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Corner Horn Build (#2) (Read 30201 times)
dank
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Corner Horn Build (#2)
11/17/18 at 13:47:42
 
I always get inspired at Decfest to build something.  This year, 2018's inspiration was corner horns.  I don't know if it was the new Omega drivers, the 25th Anniversary amp driving them, someones comment in the forums relating the corner horns to unicorns, or something else - but I started building shortly afterwards.  

Having already built a set out of 3/4" MDF in 2008, I did not need to buy plans.  I decided to build out of 1/2" plywood for a number of reasons, figuring I could brace things as needed.

The one thing I want to change / modify is the angle of the driver: Without knee walls, the corner horns must sit square in the corner, with the drivers mounted at 45 degrees.  This means the "sweet spot" will be half way between the speakers and that same "half way between the speakers" distance away from the front wall.  In my 16' x 24' room, with the corner horns on the 16' side, the image is 8 feet away from the front wall, WAY too close.  In other speakers that sit in the corner this problem can be fixed by merely "cocking" the speakers a bit.  This is not an option with the corner horns.  I want my "sweet spot" to be about 16' from the front wall, not 8'.

I'm keeping the first post short.  There will be a lot more pics.  The first pic is the starting place of the build, and might just be one of the hardest parts of the build.  Its the bevel cut that joins the main big internal parts of the horn.



More to follow:

Dan
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #1 - 11/17/18 at 14:04:29
 
Cool!
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dank
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #2 - 11/18/18 at 13:15:11
 
The internal structure is basically a "W" shape, created from two "V" shapes that run the length of the corner horn (42").


Add a top, bottom, and the center piece that splits the "W" and you are at the half way point.


Add the braces and the small horn ramps and the first half of the folded horn nears completion.



Dan
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #3 - 11/18/18 at 16:06:53
 
 It is good to see such a clear step by step approach to your project. There is no doubt about horns having an appeal that is like no other. People tend to love them or not. I think that there is no equal in the bass region.
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #4 - 11/19/18 at 12:30:41
 
The sails go on next.  This complicated task was really quite simple once I realized the sail is a 4 sided piece that needs 3 of those sides beveled.  Two of the bevels, where the sail meets the brace and the top/bottom, are 45 degrees.  The other bevel, where the sail meets the outside wall of the "W" piece, is about half that (22 degrees).
The entire piece can be easily traced and cut out, leaving the last 90 degree edge as the final (trim) cut.  Note that all bevels are the same direction and you must be quite careful as to which side of the bevel cut you are tracing (minimum or maximum).  Sometimes you wind up tracing the maximum side of the bevel on the minimum side of the piece and need to move the line over one sail thickness to get the cut line.









Add some bracing and the sails are done.





Dan
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #5 - 11/19/18 at 17:22:15
 
I might have missed it, but what adhesive do you recommend for this build? I tend toward Gorilla glue to fill in gaps, and make a tight bond.
 Also, is there a picture of your table saw? I am betting it has a decent out feed table and fence.
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #6 - 11/19/18 at 19:13:17
 
Those steep beveled angles are impressive.  How are you pulling them off?
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #7 - 11/19/18 at 22:33:15
 
The glue I've been using is just plain old Elmers wood glue.  I've also used some bondo, but have not needed that much.  Is Gorilla glue any better than Elmers?  I have no complaints about strength, but if it could fill a little better and / or be a little easier to work with / sand after it dries I would be interested.  What type of Gorilla glue?  Don't you have to use water to activate it?

The saw question is an interesting one because of all that happened coincidentally with this build.  I grew up with a cheap table saw.  When my Grandfather died, we inherited a better table saw but, looking back, it was still a piece of crap.  The saw sat in the middle of the workshop, taking up way too much room, and usually acted more "table" than "saw".  In 1980, fresh out of the Army, one of my first purchases was a brand new radial arm saw.  A few years later, now with my own workshop, I realized that there is never any reason to go behind a radial arm saw and therefore it can be bolted to the wall and built into the workbench.

