Passive small/medium monitors with waveguides?

[Head_Unit]

When I say "monitors" I'm using the word loosely, this is not for a studio. At one location I currently have three towers up front but for aesthetic reasons am strongly considering changing to somethings smaller (maybe midsized, NOT like Wharfedale Linton sized) either mounted up on the wall or maybe on a long shelf I could put below the TV. So this could be bookshelf speakers, though I want something
- That can crank up heavy metal, which lets out oh most all regular two-way I'd say
- Well-controlled dispersion both for even sound and because my usual listening is far away
- I'd prefer to have high sensitivity a la the great-but-rarely-in-stock DIY Sound Group design, so while something like the Purifi demo is neat the sensitivity is very low. I plan a custom sub so the lowest lows I'm not worried about.
Those requirements pretty much point to a waveguide/horn type speaker BUT unpowered/passive.
- Also not too deep because it would just be awkward. How deep is too deep? I don't know exactly but like 14" would be too much. 10" might be OK?

There are some quite cool and good value powered monitors but after consideration I don't want to do that, I have long runs which would not be great for low level signal, plus I want to be able to move the speakers around which AC power wiring + RCA would make clumsy.

Suggestions? I only really know the DIYSG stuff, open to other suggestions. DIY is fine although I don't want to spin my own crossover, I do have REW but no longer have Windows hardware to run my copy of LEAP, and I just don't want to spend time on doing all that from scratch.

Mille grazie!

 

[Penelinfi]

Sounds like some of those cinema style speakers could work. I'm guessing sealed or front ported given the possible wall placement.

 

[MachOne]

JBL Stage A130 or Studio 530?

 

[Penelinfi]

JBL Stage A130 or Studio 530?

He wants to "blast heavy metal" so something that can handle power

 

[MachOne]

He wants to "blast heavy metal" so something that can handle power

I guess I'm thinking if he's running a sub and high passing the mains then the power requirements drop quite a bit.

 

[Penelinfi]

I guess I'm thinking if he's running a sub and high passing the mains then the power requirements drop quite a bit.

It would help.
A budget would also help

 

[Head_Unit]

sealed or front ported given the possible wall placement.

ah that's a very good point!

A budget would also help

That's also a good point...I'm hazy on that. At most I'd say $1000 apiece for front LCR due to the total amount of stuff going on...I'm also considering small monitors up by the ceiling for Atmos though in-wall or in-ceiling might be more practical.

 

[mtg90]

Being open to DIY it seems my VBS-10.2 design fits your requirements:

MTG Designs - VBS-10.2

Design description and goals: Bigger Brother to the VBS-6.2 this is another design that delivers a very high level of bang for your buck. A 10" 2-way with a horn loaded compression driver that does not sacrifice sound quality in its ability to deliver high output for very reasonable costs. Ideally

www.mtg-designs.com

 

[kemmler3D]

I would say something from JBL but they're either too small for your SPL desires or too expensive.

• Under $1K each
• Passive
• WG or Horn
• Loud

I'm not coming up with much, unfortunately.

 

[MachOne]

I would say something from JBL but they're either too small for your SPL desires or too expensive.

I reckon a set of Studio 530s high passed would be easily loud enough in the average room if you cared about your hearing at all. Maybe I'm wrong though!

 

[Head_Unit]

Being open to DIY it seems my VBS-10.2 design fits your requirements:

MTG Designs - VBS-10.2

Design description and goals: Bigger Brother to the VBS-6.2 this is another design that delivers a very high level of bang for your buck. A 10" 2-way with a horn loaded compression driver that does not sacrifice sound quality in its ability to deliver high output for very reasonable costs. Ideally

www.mtg-designs.com

Nice! The 6.2 also seems interesting, if I decide to mount up above a doorway. Your 6.2 page says the Q was getting above 1, but the measurements don't show a bump...what did I miss? And I guess my other question is how deep are the horn/driver combos in each of these?

 

[mtg90]

The Q of of over 1 was the modeled system q of that driver in the enclosure volume, the use of plenty of fill helps dampen things. The peak also occurs just below the end of the baffle step transition thus it doesn't appear quite as prominent in the full space measurements. Finally the use of the final series capacitor in the crossover eliminates any remains.

The depth of the driver/horn combos are roughly 5.5" for the VBS-6.2 which does not include the lobes of that waveguide which protrude out the front a bit and for the VBS-10.2 it's 6.75".