Hi there, first post from someone who has been lurking here for awhile.
I figure almost every new guy ask a silly question, or something that has been asked a thousand times before, so I've been saving my first post for this occasion. :p
The post will be long and 'not to the point', but I appreciate anyone that takes the time. :)
Background:
My current audio system has served me well, the amplifier (NAD 302) is almost 25 years old and the speakers (B&W DM309) 12 years or so, and I listen to music 2-12 hours a day as well as use them for movies. I credit this to a 'held back' sound, I was looking as substantially more expensive speakers but realized I would get tired of long hours of listning to them and would have needed more attention to placement in the room.
But, two things has happened, I've realized I want to run the audio from my TV to the speakers and I upgraded/built new sound system in my car that simply blew my home audio out of the water. Instead of rumbling bass I could hear the strings of the bass guitars of the same songs, and acoustic guitars has some air, and so on.
My questions is regarding multi-way speakers, but I'm looking at the whole system so I don't paint myself in to one corner. Your answer/thoughts can be to just the speaker design or the whole deal.
Positive things:
-I live in a house and have a good 300 meters to my neighbor.
-No wife or girlfriend that will complain. :D
-I'm eager to learn, and got the time to do so.
-I've got space to work in, and the ability to do so.
Negative things:
-Money is very scarce, this will take some time to complete.
-Listning position is pretty bad most of the time, as I use my PC as a media center for music and film and it's positioned on the opposite side of the wall of my TV/Speakers (so I listen to music from opposite room most of the time as I surf).
-That also positions my speakers at one end of the long side of the wall (5.5x3.7 M or 20sqM).
My thoughts so far:
-I need audio input from my TV (optical) and something from my PC (several options with my soundcard).
-I need to be able to control the volume, as the optic signal from my TV isn't level controlled.
-No matter if I use passive or active crossover a mic is a logical purchase.
-Cheapest solution seams to be a miniDSP 2x4HD, as I get the connections and volume control, as well as the ability to fine tune the system all in one package. (Combined with two 2-channel amps that will be DIY)
-I will most likely go with closed enclosure and bump up the low region with the DSP if needed, the new subwoofer in my car made me a believer. (I have modeled a lot of speakers in winisd to see how they behave as well)
-Making a pod for the tweeter (or tweeter and midrange) seems like time well spent to get away a little bit from baffle step, edge diffraction and so on.
-No passive crossover in speaker boxes, that allows me to go full active later, as well as making changes easier.
Questions:
1. My first though was to build a 2.5 speaker using two SEAS H1288-08 CA22RNX, with one of them on a 1:st order filter for the lowest region, and active crossover to something like a SEAS 27TDFC or ScanSpeak D3004/602010 (the ScanSpeak is interesting because of the small size for a pod).
But I'm slightly concerned with how the large CA22RNX will sound in the upper region (guessing crossover at 1800hz or so would be suitable).
2. Second thought is to build a 3-way, using passive crossover between tweeter and midrange, and active to the woofer (2.2 system).
Tweeters would be the same.
Midrange duty either SEAS MCA15RCY, or perhaps CA18RLY.
As a woofer the Wavecor SW270WA01 has looked the best in winisd for my price range.
As the woofer might need to be crossed over at a low(-ish) frequency, the larger CA18RLY maybe is better at extending down a bit compared to the smaller midrange.
3. I'm hoping a well matched set of speakers that has passive crossover could be fine tuned with the DSP and thereby making the passive crossover a more "straight forward" design, as I have understod that a passive filter can get really expensive (both parts and trial&error).
In the 3-way solution I would guess it's smoothing out the the upper region, possibly bringing it down to match the subwoofer in frequency respons.
But maybe I'm making it twice as hard... :confused:
You don't have to do all the legwork for me, I'm just hoping someone can point me in the right direction.
Thank you for your time! :)
I figure almost every new guy ask a silly question, or something that has been asked a thousand times before, so I've been saving my first post for this occasion. :p
The post will be long and 'not to the point', but I appreciate anyone that takes the time. :)
Background:
My current audio system has served me well, the amplifier (NAD 302) is almost 25 years old and the speakers (B&W DM309) 12 years or so, and I listen to music 2-12 hours a day as well as use them for movies. I credit this to a 'held back' sound, I was looking as substantially more expensive speakers but realized I would get tired of long hours of listning to them and would have needed more attention to placement in the room.
But, two things has happened, I've realized I want to run the audio from my TV to the speakers and I upgraded/built new sound system in my car that simply blew my home audio out of the water. Instead of rumbling bass I could hear the strings of the bass guitars of the same songs, and acoustic guitars has some air, and so on.
My questions is regarding multi-way speakers, but I'm looking at the whole system so I don't paint myself in to one corner. Your answer/thoughts can be to just the speaker design or the whole deal.
Positive things:
-I live in a house and have a good 300 meters to my neighbor.
-No wife or girlfriend that will complain. :D
-I'm eager to learn, and got the time to do so.
-I've got space to work in, and the ability to do so.
Negative things:
-Money is very scarce, this will take some time to complete.
-Listning position is pretty bad most of the time, as I use my PC as a media center for music and film and it's positioned on the opposite side of the wall of my TV/Speakers (so I listen to music from opposite room most of the time as I surf).
-That also positions my speakers at one end of the long side of the wall (5.5x3.7 M or 20sqM).
My thoughts so far:
-I need audio input from my TV (optical) and something from my PC (several options with my soundcard).
-I need to be able to control the volume, as the optic signal from my TV isn't level controlled.
-No matter if I use passive or active crossover a mic is a logical purchase.
-Cheapest solution seams to be a miniDSP 2x4HD, as I get the connections and volume control, as well as the ability to fine tune the system all in one package. (Combined with two 2-channel amps that will be DIY)
-I will most likely go with closed enclosure and bump up the low region with the DSP if needed, the new subwoofer in my car made me a believer. (I have modeled a lot of speakers in winisd to see how they behave as well)
-Making a pod for the tweeter (or tweeter and midrange) seems like time well spent to get away a little bit from baffle step, edge diffraction and so on.
-No passive crossover in speaker boxes, that allows me to go full active later, as well as making changes easier.
Questions:
1. My first though was to build a 2.5 speaker using two SEAS H1288-08 CA22RNX, with one of them on a 1:st order filter for the lowest region, and active crossover to something like a SEAS 27TDFC or ScanSpeak D3004/602010 (the ScanSpeak is interesting because of the small size for a pod).
But I'm slightly concerned with how the large CA22RNX will sound in the upper region (guessing crossover at 1800hz or so would be suitable).
2. Second thought is to build a 3-way, using passive crossover between tweeter and midrange, and active to the woofer (2.2 system).
Tweeters would be the same.
Midrange duty either SEAS MCA15RCY, or perhaps CA18RLY.
As a woofer the Wavecor SW270WA01 has looked the best in winisd for my price range.
As the woofer might need to be crossed over at a low(-ish) frequency, the larger CA18RLY maybe is better at extending down a bit compared to the smaller midrange.
3. I'm hoping a well matched set of speakers that has passive crossover could be fine tuned with the DSP and thereby making the passive crossover a more "straight forward" design, as I have understod that a passive filter can get really expensive (both parts and trial&error).
In the 3-way solution I would guess it's smoothing out the the upper region, possibly bringing it down to match the subwoofer in frequency respons.
But maybe I'm making it twice as hard... :confused:
You don't have to do all the legwork for me, I'm just hoping someone can point me in the right direction.
Thank you for your time! :)