Here is an old picture of that saw making the first bevel cut on my first corner horn build (using 3/4 MDF).  




The bevel angle is so steep that the guard has to come off, and the only way it works properly is to feed the work into the saw in the non-recommended direction so the saw blade spin tends to push the work down and pull it away from you.  The recommended feed direction, with the saw blade spin lifting the work and pushing it back at you, was impossible to keep the wood from lifting up off the table and destroying the bevel.  It looks dangerous, but using gloves and having a healthy respect for just how dangerous those saw blades can be got me through it with all my fingers still attached.

So anyway, this year my table top was getting pretty bad and I decided to replace it before taking on the corner horn build.  Turns out the table top is 1" HDF.  Rather than find out where I had to go and how much I had to spend to get 1" HDF, I somehow got looking on Craigs list and found there were about a dozen 10" Craftsman radial arm saws for sale, with most of them priced between $50 and $100 (give away pricing).  I found one for $100 that had a brand new table top, courtesy of a safety recall, that had never been installed.  After getting the saw home I decided it was better than mine and swapped them out.  I now had a spare functional saw that I planned on selling later.

It didn't take too long, one cut I believe, to realize that when you've got the saw set up to do an angle or a bevel cut, you inevitably need to make a straight cut and don't want to lose the current saw settings.  So, I now have two:



As you can see, the one is set up for a cross cut bevel and the other for straight cuts.  So far, so good.


Dan

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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #8 - 11/19/18 at 23:26:29
 
I'm a big fan of Titebond 2 glue.
Then silicone and a ice cube to fill anything that needs filled.
I used to use bondo, but I usually ended up making a big hard freeform sculpture.
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #9 - 11/20/18 at 00:41:36
 
Donnie

By "silicon" do you mean 100% silicon calk?  (certainly you don't mean silicon spray).  What does the ice cube do?


Dan
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #10 - 11/20/18 at 00:41:36
 
Quote:
I'm a big fan of Titebond 2 glue.


Personally, I can't stand the stuff.  It doesn't wash out of my pants!   Wink  I stick with Titebond 1.

I have a 12 inch Delta radial arms saw that I almost never use.  I need to check if it will do that angle.  It's brilliant!
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #11 - 11/20/18 at 01:14:13
 
Dan, yes calk.
The ice cube helps smooth it out. The silicone doesnt stick to it so your not smearing it around.
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #12 - 11/20/18 at 11:49:52
 
This was my way of dealing with the front.  Nothing was removable, but it should work and it was easy to build.  But then I realized I had forgotten to angle the drivers differently.  Oops!






Dan
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #13 - 11/20/18 at 15:27:04
 
Using Gorilla glue is a new way thinking, that's for sure. Yes, you need to lightly wet one surface, and then when applying the glue to the other surface, I like to make sure it penetrates that surface well. I will even add a small bead of glue after that, so that it can expand enough for any small gaps. Letting it skin over for maybe 30 minutes, the excess can be removed with a glue chisel or Exacto knife. If you do it too soon, the glue might get smeared on the blade, and that is just one more thing to deal with. It is extremely strong.
 Choice number is one of the newer glues put out by Tite Bond or other manufacturers. They are as strong as Gorilla glue, and easier to use.
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #14 - 11/21/18 at 12:05:47
 
What's a project without a little demo?  Usually you do the demo first, but in this case...




This is the new starting point for the angled drivers:




And this is how I'm going to do it:




Dan
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #15 - 11/21/18 at 15:40:02
 
Nice build, cant wait to see if finished.
I never thought about angling the drivers to fit your position, great idea.

