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Steve's TINY RADIAL project! (Read 69618 times)
SteveLuck
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #550 - 01/14/21 at 09:16:20
 
By Having a bore through the centre the same diameter top and bottom you now have the opportunity to hold the whole assembly together using just four long bolts provided the lense supports can be placed at the same PCD as the speaker mounting holes.  That would speed things up quite a bit.  

In terms of material cost I thought about using mdf and wrapping it in leather look vinyl for a slightly steam punk look for a lot less money than I spent on the walnut.

Damping is interesting I had AE1 MK1 speakers for a bit, MDF enclosures with a concrete lining they worked well.  

This guy on youtube laminates the enclosures of the voight tubes he makes with a rubbery coating between the wood laminates.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEh01PX-q9I  Skip to about 35mins in.

This sort of engineering and manufacturing challenge is fun to get your head around. Smiley
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JBzen
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #551 - 01/14/21 at 13:13:35
 
Quote:
Just would hate for anyone to think we're sleeping on the job around here! ; )


LOL! Who would think that.  ;)

Quote:
, ever consider boring out a block of wood?


Archie, I think that would create more work, be a waste of material, and produce an unstable product. If the TR was set in a controlled environment this would be ideal and worth a try!

Quote:
a bore through the centre the same diameter top and bottom you now have the opportunity to hold the whole assembly together using just four long bolts


SteveLuck, I think attaching the bottom of the TB driver to a tube would create a negative effect of the sound. I do like the idea of for long bolts for assembly.

IMO, offering the Tiny Radials in five or six wood species, outsourcing panel milling, and a slight redesign for assembly would meet the demand. The four panels could be assembled without the inside square dowels. The plinth could be offset with small round dowels inserted into drilled holes of the panel assembly and plinth. Fours holes can be drilled into the plinth matching the drivers mounting holes and long bolts will complete assembly. Furthermore a special lens mount could be created/printed tieing into the assembly bolts.

This would change the appearance slightly.

John

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Steve Deckert
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #552 - 01/14/21 at 21:14:00
 
Quote:
Steve, ever consider boring out a block of wood?


That's how I made the first pair or prototypes but I couldn't find a bit that was long enough and the right diameter.

Steve
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JBzen
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Reply #553 - 01/15/21 at 19:03:46
 
But...cut the block of wood length wise in half then flip the pieces and glue. Mount the wood in a lathe and gouge out one end as far as possible making a flare. Using a drill press with a bit the size of the driver drill out the other end. The result will resist warping but still be time consuming.  I may give this a try when time permits.

John
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #554 - 02/06/21 at 03:38:22
 

Oddly enough I have a 2-5/8 bit on the way. It will have to be sharp to deal with exotic end-grain. Anyway If I can drill a solid block I will try that again and see how it compares to the now refined standard 4 panel method.

I should think the final result of drilling a solid block would be superior based on my work with the cast resin Tiny Radials. Those have a round interior giving the maximum amount of mass possible for the shape to work.

I got to listen to one, this one, and it's pretty interesting.  It's sooo clean.  Probably the best bass as well.  The wood has more midrange which is actually the wood itself vibrating, but it's not as clean.  I like both.  You need both ; )



I have been balls deep in molds.  The learning curve sucks, like all learning curves we hate to invest the time... can't we just download the experience into our brain somehow? ; )

Anyway, I've done six prototypes and 3 molds, all were almost good. Along the way is experimenting with both the casting resins and the mold materials. Holy crap is it expensive. I have a real good feeling about the investment though.

You can see in the picture that the mold, which btw took me 3 tries to make an absolutely perfect Tiny Radial. Perfect height, width, depth, and perfectly flat on all four faces, and perfectly square with perfect edges top and bottom. It's so hard to do. When I say perfect, I mean +/- 5 thousandths. Once I managed that a week later, I realized the wood grain was all wrong. I used African Paduke.  So then I started over and made a perfect one in walnut. And it IS perfect. So now I'm working on the molds but even this first attempt when painted black would fool most into thinking it's real wood. Until you pick it up of course and or knock on it. Dead as a tree.

