roundover the front baffle edges, but keep the corners of the front baffle and the sides square, it would look much better, I think and would not effect the design at all. I wonder how 3/4" or larger chamfers would look and if they would meet the design needs? That might have a more intersting look also.

You could possibly try to being more creative with the woodworking on the front baffle. Say using roundovers, but do them in hardwood that contrasts with the rest of the baffle, say cherry or walnut roundovers with a maple baffle. In my avatar you can see an open abffle dipole I did with cherry roundovers and maple and cherry on the baffle.

[Rolex]

I like the idea of chamfers. And would much prefer that look to the round over. Part of the attraction to the cup-a-soup was the "avalon-style" chamfer to get your desired baffle width.

[jkrutke]

Again, I realize I'm nit picking, but if I'm going to spend that kind of money, I want to like the looks. There is no doubt in my mind that the ZD5 is probably an incredible sounding speaker.

Shame on you, putting appearance in front of performance. Relax, I'm just kidding. :B Appearance is important to me also. I must admit, I only came into the thread to see if there were any good soup recipes.

Anyway, with the ZD5 you would get most of the benefit of the rounded corners if you left the top and bottom flat. I'm reminded of the roundover tests that Dennis Murphy did, showing the benefit over sharp corners.

But that said, a straight corner isn't too bad and will surely be listenable. The tweeter is offset and the cabinet is narrow, keeping the diffraction ripple from being a worst case scenario. A few folks built the ZD5 with sharp corners and had no complaints about the sound. Just be sure to countersink the drivers and roundover the inside of the woofer hole. Those two items are probably more important anyway. I saw a really beautiful example with sharp corners somewhere and I couldn't find it without some searching, but here it is. There was another guy who did a nice layered plywood version but I can't find that one. Others just do what i do: round over all the front corners, and make a black non-veneered baffle.

I should re-word the "Strict requirements" phrase with the condition "if you are a obsessive compulsive perfectionist like me". :B