One little trick I learned when dealing with silicone is Windex the original stuff. Because of the Ammonia it will let you shape the silicone without sticking, so spray the bead down and use your finger to shape it. Once the Windex dries it lets the silicone dry and perfect seems.
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #16 - 11/21/18 at 17:54:29
 
It just occurred to me that if you do angle the drivers as shown, it will change the volume of the horn, and also the angles within the horn. Would it be better to actually angle the driver Mounting, rather than changing the entire panel angle?
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #17 - 11/22/18 at 12:53:56
 
After a little trigonometry, lets see...10th grade was trig at age 15, that means there's about 50 years of rust...oh well.  I remember enough to figure that a 2x4 cut diagonally makes just about the right angle for my new mounting jig that will fix the driver angle and allow for a removable baffle board.  Further, it should accommodate a 6" or 8" driver, maybe even a 10".





Yea, ok, so maybe its a little ugly.  But its my shop and I don't have any WAF to worry about.





Add a little paint:





And set it in the corner:





By the way, isn't that a great color match job Home Depot did on my paint?  Its suppose to match the other speakers (the cream color ones, not the brown ones...although maybe the green they came up with is about half way in between).  Thats the new $50 a gallon paint Home Depot has been advertising as no primer needed, one coat covers all, guaranteed.  Well, after being assured by the paint guy that it would cover raw plywood in one coat without a primer, I had him mix the paint.  After I painted the cabinets and it didn't cover in one coat I read the warranty:  not valid for painting over uncoated or porous surfaces and only valid if your color falls within the "Marquee interior One-Coat Color Collection".  If I knew I would need 2 coats, I bet I could have found something cheaper than $50 a gallon. At least I can try and get the color corrected...a bit more yellow, and maybe a dash of red.


Dan
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #18 - 11/22/18 at 16:35:58
 
I just hate painting. If it is not done all at once, there are chances of trouble with texture. God forbid that you have to have a paint matched. Different formula, and yes, some matching is very good. But if anything is different, you will catch it immediately. The list goes on.
I did some touch up on my progressing speaker project last night that turned into a larger touch up, and now have to make some sort of decision of what to do next. And the paint is oil based acrylic. I just hate painting.
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #19 - 11/22/18 at 17:26:17
 
I'd do several coats of paint then color sand it flat.
Sanding is sort of Zen for me, I'm weird that way.
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #20 - 11/22/18 at 19:41:17
 
 Don't know why it would make a difference, but I don't mind sanding wood. Sanding paint/varnish/lacquer OTOH, seems poisonous. Ironically, it was the wood dust that got me into trouble. That's why I like hand planing best.
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #21 - 11/23/18 at 12:50:48
 













Audio Nirvana Super 6.5's were the first pair of drivers I tried.  I've had these speakers a long time, tried them in a number of different cabinets, and have never found a good home for them.

Fs = 48 hz
Qts = .21
Vas = 1.16 cubic feet

My first impressions were pretty bad.  The music sounded thin and tinny.  Bass was good, but didn't go down all that low.  My spectrum analyzer said the frequency response was all over the place.  I had not sealed the speakers to the wall, they are just propped up in the corners, so there was that I could try.  I was thinking maybe its time to do something with the room acoustics, but the answer was simpler than that.  I had played these speakers so little that they had not broken in yet.  As I let them play for a couple days, I have never heard such a change gradually take place.  The sound filled out, the bass got deeper, and the overall sound went from yuck! to wow!


Dan
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #22 - 11/23/18 at 13:04:02
 
Great work Dan! Glad the sound went to "Wow"!
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #23 - 11/24/18 at 12:13:20
 
Next I had to try a pair of 8" drivers.  I spent a ridiculous amount of money a while back on a pair of 8" HiEnd fullrange drivers from Hong Kong that are suppose to rival Lowther's.  Somewhat disappointing up until now, I swapped them in.  Very easy and quick to swap drivers.











