New studio monitor project

[gbegland]

Hey guys, we've been working on these for a while now. Just got the pair up and running this last weekend in their quick and dirty cabinets. Final versions will include some bamboo for at least the front panel. I've got just enough left over for this first pair.

We had some engineers and producers over last night and looks like a few pairs may get produced. Woohoo!

It's the Raal OEM, BG Neo8-S and a Scan Speak Discovery 10" in a sealed 1cu-ft cabinet. Using my Digmoda for now, but got hooked up with Powersoft since they make a much smaller form factor 2,3,4 way powered/DSP module. We also got custom faceplates made to hold the Neo8/Raal in a tighter pattern and give a more finished appearance once it's all countersunk on the final version.

Since I flipped the room around 90deg and got the speakers away from the side walls, the soundstage is just huge and incredibly deep! We're getting solid response to 45hz with no low end boost needed. Still some tweaking left to do, but off to a good start.

Greg

[Hdale85]

Those are some big monitors They look nice, what is the driver cost?

[gbegland]

Those are some big monitors They look nice, what is the driver cost?

Yes, not a little nearfield by any stretch, but not too large for a real consoles(ie, not mackie) meterbridge.

I can't divulge the Raal cost, but those Neo8-S can be found here:

http://meniscusaudio.com/bg-neo8s-p-1276.html

and Scan Discovery here:

http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/approx-10-woofers/scanspeak-discovery-26w/4534g-10-aluminum-cone-woofer-4-ohm/

[Hdale85]

Why show us something we can't have? lol

[gbegland]

Why show us something we can't have? lol

You could have the 70-10, but XO would have to be a little higher for high SPL.

[HYPERTUNE]

Got any measurements of the neo8-s? I have a pair of 70-10's and am thinking compact floorstander with 70-10, neo8-s and a pair of 7" illuminators each side. Crossovers will be active and the -s would give more room to experiment with xo point.

How does it compare to the neo10?

[Face]

The RAAL/BG faceplate is trick.

[JonMarsh]

The RAAL/BG faceplate is trick.

+1


Sharp looking! Got measurements yet that you're willing to share?

Looks like great value - is this designed for flush mount in a front down angled monitor panel?

[gbegland]

No measurements I can post yet. They're on the engineers computer. But, I've got a new USB interface ordered, so can make my own again shortly. My old Tascam does not play well with the Win7 laptop. The cabinet is sealed. About 1cu-ft for the woofer portion. The mid/tweeter portion is blocked off and will hold the Powersoft amp/dsp module on the back when it arrives.

The custom faceplate was done at a local shop. $50 for the pair and he cut a test pair first for free which we tweaked the dimensions on. Pretty fair price I'd say. Next version will be a heavier gauge, because this one deforms ever so slightly when you tighten down on the Neo8 screws and nuts.

Jon, these are to be placed shelf we have that is just over and above the meter bridge on the console. Basically, they will go where the Yamaha NS-10 are in the picture. We actually had an old style soffit that we removed many years ago to get a little more cubic volume in the room. It is a rather small control room by higher-end studio standards. It's hard to believe, but after so many years of working on this stuff, I will finally have the "A" side if the studio using my designs exclusively. It took many years of convincing to even let them give me a shot. Sure he can fix stuff, but make custom monitors that are actually good and usable?....meh, we're not so sure.

Greg

BTW, lurking in this photo behind the corner fabric grills are the dual Rythmik 15" servo kits per side. Those got added a few months ago, so I'd say we're fully speakered up at this point. Next up is a little something to mod the Beyma TPL-150 in the mains for possible greatly reduced distortion. It's a little something we've been discussing over on DIYAudio.

[gbegland]

Been working on these since the last post. We got the Powersoft modules last week and fired them up over the weekend. They are very well assembled and the packaging is impossibly compact. It's really hard to imagine PSU, 4 channels of amplifier(including heatsink and fan) and DSP crammed into such a small footprint! The software is really very powerful and laid out much more like a professional installation audio processor/mixer/router than typical speaker processors. Very simple to use and nice that it has a 4 preset feature for super quick A/B comparisons.

