Shrinking my Bob dipoles

[sfdoddsy]

I've been so happy with my Bob dipoles since I built them 8 years ago that I seldom post here anymore, although I browse.

But now I have a conundrum.

Bob was built to suit my very large (650sf with 16ft ceilings and no parrallel walls) apartment.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/house-tours/house-tour-steves-mancave-sydney-076954

Alas, I have been wrangled into a new place with my SO which, whilst cool, is nowhere near as Bob friendly.

Basically, I no longer need the extra power and depth over the standard Orion. And they are too tall for where my screen must go.

The obvious and easiest solution is to lop off the top mid and have something even closer to an Orion, albeit with 12" drivers.

But I was wondering if anyone has any other suggestions I haven't considered.

Bob is currently w22 and millenium in an MTM, with a pair of Acoustic Elegance IB12 a side, crossed and EQed with a DCX and an Audyssey equipped prepro.

I'd like them shorter and thinner, but sounding just as good. They are still the best speakers I've owned.

[Deward Hastings]

You've pretty much answered your own question . . . if you don't need "teh loud" then lop off the upper midrange driver. Can't tell from the pictures, but I'll assume that you've squeezed the 12 inch drivers as tight as possible . . . but that's still a bit too wide for the MT baffle, you might consider stepping that in a bit. What to do with the tweeter baffle (if you add a rear tweeter) is a question many of us still wrestle with . . . the ORION+ solution works, but it doesn't feel ideal . . . it's more like the best add-on compromise than the best "from scratch" design. Still, if you don't want to do a complete re-work just putting a clone of the ORION+ MT panel on your existing woofers might be enough to satisfy . . .

[sfdoddsy]

Actually, I am seriously considering plopping in the ESS AMT Great Heil dipole tweeter.

[Saurav]

You could make it narrower by mounting the woofers at a 45 degree angle (looking down from the top), but that might do weird things to the response since the dipole null will now be pointed closer to the listener. Kinda like the Gradient Helsinki, which based on most reviews I've read, no one seems to really understand how that works or how to place it in a room.

[gainphile]

Well, if you are thinking to sell your W22, you know my email address

[1Michael]

Actually, I am seriously considering plopping in the ESS AMT Great Heil dipole tweeter.

That would require a new Xover?

[sfdoddsy]

I use a digital crossover so that isn't a problem.

[sfdoddsy]

Shrunken Bobs

Well, I've shrunk my speakers. In the end I've just gone for a variation on the most elegant Orion build I've seen so far, Neil Kaye's aluminium baffled ones:

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/156315-orions-completed-aluminum-baffle.html

My version is done with MDF.

The narrower baffles (compared to before) are closer to Orion width.

They sound and measure much as before, and I actually prefer the more modern appearance.

So all should be fine, except John K's NaO Note has piqued my curiosity.