Parts Express DIY C-Note Speaker Review

[eddantes]

Its not too late to redo the crossover, since it seems to be a little dodgy anyway.

nah - it's fine... C-notes are floor level so - ok as is

 

[kfirsolomon]

Seems simple enough.
Again, unless I got the 0.22 cap wrong?
Maybe I'll remove it and re-test...

Update for curious ones:
I bypassed the XO altogether and ran 20-1000Hz directly to the woofer (while assembled to the cabinet).
I even moved my setup outside, in case the room is the one killing the bass.
Nope!
Still, a clear roll off starting approx 200 hz.
Very frustrating (ignore the yellow line in the attached image).
I'm gonna try a different amp just in case the problem lies with the Aiyima, but I'll be surprised if it is.

 

[sychan]

Update for curious ones:
I bypassed the XO altogether and ran 20-1000Hz directly to the woofer (while assembled to the cabinet).
I even moved my setup outside, in case the room is the one killing the bass.
Nope!
Still, a clear roll off starting approx 200 hz.
Very frustrating (ignore the yellow line in the attached image).
I'm gonna try a different amp just in case the problem lies with the Aiyima, but I'll be surprised if it is.

You can check it against the spec: https://www.parts-express.com/pedocs/specs/295-526--dayton-audio-DSA135-8-specifications.pdf

If it happens with both drivers, it sounds like the amp is the issue. You don't have high pass filter turned on by any chance, do you?

 

[eddantes]

Update for curious ones:
I bypassed the XO altogether and ran 20-1000Hz directly to the woofer (while assembled to the cabinet).
I even moved my setup outside, in case the room is the one killing the bass.
Nope!
Still, a clear roll off starting approx 200 hz.
Very frustrating (ignore the yellow line in the attached image).
I'm gonna try a different amp just in case the problem lies with the Aiyima, but I'll be surprised if it is.

Sorry not familiar with that visualization - what are those traces? Is the red the FR? Or is it the yellow?

 

[kfirsolomon]

You can check it against the spec: https://www.parts-express.com/pedocs/specs/295-526--dayton-audio-DSA135-8-specifications.pdf

If it happens with both drivers, it sounds like the amp is the issue. You don't have high pass filter turned on by any chance, do you?

I don't have one, but I agree it seems like I do. Now I'm extra curious testing them with my old AV (Onkyo SR576).

Sorry not familiar with that visualization - what are those traces? Is the red the FR? Or is it the yellow?

The red is the temporary FR reading at the time of capturing and should be ignored.

The yellow is the peak FR and is the relevant one.

 

[datrumole]

I don't have one, but I agree it seems like I do. Now I'm extra curious testing them with my old AV (Onkyo SR576).



The red is the temporary FR reading at the time of capturing and should be ignored.

The yellow is the peak FR and is the relevant one.

what is your source? try it with something to isolate just the amp and a source you know is giving off full range sound

 

[kfirsolomon]

what is your source? try it with something to isolate just the amp and a source you know is giving off full range sound

Unfortunatly I don't have a source I'm 100% sure about, but I did re-test with the Onkyo AV receiver I have and got the same results.
I also changed the source, cables and source software. No change.

I started suspecting the room so I took measurements in different places around the room.

This was fascinating (to me):
Initially, right in front of the speaker (even when I had it moved outside the house) I got the early roll off at 200hz, which led me believing it is not a room issue.

But! Moving in the room I found places where it got significantly better. Not like other charts of c-notes I saw here, but better.

I found a 35hz room mode (bass boost) and a 65hz one. These increase and decrease as I moved around the room.

I'm attaching the best one.
It's not that bad, I guess... (Got reduction in highs this time).

Not sure what else to try.

 

[datrumole]

Unfortunatly I don't have a source I'm 100% sure about, but I did re-test with the Onkyo AV receiver I have and got the same results.
I also changed the source, cables and source software. No change.

I started suspecting the room so I took measurements in different places around the room.

