Hi all!

Nice forum you have here and some really interesting DIY projects in particular. Shame I've only just discovered it.

I also notice there's a few ATC fans on here, so I thought I'd throw my hand in and show a couple of photo's of some loudspeakers I've built which are based around ATC supers and ATC SC bass drivers alongside a Scanspeak ring radiator tweeter. ATC's always seem to get flak for their ugly looks and I couldn't agree more but their drivers are very good.

The design uses digital FIR linear phase crossover filters with full time/phase alignment and amplitude correction along with digital room correction via a DEQX.

 

Hi Shin,

Nice work indeed! I had been following the build since that table gave way! I love the design of them.

 

Hi Shin, welcome to another forum.

I hadn't realised you'd finished these. Are you pleased with them?
Have you settled on amplification for them yet?

Kev

 

they look fantastic

 

Hi Simon

Nice to see a familiar name here!

The table incident was pretty funny looking back on it. Damn thing

I've also been flicking through the search engine on here and found a thread where you were selling your AML1's. How did you find them? I had a demo a couple years ago and they totally blew me away at the time. Probably the best 2-way standmount I've ever heard.

And thanks for the kind words.

 

Hi Kev

I'm very happy with the sound as a whole. My only real complaint is that they don't put out much below 35hz, the design was based around knowing that fact so it was to be expected but I do wish they went that bit deeper without the need for a sub. And being completely honest here; they aren't actually finished, well one is but the other is oh so close with just small touches left.

I had them up and running in a rough state for a few months over winter so have had plenty of time to measure, tweak, adjust and really get to find out what works best with those ATC's. Its just now that you see them sprayed up and finally finished off like the drivers deserve.

I've had a lot of fun and some PITA moments too on this one. I was looking back at the first thread I started when initially designing these over on DIYAudio and from the dates its been over a year in the making. If I could do it again I'd go for one of ATC's 12" or 15" for the bass driver to get a little more extension though.

My favourite part of the system would have to be the very smart DEQX. Makes trying new things out even easier than the PC XO with the Waves FIR filters that I used previously, one really nice touch is the 4 memory presets that you can store setups in and instantly switch between them to hear the differences in crossover setups and EQ. I particularly like the scope and depth of the measurements you can take with the DEQX rigged upto the PC. I used to spend weeks tweaking a passive crossover and measuring a loudspeaker consisted of using 3 different programs (ETF5, WinMLS and Dirac). The DEQX does the majority of the measurements those performed with the exception of distortion meaning things go much faster and smoother. I'd recommend it to anyone and would have a hard time going back to the old ways now I've been spoilt.

I'm still flip-flopping over amps. My dream setup would be 3 x Chord SPM1200E's but unfortunately I've only just managed to scrounge up enough money for one and I've found it works best with the ATC 9" bass. The rest for now are a Roksan Kandy mk3 on mids and a pair of Gainclones on treble, this is strictly temporary though and I plan to move onto a new class D design from Lars Clausen for the mids and treble, whilst sticking with the Chord for bass. Maybe in the future I'll come across another wicked deal on a 1200E or 1200C but I've got to be realistic and stick within what I can realistically afford. Besides the Chord is no way worth the asking RRP, nice amp but not that nice.

 

Thanks

 

Have you considered the Hypex UCD amps? They are not stupidly expensive and the CI Audio ones I heard were very quick and detailed without being too lean. I imagine a tri-amp set-up of UCD 700's would do you nicely

 

A mate of mine has his HT system based around 4 channels of UcD700's.

I had the opportunity to spend a weekend with it in my system earlier this year where I compared it to the AKSA 55N+ I was using at the time. Very nice amps with many strong points. I did learn towards the AKSA's but that wasn't on the end of the Perceives and instead I was using my trusty old SCM7's to evaluate the sound.

I'm definitely looking for some class D's but I really do like what I've read about Lars Clausen's upcomming NCD1 modules. They're not out until August so I've got plenty of time to scope out other options but that's the plan for now at least.

If my mate is up for it then I maybe able to revisit the UcD700's in my system again but this time on the end of the Peceives with the UcD's doing the treble(a 700w amp on a tweeter LOL) and mids with the Chord on bass duties.

 

Very pretty !

 

they look very expensive and kinda nice in an ugly sort of way

 

I've had that same reaction once before, from a woman though, and is to be expected; its an unusual shape and definitely love it or hate it. But as always, the end goal was the sound.

Looks were a small part of the overall shape when I designed them, what you see is an effort to combat cabinet distortions caused by resonances and standing waves. The cabinet walls are virtually all non parallel with a composite laminated construction, hence the unusual shape.

 

Superb aesthetics, not in the least bit ugly imo

However too modern for my tastes and house, my wife is still under sedation up after I informed her that I was buying a pair

Perhaps better suited to a Klingon Battle Cruser

Is this Lars Clausen the same Lars from LC Audio ? I use four of
his ZAPpulse modules and active crossover for my Manger speakers. Very good value and very good quality, I am thinking of upgrading two of them to the 700XE's for the Manger drivers. I will have to talk to Zanash about speaker cables though.

 

Who? Your wife or the speakers?

Yes and no. Lars did work at LC about a year ago now but split and started his own classD works. The result is the New ClassD 1 module:

http://www.newclassd.com/index.php?page=10

The LC 700XE still isn't reliable after over 4 months of problems with modules failing since its release. I'd did take a look at it but these problems are a turn off for me.

 

The NCD1 from Lars is 250Euro's per module and that includes taxes. So these aren't cheap but they promise performance that's a step above the best.

I've spoken with Lars and he says the modules are currently undergoing EU certification, along with rigorous testing and thorough documentation. He informs that the design is complete and already stable, and should all go well with the above then they will ship August/September this year.

 

Shin, where are you located? I'd love to have a listen, especially once you get those NCD1's!

 

Hi Simon, I'm based in Chesterfield Derbshire.

You're more than welcome to pop round for a listen, that goes for anyone other like minded and reasonably well adjusted folks.

We had a (very) brief discussion about a get together on DIYA but as always it was just idle chat. If we could set a venue I would be willing to travel within a reasonable distance. TBH my listening room is small and only really confortably sits 2 people so a larger venue maybe more suitable if a few of decide on a meet, problem then is transporting these DIY speakers - my 2 door VW Golf wouldn't be large enough for the job.

I've got a few nice gadgets I could bring along instead though.

 

Oh my, thats a LONG way from me!

 

Just realised where you are. Kent is certainly a long way to travel on a round to trip to Chesterfield.