Dedicated 2-Channel Speakers, Which Ones?

[ClosetSciFiGeek]

So I have purchased a turntable and have really gotten back into two channel listening. Right now I am listening through some Zaph Audio ZDT3.5's that I built and use in my home theater setup driven by an Emotiva UPA-7 amplifier and an Outlaw 990 preamplifier. I have also found that more often than not I end up turning off the SVS PC-Ultra sub when listening to music. Now that you have my current state I will pose my question.

I am building a two channel setup in my now Finished Room over the Garage(12' x 20' with 9' ceilings) because there is a lot of demand on the home theater setup for my entire family. I am using an Emotiva USP-1 as the preamplifier and I haven't decided on a Emotiva UPA-2, (2) UPA-1's or an XPA-2. My sources are a Pro-Ject Debut III turntable and an Emotiva ERC-1. I listen to Blues, Rock, Jazz, Country and some Classical in roughly that order of preference. I do not intend to augment the speaker with a subwoofer, at least initially if at all.

What would you build as a two-channel speaker for my proposed two-channel room with those components and that size room?

Thanks for your consideration

[rj45]

Nice source gear, dude.
First choice, full size Statements.
Second choice, mini Statements.
Depends more on the volume level you like to listen at.

[cjd]

Ardent
Isis (?) - I think that's the open baffle option

the large WWMTM's I did would do well in that room and give you lots of nice reach, perhaps, though I'm nervous about the driver changes (no shielded any longer, and the crossover for those is rather picky)... I'd go XPA-1's here though.

Have you dug through the thread of finished projects? Lots of options out there.

C

[stuofsci02]

You should give us a budget..... :W

[ClosetSciFiGeek]

Budget $1000

[dar47]

I'm bias, but i have the same Emo gear in a similar sized room. For $1000 the Modula MT MK2's or the 2.5 would not disappoint. I added a 10" Seas L26roy sub but it's way over kill and used rarely only when I'm feeling like filling in the bottom octaves on some stuff. With your music likes and budget the MK2's would be hard to beat and Emo gear does sound vary nice with these.

[ClosetSciFiGeek]

Thanks for the recommendation. I checked out your thread. Beautiful speakers. Love the front baffle.

[Phil82]

Do you intend to listen at high SPL levels ?

My suggestion would be the mini-statement, though they will probably end up costing a bit over 1k$ (depending on your finish and choice of wood, binding posts, etc...). The bare parts will cost about 800$

I have not built nor listened to many of the DIY designs here but I did have a chance to compare the mini-statements to a handful of high-end commercial loudspeakers in the very same room/same setup and the minis are awesome.

Of course, if budget and room permits, the full-size statement will be even better though more expensive/bulky.

just my 2 cents, happy hunting

[ClosetSciFiGeek]

I like to rock out sometimes, but in general I do not listen overly loud. I am pretty happy with the power output from my UPA-7 downstairs when listening 2-channel.

[Hdale85]

That's a very large room. I'm not sure.... The 4T's are nice and very filling of any space really, The MT MK2's are very interesting for sure! I was hoping you were going to have a higher budget

I'm going to be building Jed's Symphonia 7.2's I think for my 2 channel setup in the next 6-8 months probably.

[richnen]

That's a very large room. I'm not sure.... The 4T's are nice and very filling of any space really, The MT MK2's are very interesting for sure! I was hoping you were going to have a higher budget

I'm going to be building Jed's Symphonia 7.2's I think for my 2 channel setup in the next 6-8 months probably.

I am planning to build the Symphonia's as well. Need to finish the Minuets first and then save some $$$!

[Hdale85]

Yeah I'm going to pair the Symphonia's with some Passlabs Class A amps, just got the PCB's for them today Aleph X's. So I think it'll be pretty far up there in quality. I really want a detailed speaker that's able to resolve anything I throw at it.

[fjhuerta]

Ardent
Isis (?) - I think that's the open baffle option

the large WWMTM's I did would do well in that room and give you lots of nice reach, perhaps, though I'm nervous about the driver changes (no shielded any longer, and the crossover for those is rather picky)... I'd go XPA-1's here though.

Have you dug through the thread of finished projects? Lots of options out there.

