"Every speaker construction should start with a 15" bass driver! JBL knew this already in the mid Nineteen-forties."

[King_Pin]

I genuinely hope you build these. It should be epic.

*wowza*

I do too. The parts have been sitting in 3 closets for over 4 years now.
Finished they would look similar to these but with my waveguide

.

 

[mhardy6647]

My speakers which all the parts are in the closet still have to be built.
Full front setup L/C/R
Each cabinet houses 2 x JBL 2226h, 2446 CD with a Be diaphragm and a huge waveguide.
I just don't have the room anymore since I moved my work to the basement where the theater used to be.
All measurements and xovers designed by my friend Ryan.View attachment 140053View attachment 140055View attachment 140056View attachment 140057View attachment 140058View attachment 140059View attachment 140060View attachment 140061

that's a lot of beryllium

 

[jtgofish]

I have owned and used most of the vintage Tannoys.
The 15 inch ones in big wide baffle boxes are by far the best sounding.

 

[Wes]

reminds me of that song lyric from the band:

"I'm in the JBL Army
beatin' on a big bass drum!"

IIRC< it was on the Moondog Matinee album

 

[CuteStudio]

I have owned and used most of the vintage Tannoys.
The 15 inch ones in big wide baffle boxes are by far the best sounding.

It's interesting you say that. I have many speakers (i.e too many!) but the cheap PA speakers are still the most Fun!
I say cheap, but the physics doesn't know that. The cabinets are thick and dead, there's some leakage around the main driver as I've felt the wind - so some improvements possible: but the big expanse of paper doing bass right up to the piezo tweeter (low distortion, resistor = crossover) seems to provide a very coherent sound. Just a single air coil for the 12" mid/bass, and some polyester stuffing (old sleeping bag) to damp the internals.

I have some fairly whacky parametric EQ on it as the Fs of the bass and the box size are not 'HiFi', tuned with a 'Spectroid' phone app and ear:


.. but it doesn't seem to detract from the sound: a live 70s track or a modern Amanda Rogers or Anna Madsen - it doesn't matter, it all sounds clear, effortless and fun. Driven off a couple of large MOSFET monoblocks, but already very easy to drive, lots of headroom!

Actually I listened to some old 70s Kefs I have, and they needed some significant EQ too: I only have two sets of speakers that were carefully designed enough not to need any correction - so it's not just my repurposed fun PA speakers .

It's a shame HiFi has become a cable shop: prices were high and the sound can be very muted and polite: but lots of DIY fun to be had at a fraction of the price, and with EQ, physics can be 'bent' into shape (Which reminds me of the excellent 1983 Rainbow Album, back when rainbows were nice )