# So, I don't think a 7" woofer is enough. 8" 2 way?



## CBRworm (Sep 1, 2006)

I am still looking at building some better speakers for my workout room. I am looking to replace a set of old speakers I have. My old ones actually sound really good - but I was looking for something physically smaller.

My current workout room speakers are sealed 3 way speakers. They have Seas CA22RNX, Infinity 2.5 inch 'polyspherite' dome mids (which replaced DLS IR3's), and Peerless HDS tweeters. They sound great, but they are ugly and big. Old vinyl veneer. Kind of mid-bass heavy - the crossovers still need some tuning. The crossover points are at about 600hz and 4,000hz. Certainly not making use of the full potential of either the HDS tweeters or the CA22RNX's. And honestly the HDS's seem to have lost some of their 'air' and 'sparkle', and generally seem to be lacking up top. I put a 27TDFC in one of them and it sounded better. When I built these I did not like the 27TDFC as much as the HDS.

So I have been thinking about making some speakers out of my P18rnx/P 's, or the Zaph SR-71s - they look pretty good, and easy (a big plus). I have a set of Seas Loki's that I made a year or so ago. For those of you not familiar, it uses the Seas 7 inch coax in a ported box. 

I brought the Loki's into my weight room and tried to listen at the same volume that I listen to my current speakers, and the woofers in both boxes were bottoming out before I could get to my normal level. This surprised me because we use them in a HT setup without a sub for normal listening, they have good extension down into the low 40hz range, but apparently not very loud. I even double checked the polarity, but they were worse when I swapped one.

So, now I am worried that the SR-71 also would not have enough bass for me. Just so you know where I am coming from - my last set of workout room speakers were Cerwin Vega VS-12's, before that were Infinity SM-15's. So each set it getting progressively smaller, and better sounding. My amp in that room will put out well over 100wpc of clean power at 8 ohms. It tested at 240wpc at 4 ohms, so I would almost be inclined to build a set of 4 ohm speakers but don't know of any home audio drivers that would fit the bill without going MTM.


So I was thinking that the CA22RNX and either the HDS tweeter or a 27TDFC should be able to cross around the same point zaph uses on the SR-71. It seems like the CA22rnx should be able to play loudly at 1750hz all day and with better control than the P18 or ER18. The only variable I am not sure about is the ER has copper shorting rings - but I don't think that would help me. The other problem is that now I would be stuck with the large enclosure again. Even larger if I ported it. So I am Dilema'd

Then I started thinking about it and realized that the ER has more surface area than the Coax and the Phase plug seas 7" inch drivers, but I don't know if it would be enough. In my work out room I primarily listen to techno, D&B, electro, trance, and occasionaly hip hop. The source music may not be ideal, but if a speaker isn't tight, it will get beat to death with this music. 

Or my other option as stated in a previous post would be just to spend $499 and get a set of infinity Beta 50's. I am just afraid they will sound like poo. I am sure they will have great bass (probably), but I am used to really good mids and tweeters both in my house and my car. What if the infinity's just suck. 

I have a set of old infinity RS-4001's(or are they RS-5001?) Anyway - they still sound really good - but I understand that infinity now is totally different than what it was.

Any suggestions or opinions? Anyone heard the new infinity stuff?


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## Preacher (May 8, 2006)

Check into the Schumakabins. Maybe get an active xover and add bass bins to one of your options to relieve the mids.


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## Wild Child (Feb 16, 2006)

I got the zaph design with the L18 and 27tbfcg's and extension ain't a problem, they get straight up dirty.


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## Dangerranger (Apr 12, 2006)

I built Zaphs Waveguide TMM design. While it takes a little longer being that you have to route down the waveguide, make the back baffle for the tweeter etc etc., the cost of them isn't bad at all for what you're getting, definately in the range of those Infinity Beta 50s and a much better value. They're 90db efficient to begin with, but on top of that they keep their composure at LOUD volume levels due to the powerhandling, woofer surface area, and the efficiency the waveguide adds to the tweeter. They do just about everything right and give accuracy and good imaging but I'd definately recommend these first for someone who prioritizes dynamics and clarity at high output and wants it in a relatively small footprint. Bass output is solid as well, which is a given when comparing 2 midbasses to 1 like the SR71 kit or similar.


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## CBRworm (Sep 1, 2006)

Hmmm. The TMM Waveguide might be interesting. I had looked into that when he first posted it. 

Size and output are both hi priority for me. Of course it also has to sound great.


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## aneonrider (Apr 28, 2007)

Look into the CSS SDX7.


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## niceguy (Mar 12, 2006)

Not to go OT, but would any of these work as HT front/mains also?


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