Fs = 31.5 hz
Qts = .25
Vas = 4.46 cubic feet

Again, a little disappointing at first, but after a day or so they started sounding good...Really good.  One thing that is amazing, and somewhat unexpected, is how big the sweet spot and sound stage are.  I knew from my first build, with the drivers at 45 degrees, that the sweet spot was too close to the front wall.  The sweet spot has moved back, as planned, but also seem to be focused all the way up to the front wall.  So it doesn't seem to matter much where you are, if you are between the speakers its sounding pretty darn good.  And, with the speakers in the corners, you are ALWAYS between the speakers.

Now, lets talk bass.  I like my bass.  I'm use to a pair of 15" sub's firing into each corner (the brown 2' x 2' cubes in the back ground on some of the pics).  More recently I've been working with an 8" full range plus a 10" sub in the cream color units that I run direct from a 4 channel amp and a DSP.  These corner horns may not go as low
as what I'd like in a perfect world, and I can find some songs that have a note or two that isn't as spectacular as it could be, but Holy Crap, these things put out a lot of bass for a single 6.5" or 8" driver...enough to keep me happy without a sub.


Dan
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #24 - 11/25/18 at 13:11:00
 





Finishing touch is the dust cover.  I'd thought of a couple different ways to do this, but finally realized I could fix the appearance issues and add a dust cover at the same time.  They have been just sitting on the cabinets for the past few days without any issues, but I'll probably add a couple screws to guarantee they never vibrate.

I've been thinking about lowering the corner horns to the floor, as the sound is better if I'm slightly higher than my listening chair, or even standing.  Trouble is the cinder blocks stick out about 1 1/2 inches from the wall, so I'd need to build the walls out 1.5" in the corners.  I guess a couple sheets on 3/4 MDF would do it and not break the bank. Anyone have any thoughts?


Dan  
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #25 - 11/25/18 at 16:34:45
 
Your build is admirable in quality. It is worth any effort to make it the best that it can be. Paul Klipsch stated that raising his corner horns off of the floor destroyed the lowest octave of bass. Maybe this was an exaggeration, as the horns that I built were on casters, and the bass was still beyond description. just a thought.
I have a greater concern that there is a bonnet on your cabinet that will definitely will cause diffraction, and affect dispersion as well. I totally understand the need for a dust bonnet, but one that can be removed during playback.
Finally, I would suggest that you go ahead and build out the wall behind the speakers, as this is what completes the horn, and a space behind the horn won't be a good effect. First thought was using concrete board, but sheet rock or even MDF would be better.
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #26 - 11/25/18 at 18:56:41
 

Wow, Dan's been busy since Decfest !!!  

I really enjoyed the pictures of the shop! Other than eating and sleeping and bathroom breaks I can't see why any man would want to leave that room!

Fantastic build and nice modifications. Equally if not more impressive was seeing two empty clean corners in a shop like that to put the speakers in!

I raised my pair up a similar distance in our present listening room and found the same to be true... I like the imaging better when standing up. I've thought about putting the driver in the exact center of the front panel which would put it even a touch lower than when I used to have them on the floor. Also agree that being able to angle the drivers is a big plus!

A few suggestions, the wings create cavities when the speakers are pushed up against the corner and those cavities will resonate at a single frequency. This is why in the past I always created a heavy foam gasket to seal the gap between the speaker and the wall. Keeping the air inside from moving in and out of the crack greatly reduces the problem which is a droning sound. That said it would have been SO much easier and SO much better had I just injected the entire cavity (all four of them) with expandable foam. I am pretty sure  that a gasket would no longer be needed, but still probably not a bad idea from a horn flare efficiency perspective.

Also there is a 45 degree chimney behind the speaker that may be working against you, but I am not sure because both the bottom and top are open and the speaker is 8 inches off the floor. At some frequency that becomes a hemholtz resonator. I would jam it full of fiberglass and see how it compares to the other channel and then make both the same whichever is better.

I'm pleased at the results you are already getting! Nothing hits like a corner horn and from an acoustic perspective there is no better place or way to create bass in a room.