So I've been busy.  Also there is more good news... see the following posts.




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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #555 - 02/06/21 at 03:54:04
 



I now have high quality solid nylon Tiny Radial Lenses available on the Tiny Radial Page.  This means you can purchase them and stack them for more treble response as talked about earlier in this thread.

Steve


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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #556 - 02/06/21 at 04:00:03
 

I have someone on standby to do the hydro-dipping and finishing. He's good, and expensive. So a lot of things are happening.



After doing a few myself to see what one might look like I loved it and knew I had to find a professional. I think this is going to be really good.




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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #557 - 02/06/21 at 04:04:15
 




I also have the solid steel 85mm plinths available on the site. These can be sanded and finished to look just like the original wood plinths but add a shit load of weight to the Tiny Radial giving it a more solid sound.

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Reply #558 - 02/06/21 at 11:23:28
 
Evolution at it's best!
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #559 - 02/06/21 at 13:21:40
 
Steve,
You know that I used to make molds for a living?
I just thought that I would bring that up.
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Archie
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #560 - 02/06/21 at 18:06:01
 
You'll put lights inside, of course! Cool
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #561 - 03/01/21 at 03:51:55
 

I have been, despite the apparent stagnation, very productive with the Tiny Radial Project. I have finally after. 6 weeks and a dumpster full of failures... perfected the holy grail mold after making five less than perfect prototypes and trying 6 different resins.  

I'm so excited because in the smooth mold I cast a dozen tiny radials with polyurethane resin made in the USA that just rocks! These are on their way to my hydro dipper guru in Chicago to be dolled up and will soon be showing up on the Tiny Radial page for sale.

Meanwhile I have the more important of the the two, which is a perfect silicon mold of just the right thickness with a perfect wood grain print that is so accurate you can't tell it's not real wood. I knew it was possible, but it only took countless failures to realize.

Anyway, today I finally cast the first test in a pure white resin so that I could dye the grain print to examine it for defects. When you use a black resin, it looks great even when it's not. So this is to magnify errors. Also the resin is waterproof and the dye is water based, so it just beads up on the surface. You have to wipe it continually until it drys which takes about 10 minutes. So it's not about making it look good it's about getting it into the pours to inspect the grain print.



So you can see it passes. It's just weird because this is a walnut grain pattern in what appears to be a light colored wood.






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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #562 - 03/01/21 at 04:02:07
 







Here is another view where I sanded the top of the cabinet to reveal the white resin underneath the dye.


You can see there is a 2-5/8" cardboard tube cast into the enclosure. Remember, sound takes on the characteristic of of the last surface it contacts. We want the sound inside the enclosure to be smooth and taunt since it comes out of the bottom of the enclosure.

The unit behind this is made from white oak with a steel plinth.

These cast models will be a far deader enclosure than the wood models and have more accuracy, less distortion.  In some cases this will come off as less midrange, because the wood becomes part of the midrange. I love the sound of both for different reasons and could live with either.  

I should be able to make black walnut cast models as kind of a standard unit for the cast series that will greatly help with the demand for Tiny Radials.  Those will start appearing on the page for sale in about 4 weeks or so.

So hang in there, there will be more Tiny Radials on the page for sale in both the resin and wood very soon!  And they just keep getting better and more diverse!

Wait until you see the hyro-dipped high density resin models that are in the works! These too will be showing up on the page around the same time.

Steve



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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #563 - 03/01/21 at 04:29:10
 
Quote:
You know that I used to make molds for a living?
I just thought that I would bring that up.


Donnie, is that why you have that giant thing still stuck to your head?

Steve
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HockessinKid
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #564 - 03/01/21 at 16:04:42
 
Steve,

I was glad to see your update on the tiny radials project and progress you've made resin compounds & molds. It appears your creating what I can best describe as yet another incredible product for music lovers with limited budgets, but discerning ears. Thanks for all you and the Decware team do!

