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CES 2016: Dayton Audio Constant Beam Transducer (CBT) Speakers

amirm

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Not sure how many of you know Don Keele or CBT technology. I will write more when I have time but this is a method by which the sound beam can be concentrated and made uniform in a truncated arc. Don has been showing this design for a while (which he perfected while at Harman) but it was always a kit. Now it comes finished for just $1,200.
093A7977.jpg
 
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amirm

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He had augmented it with a sub using a minidsp. The total package was really good! You all wanted to know about bargain products, this is it!

If you have not heard a CBT speaker, you are in a for a treat. You can walk up to the speaker from 8 feet to almost zero and the sound level does not change! Nor does its characteristics! They make really good rear speakers for multi-channel as regardless of where you sit, you get similar sound left to right.

I asked him to play music with good low end and he played a recording of drums done for him with no eq or limiter. It sounded very good!

BTW the Kit version is $600 (?) less but seeing all the work from painting to wiring I would go for the finished good.
 

RayDunzl

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watchnerd

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He had augmented it with a sub using a minidsp. The total package was really good! You all wanted to know about bargain products, this is it!

If you have not heard a CBT speaker, you are in a for a treat. You can walk up to the speaker from 8 feet to almost zero and the sound level does not change! Nor does its characteristics! They make really good rear speakers for multi-channel as regardless of where you sit, you get similar sound left to right.

I asked him to play music with good low end and he played a recording of drums done for him with no eq or limiter. It sounded very good!

BTW the Kit version is $600 (?) less but seeing all the work from painting to wiring I would go for the finished good.

The data sheet makes reference to some new Dayton brand called 'Epique', but if you go the URL you get 'Coming Soon':

http://www.daytonaudio.com/index.php/epique

Any insight on Epique from the room?
 

Sal1950

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$1200 each or pair? Including the sub?
Not a rap but isn't this just another play on a line source design?
 

watchnerd

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$1200 each or pair? Including the sub?
Not a rap but isn't this just another play on a line source design?

Looks like it to me. I'm not getting what makes it special / different from other line stages.

Other than the underwater driver...and not sure why that would be a desirable attribute.
 

RayDunzl

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RayDunzl

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Do you know what is meant by 'shaded' in that graphic?

Electronic signal delay, I think. Maybe wrong.

Intensity differences among drivers - intensity shading

Curved - divergence shading
 
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amirm

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Do you know what is meant by 'shaded' in that graphic?
Yes. Shading means changing the output level as the arc moves back. I think this design is -6 db and -12 db for the upper clusters respectively.

The math is based on Legendre function:

upload_2017-1-7_23-23-45.png


The order determines the beam pattern. Out of that you can compute the shading (level decrease). Here is an example from Don's presentation:

upload_2017-1-7_23-22-43.png


Here is the directivity without shading:

upload_2017-1-7_23-25-31.png



Notice the chewed up response as frequencies go up. Here it is with shading:

upload_2017-1-7_23-26-7.png


There is still change but it is very smooth.
 
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amirm

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$1200 each or pair? Including the sub?
$1,200 for a pair. The sub is also a very cheap DIY. They sell you the box and this large woofer to go with it.
 
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amirm

amirm

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Looks like it to me. I'm not getting what makes it special / different from other line stages.

Other than the underwater driver...and not sure why that would be a desirable attribute.
Line drivers claim to do this but they do not. CBTs produce a constant beam that is independent of frequency. See the unshaded responses above as an example of what people call a "line source" versus CBT.
 

watchnerd

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Yes. Shading means changing the output level as the arc moves back. I think this design is -6 db and -12 db for the upper clusters respectively.

The math is based on Legendre function:

View attachment 4424

The order determines the beam pattern. Out of that you can compute the shading (level decrease). Here is an example from Don's presentation:

View attachment 4423

Here is the directivity without shading:

View attachment 4425


Notice the chewed up response as frequencies go up. Here it is with shading:

View attachment 4426

There is still change but it is very smooth.

Thank you for that answer.
 

beefkabob

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$1450 for a finished pair now. Does that make them competitive at all, considering you still need a sub and a a miniDSP, or just an interesting sideshow?
 

watchnerd

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$1450 for a finished pair now. Does that make them competitive at all, considering you still need a sub and a a miniDSP, or just an interesting sideshow?

Total sideshow.

Doesn't fit the lifestyle niche (too big and weird looking) of blue-tooth/wifi ready high end speakers (LS50W, Xeos, etc), nor the consumer smart speaker niche.

Nor does it fit any of the typical audiophile niches for big expensive separates and passive speakers.
 
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