Unfortunately, this is where the compliments stop. The sound was a real letdown. Immediately on the first demo track we use for development on all projects, there was a great loss of space and detail with the Powersoft. It was not subtle at all. It sounded as if the music had been remixed with the reverb return on the mixing console turned down by 6dB. We were very careful to level match and adjust the DSP of the Powersoft to measure within 2/10 of a dB of the Digmodas. We even tried listening with the Digmoda at a noticeably lower level than the Powersoft. There was denying the fact that the Powersoft turned a great recording into a much more 2 dimensional, average sounding production. The bass response was also noticeably less defined and controlled using the Powersoft. In Powersoft's defense, they DO have another line of modules with upgraded DSP and better converters, but they are much higher powered and much higher priced as well. This puts them out of the budget and would be overkill for the power requirements.

So, thanks to this unexpected development, we are recalculating our plan. We will either have to increase the depth of the cabinet to fit the Digmoda in there, which also rasies the budget, but not too much or get something from Hypex. I would love to the use the 2.400, but they are offered in a two way form factor only. It's too bad because the DSP board in there apparently has 3 outputs. I'm going to contact Hypex to see about a custom 3 way version with the UDC180 for the tweeter, but not holding my breath for that one.

Any thoughts on doing a hybrid approach and using the 2.400, doing the mid/tweet Xover passive? I have a hard time wrapping my brain around the possibility of EQing them as a whole and THEN separating the frequencies. The price is really excellent AND it's Hypex, so I expect them to sound great based on Brunos other work and reputation.

See here at Madisound:

http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/hypex-amplifiers/hypex-psc2.400-dsp-active-amplifier/

Here's where we are at currently in the tweaking. Taken at 1ft, no gating, 1/6oct smoothing. We are preferring the gentle 1-2dB downward tilt into the highs. Xover points are at 400hz and 3.25KHz for now, but we keep changing them. There's also a steep low cut filter at 30Hz to help protect the woofer from over-excursion. With the Digmoda and my trusty old JVC XL-Z1050 CD player(remember those?) that will not die, they sound really fantastic. I can't wait to get them over to the studio with better acoustics and better gear. The combo of the Raal and Neo8 is so revealing, but not harsh, it's pretty incredible actually. With the Powersoft, they sounded like any old typical 2 way studio monitor. All that was special was gone. Amazing that there could be such a difference btw 2 modern, digital products. We do A/B shoot-outs and comparisons all the time at the studio with mic preamps and A-D converters and whatnot and never hear this level of change in the sound.

Greg

[gbegland]

Bump...

Still thinking of doing a biamped, three way here with the Hypex 2.400. They are soooo much cheaper than a set of Digmoda 552. Any thoughts you guys?

Greg

[Face]

Bump...

Still thinking of doing a biamped, three way here with the Hypex 2.400. They are soooo much cheaper than a set of Digmoda 552. Any thoughts you guys?

Greg

I'm seriously considering them too. FYI, they're limited to 500 watts total per amp(both channels combined).

[gbegland]

I'm seriously considering them too. FYI, they're limited to 500 watts total per amp(both channels combined).

Yeah, due to the smaller PSU they are using, right? I believe it's the same PSU that would ideally run just a single 400 module, not two of them.

[ar250]

I'm seriously considering them too. FYI, they're limited to 500 watts total per amp(both channels combined).

Hi, are these studio monitors available for purchase ? thank you.

[gbegland]

Hi, are these studio monitors available for purchase ? thank you.

Yes, we are nearly ready for small, custom runs of production. Please email me at speakerguy@hotmail.com. Also, see the newer post here with the final finish done in blue, but any color is possible.

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php?41837-Coming-soon!-Blue-bamboo-monitors&highlight=blue+bamboo

Thanks. Greg