HK
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #565 - 03/03/21 at 03:23:08
 
Quote:
UPDATE on the Super Heavies

I weighed a Bubbinga Tiny Radial as a reference at it came out to 589 grams (1.3 lbs)

I weighed the extra thick Bocote at 884 (1.95 lbs)

Then I replaced the wood plinth with a solid steel plinth like the one Donnie posted a while back.  It alone weighs 498 grams (1.1 lbs).

So the total weight of the Super Heavy came to 1383 Grams (3.05 lbs.).  :)    

...it's an ass kicker too!


We have a new champion...

I have found new resins and the most hateful one to work with so far was a mineral resin that is like thick honey.  Not what you want when you're going for a bubble free finish without a pressure chamber... which I have btw, but have not used as of yet because I've been using low viscosity resins that are about like water for 2 minutes... and then they slowly turn to rock.

Anyway, this mineral resin was the cause of 2 of my countless failures, but now that I finally have a perfect mold I decided to use up whats left and make a single Tiny Radial with it. That way I could hear what it sounds like.

This stuff is like stone when it cures. So dense. So I put it together tonight to pair with my previous resin prototype so I could at least hear a pair of Tiny Radials made purely from resin. Since this thing is so heavy it would be a crime not to use the steel plinth, so of course I did.  

The final weight of this Tiny Radial came to 3500 Grams (7.716 lbs.) !!!

It is the one on the right. That beige is the natural color of the mineral resin and it is the first Tiny Radial to be cast in the perfect mold.  A mold that is all I have to show after 6 weeks of failed prototypes. I estimate this single mold to be worth about $5K.



The black prototype on the left is more like the resin I intend to use and it sounds great as well. It weighed in at a very respectable 2800 Grams (6.7 lbs.) !!!

The interior of these is round and cardboard lined - cast right into the resin - but the density of the enclosure is now so great that the energy is reflected back into the interior instead of being released through the wood at lower midrange frequencies. To fix that a foam absorber is inserted into 50% of the interior which turns those frequencies into heat. I was shocked how well that worked. When things are this miniaturized everything gets magnified... kind of ironic.

Anyway, we need to have a discussion about the sound.


Steve

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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #566 - 03/03/21 at 03:52:08
 

I made some videos with the phone again, out of amazement just like the very first pair of Tiny Radials that started all this.  I will post those soon.

When I had only one Resin model and used a Wood model for the other channel,  I was kind of on the fence as to which one I liked better.  The wood was more lively and had more midrange coming out of it.  The Resin was smoother and a lot cleaner.

So tonight, like so many evenings before, I sit here next to a pair giving them the acid test which is listening with the 2 watt Zen Triode directly connected to the 2 volt DAC and with no subwoofer.

It is the first time to actually hear a pair or resin models together without the disarming distraction of hearing more midrange and distortion from one side always making the other side sound a little weak. I guess the first thing that comes to mind to say about the sound, is that they almost don't sound like the same speakers. They do, but just so much more refined. It's just almost hard to believe.

They sound extraordinarily rich, warm, fluid, texturally exquisite, pristine. The wood ones make your face hurt from smiling so much, these won't do that. These are going to make your face melt from disbelief.

Listening to these as the evening progresses is getting me off really hard.  I just wasn't expecting this.  I've always loved these Tiny Radials but nothing is perfect, and those had no business sounding even 10% as good as they do.  So when I heard little distortions in the midrange midbass areas from the wood I just subconsciously excused it.

So I listen tonight and that same program is running in the background and it keeps pinging me that there is no data.  I just don't hear ANY of those tiny distortions that I thought were a permanent part of the program : )

I always wanted to hear a completely dense enclosure like this, but life size it would have cost a small fortune.  Well, Tiny Radials just got even more fun!  And there will be better availability.

