Agreed, that would sound equally good and may even look cooler!

Believe it or not the square outer shape actually has no correlation with the dispersion. The dispersion is determined by the inner shape, a circle. The outer shape being square vs. round is adding surface area, aka impedance, that is needed to raise the pressure to a functional level.  This thing has zero dips as you spin it on the platform and record it.  Flat high end response as it spins... the squares are virtually invisible.  

Of course, I had to try it, so I put a third layer (lens) on the pair and it is a linear improvement, 30% again.  This is the ultimate.  Now that I have heard this, I have to have it.  It's incredible.  In fact, I may even try to scale this up to a full size ERRX if I can find or make the right driver.  It would be interesting to prove my original convictions about radial frequencies above 5 or 6K being more problematic than beneficial wrong only to find it was perhaps the drivers at the time or any number of other variables.  

As a proof of concept, hearing the full presence of the highs in a perfect radial format with three of these lenses is eye opening.

Get this... it now sounds like it is in this room vs. the listening room, but images like it is in the other room.  I can't tell where it is frankly, it's so scaled out.  It's really big, and from something so small....  

I can tell you right now if I could scale this up to a full sized ERRX, this would wreck a lot of audiophiles.  It's so ironic, Tiny Radials scaled down from ERRX but without the tweeter because it's a 1.5 inch driver... now how to scale back up!

I already know this design is superior to the egg, which did in fact image like an Alien pair of speakers, and this is better.  Gee, if I could even get it up to a 6 inch scale with the same performance it would be insane.

Anyway, adding two presence layers to the Tiny Radial and a sub is just head shaking for it's size.  




I know to a fair number of readers this probably sounds a little overly enthusiastic but trust me it's not... it's working exactly as well as if you have someone hold the Tiny Radial horizontal and point the driver directly at you, except it's not directional like that is.  The most fascinating part is that it is now that same loudness but across 360 degrees instead of 30.  It's like each layer adds efficiency.  Getting really interesting.

When you hold you hand at the right angle above a Tiny Radial and hear the top end presence increase but realize anything less than the size of your hand is not going to work... three of these lenses is duplicating that effect but it follows you around the room because it's 10 times the dispersion.



ALSO, in the picture is a Zen Amp hanging on the wall.  Simply use two screws spaced about 5 inches apart, with large pan heads.  Remove the bottom cover on the amp and the lip will hang on the screws very securely.

Steve....kudos on the new design!!  I can only imagine how they must sound.  I truly love the radial sound of my second generation Err’s.  They give me a wide dispersed sound that fill a room and disappear at the same time.  

These mini ERRx’s need to find a place in my home after my renovation, perfectly place on the top of each side of my mantel.  With my Err’s wrapped in the Bubbinga veneer, it look like I am stuck keeping with the same wood finish 😀.  

Dom

What a journey... the fun part of audio

For my eye, the triple lens is more appealing than the double, and the double more so than the single.

Steve posted:  "I may make a Tiny Radial Tube amp if the popularity of these speakers continues to grow."
 
This is interesting! Have you any ideas yet on what the circuit would be?
Perhaps one of those tubes with a triode and a pentode in one bottle could be put together Loftin white fashion to make a compact package.  


Steve posted:  "I may even try to scale this up to a full size ERRX if I can find or make the right driver."

How about a 2 inch or 1.4 inch compression driver located deep down inside the cabinet with it's horn carrying the sound up to the dispersion lens? I don't know where the bass driver would be.
The Ciare 12 inch coax with 1.4 inch tweeter might be the ticket. No need to add the horn.  https://usspeaker.com/ciare%20ndcx12-1.4-1.htm

stayed up till 3am listening to these tiny radials,I could see the sound,i could see bass drums,kinda spooky..officially the most fun I’ve ever had listening.

I print the lens from Resin, and make it solid, not hollow.  Going for density.

The resin explains the nice surface finish versus a lot of post grow finish work.

No, not the only one.  When playing at volume, I too have trouble keeping them still.  A true testament to the power of that mighty diminutive driver!

Someone want to figure out what a laser-cut 3/8" plate-steel base would cost?  That is the kind of weight that would be ideal.

That said, once you get a the cone to move enough to make the enclosure dance around, the advantages of a 1.5 inch driver are no longer valid so my motivation for a heavier plinth would be for what it would do to the sound at more modest volumes.

Steve

That's not a radial....my radials were jumping at higher power from the start,the next day they calmed down,now they're the greatest thing since a pair of acoustats from 40 years back.

8 year old mac,i refuse too shell out for a new one.I'm getting closer.

Tried posting my omega speakers,laying on their backs woofers facing up and away on a pair of isoacoustics stands,with 2 CD jewel cases,now that I know about direct reflecting vs pressure loading,,if you place a rs5 with 2 cutout sour cream containers cut out with some thought,you may have the ultimate game changer.You will rule the world.

