Betsy wow with Ribbon

This is nice and easy project which yields extremely good sounding bookshelf. Betsy wow (without whizzer) goes quite deep in closed box (Ikea bookshelf), so the sub is optional. But if you want to use sub, it can only help. I started by getting the dust cap out of the betsy wow, then glueing in brass phase plug. This way betsy is not attempting any hights. Then I added bsc to flatten the response, and G2 ribbon tweeter to continue past 20kHz. The result is pretty flat response, flat phase response, and very coherent sound. Only one cap is used on G2 ribbon, because its crossed at ~8kHz. This speaker is high efficiency too, and with 8 ohm resistance it presents nice load to any amplifier. It likes small class A amplifiers, but will handle anything. It gets loud, but its clean. Its no party speaker, but with the sub, it can be easily for music and ht.
Here are some pictures from construction.
Enjoy!

Domes, domes and more domes!

Recently I have finished three new sets of speakers based on domes. Each has its own sound, yet they all sound wonderful. For a day, I put down my main open baffle speakers and tested them one by one. They were each optimized for flat response, yet there were subtle differences in sound. Perhaps due to the different phase, or off axis response? I believe each speaker sounds great. Whoever said domes do not sound good was just plain wrong. More dome based speakers to come.

Here are some pictures. Each got its own time on the woofers.

Besides the HiVi and Peerless based dome system, pictured on the woofers, I have two other dome based speakers. The one on the floor left is based on old Philips units. Tiny tweeter dome is silk based, and mid dome is paper based. I like this speaker a lot. The one on the floor right is based on Dayton soft domes, to which I removed protecting grill and front plate in order to place them closer to each other and the tweeter. Tweeter is small HiVi planar. They sound good too, but I prefer Philips based system.

bookshelfs

Some finished, some work in progress.

Full range with tweeter

Although full range speakers can measure almost flat on axis, they often beam of axis. They generally benefit from adding the tweeter. Ideally concentrically. Here are some examples.

Tang Band W5-1611SAF is 5" PP full range which according to the manufacturer has almost flat response from 100Hz to 20kHz. However, I find the driver to sound quite boring, lacking some detail and spark. How is this possible?

We do not only listen on axis. First arriving signal may be from the on axis flat response, but sound projected of axis bounces in the room and eventually reaches the listener few tens of milliseconds later. If this later arriving signal is significantly different, our brain does not like it.

This is how W5-1611SAF measured on its own. Please notice significant beaming.

I was not happy with the sound, so I added the tweeter. This is how it measures now. I like the sound and use the speakers in the bedroom system, together with the sub. Great sound. Pleasant, natural, non fatiguing.

Here is the whole system.

Another small system with betsy and tweeter

TC9FD MTM

Small bookshelf MTM with open back using Vifa TC9FD and tiny Dayton 3/4" dome tweeter ND20FD.

Sweet sound, highly recommended!

Of note, I use this speaker only from 150Hz and up, with woofer or subwoofer. I never load small fullrange with low frequencies. Distortion of small fullranges in general rises dramatically below 100Hz. This results in upper harmonics which were not present in the recording and only mask the true midrange and hights, muddying the sound.

the evolution of my ht sound

This is my current set up for the tv/3d projector

Audio signal goes to JC-2 preamp/signal selector, then thought the Behringer 31 band digital eq, analog active crossover at 150Hz, upper path is amplified by 10 watts JLH classA amp, lower pass is amplified by AKAI 70 watts chip amp. Bookshelf speakers are 6fe200 mid FaitalPRO, Selenium horn tweeter. Woofers are Pioneer lookalikes.
Still under construction.

I have replaced woofer with 15" Jamo in closed box and experimented with minidsp as active crossover and four 50 watts class d amps. Sounds ok so far.

Domes!

This is the third dome based system I made. This one is based on HiVi domes for tweeter and upper mid, and Peerless 5" dome for midbass. Temporarily powered by BA3FA/F4 combo. An old cassette deck and cd player provide the signal. Excellent sound.

https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/324951-hivi-domes.html