When I stand in front of these setting a foot apart on my DAC playing some nice male vocals, I actually thought for a second, boy, I wish my listening room sounded like that... but then it actually does in many ways depending on which speakers you select.  The point is the actual listening room vs. the Tiny Radials on the desktop just got a lot closer.

Steve




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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #567 - 03/03/21 at 14:07:57
 
👍👍👍

HK
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #568 - 03/04/21 at 03:02:29
 


https://decware.wistia.com/medias/vyoh8jcq7w

https://decware.wistia.com/medias/n1ktxphqif

https://decware.wistia.com/medias/1k7i0rlopp

These are the first three songs I heard on this pair of high density, high performance, solid cast-resin Tiny Radials.

Tonight I am finishing the first production model based on these prototypes. It's really coming together great too! Something is helping me. Things like the perfect black resin that is working too good to be true, the way the binding posts are now pounded in under high compression and soldered directly with no hardware, the way the driver fits perfectly into the cardboard sleeve which self-centers it with a very snug fit,  the way the screws hold in this resin.  The way the sleeve controls expansion and contraction of the the cabinet against the driver. The way the sticks were eliminated from the design, replaced by 70 hardness clear rubber feet that now set on the plinth which has it's own 20 hardness black rubber feet. This totally changes the dynamics of how energy moves. The way that the final mold came out so perfect that not even Bob Ziegler would be able to tell these weren't solid walnut painted black. The way the damn things sound, and the way the power handling increased. They way the distortion dropped, and the resolution and imaging increased. Need I go on?  

If there's one thing I've learned since starting Decware and that is that the Audio Gods appreciate persistence and when they are pleased with result of your labors they let you know directly with a series of overwhelming things (results) that were unlikely to ever happen by chance. Remember, Audio Gods put faint thoughts in your mind. These compete with loud thoughts of your own. When you become attentive to this over and above your own ego, it gets their attention.  All great ideas happen like this, it's just that many of us don't realize we didn't think of it, more like we heard it and then repeated it.  When you give credit to the actual source, it makes great things happen.

Steve





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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #569 - 03/04/21 at 04:47:14
 
I'm listening to them right now on some Bob Moses at a level that would normally have the lighter woods nearly jumping off the table. I can't detect even a hint of distortion. Everything is as solid as a rock.  Something wonderful is happening here... I think we should consider tracking down the engineer of this amazing 1.5" Wideband driver and send him a pair of these speakers.

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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #570 - 03/04/21 at 05:16:25
 
On a more serious note, anyone who has spent some time on the site, reading my articles, reading posts from people on this forum who has connected with the concept of this ultra-holographic sound stage that is somehow possible in a perfect dedicated listening space with only one chair in the middle, and quadratic diffusion on all four walls with treatments on the floors and ceiling... and yes, btw, it's heavily, but 95% of us/you will never experience it because of real-estate/economic conditions.  It's so sad, because when you experience it, life takes on another level of sparkle and dimension...

Well, here it is.  A pair of these, and a SE84UFO amplifier, which is what I'm listening to now, in fact it is a 2002 model that my wife DeVon built that is still ticking without a single glitch.  Anyway, point is, that a Zen amp and a pair of Tiny Radials setting on your table, or your computer desk, or on the arms of your recliner, or on the kitchen counter, bedroom dresser, it won't matter, because music will float in hyper specific 3D space that is miniaturized in presentation and maximized in space no matter where you sit, stand or rest.  It is the actual 3D sound stage that we all chase in our listening rooms reproduced 2 feet away from you and sounding like it's a 100 feet wide and 90 feet deep and 20 feet high.  Also when you move, it doesn't.  Just like real life.  You can clearly hear that in the videos.  It's a real testament to omnidirectional sound.

I am just amazed after all this journey with the Tiny Radial Project, that a 1.5" driver could have this kind of bass and dynamics.  The highs and midrange are disarming, the sounds so fast. Bells and chimes are so real you jump and turn to see who/what is there.

