"ESSentielle" DIY Floor Speakers with ESS Heil AMT3, based on MHP project.

[daniboun]

Hi amigos,

Let me introduce my new DIY floor speakers (2.5 way) based on the "ESSentielle ADS" diagram of "la maison du haut parleur" (MHP)
The cabinetmaking is made of French Ash wood with a vertical grain. (25mm)
These speakers are based on the famous ESS Heil AMT 3 Tweeter (latest generation) and two Satori MW16PNW-8 Woofers in Egyptian Papyrus whose measurements are here:

http://www.loudspeakerdatabase.com/SB/MW16P#8Ω

The Crossover was the subject of a patent after two years of R&D with a gain adjustment, it is manufactured by the "Maison du Haut Parleur" in Toulouse, still in France. It has been specially developed to get the best out of the ESS Heil AMT3 Tweeter.
This Crossover is mounted with discrete SMD type components. The Woofer part is filtered at 6DB / octave with two Jantzen Selfs (Grade 1B copper wire @ 3% / 0.10 Ω) with a very low DCR.
Here are the cutoff frequencies:

385HZ/1700HZ.

Bass Woofer can go down to 32HZ @ +-3DB
I wouldn't be very objective if I gave my opinion, would I?))) But I'm in love with Heil AMT3 Tweeters and I must admit that the first time I listened to these speakers, I took a real slap!
The Satori Woofers seem to marry very well with the ESS Tweeter, the listening is musical, detailed and of a beautiful straightness.

For ESS fans : you can listen to the DIY kit in Paris / Toulouse and in Lyon if you are ever passing through) They are available in a version with a different cabinetry and less elegant than my DIY version but listening and electronics remain the same.

And here are the pictures

SPECIAL Thanks to Anthony if you read me )) #fan de l'atelier des Apôtres"

 

[digitalfrost]

They are very pretty. Is there a reason for the high distance between the drivers? At least from tweeter to midrange I would have expected closer spacing between the two.

 

[daniboun]

They are very pretty. Is there a reason for the high distance between the drivers? At least from tweeter to midrange I would have expected closer spacing between the two.

Indeed, when modeling these loudspeakers, I thought of a scalable system with internal shelves to be able to change the size of the loudspeakers if I had to modify them taking into account the load volume

 

[daniboun]

Some other pictures

 

[Mr. Widget]

Very nice project!

 

[albertogoldoni]

Many compliments for this amazing project! I am a big fan of the Heil Tweeter.
I have two questions:
1) is it possible to have the schematics of the xover?
2) how you found the covers for the two midwoofers (i suppose that they are magnetic...)

best regards

 

[daniboun]

Hi,

Many thanks.
The crossover was developed by Hervé Breton of MHP Toulouse (France). Unfortunately, the diagram is not public and he asked me to respect his wishes....
The AMT Tweeter part is based on an SMD type Crossover with gain compensation ((0DB / -1.5DB / -2.5DB / -4DB) first order @ 6DB / Octave
The same for the Woofers , this is a quite simple Xover @ 6DB / Octave first order. I am just using some very good Iron core self )
About the covers : they are not magnetic but you can get the Satori magnet covers here : https://en.toutlehautparleur.com/pa...-mw16pf-mw16pnw-mr16p-mr16pnw-and-mw16tx.html but I found it very expensive.... I am using here some Monacor classic covers )

If you like this project, checkout here, I just made a new one with the brand new Satori TeXtreme woofers which correct the issue encountered @1200HZ by the Papyrus version

Project | Homebuilt Hi-Fi - A user submitted image showcase of high quality home built hi-fi components.

Some pictures of the new project :

 

[Gorgonzola]

Great projects, @daniboun!! I'm very envious of your skills and resources.

The AMT drivers are, of course, dipolar emitting equally front and back. Your second project allows dipolar operation but I can't make out whether your first project was open at the back of the cabinet. Perhaps you could clarify this point

 

[daniboun]

Great projects, @daniboun!! I'm very envious of your skills and resources.

The AMT drivers are, of course, dipolar emitting equally front and back. Your second project allows dipolar operation but I can't make out whether your first project was open at the back of the cabinet. Perhaps you could clarify this point

I can ) I know it is a dipolar tweeter) In both project, the rear panel is open for the AMT )

 

[daniboun]

About the Papyrus version issue around 1200HZ, so you can compare :

The Textreme is better till 2KHZ. A full review with great measurements here : https://audioxpress.com/article/test-bench-sb-acoustics-satori-mw16tx-8-textreme-woofer


Satori Papyrus :



Satori Extreme :

 

[Gorgonzola]

I can ) I know it is a dipolar tweeter) In both project, the rear panel is open for the AMT )

Thanks for the confirmation.

Actually I began to wonder if AMT drivers aren't bipolar rather that dipolar. (Bipolar meaning they "push" both forward and backward at the same time, while dipolar "push" in one direction and "pull" in the other direction.)

According to this source, they are indeed dipolar ... https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/ess-heil-amt.100376/#post-1189523

 

[daniboun]

Thanks for the confirmation.