C

Yeah, it's sort of strange to see PE changed their drivers (at least I got a pair of RS270s really cheap). The bad thing is, most of the RS designs on these pages will not work properly any longer

[Hdale85]

Well I think most of them will be ok.

[cjd]

I have drivers on the way, I'll be evaluating more directly.

It will be both the MTM, as well as the RS180's in the WWMTM's I think. I can't justify picking up 2 RS270-8's just for testing, but if the other two work out really well...

Box modeling so far has them just about in the same place.

[parodielin]

I have drivers on the way, I'll be evaluating more directly.

It will be both the MTM, as well as the RS180's in the WWMTM's I think. I can't justify picking up 2 RS270-8's just for testing, but if the other two work out really well...

Box modeling so far has them just about in the same place.

Look forward to your evaluation. I am thinking RS150 + RS28F MTM.

[cjd]

Look forward to your evaluation. I am thinking RS150 + RS28F MTM.

There will be an evaluation against both the Seas and the RS28*

The drivers will be used in something new, however. will run 42"H, 15"D, and 7.5"W (though 8.5"W is the smart way to go, I am going to try salvaging a royal screw-up on my part and building at 7.5")

[ClosetSciFiGeek]

Anybody build or have opinions on these from Madisound? I like both the tweeter and midwoofer and they are in my price range.

https://www.madisound.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=8830

How do you think this design compares to Zaph's ZDT?

[Hdale85]

Should be pretty decent.

[Face]

Go three way.

[cjd]

Go three way.

Agreed.

[Johnloudb]

Yep.

[---k---]

I have drivers on the way, I'll be evaluating more directly.

It will be both the MTM, as well as the RS180's in the WWMTM's I think. I can't justify picking up 2 RS270-8's just for testing, but if the other two work out really well...

Box modeling so far has them just about in the same place.

Huh...

I got a PM from someone looking to build the Khans. I told them that you only did crossovers with real data, and without the drivers in your hands that a revised crossover wasn't going to happen. And, I was guessing that you getting the drivers in hand was low. And, I figured that you had moved on to new projects... and now I read this?

So, what are the odds of getting new Khans crossovers? I'm most concerned about the RS150 not mating up. Sounds like the...

woops, thread hi-jack...

[ClosetSciFiGeek]

Go three way.

Face, cjd, JohnLoudb which three ways would you suggest. I see that you listed the Regals, I did a search for Regals and came up empty. Do you have them documented somewhere? I am not completely tied to my $1000 budget that was kind of arbitrary just to get me in the ballpark. The payback for DIY as compared to commercial speakers is ridiculous and I like building stuff so this is pretty good fun for me. My ZDT3.5's that I built for about $375 apiece blow my buddy's Polk Audio Lsi15's at our last Speakerpalooza(get together).

[Face]

I'm 99% done with the Regals, although they did well at NY DIY, there's one more thing I'd like to address/tweak before publishing them. FYI, the drivers alone would blow your budget and the crossover uses 27 parts per speaker.

As for the LSi15's, they're not bad for a commercial offering. I had a pair here for a little bit, they measure really well but the quality of crossover parts(solid core coils, electrolytics) hold them back.

[dar47]

If your thinking 3-way Rick at Selah http://www.selahaudio.com/index.html has some nice kit offering's in the around $1000.0, but with that room is the 3-way going to resolve any better? I'm really blown away with Jon's wave guide and I wonder what Jon or even Zaph with his wave guide would think? If you need more db maybe the 2.5. I don't mean push or dissuade you but i sure would like to see some more of these builds. For me the system design has a big impact and Jon's xover work has these sounding vary good. I think you would have to step up in drivers to do better, but that's just my thoughts. I'm sure you find what your looking for.

[1Michael]

My vote is for the large RS 3ways by CJD.
Of course they will cost a bit more coin...

[ClosetSciFiGeek]

Buggers, I sent you a PM. You live really close by(like less than 30 minutes most likely). Having a get together to finish a friend's Chameleon's(designed by dlr) on Saturday. I sent you my cell number if you are interested in getting together and talking audio stuff and listening to a few sets of speakers.

[kmibb]

http://techtalk.parts-express.com/blog.php?b=139