So if a guy came to me and said what is the rock bottom way cost wise to experience nirvana without using headphones and without having a good room and big speakers... I would say get a pair of these Tiny Radials, a 2.3 watt Decware amplifier and a DAC or Streamer to plug straight into the amp and set them on a table or desk. Set up to the desk or table. Press play. Have your mind blown. Blow it a second time by adding a sub.

It will be a real lesson in room acoustics because you can be sure your room never imaged as well and it wouldn't matter what you have spent in gear.  Literally a guy could be setting at his kitchen table or bar with a pair of Tiny Radials and a Zen Triode amp and be hearing things that his friends don't hear with their very expensive systems. And I mean very expensive.

This kind of imaging is what hooked me into this hobby because it was so beyond anything you would normally hear with a pair of speakers 3 feet from a wall in a persons home. Headphones won't do this either. Although good, this is hyper real and the depth is limited only by the recording.
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #571 - 03/04/21 at 05:40:27
 


https://decware.wistia.com/medias/9gi02rc95r

The yellow link above is a video of the first production model of the High Performance Cast Resin and Steel Tiny Radial. When you watch the video you will see not only how perfect the original was but how perfect the mold was. This is what I knew was possible by someone who knew what they were doing, like perhaps Donnie. Don't worry Donnie I'm sure my garbage man wondered what the hell hit the dumpster recently and I told him my friend Donnie could have prevented it but Covid kept him away.

As you can see in the picture above, the cabinet sets on the steel plinth and the plinth sets on the surface. Both are so heavy they don't move but they are not glued together. This works to decouple the cabinet from the surface, especially if the surface is something flimsy. Some of the energy is absorbed by steel plinth and some reflected back to the absorber inside the cabinet. This is different than having it couple more directly to the surface it sets on.  

Smiley
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Reply #572 - 03/04/21 at 10:23:07
 
Nice work Steve!
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #573 - 03/04/21 at 11:47:35
 
Steve,

I was told long ago that a true craftsman stood head and shoulders above his lesser peers because he was standing on his pile of scrap.

We learn by doing, we can sit around and debate until our ears fall off, but until someone puts things into action nothing really progresses.

The whole secret is being able to overcome your inevitable mistakes and fix them in a way that improves the product. It also helps to do this in a manor that is still profitable!
My bosses have always stressed the profitable part.

One of the greatest lessons that I have ever learned is a time where I made a drastic mistake on a gigantic piece of steel. I was prepared to be fired as it was probably a $20K mistake.
The boss came in and looked at what I had done and said "OK it has happened, no going back on that, so what do we do to fix it?). It was a great relief to me and we soon came up with a plan to fix the part and move on.
I learned, he learned and we still made money on the project.
And I know now to double check things a little closer than I had before.
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #574 - 03/04/21 at 13:03:06
 
Ah Donnie!
I remember racking a roof after a weekend of decking and wall constructon with a gang of helpers. Being left with 3 helpers the boss put me in charge with plans and verbal picture on the roof construction. I proceeded to make framing out of 2×6 called for in the plans for the ceiling joist and nailed the ends to a 2×6 on edge ontop of the floor plates! Then carrying on with roof rafters birds mouth cut into 2×6 ceiling rafter box progress was to the point of sheating when the boss show up. He was not too happy with what he saw at first. He questioned me on why the roof was now going to be 5 1/4" more in elevation! I did not have an answer. Then he said that we can just add a soilder course on the brick. The owner to this day loves that brickwork!

John
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #575 - 03/05/21 at 05:14:47
 
Tonight I'm breaking-in the first pair one of which appears in the video.  It's funny, because I've sat here and listened to 60 pair of wood Tiny Radials break-in 5 feet away from me and some nights I was amazed and some nights I wasn't.  Those nights were followed by days of break-in before they sounded good.

