Direct Acoustics Silent Speakers

Dr Tinear

Dr Tinear

AK Subscriber
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http://directacoustics.com/

Has anyone at AK heard these speakers? I found this Web site while searching for information on older EPI speakers. I'm always looking for affordable, good-sounding speakers to recommend to non-audiophile friends, so I'd like to know if these belong on my list. The fact that Winslow Burhoe designed them suggests that they're worth an audition.
 
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Well considering they were reviewed by Audio Magazine in 1995 and I've never seen a pair before, I'd guess they can't be that special. There is a good reason most speakers have the mid and high frequency drivers aiming directly at the listener and not angled off into space. The lack of response to this thread is enough to let you know these never had any real market impact.
 
Welcome to AK, Mr. Burhoe.
Please don't let the members of the Forum who have entered a smaller cultural stream deter you from sharing your views about the Silent Speaker or other speaker design criteria.

For those members wishing to get some knowledge about speaker design and construction, Mr. Burhoe's website has some information that condenses a lot of the questions asked in this part of the Forum regarding speaker design and how that influences the sound.

I'd like to have a listen to the Silent Speaker. It seems the bass output is handled differently than a conventional bass reflex design and my experience tells me that is probably good.
 
stickman said:
The lack of response to this thread is enough to let you know these never had any real market impact.
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Lack of market impact doesn't mean they can't sound good. I know some really good sounding speakers that fly under the radar.

The reason most speakers point the drivers right at you is an attempt to control dispersion and take the room out of the equation. These use a boundary as part of their dispersion system so they're going in a different direction. Again, just because it isn't popular doesn't mean it doesn't work. I, for one, would love to hear them.

Welcome to AK, Winslow. Glad you're here.

Ray
 
Now this is a special day!

Welcome, Mr. burhoe! There's a strong New England contingent of AKers here, some literally down the street from you.

There will be a small AK get-together in early October if you are interested- your speakers are well respected here and you'd be quite welcome to attend.

Again, it's great to have you here!
 
stickman said:
Well considering they were reviewed by Audio Magazine in 1995 and I've never seen a pair before, I'd guess they can't be that special. There is a good reason most speakers have the mid and high frequency drivers aiming directly at the listener and not angled off into space. The lack of response to this thread is enough to let you know these never had any real market impact.
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As Mr Burhoe is known here as quite an a complished speaker designer, I'd wager it has lots more to do with limited advertising and marketing.

Joe Ackroyd of Royd speakers built fantastic speakers, but his slogan was "The best sounding loudspeakers you never heard of".

Same goes for Julius Siksnius and his fantastic Audire amplifiers and pre-amps.

Then there are companies like PSE, Baltek, etc.


While sometimes it is the product that isn't so good, I highly doubt this is the case here.
 
Those look almost identical to Shahinian Arc's which are very well reviewed and highly thought of.
 

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When I found this thread the other day it was on page two with no replies thus far. My snarky comment was made to move this thread back onto page one to see if it could generate a little action second time around. I figured someone here must have had some direct experience with these even though the name "Silent Speaker" sounds like an oxymoron. I sure wasn't expecting to see a reply from Winslow Burhoe! It would be nice to see W.B. participate here, so hopefully this has opened the door. See, I'm not such a bad guy after all! (lol)

PS - As someone who worked at Design Acoustics back during during the days of the D-2, D-4, D-6, D-8, and D-12 I'm the last person to actually think that drivers aimed off into space at different angles can't sound excellent if well designed.
 
stickman said:
...PS - As someone who worked at Design Acoustics back during during the days of the D-2, D-4, D-6, D-8, and D-12 I'm the last person to actually think that drivers aimed off into space at different angles can't sound excellent if well designed.
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I've enjoyed a few pair of Design Acoustics myself. Miss my PS-10s.

Hey, got any D-12s lying around in either avocado or burnt orange?:scratch2:
 
Sure was glad to see My. Burhoe on the thread...I smile :yes: every time I hear my EPI 200's in the kitchen...thanks Winslow!
 
I would like to read some comments as well regarding this speaker. I too am interested in the bass tuning aspect.

Welcome Mr Burhoe, I have rebuilt. refinished many of your older models, my favorite being the Blues. I look forward to your comtributions here.

DC
 
Welcome to AK, Mr. Burhoe ... and thanks for contributing to my thread on the Silent Speakers. I enjoyed listening to your handiwork years ago when I owned a pair of EPI 70s, and I was delighted to find a pair of EPI 180s at a garage sale a few weeks ago. Those 180s will be visiting my bench soon for rejuvenation.

I hope you'll comment on the bass design of the Silent Speakers. Most of the reviews on your site mention the outstanding bass, and I'm wondering how you achieved that kind of performance from a single 6-1/2" woofer per speaker.
 
Another warm Welcome, Mr. Burhoe. I am a tiny fish here, but am very grateful for the work you have done. I have learned a lot from it and enjoyed a lot of music because of it.

Cheers,
Chris
 
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