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All British 3-way Open Baffle HELP thread

PastTechFan said:
I agree completely! My research here:

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=586634

and first thread here:

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=537656

Pretty nice sound!
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A lot of people put EMI stuff down, but in reality, mainly only their very low price units were not top quality, however, they were fine for the use intended.

IMF used an EMI mid-range unit and Monitor Audio used a 6 1/2" EMI bass/ mid in the MA7, and a 14"x9" EMI in one of their larger speakers.
 
The Behringer CX2310 sells for $79. I run 3 way OB's with it. Even has a separate sub output and controls. Adds no sonic signature of it's own. Monoprice XLR to RCA cables are dirt cheap and very good. Huge sonic advantages with an active vs passive crossovers.


behringer-super-x-pro-cx2310-346918.jpg
 
Hi PG!

I'd be fool to ignore your repeated suggestion (and those of others too). I had no idea I could get into "active" for so little $.

I still have my Father's Day gift burning a hole in my pocket. Just found a CX2310 on Kijiji not too far from me. We'll see what happens.

Anyone watching this thread has (I hope) gotten used to the snail's pace of progress. I think I'll build my circle jig next, and offer up my next baffles for comment on driver placement before the cuts(!) :yes:
 
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Well, so instead of turning to build my next baffles, I decided I might as well continue to assemble the other one of the pair. Up to this point, I had only ever heard one set of the drivers (in free air, and on a baffle).

So, ugly as they are, here are my first PAIR of OB's!

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And whaddayaknow, they image, I'm getting "soundstage", and the Adcom pushes the bass out just fine! I've placed 2 old dining room chairs about 10" away. I love them! I just have to get my wife down to the basement for a little while today, to share the sonic bliss.

I'm still using passive "crossover" for now. May hear further on the Behringer next week. On the other hand, I tested my hearing (on-line), and find I can't hear above 12kHz. :tears: Thankfully, that still gets me most of the music! :D
 

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Radfordman said:
What have you used for crossovers? Must have something on the tweeter at least, to protect it.
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Yup, see my post 15 above:

"I'm bi-amping. Running the woofer with one (150wpc) channel of an Adcom Gfa7500, with a 5.8 mH choke, for a low pass at 220 Hz.

The Richard Allan and Super 3 tweet are run from my Planar SR 2100.

The FR has a 100 uf in series, to try to keep out stuff below 200.

Finally, the tweet has a 4uf motor run, to come in at 5 Khz. I've got an Lpad on the FR and tweet, but I'm running the tweet wide open."

Update: Now running the HF and tweet with another channel of the Adcom (Planar is pre-amp only), and Lpad on the Richard Allan FRs only (Man, they're sensitive!).
 
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Ah, missed that, probably my age!

Seems sensible what you have so far.

I visited a BBC transmitting station about 45 years ago, there were quite a few open baffle speakers there, not big baffles, and a single 10" or so on each.

The speakers were not so much for quality monitoring, it was just to be sure that they were broadcasting.
 
Poultrygeist said:
The Behringer CX2310 sells for $79. I run 3 way OB's with it. Even has a separate sub output and controls.
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Hi PG,

Well, I'm going to take the plunge on a CX2310. I've read elsewhere that you run your 3 ways with this 2 way unit, running a separate plate amp for the bass driver. I think I want to start with one channel to the bass, and the other to the full range AND tweet. But my 10" Richard Allan full rangers are so sensitive, I've got them quite dialled back. The tweets not at all. So I think I may still have an Lpad in my system (and a 4uf cap on the tweets) , unless I try to run my LF with the (mono) sub out. Not sure just how that would work. :scratch2:

A penny for your thoughts.
 
Drivers are better supported if they can be front mounted rather than rear mounted. Plus they would hide the irregular cut outs.

With the CX2310 the sub output is summed bass but works quite well. Mono bass is all I ever listen to.
 
Poultrygeist said:
Drivers are better supported if they can be front mounted rather than rear mounted. Plus they would hide the irregular cut outs.

With the CX2310 the sub output is summed bass but works quite well. Mono bass is all I ever listen to.
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Hi PG,

All of the drivers have cast baskets (even the little Super 3, [if you can call that a basket]). The B&W has ribs extending almost into the "bolt circle" and Richard Allans have their mounting holes countersunk. Nice casting work, but it pretty much dictates they'll be rear mounted.

Well, I'm now the proud new owner of a second-hand CX2310. Seller said that it "wasn't what he'd ordered". All original packaging, and the cord had never been removed from sealed bag. So, maybe "zero miles", unused!

I'll get some XLR/RCA cables next week, and hope to start playing!
 
One word of caution with the CX2310 and with any active - never engage the x10 button when it's on and connected. If you do, all hell will break loose.
 
