Trying to figure out what diy system to go with

[stgdz]

So I finished my upstairs(regular tv room) speakers last week


It consists of D3's, D2's, and a unicc. I have been playing around with it and I really like it in my unfinished basement. The speakers play nice and loud with my parasound 1205 amp. The plan that I told the boss was to build these speakers for the upstairs room and I would get to build an additional setup in the basement, one that would sound better then the current setup. My current room configuration is 16x19x9. My screen is 108" diag and my first seating row is about 7-8' from the screen. I have a second row of seating behind that. The d3's are placed about 12" from the wall.

I have been kinda waffling about on what setup to get and I am really attracted to Jed's dynamic series designs because it looks fairly easy to build the fronts, centers, and surrounds as some of the dimensions are the same. The center channel is really what attracts to the dynamic series. Plus I hear they sound decent :B but they are expensive. I have also looked at Zaph's ZDT and Center channel paired with a modula MT as the setup is a bit less expensive the the dynamic series. I have thought about the statements series but they look a bit more complicated to build then the dynamics and the price of them is pretty close to them(dynamics) also.


With all that being said and I am looking at the ZDT's compared to the dynamics, what would work in my room better with my listening position at it stands?

The ZDT's look to be about the same size as the D3's but can they be placed 12" from the wall?

I really like my current setup and most of the drivers are the dayton reference line, how much of a SQ difference will I see with the reference driver setup of the above two?

thanks in advance

[1Michael]

How much money do you want to spend? How big of a speaker can you handle? Are you going with 2 channels, 5.1?

[stgdz]

Well the dynamics are pretty much the top of my price range, at $1100 for the fronts and 600 for the center, and surrounds coming in at 600. The Zaphs along with the modula are a little over half them.

I am looking for sound quality above all else but I want to keep my seating arrangements the same.

I am doing a 5.1 setup and looking at a 7.1.

[acacia987]

have you thought of Jed's MaxxL16?

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=27584page=22&pp=35

(he is currently updating the design to use a new tweeter) i am guessing these would be around the $800 range(crossovers and woofers). Or maybe the khanspire series, those are cheaper then the line up maxx's. I am in a similar situation as you and these are currently at the top of my list.

[stgdz]

have you thought of Jed's MaxxL16?

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=27584page=22&pp=35

(he is currently updating the design to use a new tweeter) i am guessing these would be around the $800 range(crossovers and woofers). Or maybe the khanspire series, those are cheaper then the line up maxx's. I am in a similar situation as you and these are currently at the top of my list.

yeah I have thought about those speakers. I have a price range of about 800-900 as sort of a top level cutoff/upgrade point for the fronts, but I rationalized that if I am that close in price I will just spend the little bit extra and got with the dynamics.

The zaphs seem to come in at about half the price of the dynamics but a big question I have is how much of a SQ improvement will I see over my current setup.

[Jed]

Jed's dynamic series designs because it looks fairly easy to build the fronts, centers, and surrounds as some of the dimensions are the same. The center channel is really what attracts to the dynamic series.

IMO there is really something to be said about the extra woofers and the added dynamic capabilities provided by all the air that is moved in the Dynamic Series. It's more expensive but you won't have the urge to upgrade. That said my 1S design that is done now would work well and it isn't all that expensive. I guess everything is relative in that regard, though.

[stgdz]

Jed, I was doing bench racing with the two designs and I looked at the charts

dynamic towers (this is in room though)

http://inlinethumb39.webshots.com/41510/2562194260100176193S600x600Q85.jpg

ZDT

http://www.zaphaudio.com/ZDT3.5-FR-IMP.gif

I noticed that the frequency response starts to vary more with the dynamic design from 100-50hz. Do you have a model that isn't measured in room? Are you going to bring the dynamic series to the dayton diy event?


Also this goes back to my original question comparing the D3, unicc, and d2 setup. Will I notice a big sound quality difference? My current setup is as loud as I can go with my room the way it is.

[Undefinition]

Also this goes back to my original question comparing the D3, unicc, and d2 setup. Will I notice a big sound quality difference? My current setup is as loud as I can go with my room the way it is.

It's a valid question. However you have to realize that we're all addicted to DIY speakers, so there's always room for improvement :W

Anyway, my first DIY speaker was the DIII. Obviously, I've built all sorts of things since then. But that doesn't mean I still don't have a place in my heart for those speakers. They're set up in my garage, and I listen to them often when I'm working on stuff.

Should you build one of the suggested projects, the place you'll hear an improvement is in the midrange, especially in stuff with female vocals. I am a big fan of "trip hop" like Massive Attack and Zero 7 (both of which use a lot of female vocalists, and have a lot of subtle effects happening in the mix), and the DIII just doesn't do that kind of music justice. But when I want to crank some System of a Down or Fear Factory or whatever, good god, I'd say it's the DIII for the win!

So, since you're doing a home theater setup, I imagine you'll want an improved midrange. And all the designs mentioned should offer you that. You might actually lose out a bit on the "warmth" of the paper cones and that "airiness" the Dayton silkie does (aka: distortion ). But designs by guys like Krutke and Zaph are guaranteed to be very low distortion, and are aimed at being true to the source.

Hope that helps

[stgdz]

So, since you're doing a home theater setup, I imagine you'll want an improved midrange. And all the designs mentioned should offer you that. You might actually lose out a bit on the "warmth" of the paper cones and that "airiness" the Dayton silkie does (aka: distortion ). But designs by guys like Krutke and Zaph are guaranteed to be very low distortion, and are aimed at being true to the source.

Hope that helps

Thanks, I really like my system as it currently is. I don't think I could go much louder and still be able to enjoy the movies in my current room. I am looking for a cleaner sound as I have noticed just a little bits where the sound breakup occurs, especially in the tweeter. The big one was in transformers where optimus prime first meets sam and starts to talk. His voice breaks up a bit but that is one of the only areas where I have seen it in the movie breakup. I have noticed a couple of other areas but I am looking for a better sound in the end.

[Blktre]

I responded to your PM at PE.