Visit to Audiophile Bill to hear his horns project

[Solypsa]

@Audiophile Bill How similar are #1 and #3 in practice, for these designs?

 

[Audiophile Bill]

1 is what Stavros did in 2019 Munich

Is Likely might first attempt too. That is until my wife complains hahahaha.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

@Audiophile Bill How similar are #1 and #3 in practice, for these designs?

Hi Erik,

Honestly I don’t know. You’ll have to hang in there as I experiment. Clearly 3 is most preferable for any normal house since you won’t have subs in slightly peculiar places in the room. I think naturally I would prefer subs worst case very slightly in front but preferably to side and behind if I am honest.

 

[christoph]

Hi Erik,

Honestly I don’t know. You’ll have to hang in there as I experiment. Clearly 3 is most preferable for any normal house since you won’t have subs in slightly peculiar places in the room. I think naturally I would prefer subs worst case very slightly in front but preferably to side and behind if I am honest.

Any chance "laying" (instead of upright placing) the subs to the side walls could work?

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Any chance "laying" (instead of upright placing) the subs to the side walls could work?

For sure, Chris. There will be nothing wrong about doing your approach. I could even design a very nice coffee table or pair that are beast bass sub. That way, you won’t even care that it is far forward in the room.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

For sure, Chris. There will be nothing wrong about doing your approach. I could even design a very nice coffee table or pair that are beast bass sub. That way, you won’t even care that it is far forward in the room.

I should also have mentioned - at moment the current design is deliberately boundary coupled (floor). If I was going for coffee table sub, I would redesign to fire from either front / back or sides.

 

[christoph]

For sure, Chris. There will be nothing wrong about doing your approach. I could even design a very nice coffee table or pair that are beast bass sub. That way, you won’t even care that it is far forward in the room.

Disguised as two benches on either side of the room
Or maybe even laying on the floor at the front, between the speakers where my lowboards are carrying my gear?

 

[morricab]

For sure, Chris. There will be nothing wrong about doing your approach. I could even design a very nice coffee table or pair that are beast bass sub. That way, you won’t even care that it is far forward in the room.

Decware had something like that on their website.

 

[djsina2]

Decware had something like that on their website.

Altec did this…

 

[pjwd]

Hi Don,

That is a good question. There are 3 options really.

1. Physically move the bass horn for the difference in path-length between the main horn and the bass horn. This will mean that the bass horns are actually in front of and to the side of the main horns. Considering doing this.

2. Cheat and dsp the whole thing - not for me thanks. I would consider to do this if I was only digital. But I am only analogue.

3. Compromise and calculate the critical distance that the drivers must be within to still act as one. That is no more than 1/2 the wavelength of the critical crossover frequency. If I cross at 80hz (still tbd), that frequency is 14.13 feet. Therefore following this theory my two towers should be within 7ft of each other but then you have to account for difference in path length. So if the horns were the exact same length (which they aren’t!) then they could in theory be 7ft maximally away from each other (forward or backward) @ 80hz.

Please note that I have not tested method 3 - I was taught this by my Russian friend. How it plays out I don’t know.

Best regards!

Bill
How important do you think time alignment is at 80Hz .. I suspect its going to more about optimal sub location to achieve a smooth response at listening position ... then perhaps phase matching ?
After all you have a 3.5m delay between front and rear wave to begin with
What is the new measuring gear your getting
Loving this thread of artisanal delight and positivity
Cheers
Phil

 

[PeterA]

Bill, I am really enjoying reading about your project. Your woodwork is absolutely beautiful and your willingness to share it all with us here is most appreciated. This thread is what makes WBF such a great forum. Thank you so much.

 

[morricab]

Decware had something like that on their website.

It’s called wicked one in their DIY section…it’s even horn loaded to some extent

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Disguised as two benches on either side of the room
Or maybe even laying on the floor at the front, between the speakers where my lowboards are carrying my gear?

Yes you could do that but probably better not to put tube gear on it.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Bill
How important do you think time alignment is at 80Hz .. I suspect its going to more about optimal sub location to achieve a smooth response at listening position ... then perhaps phase matching ?
After all you have a 3.5m delay between front and rear wave to begin with
What is the new measuring gear your getting
Loving this thread of artisanal delight and positivity
Cheers
Phil

Oh I just got the Dayton DAT 3 but that was for identifying T/S parameters at different voltages of the field coils.

In terms of the relevance of time alignment. I think people are torn on this subject at these bass frequencies. I have seen some folks going enormous lengths to do it and others ignoring it completely. Yes the location for smooth response and then phase matching is a relatively easier thing to accomplish if they are active. I was planning a simple passive crossover to start.

 

[christoph]

Yes you could do that but probably better not to put tube gear on it.

So "Tango-style" is not advisable, then?

 

[Audiophile Bill]

So "Tango-style" is not advisable, then?

Ha. Well unless those subs are completely and utterly vibration free probably not an ideal plan

 

[christoph]

Ha. Well unless those subs are completely and utterly vibration free probably not an ideal plan

That was tongue-in-cheek

 

[morricab]

Ha. Well unless those subs are completely and utterly vibration free probably not an ideal plan

I have a servo sub that is bipole (not dipole) in a sealed box and you can set a wine glass on it with wine and see nary a ripple! Seems the cancellation in the box is very very good.

 

[Tango]

So "Tango-style" is not advisable, then?

All those vibrators underneath my amps make me wonder how audiophile like to catch a grasshopper riding an elephant.

 

[christoph]

All those vibrators underneath my amps make me wonder how audiophile like to catch a grasshopper riding an elephant.

Maybe the vibration from the subs creates some kind of natural vibes through the ML3s