If you were to make a referance speaker just to show off what you could do...

[Raptor550]

I like building speakers a lot, i want to make my hobby something that i can keep doing. I normally have a shoestring budget
My application will NOT be for myself, it will be to attract some rich Microsoft person with more money then sense, but I still want it to be a high value "impress even most audio snobs" quality.

My plan: I will be using minidsp to get things sounding how I like, demo it a lot, and then once I have a buyer interested try to figure out how to make passive XO's for them

---k-- said: "One of the reasons the Khans and the Big RS 3-way work, because the RS drivers are available in 4-ohm and 8-ohm versions, and the 2 RS150-8ohm in series along with 2 RS225-4ohm in parallel all works out to the same sensitivity of the tweeter and no driver padding is needed"

I was already thinking of these drivers so that caught my eye. the 270's are 8ohm only so i dont know if they would have the same synergy?
I really like the H.O.S.S. and all my projects with Dayton RS line in the past have been great. RS28 2x RS150's and Im thinking either two RS225's OR 2x RS270's

I just love the idea of two 270's on the bottom end, a ported design looks quite large and boxy, im trying to stay away from big rectangles or things that look bulky.

This is what my last project looked like with one 225 and a 28 the Catboxpanlids3000's:

http://scottvigil.foliohd.com/3d-audio-design-speaker-fabrication

They sound great with the minidsp, but Active xo's are not nearly as end user friendly. Would rs150 paper be good for cheaper crossovers once i go passive?


What's your experience with 225 v 270's ported, sealed?

If you were to make a reference speaker just to show off what you could do, how would you go about it? How would you go about it and not have it look like a coffin?

I've been looking at using paper lanterns as molds for Durhms rock hard watter putty for the mids. I have always loved the Bowers&Wilkins nautilus design

[5th element]

RS 225s or 270s, either ported or sealed? All that comes down to how much cabinet space you can give over to drivers and what any requirements might be with the off axis for omni considerations + cabinet widths for each.

[---k---]

...
My application will NOT be for myself, it will be to attract some rich Microsoft person with more money then sense, but I still want it to be a high value "impress even most audio snobs" quality.

My plan: I will be using minidsp to get things sounding how I like, demo it a lot, and then once I have a buyer interested try to figure out how to make passive XO's for them ...

Sorry. This turns me off.

[Raptor550]

that makes me sad ---k---, I look up to your posts.

Perhaps my sense of humor is lost in typing, or perhaps if you knew me better your be less put off. But I really love making speakers and I have been given an opportunity to make and designs speakers regularly. Im frustrated because there's so much to building them that I dont know even after lots of reading. crossover networks are especially daunting. I know I'm in over my head, Im trying to work only with what I know and ask questions so I dont make something that is mediocre. I appologise if my comments are off putting. Please forgive my ignorance.

RS 225s or 270s, either ported or sealed? All that comes down to how much cabinet space you can give over to drivers and what any requirements might be with the off axis for omni considerations + cabinet widths for each.

I know, but because I am not designing for a specific room, it all comes down to how much of a payoff is it to go bigger/lower vs the challenge of aesthetics making something so bulky attractive.

im looking for comments like: "I built a super big speaker but later found out I could have gone smaller and not missed any sound quality, and the size kindof bugs me now" Or "when I went from hearing a ____ to a _____ it was noticeably more impactful and if I were to do another design I would definitely want to try it ______."

[fish fingers]

I think the turn off was the reason for the build -
And for this reason I'd build something slick, with a resemblance to a Magico or Tidal design

[JonMarsh]

BTW, if I was trying to do a reference quality build, what I would use for woofers is 2x SW223BD02 Wavecors. Regardless of form factor. Best thing that happened to the Ardent concept.

[Face]

Reference quality bass, how about Scanspeak, Seas Excel, or AE?

[5th element]

To be perfectly honest aside from wanting this to sound excellent, and it should really sound excellent, I think the biggest selling point you could have is in making them look amazing. Most people who want to spend big bucks on hifi equipment go gaga for things that look expensive.

[fish fingers]

if you get to the point of selling a pair of speakers, the crossover is by far the most important area to get right.
I'd keep the design simple but elegant and have a 'talking point', something that makes them stand out. Maybe go for a more exotic tweeter perhaps.
Back to the passive crossover, bit naughty to suggest this but you could base it on a published build, for now
But if you plan to sell more, employ a pro and get it right. Someone like Phil Bamberg springs to mind.

[Face]

There are lots of growing pains front going from DIY'er to commercial, I hope you have a good financial backing.

5th element's and fish finger's last posts are dead on as well.

[fjhuerta]

After listening to two RS270s, ported, it's hard to go back to anything smaller.

Having said that...

My application will NOT be for myself, it will be to attract some rich Microsoft person with more money then sense...

My plan: I will be using minidsp to get things sounding how I like, demo it a lot, and then once I have a buyer interested try to figure out how to make passive XO's for them

I see three major issues with your plan. One: you are thinking about your potential client as an idiot. which is never, ever a good thing. Two: someone with tons of money will probably go for a well known brand, just becaue he can afford it. Three: "trying to figure out how to make a passive XO" is not exactly the right approach. My own reference design took 4 years, and I already knew pretty well how to make a passive XO. Don't think that just because the MiniDSP is easy to use you'll get perfect results in no time. There's a very steep learning curve when it comes to all of this - even if pros like Jon or Zaph or the rest make it look easy, there's literally dozens of years of experience among them.

[Steve Manning]

To be perfectly honest aside from wanting this to sound excellent, and it should really sound excellent, I think the biggest selling point you could have is in making them look amazing. Most people who want to spend big bucks on hifi equipment go gaga for things that look expensive.

I agree with 5th ....... I hope you have amazing fabrication skills (I'm sure you do) and a nicely setup shop with all the right tools. If your going to go toe to toe with companies like Magico, Rockport, Wilson, Sonus Faber, etc. you are going to have to create something that looks perfect. Those companies have millions of dollars in fabrication facilities and have craftsman using them doing the building, each with their set of perfected skills. Since I've become addicted to this hobby I've thought how cool it would be to build speakers for a living. I've got a reasonable set of skills, but when I take a realistic look at what it would take to make what I consider a killer product, I go back to looking at the job ad's

Though the other side of the coin, I'm looking forward to what you come up with