These resin units don't seem to break-in.  So what was breaking-in on the wood ones, the wood?  Right now I am running them with the subwoofer to check the blend and I have to say that the combination sounds like a very sophisticated hi-end system MUCH larger than it actually is and that's where I think the fun in all this is.   These are wicked little speakers.

Steve
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #576 - 03/05/21 at 12:24:14
 
Quote:
So what was breaking-in on the wood ones, the wood?


Could be the stresses of the assembly of wood are easing in with sweet vibrations together with the variety of materials being assembled in the wood TRs.

Resin, resin, and more resin...not much to break the ice!

Smiley

John
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #577 - 03/06/21 at 16:18:01
 
Well I just ordered up a pair on the TangBand drivers.
Lets see how I can screw this up.
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #578 - 03/07/21 at 04:07:01
 
The next batch of steel plinths I will have machined with the chamfer and the brushed finish.  I can do it by hand but results are somewhat effected by how much time I want to spend trying to get it perfect.  That will probably double the cost of those, but in this new design they are the focal point so it might be well worth it.  The speaker now works well with or without the plinth, the plinth just adds refinement by decoupling midrange frequencies from your desktop.





The current plinths are laser cut, or perhaps water jet. That's why there is a line in the center where the cutting starts.

I am still really getting off on the grain in this particular resin.  To make the actual real walnut model, I used only linseed oil as a finish. The kind that never dries.  That is what gave the mold such a deep grain.  And the resin is a perfect Matt finish with perfect color consistency.  Stained walnut would never be like that.  Painted walnut is also never like this because the paint fills in part of the grain reducing the dynamic contrast.  This is a look that you can't actually get from wood.  To maintain it you can use anything that doesn't build up, like armor all, furniture oils, light waxes that don't build up, some mist on high tech car polishes, or just soap and water.

These will be available with or without the plinth.  Also the plinths are available separately so if you get one without and decide to add one later it's no problem.

Steve
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #579 - 03/09/21 at 00:25:36
 
  With all the emphasis on density of the Tiny Radial enclosure, it occurred to me to try casting them in cement. Concrete has been used in Thiel and B&W speakers at times. It has nearly three times the density of high density resin and essentially costs nothing. So with a milk carton as a mold, six cups of Portland cement, a 2.5 inch cardboard tube, some damping material and a TangBand driver all x 2. The dimensions are essentially identical to Steve's. These are prototypes with no consideration for aesthetics whatsoever at this juncture although I would christen them "The Bauhaus Edition" as they are solid blocks of concrete. I would include photos, but the method to do so is not comprehensible to me as yet.
   How do the sound? Rather trebly with a lack of bass, but very detailed. The lenses and a subwoofer may radically alter this sound along with countless other tweaks. They could never be made for commerce  due to the shipping weight and the liability issue should the speaker fall on the purchaser's foot.
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #580 - 03/11/21 at 02:09:09
 
Welcome to the forum!
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #581 - 03/11/21 at 02:19:38
 
Already tired of hand-finishing and sealing steel plinths, not to mention having them come unglued on the wood models.  So I am moving from laser cutting to full 3 axis machining.  These will be pre-finished with a metallic grey powder coat to match the binding posts.



A lot of the additional costs of improving these are being washed by lower labor costs.

Anyway, the first batch of these new high performance models sold out on the first day so we're working on adding more as always : )

Steve





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Reply #582 - 03/11/21 at 22:52:38
 
Hey Steve,

I ordered a pair of your resin Tiny Radials a few days ago  They will go on my desk and be used as computer speakers, at least that is the current plan.  Would like to use a small solid state amp that can remain on 24/7.  Do you have any recommendations?