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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #27 - 11/25/18 at 20:22:31
 
 Not sure how I missed the fact that the bonnets are completely removable. Anyway, that is good news to me. A pretty good idea as well from Steve, dealing with the space behind the speaker. I can't think of a cooler set of speakers in a shop or home. Good corners are hard to come by.
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #28 - 11/28/18 at 22:25:08
 








After some thought, I decided to add a back, or rather backs, to the speakers.  This should seal up the four cavities as well as provide an air tight seal between the horn and the back.  I'm thinking that any air gap now between the back and the wall will not be an issue as it is no longer pressurized.  

My glue tests are done.  Elmers, Tilebond, Tilebond 2, and Gorilla all seemed pretty close to me.  Leaning slightly towards Gorilla, but its a little thinner (runs more) and more expensive.  I'll probably get whatever is cheapest in the future.

I'm still planning on building the wall out and securing the corner horns to the walls.  I made the backs a little bigger on top and front to accommodate that.  Securing to the walls should also brace the backs.

There is definitely a difference, for the better, with the backs on and cabinets lowered.  For now, I'm just enjoying the music.


Dan
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #29 - 11/29/18 at 17:46:02
 
I just stumbled across this thread and really enjoyed it. Thanks! BTW, I like the look of the offset driver setup. Nice visual tension, the form complexity following function.....
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #30 - 11/29/18 at 19:04:34
 
  Yah, that's ONE type of gorilla glue, and I agree, pretty close to the others mentioned. The one that I am referring to is the original polyurethane Gorilla glue that can be bought in a clear (not tinted) formula. It foams a little bit, but that is good for small gaps. Not a big deal really, as the one you picked is a tough as the one that I mentioned. Your cuts are accurate, and so what you used is perfect for the application.

Really glad to see that you put backs on those horns. Makes perfect sense to me. AND, that you are attaching them to the walls! Yes! AND preparing the cavity left, if any as well. High praise from me for doing the WHOLE JOB.

And the speaker terminals on top. Good thinking there too. Imagine them on the rear!
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #31 - 11/30/18 at 13:29:23
 



















Building the wall out with 3/4" MDF and 1 1/8" fir strips (2 x 4 ripped into 3 pieces) brings the wall out even with the cinder blocks.  When the corner horn was pushed back in place, it was apparent how much change there was.  A little calk, a little more paint, and then I'll screw the corner horn to the MDF for a semi-permanent installation.

That,s an Audio Nirvana 6.5" standard speaker.  The standard line was discontinued many years ago, maybe 10?, and was my favorite, as well as the cheapest.  It seems to be a little more relaxed and easy going than the super line.  My stock is down to a single 6.5" and a single 8".  Right now I've got the 6.5" on the left and the 8" on the right which seems to work just fine.  I think my left ear may be a little better than my right - at least my image usually seems to be shifted slightly left.



Dan
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #32 - 12/01/18 at 18:38:44
 






Yesterday I finished calking and painting.  Today I finished the semi-permanent installation, fastening the corner horns to the wall.  The Audio Nirvana's were sounding good, then I installed the Dayton 6.5" speakers, P/N PS180-8.  Fs = 58 hz, QTS = .33, VAS = 1 cubic foot



Holly crap Batman!  These things sound great!  How can a driver with an Fs of 58hz put out so much good low bass?  I was not expecting all that much, just another pair of drivers I own that I need to try out.  I'm firmly expecting a pair of 8" drivers to come out on top of the heap once I get all my 6" and 8" drivers tested, but now I'm not so sure.





Dan
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #33 - 12/01/18 at 18:52:09
 
I keep eyeballing these drivers, wonder how they would work for your application?
https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-ps220-8-8-point-source-full-range-neo...