This was fascinating (to me):
Initially, right in front of the speaker (even when I had it moved outside the house) I got the early roll off at 200hz, which led me believing it is not a room issue.

But! Moving in the room I found places where it got significantly better. Not like other charts of c-notes I saw here, but better.

I found a 35hz room mode (bass boost) and a 65hz one. These increase and decrease as I moved around the room.

I'm attaching the best one.
It's not that bad, I guess... (Got reduction in highs this time).

Not sure what else to try.

just try your phone as a source, run it straight to the amp, use youtube which i dont believe has any eq involved, and probably rare you have a system wide eq that would interfere

 

[kfirsolomon]

just try your phone as a source, run it straight to the amp, use youtube which i dont believe has any eq involved, and probably rare you have a system wide eq that would interfere

I did exactly that (phone, youtube, amp). I didn't understand the second part (", and probably rare you have a system wide eq that would interfere").
What did you mean by that?

 

[datrumole]

I did exactly that (phone, youtube, amp). I didn't understand the second part (", and probably rare you have a system wide eq that would interfere").
What did you mean by that?

meaning your phone having a 'headphone' settings wherein it would bass limit the output

 

[kfirsolomon]

meaning your phone having a 'headphone' settings wherein it would bass limit the output

Got it.
So, I tried also from my tv-box youtube and from a laptop with REW.
Same results.

 

[datrumole]

Got it.
So, I tried also from my tv-box youtube and from a laptop with REW.
Same results.

weird, i'd check your crossover, i just found my old cnote measurements from when i built them

 

[rhenry74]

Update for curious ones:
I bypassed the XO altogether and ran 20-1000Hz directly to the woofer (while assembled to the cabinet).
I even moved my setup outside, in case the room is the one killing the bass.
Nope!
Still, a clear roll off starting approx 200 hz.
Very frustrating (ignore the yellow line in the attached image).
I'm gonna try a different amp just in case the problem lies with the Aiyima, but I'll be surprised if it is.

When you "bypassed the XO altogether and ran 20-1000Hz directly to the woofer" did you disconnect the woofer from the crossover?

 

[kfirsolomon]

When you "bypassed the XO altogether and ran 20-1000Hz directly to the woofer" did you disconnect the woofer from the crossover?

Yap.
Two speaker lines from the amp to the woofer, with nothing else, inclusing XO, connected to the woofer (or the amp) at the same time.

 

[kfirsolomon]

weird, i'd check your crossover, i just found my old cnote measurements from when i built them

Your's look great (like everyone else's... ).
Wish mine did.

 

[Mudjock]

The bass response is defined by a combination of the driver, cabinet, and room - assuming the amplifier is putting out a full range signal and the crossover isn't attenuating it. I think you have eliminated those two variables, so the next thing I would want to confirm is that the cabinet is acting as expected. I would do that by measuring impedance vs. frequency at least through the bass range. If you don't have impedance measuring capability, then a measurement of the output at the port would give a reasonable idea (compare with Amir's measurement).

 

[Weeb Labs]

In case this has not already been mentioned, the $14 Dayton Audio ND25FW tweeter used in these speakers has absolutely no business performing as well as it does.

Incredible value for money.

 

[sheninat0r]

I just finished building a pair of these, and I'm suitably impressed by the sound for the size and cost. This was my first speaker project and first attempt at veneer, very happy with how they turned out!

I used the 0.22uF capacitor, added a dowel between the side panels, put a bit of stuffing in the cabinet, and recessed the woofer to make the front panel flush.

 

[eddantes]

I just finished building a pair of these, and I'm suitably impressed by the sound for the size and cost. This was my first speaker project and first attempt at veneer, very happy with how they turned out!

I used the 0.22uF capacitor, added a dowel between the side panels, put a bit of stuffing in the cabinet, and recessed the woofer to make the front panel flush.

Superb job on the veneer and construction!

 

[cbracer]

recessed the woofer to make the front panel flush.

Curious how you did the flush modification? Trim the tweeter diffuser but then made another round cut into the existing face board with a router?