Awesome, Archie is going to be making the bases from brass plate for us!

Steve ; )

I got my hands on some sorbothane acoustic isolation pads and turned down the volume...damned party poopers. I'm still looking forward to my next pair with triple lens tops and a nice shiny brass plate bottom

Tell your friend 85mm x 85mm x 9mm with a 3/16 radius on the 4 corners and remind him that weight is the objective and it will be painted black. Unless the lens is also made from metal, no sense polishing it. A polished brass lens and plinth would be pretty.

It should be noted that this is slightly larger than the plinth drawn on the Tiny Radial Plans, because I have been making the panels 5/16 instead of 1/4.  

Steve

Hmm, look what showed up on my desk this morning.

2ea.  85mm X 85mm X 9.5 thick with 5 mm radius corners, steel plates.

So I purchased a hi-tech moisture meter...  

The burls that have been haunting me and taking stupid amounts of time to finish are from south east Asia.  They come covered in wax or some kind of crude varnish.

The last pair I did, yet to be shown, the flat panels curled up like rocking chair runners...  I had to train them back with a spray bottle of water and assemble them within an hour before they became too far gone to use...

Today I measured the most recent burl I have imported and it read over 35% moisture content...

OK, I get it now.

These Asian burls when actually manifested as a pair of Tiny Radials should cost double. If you live in the rain forest and contract a local to make you a pair I'm sure it will be much less.

-Steve

I too have a "high tech" moisture meter and one thing I've noticed is that it seems to measure density.  I do not have the type with the probes.  I have some very heavy douglas fir that is super dry but measures as high moisture.  I don't doubt those burles are wet but I bet they are dense too.  Getting an accurate reading will be hard.

Finally got my Tiny Radials! They are beautiful and sound great for such a little speaker.

Picture with them and my ERRx. [img][/img]

I also got the subwoofer that Steve recommended for $100, totally worth it! Highly recommend it, it gives the little speakers more punch and body. I did some comparisons listening to the ERRx and TRs with my Torii, and while not a fair comparison (TRs + sub $500 vs ERRx $2.5k) they fare pretty well. They have a wide soundstage and sound very natural. Main difference I hear with the ERRx is that the midrange is just "fuller" and instruments and voices have more "body". I have the ERRx to listen as background music and they are great for that, for small to medium size rooms the TRs with subs can do that job well too.
For dedicated listening I still prefer my Tannoy's  :)

I'll use the TRs for my office desk and until Steve creates a tiny zen amp (please Steve!) I got this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X5ECQ4Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?...
with 2 year warranty it is $200 and works really well with the TRs + sub. It is small and well made, but has really small transformers, but with the subs this works out well. While they don't have the transparency and punch of the Torii they do sound good enough for the desktop setup.

Thanks Steve for these little TRs and all the love and labor you put in them.

Hey Steve, and please add the flexible silver speaker cables to the package  :)

Hey Stefan,

Forgot to say: I agree - your TRs really are beautiful. And I love the size comparison w/the ERRx. I have an idea that there may be another pair in my stable down the road. A dark walnut, with a nice grain/burl would do it for me.

Randy

STACKABLE LENSES

Right now I am still in development with the 3D printed lenses.  I don't want to print them myself.  I'll use my small printer for prototypes and let the pros do it.  That said it's going to take some fine tuning.  Once I get the lens printed the way I want it, I will be trying to create one with interlocking components so they can be stacked.  That way you can add one or two, your choice.  I also would like to make each level smaller so the lenses follow the taper of the speaker.  All this takes time, and I don't have a lot of it, so be patient.

Steve

FLEXIBLE SILVER WIRE

Tiny Radials need a good flexible speaker cable, and if you're running a Decware amp or something similar, then silver plated copper is recommended.

.

You can find this type of cable on eBay, search under Silver-plated 8ag speaker wire and I'm sure you can find many variations of it.

The particular one I am using, pictured above, is extremely good.  The eBay variations are all priced more than reasonable.

Steve

Thanks Steve, ordered a set of those wires, for now using the solid Decware ones, at least the speakers have no chance of jumping around at high output levels with those cables  ;D

Now that I have the speakers for 2 days on my desktop I need to say they sound even better on the desktop compared to the having them further apart when being ontop of my ERRx! Now hour long conference calls become also easier to listen to as and you can always look at the nice speakers the whole day  :)

Quote:


Stefan.....thanks for the information.  I love the soundstage of my ERR’s and it’s great to hear that the Tiny Radials fair pretty well by comparison.  I think I need to pick up a pair to place on both sides of my mantle after my house is redone.  

Dom