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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #34 - 12/01/18 at 21:17:11
 
Donnie

I guess I forgot to mention when the Dayton 8", PN PS220-8, went in.  That's them in the 11-28-2018 pictures, the first pictures taken after I  turned the camera's date stamp on.  They sounded fine, but not substantially better than any of the others.  Of coarse I'll probably have to run them all through again now that the cabinets are fixed properly in the corners as I think that made a big difference.

Here's a list of what I've got:
1)  Dayton 6.5" PN PS180-8  Fs = 56.5 hz, Qts = .33, Vas = 1 cubic feet
2)  Dayton 8" PN PS220-8  Fs = 46.4 hz, Qts = .38, Vas = 3.19 cubic feet
3)  Audio Nirvana 6.5 super ferrite Fs = 49 hz, Qts = .21, Vas = 1.16 cubic feet
4)  Audio Nirvana 8 super ferrite Fs = 44.6 hz, Qts = .162, Vas = 2.35 cubic feet
5)  Audio Nirvana standard 6.5 & 8  Fs = ? hz, Qts = ?, Vas = ? cubic feet
6)  HiEnd 8"  Fs = 31.5 hz, Qts = .25, Vas = 4.46 cubic feet
7)  Tang Band 8" PN W8-2145 Fs = 40 hz, Qts = .44, Vas = 2.39 cubic feet (in other cabs)
8)  Fostex FE206EN 8" Fs = 45 hz, Qts = .19, Vas = 2.5 cubic feet (in other cabs)


Dan
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #35 - 12/01/18 at 22:37:27
 
Dan,
I've been eyeballing the 8" Daytons for a transmission line that I build that uses $12 GRS 8" drivers.
They might be a nice upgrade.
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #36 - 12/01/18 at 22:59:24
 
 Dan,

 Likely you are aware that these are the drivers that Steve modifies for the FRX2. This is a case where I truly believe in a  decent break in time. Beyond that, I have like most of what I am hearing in the ZOB open baffle arrangement. FWIW, Steve uses a version of the GIZMO to alter the midrange performance of these drivers. Cool thing is, he added a switch to tailor the sound a bit for those recordings that may need a softer presentation.
Also, I have used a set of AN Alnico super 8" drivers, that overall, I liked the bass, but found them to be a just a tad less in the midrange. I went back to the FRX2 and worked out some issues with the bass, utilizing the AN drivers as supportive bass speakers in the ZOB cabinet. I know that we are talking apples and oranges here for cabinet design, but the basic voice of the drivers are what I am trying to convey. Horn loading must put them in a whole new world. I'm envious. There is NOTHING like the bass horn sound. In this case, even more interesting to have the rest of the range augmented as well.
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #37 - 12/02/18 at 00:33:17
 
Donnie

PM sent


Dan
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #38 - 12/03/18 at 14:02:05
 


Audio Nirvan super 8's go back in for testing now that cabinets are fastened to the wall.  No big changes detected.

Then I did something crazy, and it blew me away.  A long time ago, maybe 15 years when I was just getting back into audio, one of the first speakers I worked with was a cheap Pioneer coaxial speaker being sold as a "ceiling speaker".  It was an 8" speaker that cost $15, and you could get six for $60.  It sounded quite good, I thought, but was totally out classed in every way when I got my first pair of true "Audiophile speakers", a (used) pair of Audio Nirvana Standard 8's.  The Pioneers have been sitting in a box on the shelf ever since.

I installed the Pioneers, B20EC82-51FX.  Fs = 50 hz, Qts = .49, Vas = 2.83 cubic feet



First thing I noticed was more bass, substantially more.  Then I realized the rest of the audio range sounded pretty good too.  These speakers seem to compare quite favorably to everything else I've tried so far and I'm not sure why or what to do about it.  There is something to be said about being able to tell people that they are listening to $10 speakers, but they shouldn't sound this good...or rather, some or all of the other speakers should sound better than these.

Anybody got any thoughts?  Why do these sound so good?  Why don't the others sound better than these?  Maybe its just hard to explain synergy.