Poultrygeist said:
One word of caution with the CX2310 and with any active - never engage the x10 button when it's on and connected. If you do, all hell will break loose.
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Hi PG! I believe you. Thankfully, they've put that button at the back!

There's another thing though that has me thinking. I've read that the sub (low pass) crossover does not affect the signal to the "Low" driver. So, in my case, if I run my woofs off the sub, I can limit the frequency fed to them (up to 235 Hz), but it won't limit the lows going to my Richard Allan CG10Ts (except for a 25Hz rumble filter). The info says they're good down to 40Hz, but I worry if I don't save them from some real LF, it will mess with their high range output (not to mention over excursion). I'm basically running them like wide range mids (with natural roll off at the top).

So it seems I've got 2 options:

1. I can run the woofs off the (mono) sub, and put a cap on the CG10Ts, for a HPF at maybe at 2-300(?) That way, I'll have active crossover between the mids and tweets, and separate gain control on all 3 speakers. OR

2. I can ignore the (mono) sub and run the woofs off the "low output", and both the CG10Ts and the Super 3 tweets off the "high output". In that case, I may still need an Lpad to attenuate the CG10Ts (cuz right now they overwhelm the other two). (I'm not attenuating the tweet at all right now.) Maybe without the choke on the woofs, this will be less of a problem. Even without the Lpad though, if I'm running the tweets together with the CG10Ts, I think I'll still need a (small) cap for them.

Either way, I'll have somewhat of a hybrid. I'm not complaining. It will be interesting to experiment.

If I don't need to attenuate the CG10Ts, I think I prefer the second option, cuz then I only need one little cap, will have more flexibility with the crossover from the woofs (and I have stereo bass). Any thoughts? :scratch2:

Still have to get interconnects....
 
With my 3 way OB's I used a single cap on the tweets and ran them off the full range driver from the HF and my woofers off the LF.

I used a small sub off the sub connection.

I tried all the combinations and liked this best.
 
Poultrygeist said:
With my 3 way OB's I used a single cap on the tweets and ran them off the full range driver from the HF and my woofers off the LF.

I used a small sub off the sub connection.

I tried all the combinations and liked this best.
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Thanks for that. I'll start there!

Give me a week for cables, and I'll report back. Looking forward to this.

I'm now running an HK730 as preamp, cuz it works, and the others want attention. Splitting it into the Adcom for passive bi-amping. Eventually, I may do tubes for the FR and tweets.

I DO appreciate that no one finds my system too amateur for comment. It's probably the definition of mid-Fi (if that), but I've always had a thing for hot rods (especially 50-60s). Work with what you've got (or fits the budget), and make it RUN!

So far, this bunch of drivers on a board has given me the most audio bang for the buck I've heard! I DO wanna hug them! :D
 
Just out of curiosity.. you guys eat much or go to sleep often? I try to factor in about 8 hours a day sleep. might get 5 or 1 or two on a nap.
 
There's another design you might want to try with very little in lumber to frame those open back. Or add some modifications. nothing more than a box frame using 7 3/4 pine to the width you can set them on a slight back angle (or cut at 90 box).

As a teen it was popular to make speakers for old stereophonic turntables people threw out combined with some oval 16 ohm car speakers we would salvage or buy cheap. Many of us built 'open's' but we did frame them and found putting them off the wall a few inches you would get a richer sound.

A set of boxes like that with 4 x 16 ohm oval car speakers per box was much narrower but to match that height to your scale or even two per box was joy to listen to with a stereo tube amp. So when we had the money we would box them in.. and you could put stuff on top, too.
 
Hi Bink,

The current masonite baffles are just my version of cardboard. The weight of my LF drivers would have collapsed cb I think. (Very temporary.) I'm really not thinking of boxes (unless my wife insists). :D

As it is, I'm enjoying these at least as much as my Wharfedale W90's upstairs. Not sure just how I'll convince her to allow something like this out of the basement. Some creative (pro) woodworking and veneer maybe.
 
Been following your thread, PastTechFan...with interest. Looks good.

I saw the post about the active crossover.

I have a 3way open baffle plan....in the idea stage and found this active crossover on the flea bay....

I don't know anything about it....It comes from England. It is sold as a kit.

This crossover goes between the PreAmp and the Amp....so would be great for tri amping...a 3way speaker system

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And here is the bay link to the product.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111280898079?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

It is being sold as a "active crossover" but.....seems passive to me.

If anyone has info or insight into this crossover ....I'd like to hear it.
 
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It's active but you must build two plus provide your own power supply. Boozhound sells populated active crossover boards.

All active crossovers are upstream of the amp which means the signal is divided before it's amplified and that's a major advantage.
 
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