I had a previous thread over in the Markaudio forum where many excellent suggestions were made to improve my design. The initial idea was to build an LCR (identical speakers for the front three channels of a home theater) using the Markaudio Alpair 10.2. However, as I revised the design per the suggestions that I received, the project evolved away from that concept into a more traditional mains and center.
Some of the design goals of this project include:
- A traditional home theater form factor where the mains are taller and the center channel is of the horizontal persuasion.
- No stands required.
- Good bass response in case the speakers are used standalone without a subwoofer at a later time.
- Optimize driver height and baffle angle to aim high frequencies more directly toward listener's ears.
- Excellent dialog intelligibility from the center.
- The best possible voice matching between the mains and center necessitating the cabinets be as close as possible in design to one another.
Many hours of painstaking work later, I have drawn the latest designs in detail as follows:
Version 3, Center:
![Click the image to open in full size.]()
External:
width: 30"
depth top: 7.15"
depth bottom: 8.1"
height: 9.5"
3/4" (19mm) plywood cabinet.
Internal:
width: 28.5"
depth top: 5.65"
depth bottom: 6.6"
height: 8"
depth, driver to back panel: ~ 3.7"
Total volume ~ 23 liters less bracing, ports, driver frame, magnet, cleats and hardware.
Off center horizontal holey brace shown in gray - 2" and 1" random holes. Bracing spars on either side of holey brace (only toward the ends, away from driver). Spars have 2" holes all along their length.
2 x slot ports, 5.6 long x 7" wide x 0.25". Tuning frequency ~ 38-40 Hz.
Version 8, Mains:
![Click the image to open in full size.]()
External:
width: 9.5"
depth top: 6.15"
depth bottom: 10"
height: 39"
distance, center of driver to floor: 29"
3/4" (19mm) plywood cabinet.
Internal (sound chamber only):
width: 8"
depth top: 4.65"
depth bottom: 7.65"
height: 28.5"
depth, driver to back panel: ~ 3"
Total volume around 23 liters in the sound chamber. Void space at the bottom.
Off center holey brace shown in gray - 2" and 1" random holes. Bracing spars on either side of holey brace (only toward the bottom, away from driver, the side panel is widest here anyway). Spars have 2" holes all along their length.
2 x slot ports, 5.6 long x 7" wide x 0.25". Tuning frequency ~ 38-40 Hz.
Please let me know what you all think of these!
Some of the design goals of this project include:
- A traditional home theater form factor where the mains are taller and the center channel is of the horizontal persuasion.
- No stands required.
- Good bass response in case the speakers are used standalone without a subwoofer at a later time.
- Optimize driver height and baffle angle to aim high frequencies more directly toward listener's ears.
- Excellent dialog intelligibility from the center.
- The best possible voice matching between the mains and center necessitating the cabinets be as close as possible in design to one another.
Many hours of painstaking work later, I have drawn the latest designs in detail as follows:
Version 3, Center:
External:
width: 30"
depth top: 7.15"
depth bottom: 8.1"
height: 9.5"
3/4" (19mm) plywood cabinet.
Internal:
width: 28.5"
depth top: 5.65"
depth bottom: 6.6"
height: 8"
depth, driver to back panel: ~ 3.7"
Total volume ~ 23 liters less bracing, ports, driver frame, magnet, cleats and hardware.
Off center horizontal holey brace shown in gray - 2" and 1" random holes. Bracing spars on either side of holey brace (only toward the ends, away from driver). Spars have 2" holes all along their length.
2 x slot ports, 5.6 long x 7" wide x 0.25". Tuning frequency ~ 38-40 Hz.
Version 8, Mains:
External:
width: 9.5"
depth top: 6.15"
depth bottom: 10"
height: 39"
distance, center of driver to floor: 29"
3/4" (19mm) plywood cabinet.
Internal (sound chamber only):
width: 8"
depth top: 4.65"
depth bottom: 7.65"
height: 28.5"
depth, driver to back panel: ~ 3"
Total volume around 23 liters in the sound chamber. Void space at the bottom.
Off center holey brace shown in gray - 2" and 1" random holes. Bracing spars on either side of holey brace (only toward the bottom, away from driver, the side panel is widest here anyway). Spars have 2" holes all along their length.
2 x slot ports, 5.6 long x 7" wide x 0.25". Tuning frequency ~ 38-40 Hz.
Please let me know what you all think of these!