Dan

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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #39 - 12/03/18 at 14:19:34
 
It may be hard to explain but I do think Synergy is the key. That speaker in that horn assembly in that room configuration just "works" better than others. There may be another speaker that works even better but will you spend your life trying different speakers out? (If it was me, the answer may be 'yes' as I get obsessive about these things, which is one reason I haven't pried the hatch open over this sort of wormhole!)

Great looking speakers and enjoy the sound! Great work!
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #40 - 12/03/18 at 16:34:20
 
This has happened countless times in my system. Then after after time, there seems to be a lack of the initial magic. I realize now that I am as big a part of the synergy as what is being played. Even now, with a combination that sounds unbeatable to me, I know what may lie ahead. Of course, that is the fun as much as the magic itself.
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #41 - 12/09/18 at 20:15:39
 
Since all the Decware posts from 12-6 and 12-7 seemed to have disappeared, I'm reposting (and adding more)

After a couple of days and cycling through all my speakers, including a pair I forgot I had, a set of 6.5" Fostex FE165K.  Fs = 50 hz, Qts = .34, Vas = 1 cubic foot, I've come to the conclusion that they all sound remarkable similar.  The one exception, as expected, is the ultra cheap Pioneer coax which sounds dull and lifeless compared to the others.  There's just no sparkle with that speaker that exists with all the others.





Another thing that surprised me is that there is not much difference between the 6" and the 8" drivers, when the difference has been huge in every other cabinet I've had them in.  For now I'm going with the Fostex 6.5" with the Dayton 6.5" being a close second.  I'll eventually put the 8" speakers back in all my other cabinets.




Throughout it all, the Zkit60 has been driving things, and doing a wonderful job.  The top one in the lower right (covered up by the date) is the one I've been using.

I also built a couple of boxes to store my extra speakers in.  Seem to work good and keep out the dust.  Nice hinges too!







Dan

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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #42 - 12/10/18 at 00:03:04
 
Dan,

 For a second there, I thought that I was looking at an improvement on an Isobaric sub design. But then, I realized that you just like to build stuff. In that environment, you really need good dust protection, as well as keeping out anything else that might affect a driver.
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Re: Corner Horn Build (#2)
Reply #43 - 08/28/20 at 13:58:41
 
If you look back at previous pictures posted in this thread, 3 pics back shows a brown cube next to the corner horn.  This is one of two subs.  Its 2' x 2' x 2' with one corner cut off and turns out being a 5.5 cubic feet ported box loaded with an old Series II 15" speaker from Parts Express.

I have been using these subs for years and have always been happy with them.  I've tried a number of more exotic boxes, but have always come back to the simple ported box as being the best for my setup.

Since building my large F15 open baffles, my corner horns have not played much music in the last two years.  For one reason or another, I began wondering how the corner horns would work as subs.  I have a number of 10" Dayton "classic Subs" lying around from previous  builds, Parts Express DCS255-4, and with a little work I managed to squeeze them in.







Unfortunately, the corner horn frequency response falls off a cliff at 40 hz, but it sure sounds great on most of the music I listen to.  There are a few songs where I dearly miss the low bass, but in reality, they are few and far between.

I never had issues with the ported boxes, but this bass is faster, tighter, and noticeably better.  There are fewer shakes and rattles going on where objects in the building, or the building itself, will vibrate objectionably.   I'm also seeing that one corner horn may work as well or even better than both in supplying even bass throughout the room.  So it seems like the one 10" speaker is doing a very good job at replacing two 15's.

Now if there were just a way to get the frequency response down.  This might be a lot easier if I only need to build (and find room for) one unit...

Currently the corner horn has a 2' x 2' footprint, is 3.5' tall, and goes down to 40 hz (barely).  Anyone have a clue what a 3' x 3' footprint that's 6.5' tall would do?  Steve - I know you mentioned once you thought it might be fun to scale one of these things up...I have some time...(I'm not going to Decfest this year).


Dan
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