2/3/4/5 way horn build

It all started out as a pair of conicals on top of GRF's used as bass bins.

12 compound angle petals

http://inlinethumb42.webshots.com/33...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb21.webshots.com/12...600x600Q85.jpg

Glued

http://inlinethumb30.webshots.com/28...600x600Q85.jpg

Used 2 pack filler to make smooth transition from 12 sides to round - the throat is the key or else they sound weird / possibly honk.

Loaded with a JBL 2435Be compression driver

up and running

http://inlinethumb35.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg


As a 3 way - time aligned (crucial for really cohesive sound)

http://inlinethumb34.webshots.com/32...600x600Q85.jpg

on to 4 way

http://inlinethumb16.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb40.webshots.com/45...600x600Q85.jpg

The mid horns are 76cm long and weigh ~25kgs.

GRF cabs with Eminence Kappa Pro LFII drivers upto 330Hz
Mid horn JBL 2482 driver , 330Hz upto 1250Hz
Upper mid JBL2435Be 1250Hz - 9000Hz
Eminence cheaper tweeter 9000Hz - 20000Hz

A pair

http://inlinethumb17.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

Thinking about the mid bass now - front loading
Modelling it


http://inlinethumb56.webshots.com/44...600x600Q85.jpg

Cutting out

http://inlinethumb30.webshots.com/45...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/48...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb30.webshots.com/47...600x600Q85.jpg

Back chamber for a Eminence Kappa 15"

http://inlinethumb46.webshots.com/10...600x600Q85.jpg

Installed

http://inlinethumb25.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

Big - 92cm mouth, ~1.3m long
http://inlinethumb52.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

Quick lash up for a test

http://inlinethumb62.webshots.com/29...600x600Q85.jpg

To Be Continued

Now as a 5 way with the GRF's filling in the bass

http://inlinethumb40.webshots.com/31...600x600Q85.jpg

Mid bass 90Hz to 330Hz
GRF 90Hz and below.

Now for some tapped horns. Modelled from 22Hz to 90Hz nicely

http://inlinethumb22.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb29.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb55.webshots.com/47...600x600Q85.jpg

Reusing the 15" Eminence LFII's as they modelled best out of the many drivers I tried.

http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/48...600x600Q85.jpg

URL=http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2772892850071997495gQVzWA]http://inlinethumb27.webshots.com/48...600x600Q85.jpg[/URL]

http://inlinethumb64.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb03.webshots.com/45...600x600Q85.jpg

Amplification - I moved from 1 amp with 5 way crossover and lots of L-pads to 5 amps with no L-Pads (L-pads on compression drivers are the work of the devil).

http://inlinethumb16.webshots.com/49...600x600Q85.jpg

Tapped and mid bass amps are Topping TP-60 50wpc into 8ohm.
Mid and upper mid horns are Icon Audio EL84 5W SET amps.
Tweeter has a TP22 T-amp still...

The dinky Set amps

http://inlinethumb51.webshots.com/47...600x600Q85.jpg

The T-amps
http://inlinethumb27.webshots.com/47...600x600Q85.jpg

Stands (the wood ones were just lash-ups)
http://inlinethumb17.webshots.com/50...600x600Q85.jpg

Trial hanging

http://inlinethumb54.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

As Marco heard them just before Christmas

http://inlinethumb46.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

U-bolt hangers - adjustment by ratchet spanner.

http://inlinethumb27.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

Xmas reading up on horn mouth termination. Testing it first

http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

Then do it proper - upper mids

http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/48...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb29.webshots.com/47...600x600Q85.jpg

Liked the results so on to Mid horns too

http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/47...600x600Q85.jpg

(Note tweeter is now a borrowed JBL2405 (16ohm)

Next evolution was the tweeters. The JBL2405's are not bad - they just did not quite keep up with the 2435Be's.

Enter the Raal Lazy Ribbon's

http://inlinethumb34.webshots.com/49...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb41.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

These went in last night and need proper time alignment and more space (raising the upper mid and mid horns a bit more) but already it's very promising.

This kit now plays with a scale and finesse that I've not heard anywhere before.

Now I need to calm down a bit for a while I think... and just listen.

But a few things on the to do list are:
1. Raise the horns a bit more
2. Time align properly
3. Try LR crossover on the tapped horns
4. Try a SET on the Raal's & acquire said if it does the business
5. Curve the mouths on the bass horns (more for aesthetics than anything)

Wrong thread Steve?

Love the work on the horn mouths. :eek:

Fantastic work, Steve! I can see that an ebony armboard would be entirely trivial for you. I'd love a quick listen to your system when I pop over next week :)

Oops sorry for that.
Thought I'd put that lot into the DIY gallery one - my mistake:oops:

Perhaps a mod can move it all? I've PM'd Marco.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by howlindawg

Wrong thread Steve?

Love the work on the horn mouths. :eek:

---

Yeah course. I'll have the ribbons on full song by then...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MartinT

Fantastic work, Steve! I can see that an ebony armboard would be entirely trivial for you. I'd love a quick listen to your system when I pop over next week :)

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Any chance of an in room response Steve?

I have some I did a while back & will look them out but I don't have the measuring equip any more to do it. I hope to borrow it again and check time alignments.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sq225917

Any chance of an in room response Steve?

---

Wow. Nothing like a permanent Horn.:lol:

Blame Marco for this, he's corrupting me in the Three Word daily thread.

Seriously though, they look Truly stunning, I'm in total awe with some of the DIY on AoS
Congrats on the skill/workmanship involved, i take my hat off to you sir.

Well on the to do list I did the following today.

1. Raise the horns a bit more - (tick) It improved the cohesion and I like to see all of the horns form the listening chair they should not overlap in my opinion)
2. Time align properly - (tick but not measured) Def improved the sound. When right or close to things just snap into focus and sound right.
3. Try LR crossover on the tapped horns - (awaiting components)
4. Try a SET on the Raal's & acquire said if it does the business - (hmm sounds so good as is just now)
5. Curve the mouths on the bass horns (more for aesthetics than anything) - (someday)

The Raal Lazy Ribbons are just sublime - they do so much right, spot on and great immediacy with finesse. I did not realise how much they would actually do for the system. You think 9000Hz up well... But it is critical.

More listening tomorrow of course.