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Zaph Audio ZA5.2 DIY Kit Speaker Review

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  1. Differences in the amount of damping or type of damping material used or how it is applied
  2. Differences due to other cabinet losses (leaks around joints, screws, drivers)
  3. Differences between types of cabinet materials or other sources of resonance (usually show up as a blip in the impedance curve)
  4. Differences due to crossover component tolerances/defect........

The added fun with DIY, all the small things that can affect the finished product. Things that, hopefully, the big manufactures have nailed down.
 
The added fun with DIY, all the small things that can affect the finished product. Things that, hopefully, the big manufactures have nailed down.

You can hope and some times DIY just means you know about the problem a bit more...

Amir’s tests have shown plenty of unaddressed resonances in manufactured speakers like driver resonances, cabinet resonances and port resonances.:eek: Even the most highly regarded brands (Revel, Genelec) on the forum have had one or more of these.

I have built more than a fair share of boxes that resonate too. These resonances can be difficult to eliminate. Even a great speaker is often a choice between prioritizing the more important qualities and suppressing the less desirable ones.;)
 
good information, thanks. If I wasn't running out of room for speakers I'd have to look into measuring impedance on future builds.
 
good information, thanks. If I wasn't running out of room for speakers I'd have to look into measuring impedance on future builds.

Impedance is usually my first measurement. Less setup than measuring frequency response and more revealing as I posted earlier.

If a kit speaker does not match its impedance and phase well, no need to get out the FR measurement rig. :cool:
 
Impedance is usually my first measurement. Less setup than measuring frequency response and more revealing as I posted earlier.

If a kit speaker does not match its impedance and phase well, no need to get out the FR measurement rig. :cool:

Is there a simple(ish) way to measure impedance without something like the Dayton Dats V3?
 
Is there a simple(ish) way to measure impedance without something like the Dayton Dats V3?

I use REW. Beyond a precision sense resistor, just need a bit of wiring...

1620327513901.jpeg
 
So perfect measured speaker, with very low distortion and good looking waterfall… and for low price! And not recommended?? I am shocked
 
Anybody in the greater Philadelphia/south Jersey area have an interest in this speaker?

I have a pair that I no longer use. They have been sitting in a box for over a year and so it’s time to give them away (free, you just need to pick them up and promise to listen to them… I recommend a sub for max enjoyment)

Message me if interested!

(Below is what they looked like new. They are still in excellent shape. The walnut is a little lighter with age).
 

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Anybody in the greater Philadelphia/south Jersey area have an interest in this speaker?

I have a pair that I no longer use. They have been sitting in a box for over a year and so it’s time to give them away (free, you just need to pick them up and promise to listen to them… I recommend a sub for max enjoyment)

Message me if interested!

(Below is what they looked like new. They are still in excellent shape. The walnut is a little lighter with age).
Dang, I was just thinking about these for near field desk monitors. You’re just a little far away. I know preference score isn’t everything but 5.7 puts it in the solid performer category. Someone will be lucky!
 
I built a pair of these speakers in 2012. They were one of my first woodworking projects and my first DIY speaker. I still have them, but they have been in a closet for years. I have always used them close to a wall and with boundary reinforcement I find them to be a tonally very well-balanced speaker. My problem with them is the distortion below 300 Hz. It is high and very sensitive to volume. This means that loud notes are audibly distorted relative to quite notes in the same material and that juxtaposition makes the distortion very obvious. I took some measurements this morning to see if this could be seen in the data. For years I thought this was my fault, that I messed up the construction or port. Afterall the woofer distortion figures presented by the designer are quite good. But seeing Amir's data from another build suggests it's at least not all on me.

THD in dbr, 95(red), 85(orange), and 75(green) db@1m.
ZaphZA5.2_THD.jpg


I wonder if there is a drop-in replacement woofer which would have lower THD? I know that 5in class woofers are always going to struggle below 300Hz, but I have others which sound fine till 90db or so. Given my history with these speakers, I don't want to get rid of them, but they've spent too much time in a closet and I either need to "fix" them or let them go.

-Joe
 
I wonder if there is a drop-in replacement woofer which would have lower THD? I know that 5in class woofers are always going to struggle below 300Hz, but I have others which sound fine till 90db or so. Given my history with these speakers, I don't want to get rid of them, but they've spent too much time in a closet and I either need to "fix" them or let them go.

-Joe

Use them nearfield OR add high pass filter and subwoofer(s). There isn't really such a thing as a drop-in replacement with a properly designed passive crossover.
 
