Mechano23 Open-source DIY Speaker Review

[Inertiaman]

I was trying to locate a US source for the parts and, interestingly, the mid/bass driver "SB Acoustics sb13pfcr25-4" as listed in the project shows up as a different type of speaker on Madisound in the US - www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/sb-acoustics-sb13pfcr25-4-coax-5-paper-cone-coaxial-4-ohm-round/. This one has the same part number as the one on Solen, but is a coaxial driver with a center mounted tweeter, similar to Tannoy dual concentrics. Opportunity for a different version of the design?

There is a coax version and a normal mid/woofer version. The coax version has a -coax at the end of the p/n. Here is the Madisound listing for the normal one which is used in this Mechano23:
https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.c...b13pfc25r-04-5-paper-cone-woofer-4-ohm-round/

Madisound likes to misplace the "R" in some of the SBA round versions of drivers, which is probably why you didn't land on the listing above on first try.

Anyway, the coax version comes with all sorts of coax issues, so not a simple design variation.

 

[audioje]

I would sign up for a kickstarter!

 

[MacClintock]

If some company were clever, it would contract the guy, put in some nice woodwork, piano lacquer, a lot of marketing and sell it for at least $1,000 a pair with still a lot of profit.
Put in some additional research to improve the speaker still and sell a SE version for $1,500.

 

[XMechanik]

Thank you all for your positive reactions and, above all, thanks to Amir for the measurements, tests, and accepting the project for evaluation although (from what I've noticed) DIY designs aren't tested very often. I admit that I'm a bit stunned by such a good review.
I have been curious for a long time how gated home made measurements compare to what a professional system shows. Finally there is an opportunity to take a closer look at it. Just a small problem - I took a few days off, I traveled far away and even my access to the Internet is limited and very unstable.
One observation quickly came to my mind: when using VitixCad Merger tool, I did not apply diffraction for the NF measurement, assuming that it is not important for such a small enclosure. The effect is visible however, but its scale is small - a slight 1dB bass boost compared to NFS. Probably there will be a few more things that need to be listed, I'll try to get to that soon.

 

[kelesh]

If some company were clever, it would contract the guy, put in some nice woodwork, piano lacquer, a lot of marketing and sell it for at least $1,000 a pair with still a lot of profit.
Put in some additional research to improve the speaker still and sell a SE version for $1,500.

Don't give them any ideas...or ScanSpeak and SB Acoustics will raise the price of the drivers. Something like this should be kept relatively obscure

 

[D!sco]

Don't give them any ideas...or ScanSpeak and SB Acoustics will raise the price of the drivers. Something like this should be kept relatively obscure

They’d make more money by mass producing drivers at OEM discount prices for a company to assemble and resell than trying this themselves. No risk, all reward. It’s what they want anyways. Kit stores like PE, Madisound, DIYSG, etc. all operate as the manufacturer in this case by purchasing drivers and components in small bulk and packaging a DIY product. That would be ideal for a project like this or Directiva.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

What an interesting week... a commercial speaker that looks home made and tests badly and an actual DIY speaker that looks pretty good and tests really well. It's an interesting hobby to be sure... Someone should mass produce these, it just really works well.

A front-ported version would be aces for yours truly -- because of placement issues, a rear port is a no-go here. Making the enclosure from suitably braced MDF and a group buy on the components would lower the cost significantly, as would a no-crossover version for DSP-based bi-amping.

 

[wwenze]

People here can solder DAC kits... How difficult is a crossover

Comparisons of complexity is only with regards to design and parts count relative to commercial products with <8 components.

 

[Bleib]

How difficult is a crossover

Crossovers are easy. I'm not too fond of making the loudspeaker cabinets though. Or paint jobs

 

[phoenixdogfan]

They’d make more money by mass producing drivers at OEM discount prices for a company to assemble and resell than trying this themselves. No risk, all reward. It’s what they want anyways. Kit stores like PE, Madisound, DIYSG, etc. all operate as the manufacturer in this case by purchasing drivers and components in small bulk and packaging a DIY product. That would be ideal for a project like this or Directiva.

Madison sells the drivers for the Linkwitz LX-521 along with a kit of pre cut lumber for the cabinets. Something like this one should be an absolute piece of cake for them. Probably a complete kit for around $500-600, though it probably would not be all that hard to just buy a sheet of the plywood at a lumber store locally and take the specs to a cabinet maker and have the cuts made to spec. Anyone with DIY experience should have no problem getting this built.

 

[wwenze]

 

[Lambda]

Thanks for the Review!
Would love to see more DIY speaker. i bet there are more surprises to be uncovered.

 

[McFly]

Thank you all for your positive reactions and, above all, thanks to Amir for the measurements, tests, and accepting the project for evaluation although (from what I've noticed) DIY designs aren't tested very often. I admit that I'm a bit stunned by such a good review.
I have been curious for a long time how gated home made measurements compare to what a professional system shows. Finally there is an opportunity to take a closer look at it. Just a small problem - I took a few days off, I traveled far away and even my access to the Internet is limited and very unstable.
One observation quickly came to my mind: when using VitixCad Merger tool, I did not apply diffraction for the NF measurement, assuming that it is not important for such a small enclosure. The effect is visible however, but its scale is small - a slight 1dB bass boost compared to NFS. Probably there will be a few more things that need to be listed, I'll try to get to that soon.

I tip my hat to you sir

 

[oscar_dziki]

Indeed you can't get deep bass response out of any small speaker like this from anyone.

If you could put your hands on these:

 

[jaakkopetteri]

If you could put your hands on these:

View attachment 366619

The small TB "subs" are nice but nothing special. Erin recently reviewed the Dayton OPAL1 which is arguably better for compact bass

 

[Solveit]

The small TB "subs" are nice but nothing special. Erin recently reviewed the Dayton OPAL1 which is arguably better for compact bass

Needs a lot of power.

Sensitivity

78.5 dB, 2.83 V/1M

 

[jaakkopetteri]

Yeah, cause they extend lower. Power is cheap enough.

 

[DearSX]

Love seeing DIY speakers measured. My first Hi-Fi speakers were DIY cause of the value proposition. Now I just buy them cause its so convenient but I'd love to get some more DIY stuff.

I hope that @XMechanik builds a larger 3-way version of this kind of speaker. Got some great skills!

 

[bunkbail]

I hope that @XMechanik builds a larger 3-way version of this kind of speaker.

He does! It is called Mechano323 and performance-wise it looks great too. The crossover doesn't look overly complicated for a 3-way speaker.

 

[DearSX]

He does! It is called Mechano323 and performance-wise it looks great too. The crossover doesn't look overly complicated for a 3-way speaker.

What is awesome! I'm sure its a well designed speakers, but about how that DC160 woofer measures...., bass seems decent I guess.

Zaph|Audio

http://www.zaphaudio.com/6.5test/DC160-HD.gif