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Interesting experience with two very different speaker designs

I wanted to relay my experience with two different sets of speakers in hopes that it might prove interesting and/or help some folks.

My current speakers are Tekton Electron SE with a Pass XA30.5 and a MicroZOTL2 Preamp.  I was absolutely loving the sound but I started getting into the DIY open baffle thing.  I started with a very simple JE labs design with a single driver and after a few prototypes, I ended up with a 2-way using an Emminence Alpha 15 and a Tang Band W8 2145.

After breaking the DIY speakers in a bit, I was really blown away.  The soundstage was huge and very 3D.  The bass was big and warm but still pretty fast and articulate.  Also, the speed of the speakers was very apparent.  I loved them especially on big orchestral works where the soundstage really comes to life.

I lived with them for about 4 months and then I put the Electrons back.  Very interesting.  Timbrally, the Electrons were just better.  The OBs upper midrange sounded kind of flat and beamy in comparison.  The bass on the Electrons, though not as extended, was better controlled.  In some ways I found the OBs to be more transparent in that they really pointed out the flaws in some recordings.  Well recorded stuff sounded amazing but they gave no love to mediocre recordings.  The Electrons just make everything sound good. Much more forgiving.  

Going from the OBs to the Electrons, I lost some of that soundstage magic.  The Electrons, though they have some depth, lack that completely open 3D thing that the OBs were giving me.  However, from top to bottom, they just sound right.  Instruments sound like how they are supposed to sound.  That all-important midrange really shines.

Though I like both these speakers, I'm going to stick with the Tektons.  However, if what you value is speed, transparency and soundstage over timbre, I think open baffle is a good way to go.  I'll say this with the caveat that I'm not a speaker designer and there may be OB speakers out there that really get the timbre thing right too.  I'd love to hear some!
adam8179
pfiche
8 posts
 
Today's DIY speaker builder has so much more knowledge available  in designing his/her  DIY speaker system than your granddaddy or your grandmother did. So many calculators, and other software available that with a little desire to enjoy the road to speaker building success,  "Home Made" has improved so much, with money going into better components that many of the name brands will take short cuts in manufacturing for profitability. " Years of research and experience" in marketing is a major component for brand names.
There are both gooder and better in both brand and DYI speakers. Many brands are like bourbon marketing, give them a great story to sell your product and  you  will get different opinions about the  results, but you got the sale.  Taste buds are like ears, both connected to the brain to decipher your personal experience.
Want to learn more  insight about brand speakers? Danny at GR Research (hybrid commercial/DIY speakers) explains a lot in his testing and making suggestions on improving brand speakers. Master knowledge guru has many You Tube education videos.

Coloring with a broad brush can sometimes smear paint!






pinwa
276 posts
 
My Tekton Moabs are MUCH better than the Spatial Audio M1, Emerald Physics CS2, and Pure Audio Project Trio 15 speakers that I have owned.  Of course a lot depends on the room and set up but as intriguing as the open baffle designs are I think there is a good reason why they only exist as niche products.  And I agree with MIllercarbon, point them at your ears or shoulders for the best sound stage at the listening position.
pfiche
8 posts
 
@ adam8179
FYI on the TB W8 check out Bache Audio

arafiq's avatar
arafiq
1,661 posts
 
@pfiche -- 
Years of research and experience" in marketing is a major component for brand names.

Sorry but I beg to differ. Most successful manufacturers have the luxury to iterate and evolve their designs year after year, version after version. There is a lot more R&D that goes into speaker design, testing, quality assurance, etc. I'm have no doubt that DIYers can produce a decent set of speakers, but let's not kid ourselves here. A company that dedicates time, money, resources over the long haul is going to produce better designs that withstand the test of time. Most great products are a result of incremental improvements, not a one-time effort no matter how brilliant.

And I'm quite familiar with GR Research, but I'm sorry it's silly to compare him to a typical DIYer. He works on this full time and therefore has the same advantages of iterating and improving his designs incrementally as other manufacturers. 

pfiche
8 posts
 
I do not disagree with the evolving better performance with R&D  by   manufacturers, thats dedication and good business. But yes I'm silly!   I did not say GR Research was a typical DIY er. (hybrid commercial/DIY speakers) in that he offers complete kits and speaker parts to the DIYers and a whole lot of knowledge about  speaker and x-over design. And yes, that is what Danny does, is offers sonic improvements to commercial company's that have dedicated R&D year after year yet cut corners for extra profits. As you probably know, the little things can make a sonic improvements.  Non typical business plan. Thanks Danny!

Commercial speakers are sorta like Ping Putters, they are so great that they have made over 250 different models of
putters to prove that they are the GOAT putter maker.  R&D has paid off (in marketing). And some speaker company's have so many variations, you might wonder what their basic sonic goal is , other than hitting all price points, not to say they are bad, but?

And finally, I'm sorry that you consider all  DIYers speaker projects inferior  to the commercial marketing speakers. Obviously you have heard most  DIY speakers to make your conclusions Can you say JBL 100's with cheap exotic 2 capacitor x-over or the last of the  once great company Thiel. Don't forget how mixed reviews B&W  with all there R&D over many years, many like and many don't so they better than DIY.

My point is the whether it is a DIY'er or a commercial speaker label dosen't  mean it can be better or worst, most fall in between. And nothing is better than the pride of learning, discovery, educating yourself in building your system. For many it is the "hunt" that matters.
And a blind hog can find a nut now and then.

Everybody has there happy color! Enjoy your color!
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