Author Topic: Econowave Speakers  (Read 96747 times)

Offline richidoo

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Econowave Speakers
« on: February 04, 2012, 04:00:22 PM »
Inspired by the late Zilch from audioKinesis, and so many happy builders of his designs, I am building a pair of Econowave speakers to find out what's all the hubbub.

Shane's curiosity was piqued by the hundreds of thousands of posts on several different forums about this concept, so he offered to sponsor the research. Parts arrived today, scattered all over my living room like Christmas morning.

In the next few days I'll pull together a cabinet design from the ideas I have been kicking around, and get something built.

I intend to build two speakers. This first will be a straight up Econowave Delite, per the exact recipe laid out here:
http://techtalk.parts-express.com/showpost.php?p=1637407&postcount=188
The second will be fancier, but only if I like the sound of this one.

I have 4 Eminence Deltalite II 2512s from my previous DIY speaker build, so I will recycle those for this project.

The intention at this point is to build a floorstanding, bass reflex speaker with either one woofer, or two woofers for a 2.5 way.

eleazar

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Re: Econowave Speakers
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2012, 04:16:19 PM »
You've got me thinking about trying a speaker project this spring. I'll be keeping my eyes on your project

jianghai

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Re: Econowave Speakers
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2012, 09:17:52 PM »
Looks amazing. How I wish I had some DIY chops

Offline richidoo

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Re: Econowave Speakers
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2012, 01:53:24 PM »
OK, time to get the ball rolling.  Thanks to Hometheaterdoc for sponsoring the "research." The aim is to find a recipe to meet his high standards of refinement and mine for power and value.

This is the first speaker we're gonna try. Loosely based on Zilch's EWave Delite, with box optimized for the Eminence DeltaLiteII 2512 woofer. Zilch's boxes were never optimimized for performance, only for price. But a whole sheet of plywood costs less than his universal knock down box, so might as well optimize the bass alignment. 131 liters makes max flat reflex alignment at the driver's resonance of 38Hz. 2 big ports keep the noise down, since they are firing forward.



It has Qtc of .57 when the ports are sealed, so we can play with Linkwitz transform. 1 sheet of plywood for each speaker. Mitered edges to try to make it look nice. Glued bracing beams inside (diagonal lines.)  Acoustic damping inside, but maybe not cabinet resonance damping. Crossover parts fit in a separate box on the bottom.

Offline Inscrutable

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Re: Econowave Speakers
« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2012, 01:04:39 AM »
Oooooh .... getting excited about this.  In my screenwall rebuild I am going with an AT screen, and I've been looking at various kits and buidls for teh front stage speakers. Been worried about most of them having enough output for my room (>9000 cf). These look promising.  Requiring more depth than I'd hoped, but may be workable.

Did you get anywhere with this yet Rich?

Offline hometheaterdoc

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Re: Econowave Speakers
« Reply #5 on: February 18, 2012, 03:37:05 AM »
last I heard all the wood was cut for the test mule cabinets and he was hoping to start gluing soon. 

I need to stop by this weekend and drop off some more flared ports and other tidbits for the build... and pick up my tube amps... 

I'm anxious to hear the design as well... after it's broken in for a few hundred hours :)  I think he's staying pretty true to the original Zilch design except for optimizing the box for the woofer a bit better on this first pass/attempt... crossover wise it will start as an exact copy of the Zilch design, just with much better parts than original spec :)

no idea if it will be midfi, or screechy and honky or what?  but sure am curious to find out.....
Shane Sangster
Used to be Night & Day Audio.......

Offline Inscrutable

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Re: Econowave Speakers
« Reply #6 on: February 18, 2012, 04:44:44 AM »
Cool.
Rich, you probably have what you need, but give a shout if you want/need clamps, pockethole jig, power tools, etc etc ... I have a garage full. Probably up in Cary for dinner with friends tonight and could drop them off.

Offline richidoo

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Re: Econowave Speakers
« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2012, 05:25:12 AM »
Thanks for the offer Tim. I'm set for tools, at least for this project. Gluing up the boxes now. Using veneered ply with mitred joints and no external fasteners so gluing is slow with weights and clamps.

Offline rollo

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Re: Econowave Speakers
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2012, 07:49:21 AM »
  Looks interesting Richadoo. Have you selected the drivers yet ?


charles
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Offline richidoo

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Re: Econowave Speakers
« Reply #9 on: February 18, 2012, 08:40:51 AM »
Yes, it will use the woofers that I already own from my previous project, Eminence Deltalite II 2512.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=290-593

The HF driver is the ubiquitous B&C DE250, also used in Gedlee Abbey speakers which mgalusha and TomS use.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=294-605

in a QSC horn clone from parts express:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=245-625

The speaker is based on this design created by Zilch and Pete Schumaker on the Parts-Express Tech-Talk forum:
http://techtalk.parts-express.com/showpost.php?p=1637407&postcount=188

Shane bought upgraded parts for the crossover. Unlike the Zilch Delite which did not have a box optimized to the woofer, my box is designed to be a Butterworth 4th order max flat bass alignment with my woofers which supposedly will make -3dB @ 38Hz. But this woofer is not as efficient in bass as in midrange, so we'll have to wait and see how flat it is down to the port resonance. Baffle step will be corrected with a line level RC filter before the amp.

Offline richidoo

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Re: Econowave Speakers
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2012, 05:49:03 PM »
I got both box shells glued together... that is, the rear, top and 2sides, all mitred edges and no fasteners. The bottom panels still need to be cut to fit, and internal braces installed. Then the front baffle needs the driver holes cut before gluing to the box. Next 3 days are in the 70s here so I should make some progress.

Offline richidoo

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Re: Econowave Speakers
« Reply #11 on: February 25, 2012, 04:05:43 PM »
Pics






I braced up one of the cabinets today. It's a lot of work but it  really kills down the cabinet resonance. The box volume accommodates the added bracing.

Offline hometheaterdoc

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Re: Econowave Speakers
« Reply #12 on: February 25, 2012, 08:10:42 PM »
Lookin' good, Rich!  getting much closer to the point of making some tunes :)  can't want to get a listen...
Shane Sangster
Used to be Night & Day Audio.......

Offline Inscrutable

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Re: Econowave Speakers
« Reply #13 on: February 26, 2012, 03:26:22 AM »
+1  :thumb:

Offline rollo

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Re: Econowave Speakers
« Reply #14 on: February 26, 2012, 07:54:18 AM »
   Some serious bracing there . Mucho labor. Very nice.


charles
contact me  at rollo14@verizon.net or visit us on Facebook
Lamm Industries - Aqua Acoustic, Formula & La Scala DAC- INNUOS  - Rethm - Kuzma - QLN - Audio Hungary Qualiton - Fritz speakers -Gigawatt -Vinnie Rossi,TWL, Swiss Cables, Merason DAC.