I built a pair of these speakers in 2012. They were one of my first woodworking projects and my first DIY speaker. I still have them, but they have been in a closet for years. I have always used them close to a wall and with boundary reinforcement I find them to be a tonally very well-balanced speaker. My problem with them is the distortion below 300 Hz. It is high and very sensitive to volume. This means that loud notes are audibly distorted relative to quite notes in the same material and that juxtaposition makes the distortion very obvious. I took some measurements this morning to see if this could be seen in the data. For years I thought this was my fault, that I messed up the construction or port. Afterall the woofer distortion figures presented by the designer are quite good. But seeing Amir's data from another build suggests it's at least not all on me.

THD in dbr, 95(red), 85(orange), and 75(green) db@1m. View attachment 395243

I wonder if there is a drop-in replacement woofer which would have lower THD? I know that 5in class woofers are always going to struggle below 300Hz, but I have others which sound fine till 90db or so. Given my history with these speakers, I don't want to get rid of them, but they've spent too much time in a closet and I either need to "fix" them or let them go.

-Joe

As I built Amir’s test unit, can say that I have neither measured or heard anything from them that is out of line with other small speakers. As the designer states, they really need subwoofer support. Yes, the bass will distort as they are pushed but is about what one would expect from a 5 inch woofer. Hificompass measured the woofer and confirmed its relatively low distortion. Also having built the MTM, can state that the bass is much better in that case too.

Your distortion measurements are not unexpected but hard to say as unsure of your conditions. In any case, they should be relatively useful. Have you measured another speaker in comparison?
 
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Given my history with these speakers, I don't want to get rid of them, but they've spent too much time in a closet and I either need to "fix" them or let them go.
Sorry, I left my comments on a down note which might exaggerate how I feal about these speakers. I like these speakers, and I think they are very well balanced tonally with a sub or boundary reinforcement. I'm just struggling to find a use for them right now which keeps them in their comfort zone volume wise.
Use them nearfield OR add high pass filter and subwoofer(s). There isn't really such a thing as a drop-in replacement with a properly designed passive crossover.
Yes, I agree these are great nearfield.
Have you measured another speaker in comparison?
I have measured several of my speakers. In similar or smaller sizes: B&W601S3, Dali Ikon OW, and Erin has measured the Vanatoo Transparent One which are my current nearfield speakers. I'm afraid to share the figure below because I'm not interested in doing a detailed comparison of these speakers and I don't want this figure interpreted as a value statement in anyway. Each speaker has their pros, cons, and tradeoffs. The Zaph 5.2 are good speakers and very well balanced, but they do have higher distortion in the 100-200Hz region than some similarly sized speakers. To my ears, this crosses an acceptability threshold at times.

All at 95 or 96db @ 1m. Zaph 5.2 in red, B&W 601 S3 in blue, and Dali Ikon On-Wall speakers in green.
5-6inDriverComparison.jpg
 
Sorry, I left my comments on a down note which might exaggerate how I feal about these speakers. I like these speakers, and I think they are very well balanced tonally with a sub or boundary reinforcement. I'm just struggling to find a use for them right now which keeps them in their comfort zone volume wise.

Yes, I agree these are great nearfield.

I have measured several of my speakers. In similar or smaller sizes: B&W601S3, Dali Ikon OW, and Erin has measured the Vanatoo Transparent One which are my current nearfield speakers. I'm afraid to share the figure below because I'm not interested in doing a detailed comparison of these speakers and I don't want this figure interpreted as a value statement in anyway. Each speaker has their pros, cons, and tradeoffs. The Zaph 5.2 are good speakers and very well balanced, but they do have higher distortion in the 100-200Hz region than some similarly sized speakers. To my ears, this crosses an acceptability threshold at times.

All at 95 or 96db @ 1m. Zaph 5.2 in red, B&W 601 S3 in blue, and Dali Ikon On-Wall speakers in green. View attachment 395496

Just so happens I had the speaker Amir tested (in storage too). I did a couple of quick tests and could not reproduce his distortion levels. At comparable voltage, hificompass distortion looks like so...
1727636029867.png


So none of the peaking you are measuring just above 100 Hz. Would be helpful to know your conditions and see the distortion details by order. I also checked the port, and it was pretty clean.

If you have time and want to troubleshoot, either start another thread or PM me. Will do my best to help!
 
@OhSoJoe

Lol, just saw Erin's review of a $4000 speaker from Radiant Acoustics and it has a comparable distortion peak to your Zaphs! This speaker has a 21 mm thick aluminum baffle and extensive cabinet bracing. I am betting on a PR basket resonance but have to wonder whether it got by the professional designers.

Will copy here once he posts the written review.

1727797620429.png
 
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