Speakers around the £3.5k mark

Yep. A lot of the good pro drivers run up high and smoothly thanks to paper cones and excellent motors.

 

Having weighed up the options I think its going to have to be yet more DIY. I'm looking at what £3k buys and have to say its not really much considering the DIY alternatives.

So it looks like a RAAL 140-15D Ribbon, Accuton C90-T6 mid and a pair of paralleled Seas Excel W22. I've been busy on cabinet idea's and think narrow baffle, low diffraction is the way to go again. I mentioned I was interested in standmounts but I since I'm building I could do a compact floorstander measuring just 24cmW x 90cmH x 50cmD.

Rough sort of look:



BTW What a superb word, Tarantism.

Answers.com gives the meaning of the word as:

 

If it wasn't for the single 'r' and your quote, I would have thought it was something to do with Chris Tarrant.

 

How did you find that word?! Its great!

What makes you choose the Accuton over something like a C-Quenze or Revelator (though I know you think SS is overpriced). I know Linkwitz didn't find the Accuton measured all that well in any respect, though not bad either. Personally though I do like the sound of them.

And why the Seas woofers rather than a nice pro-woofer 10" maybe?

Not picking holes in it, just wondering

 

Can't remember where I picked it up from now. I did A-Level English back in the day so probably then.

Having researched it a little more it was something to do with people believing that a tarantula bite caused an uncontrollable urge to dance for a few days Apparently there was an epidemic in Tarantus, Italy.

I've got good experience with the 18W sliced paper mid-bass so I'm not particularly interested in treading old ground. Having said that the 13W looks interesting as a mid if a little low on sensitivity.

The Accutons are one of the drivers I haven't got around to trying yet. The C90-T6 also marks a departure for them in that its an underhung design, a good BL figure and 93dB Sensitivity. Its also a pure mid where as most of the other tended to mid/bass.

The C-Quenze or the Flex units look great. I've never really heard a bad word about them, some say they're a little dark in presentation but I'd expect that to come from the fact they're poly cones. One thing I've never heard them called is soft or muddy which many poly cones suffer from.
I may look into these if the Accuton doesn't please. The Flex units in particular are interesting because you can specify all the main parameters of the driver unit and tailor for my requirement of a midrange with high sensitivity and low distortion thats optimised for use in a 200hz-1.5Khz crossover.

I thought about using the RAAL to around 3Khz and cross to the mid but it looks sub optimal. Things could be improved using the baby RAAL but then sensitivity takes a hit in the HF.

As always its a game of compromises.

The design compromise is size or the lack of it. Pro woofers are great, the best actually but they nearly always have a hungry VAS, higher Fs and highish Qts leading to rather large volumes needed to get where you want to go and with quality.

The Seas don't need much volume at all to work well and reach deep.

 

Having looked at the C90-T6 it does seem a step above the past models for midrange duties. The only thing I would say is that if you have good experience with the revelator mids then why change? Is not the point of this one to be a sure-fire winner that you can happily live with? I understand the urge to try new stuff but also remember you know you like the revelator already!

I don't think you would need to go for a flex unit in that design, you can use the C-Quenze which are already optimised for midrange performance and about half the price of the flex units and that new Accuton by the looks of it.

 

Simon,

The JBL 15" drivers will now be used by me as I have finally located some drivers for the midrange in California and the project is underway.

 

Hi Mike, please feel free to post details of the design and project progress in the DIY section.

 

California...I'm guessing JBL again?

What you got planned..?

 

Dev,

It will be far too much of a lash up to stand next to some of the efforts I have seen in there. And I don't plan to do it myself. I'm employing the services of some clever blokes to do the hard work - I am merely a project manager if you like. But I'll let you know when everything is in place.

 

lets hope you project manage things better than your mate did

 

Tell us more. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaase.

Don't be so modest Mike (so unlike you ), I was very impressed by your subs.

 

Those raal units look awfully good - certainly be my choice. What about a solens or neo midrange as well?

 

Dev,

I had a mate project manage the installation of a new kitchen and bathroom in the three weeks I was away in the far east. Suffice to say I am still without either and have an enormous bill from a tiler who has walked out on the job.

BBV, I really don't get on with ribbons - not efficient enough for me. I prefer modern compression drivers, although I accept they are frighteningly expensive compared with the alternatives.

 

I would still be interested to see any measurements of them if you have some.

Nick, what is the 'solens' midrange? By the Neo midrange I assume you mean the big B&G ribbons?

 

Your not looking in the right places then Prepare to eat your words.

http://www.alconsaudio.com/site/technology.html

And I quote:

The effective radiation length of 18" / 46cm. offers an extreme power handling of 210W RMS and 3kW peak (for 200ms, which is ten times the industry standard) and a very high efficiency of 108dB with 1Watt @ 1m. With a 90-degree wave-guide, this efficiency even rises to 110dB, with a frequency operating range of 1kHz. - 20kHz.(+/-3dB) and a maximum SPL of 145dB.

They use their 18" ribbon very effectively in line arrays. With more output and less distortion than even the very best compression drivers can manage. You can also get a wave guide version for around 110dB sensitivity.

Here's some professional measurements taken of one of their loudspeakers using the ribbon:

http://www.alconsaudio.com/site/products/pdf/AlconsQR36_test_eng.pdf

Check the QR36 results in that link above. ROFL @ the 1% THD between 200hz and 20Khz! This is at an SPL between 123dB and 130dB depending on frequency. Talk about incredible.

There's also the stuff from SA and SLS who have similarly spec'd monster ribbons.

 

Does that also mean they're frighteningly poor value for money too? But lets not forget you get that warm glow inside knowing you blew plenty on something of a phallic extension?

I know that works for me.

 

You can afford to when its DIY

 

Says he of the 18" drivers! Can you handle that power, baby, can you?

Dunc

 

No. 130dB @ 1% THD is impressive but its not my idea of fun.

They've no doubt got shit-the-bed dynamics though.