Thanks,
Scott
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #583 - 03/11/21 at 23:49:36
 
I am not Steve, but can recommend DAL Audio from personal experience. I owned one of their amps and have visited their shop. Nice product and people.

https://dalaudio.com/
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #584 - 04/06/21 at 16:07:18
 
I bought a pair of these Decware Tiny Radials to use as desktop speakers.  This led to a realization with them that amp synergy is a very real issue.  Have driven them with a Loxjie A10 amp ($60 on Amazon) and Vista Audio Spark ($389 from Audio Art Cable).  The Loxjie class D amp is hands down better sounding than the much more expensive Vista class A/B amp with these speakers.  The Vista amp was very bass light.
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #585 - 04/06/21 at 16:56:20
 

I have so far put a dozen pair of the HP Tiny Radials on the page and they have all vanished as fast as I put them there. Since both the cream colored ones and the black ones are all the same there is no reason to list them each separately as I do the wood ones so it may look like nothing is actually happening.  The only way to tell is to add them to cart and see if there is any in stock.  

This weekend I'll start another batch and maybe take some pics.  Also I have a couple pair of wood ones almost complete and will have some hydro dipped models by the end of the month with any luck!

Steve
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #586 - 04/13/21 at 04:01:03
 


UPDATE APRIL 2021


I have been training a Tiny Radial Elf in the finer arts of assembly which is helping immensely. He has the touch. You can see Tiny Radials on his bench.




Because of his help I have been able to put new Tiny Radials on the page at a rate of every few days, and usually not a single pair, but many. This continues, as we are working on another dozen pair, half of them are black and half of them are cream colored.








Soon I hope to have the machined steel plinths in stock, although with these resin models the plinth is optional for a reason. it would greatly help the wood models which are much lighter in weight.

Certainly optional is the ideal because then you can choose to energize the surface they set on, or decouple the speakers from it. Your choice. This is really helping to relieve the demand from what is becoming one of the most stalked pages on the Internet it seems.

So, it continues, and continues to grow and get better as we go !  







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Reply #587 - 04/13/21 at 04:37:32
 

EVEN BIGGER UPDATE!

For those who have been following this thread it is beginning to become understood that mass benefits this design by giving it more substantial bass performance and improving power handling to allow you to play them louder. And that there are many differences in the sound of the various woods at various thickness vs. different kinds of resins at different densities.

After hearing the changes resin models made to the sound, my mind went back to how can I make wood sound more like this, or better phrased, how can I make the solid wood Tiny Radials denser / thicker.

I came to the conclusion that if it wouldn't block the passive radiator too much, a full 3/4 of an inch instead of 3/8 of an inch would probably be ideal, but you would have to have a way to bore a hole in the end for the driver.

I tried this on several occasions myself, although with a mindset of boring through a solid block of wood and then tapering the sides into a Tiny Radial.

I failed every time because I don't have a real drill press.  Never realized I would need one.  My drill press is an entry level model that works great for bit diameters up to about 1 inch., or so I have come to realize.

Inject into the story a small German much like myself with that death grip on precision and an instant connection was realized which lead to a business relationship that developed into building all of our stock hardwood amp bases.  

Over the years the problem has been that because he is so good, he is so busy I actually feel guilty asking him to make our bases.

Nevertheless I can see he hates his job - custom cabinet jobs from HDTV indoctrinated customers driving him crazy year after year... so I have been trying to entice him to build more stuff for us.

Finally, I drove my ass over to his shop with a pair of Tiny Radials that I made, and explained that I would order no less than 20 pair at a time and there are no crazy designers or customers to deal with...  It's not final yet, but that German ability to always build something better than someone else - something I recognized in him and Bob Ziegler for that matter -

I'm pretty sure the way it went down is that one weekend he just said screw it, I need some my-time, doing something fun for once... We've all been there.

And sure enough, something wonderful happened... The Tiny Radial I left there with him, which was pretty damn good btw, challenged him to try and make a better one.  So he actually went for it and built them better than I do.  (I knew he could)  So as I write this I am listening to them and they sound EXTREMELY good.  It's the presence of the wood and the density blended in a way that is making me re-evalute things.  They are only half as heavy as my resin models with the steel plinth glued to the bottom... yet they somehow seem to sound just as good... without a plinth. 