Actually I began to wonder if AMT drivers aren't bipolar rather that dipolar. (Bipolar meaning they "push" both forward and backward at the same time, while dipolar "push" in one direction and "pull" in the other direction.)

According to this source, they are indeed dipolar ... https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/ess-heil-amt.100376/#post-1189523

As far as I know they are Dipolar. )))
I've tested tons of loudspeakers and very, very expensive ones.... I've never found a tweeter as pleasant, as natural and transparent as the Heil AMT 3, a real treat for this transducer!

Check measurements here for the last version (V3) :

ESS AMT-1 AIR Motion Transformer 'Great Heil' (Selected) buy at hifisound.de

Buy ESS AMT-1 AIR Motion Transformer 'Great Heil' (Selected) online at hifisound.de » 349 € ✓ Your online hifi specialist retailer for Speaker Drivers

www.hifisound.de

 

[Gorgonzola]

As far as I know they are Dipolar. )))
I've tested tons of loudspeakers and very, very expensive ones.... I've never found a tweeter as pleasant, as natural and transparent as the Heil AMT 3, a real treat for this transducer!

Check measurements here for the last version (V3) :

ESS AMT-1 AIR Motion Transformer 'Great Heil' (Selected) buy at hifisound.de

Buy ESS AMT-1 AIR Motion Transformer 'Great Heil' (Selected) online at hifisound.de » 349 € ✓ Your online hifi specialist retailer for Speaker Drivers

www.hifisound.de

The results look quite impressive, especially the harmonic distortion and impulse graphs.

ESS is currently having a sale on the "original" Heil AMT's; looks like a great price.

I first heard the Heil AMT-1's in colleague's original ESS AMT-1 speakers back in the early 1970s. I was quite impressed at the time. Unfortunately I haven't heard any since.

 

[daniboun]

The last AMT 3 are better than their predecessor. The secret with these Heil Tweeters is that you have to combine them with fast woofers. ))
The ADS ESSentielle kit has been the subject of numerous tests with a lot of loudspeakers, the MHP during the design spent almost two years testing the best combination. I trusted their R&D and I have absolutely no regrets, the result is stunning )

 

[KxDx]

As far as I know they are Dipolar. )))
I've tested tons of loudspeakers and very, very expensive ones.... I've never found a tweeter as pleasant, as natural and transparent as the Heil AMT 3, a real treat for this transducer!

Check measurements here for the last version (V3) :

ESS AMT-1 AIR Motion Transformer 'Great Heil' (Selected) buy at hifisound.de

Buy ESS AMT-1 AIR Motion Transformer 'Great Heil' (Selected) online at hifisound.de » 349 € ✓ Your online hifi specialist retailer for Speaker Drivers

www.hifisound.de

I do want to hear a Heil-based pair of speakers someday!

The dipolar Eosone speakers I keep around never cease to amaze me in the way they completely disappear. I'd love to hear that openness taken to a higher level.

 

[daniboun]

I do want to hear a Heil-based pair of speakers someday!

The dipolar Eosone speakers I keep around never cease to amaze me in the way they completely disappear. I'd love to hear that openness taken to a higher level.

I have been a drummer for several years, I have always been very sensitive to the transcription of cymbals, and in particular of "chabada" with ride in the most faithful Jazz register.
The only transducers that made me forget that I had a speaker in front = Heil AMT 3
I also imagine that the crossover has a particular influence here. I think it's especially important not to cut the Heil AMT 3 too low.... 1500/1600HZ seems like the right point.

 

[Mr. Widget]

ESS is currently having a sale on the "original" Heil AMT's; looks like a great price.

They seem to be blowing out all of their inventory. My guess is that they may be folding up their tent.

If anyone in the SF Bay Area is interested in a pair of these drivers I have a pair that I bought new a few years back when they had a previous sale. I doubt that I will ever do anything with them and certainly nothing as spectacular as these ESSentielles!

 

[daniboun]

They seem to be blowing out all of their inventory. My guess is that they may be folding up their tent.

If anyone in the SF Bay Area is interested in a pair of these drivers I have a pair that I bought new a few years back when they had a previous sale. I doubt that I will ever do anything with them and certainly nothing as spectacular as these ESSentielles!

If I were you I would keep them )) Immerse yourself in a DIY project and you will see that you can take advantage of these magnificent tweeters )
BTW : I went to listen to some Wilson Benesh speakers in an auditorium and I didn't have the same emotions as with my ESSentials... which really makes me say that this kit is really great !

 

[Mr. Widget]

If I were you I would keep them )) Immerse yourself in a DIY project and you will see that you can take advantage of these magnificent tweeters )

That was the thought when I bought them, but I have too many projects in the queue!

 

[Dilliw]

I have a couple of ESS Great Heils and this is the sort of project I was looking at for them. My approach was to use the "bass module" from the Bordeaux kit but I was worried about the crossover point with the Dayton RS225s. The doubt caused me to pause and then never I looped back.

Great project!