Hello from Wisconsin...

**davepete** · **11-26-06, 06:52 PM**

Hello,
I stumbled across this forum today and found some interesting discussions. I own a startup home theater loudspeaker business called Audio Nova. Looking forward to talking with you all!

Dave

**Wayne A. Pflughaupt** · **11-26-06, 08:28 PM**

Welcome, Dave! Post some pics of your speakers when you get a chance.

**nova** · **11-26-06, 09:24 PM**

From one Nova to another,... Welcome

**davepete** · **11-26-06, 09:57 PM**

Thanks for the welcome, guys. Wayne, I've got a few questions/observations about your house curve post to bounce off you, but I'll post them over in the other forum when I get a chance.

Right now my speakers are just prototypes, so they don't have finishes, but I'll post some pics when I get a chance.

Dave

**Sonnie** · **11-26-06, 09:57 PM**

Hi Dave and welcome to the Shack!

Look forward to seeing some of your work.

**davepete** · **11-26-06, 11:36 PM**

Thanks Sonnie! I will post some pics soon. The prototype cabinets are raw MDF at the moment, but they should give the general idea.

Dave

**Ayreonaut** · **11-27-06, 10:31 AM**

Welcome, Dave. What kind of speakers are you making?

**davepete** · **11-27-06, 11:39 AM**

Naut,
Thanks for the welcome! Are you sure you want to get me started on this subject?

My speakers are designed as theater speakers, but they certainly are excellent for audio as well. To my way of thinking, there really is little difference between the two other than theater speakers have to be able to produce SPL levels that pure audio speakers in some cases aren't required to. In any case, my model line ranges from very large, powerful floor-standing mains to small, slim versions that will hang on walls or embed inside walls. There are three model lines, all with identical voicing but different form factors. They are all built around a modified line array concept, having various numbers of midwoofers with one front (ribbon) tweeter. The larger models have more midwoofers, the smaller models have fewer. I'm using the excellent Creative Sound Solutions WR125ST as the midwoofer.

In addition to the midwoofer array, the large model line (M-series) each has dual side-firing subwoofer drivers (built by TC-Sounds) and a large plate amp (600 or 1200W). These models will have an F3 point of about 16hz and enough SPL to shake a house (and then some).

The other two lines, the ML and MS lines, omit the subwoofer section and simply incorporate the line array, operating as large satellites. They don't attempt to cover the low bass part of the audio spectrum - they need to be crossed with a sub to cover the deep stuff. The MS line has a slim depth dimension, so it can mount onwall or inwall, while the ML line is a floorstanding line ranging from models with two midwoofers up to sixteen. Of course, the package wouldn't be complete without matching, high-performance subs which are very similar to the subwoofer section of the M-series models. I personally hate bloated, boomy bass, so the bass sections of the M-series and the subs all use sealed enclosures with massively thick walls and high-performance drivers to give very high-quality, tight, fast, yet powerful bass.

Ok, you asked...

Dave

**nova** · **11-27-06, 06:18 PM**

Quote:

davepete wrote:

Ok, you asked...

Dave

Where are the pix

,... no teasing allowed.

**davepete** · **11-28-06, 02:03 PM**

Ok, ok, Nova, here are some pics.

These are only prototypes. The M480 prototype (the large speaker) has the tweeter on top of the midwoofer array - it will be changed to be in the middle to get the tweeter to ear height for a seated listener. The other speaker is a C400 center channel, again only in raw MDF finish. The C400 is very similar to the ML460, except the tweeter will be rotated 90 degrees (to be vertical when the speaker is upright) and there will be a top-mounted ambiance tweeter on the MLs.

I'll put some construction pics from an M680 in the next post.

By the way, sorry for the low quality pictures. My digital camera went belly-up, so my camcorder is doing double duty at the moment.

Dave

**davepete** · **11-28-06, 02:25 PM**

Here are some pics from a recently constructed M680 cabinet. Right now only the rear (bass) compartment of the cabinet is built, and it's currently in testing configured as a subwoofer. Note the thickness of the driver baffle - a full two inches. This speaker will be big and heavy. The last picture shows the drivers mounted in the cabinet and tucked into the corner of my listening room. I will actually have a sub model like this. By making the cabinet tall and slim, it will have a smaller in-room footprint than a typical sub. Also, separating the drivers top and bottom helps smooth out room modes a bit.

**Sonnie** · **11-28-06, 05:27 PM**

Nice work... you oughta move that over into the DIY Speaker area for others to see. I enjoy seeing multiple array speakers... we see a lot of MT and MTM's but very few with more M's.

**davepete** · **11-28-06, 07:07 PM**

Thanks Sonnie! Those extra 'M's are very important, I think. Every design decision I made on these speakers was intended to reduce distortion effects, from the driver array to the cabinet shape to the complexity and componentry of the crossover and the construction of the cabinet. I think they sound remarkably clean and pure, even at high volume levels. In fact, a friend recently remarked after an extended listening session at high volume levels that he was amazed that he noticed no ringing in his ears. I believe that's due to the low distortion sound being easier on the ears. At least that's my theory...

Those extra 'M's definitely make a difference in that respect, having a load sharing effect so each driver remains within its "comfort zone", no compressing or distorting. On the larger models there will be more 'M's, allowing even higher volume levels with same low distortion characteristics. I'm currently in the process of putting together a pair of 8 midwoofer ML speakers (the 660s). I'll be sure and post pics of them when I've got them built.

Dave

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