See the corner pieces of darker wood reminiscent of the original Tiny Radials?  In this design, they are not needed, yet they are there... and better yet is how are they there... it's a little tricky.  That's the Audio Gods communicating to me through his ego.  Glad to see they are still following this project, which has had their insights from the beginning.

This may well be the second Tiny Radial Elf to join the team before it over.  Just wait to you see and here these things...



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Reply #588 - 04/13/21 at 04:47:40
 



Here is the bottom view of the raw enclosure at a full .75 inch / 19mm thick.  Also the scalloped leg design was his own, and like the resin Tiny Radials, these will work with or without a plinth.

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Reply #589 - 04/13/21 at 04:49:03
 




That beautiful washed out pale blue maple finish in the background pair waiting for drivers...






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Reply #590 - 04/13/21 at 04:51:31
 



Just to state to obvious - a modern day trend - here is the bottom and top view.





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Reply #591 - 04/13/21 at 04:56:24
 



There is something really right about this. You can see it. The Audio Gods were taking his skills and resources and making this happen.  

My thought right now is lets go all in and create such a high demand that I can go to him and say I want 40 pairs.  He won't be able to say no to that.

Steve

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Reply #592 - 04/13/21 at 05:00:45
 

So, this was a complete surprise for me today.  I had no idea if the Tiny Radial tease I left there on his desk over a month ago would entice him against all odds of a schedule of insanity.  If you think COVID jacked DECWARE through the roof, you should see what it has done to home remodeling and custom cabinetry.

I will be posting some Youtube videos of how these sound soon.  Because of all your enthusiasm for these extremely cool little speakers the Audio Gods are making chess moves.


Steve



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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #593 - 04/13/21 at 05:17:19
 
Quote:
I bought a pair of these Decware Tiny Radials to use as desktop speakers.  This led to a realization with them that amp synergy is a very real issue.  Have driven them with a Loxjie A10 amp ($60 on Amazon) and Vista Audio Spark ($389 from Audio Art Cable).  The Loxjie class D amp is hands down better sounding than the much more expensive Vista class A/B amp with these speakers.  The Vista amp was very bass light.


Hi Scott,

Your observation is spot on, also speaker cable has a HUGE effect on the bass weight of these speakers.  You can already see how a guy with the right cable and the right amp could get to goal for 100.00 while the wrong amp with the wrong wire could cost ten Times amount and not sound as good.  It is possible.  

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Reply #594 - 04/13/21 at 12:32:09
 
Interesting how he cut, molded and reassembled the block of wood and added tenons to boot. Very stable product. Looks good. I may take his lead when building the desktop units. Great craftsmanship!

John
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Reply #595 - 04/14/21 at 05:55:51
 
Indeed,

In a world where there is only a 1 in 10 chance of getting a good McDonnalds breakfast in the drive through it restores my confidence in humanity to see real craftsmanship.

Steve
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Reply #596 - 04/14/21 at 06:05:52
 

So good news, there will be 20 pair of these wonderful hardwood versions for sale on the Tiny Radial page at some point this Spring as we were able to send off a P.O. for them today!  

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Reply #597 - 04/14/21 at 06:11:24
 
Also another batch of High Performance Resin models are nearing completion.



Steve  :)

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Reply #598 - 04/14/21 at 13:31:34
 
Surprised you give a 10% chance of a good breakfast at McDonalds. At best it is an act of desperate need to go there for that. Like no ma and pa are open.

Fresh cranberries, sliced banana, 1/4 cut mix of almonds, flax meal, pepita, sunflower kernel, a squeeze or two of honey topped with piping hot steel cut oats...now that is a direct comparison to craftsmanship!   Grin

John
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Re: Steve's TINY RADIAL project!
Reply #599 - 04/14/21 at 15:24:28
 
Perfection in a tortilla.



Give me 3 of those and a large ice tea!
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