# Looky! Looky! Zaph ZRT



## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

http://zaphaudio.com/ZRT.html

http://zaphaudio.com/blog.html

http://www.madisound.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=35_39_412&products_id=8362


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

Yum. Wonder how well these would be for a good HT setup that is sometimes a 2.1 setup. 

$1k is pretty pricey though. In addition to the materials needed to finish it off. But, yuuuuum.


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## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

Very nice !!

“AirCirc” D3004/6600
Scan-Speak 18W/8531G

Ultra-premium crossovers are available on request


A ZRT 2.5 Way version is also available with an additional 18W/8531G mid/bass driver. This configuration can be done in a sealed MD38T tower cabinet, or ported in your own larger cabinet


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## presto (Aug 20, 2008)

I think I might spring for these. I am an intermediate DIY speaker builder but the Zaph Audio Guy (John Krutke) is closer to 'pro' than I will ever be. (Actually he's closer to obsessed which makes for a great designer!) I could not get a better design if I did this myself I know that much. So the design is done with "some assembly required" for me. And I get a speaker with world class components for $999USD for parts + enclosure costs?

You can't get a speaker for under $5K that will TOUCH these things performance wise. It's all up to the builder how exotic one wants the cabinets. You can get cost effective Madisound cabinets or make your own with exotic veneers.

I dunno guys, I think I'm gonna bite. 

This might be the best VALUE kit on the market. $500 kits with Peerless or Vifa or Seas standard line speakers don't come close to this I'd say...

Might be the "speaker to end all speaker purchases for a while" speaker.

How to get them delivered without the wife seeing em... Hmmm...

Go to zaphaudio.com and check out all of the other designs this guy has done and how carefully he measures and compares drivers... This ain't no "plop in a box with some textbook filters and measure later" designer here!

Cheers,
Presto


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## backwoods (Feb 22, 2006)

if you are doing it, consider springing for the 2.5 and definitly stay ported. Didn't care as much for the sealed version. 

It is a very, very nice speaker, and one of the better of the simple scan designs.


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

backwoods said:


> *if you are doing it, consider springing for the 2.5 and definitly stay ported.* Didn't care as much for the sealed version.
> 
> It is a very, very nice speaker, and one of the better of the simple scan designs.


x2.......


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## fej (Feb 8, 2006)

Hmm I am not sure I agree with going 2.5, unless you have a relatively mediocre sub setup with your system. Asking these to play down to 80hz in either the sealed or the ported cabinet is not exactly a tall order IMO. I will be putting these together eventually, I just am unsure of how I am going to work out the cabinet, whether it be from my existing towers (which just about match the ZRT ported cabinet spec exactly) or use one of the Madisound cabinets. I already have a pair of the 8531's ready to go, and the crossovers alone will run you $222 assembled if I remember correctly, I would have to check the email I got from their CS.

I will be doing an IB sub setup in the house first, but right now I am mf'n poor after signing too much of my income away to my house payment today at the title company heh.


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## backwoods (Feb 22, 2006)

It is not so much about whether you have a mediocre sub setup, but merely extending and reinforcing the bottom octaves in the towers. And it will be especially useful if you are going IB in your house, allowing you to really take advantage of the added efficiency of both the towers and subs by limiting the range the sub is required to play and allowing a more robust performance from your towers. 

IME, the less I need to require from my subs, the happier I am in the house.


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## WRX/Z28 (Feb 21, 2008)

Anyone know if he plan's on making a similar center channel cabinet? Are these sheilded? (I still love my HD tube tv)


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## 3.5max6spd (Jun 29, 2005)

WRX/Z28 said:


> Anyone know if he plan's on making a similar center channel cabinet? Are these sheilded? (I still love my HD tube tv)


Due to space constraints I'd also like to see a D'appolitto center ch design to use as mains on stands, even with smaller dual 5" Revs.


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

fej said:


> *Hmm I am not sure I agree with going 2.5*, unless you have a relatively mediocre sub setup with your system. Asking these to play down to 80hz in either the sealed or the ported cabinet is not exactly a tall order IMO. I will be putting these together eventually, I just am unsure of how I am going to work out the cabinet, whether it be from my existing towers (which just about match the ZRT ported cabinet spec exactly) or use one of the Madisound cabinets. I already have a pair of the 8531's ready to go, and the crossovers alone will run you $222 assembled if I remember correctly, I would have to check the email I got from their CS.
> 
> I will be doing an IB sub setup in the house first, but right now I am mf'n poor after signing too much of my income away to my house payment today at the title company heh.



Check out the overall efficiency on the FR plots . You would still need a larger room for these though.

2 way









2.5 way


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## fej (Feb 8, 2006)

Ya I see what you mean with the plots, but I guess my pocketbook is driving my opinion a little bit  At this point I only need crossovers and the 6600's to get a set of these rolling.

I agree with trying to get the most out of your towers, but in a straight 2 way the more excursion you push the more likely you are going to run into some midrange performance/clarity problems asking the same driver to play 45hz and 1.7k hz. If this were not the case no one would build 3 way towers with a dedicated midrange, or 3 way setups in cars for that matter.

IMO a slightly higher highpass point from your towers keeps the rev doing what they do best, playing midrange 

And while I can absolutely bow down to Mr. Zaph and his design/ear for reproduction, I know what I prefer as well, and 50hz from my 15" 6 cu^3 1000w sub works better for me than asking my 7" ported towers to play the same 50hz


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## backwoods (Feb 22, 2006)

I can understand the pocketbook problem.

But, just to clarify, you add the second woofer to *reduce* excursion in your midrange.

Think of it this way, there is no benefit to using the 2 way over the 2.5 (except money) but there are several benefits in using the 2.5 over the 2 way. But, you'll probably still be happy with the 2 way. Just make sure you realize what you are giving up.


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## Dangerranger (Apr 12, 2006)

2.5 way also has the benefit of compensating for baffle step, and unlike a D'Appolito MTM you're essentially still mating one driver with the tweeter, where the BSC woofer has rolled off far earlier and the result is that the imaging is much better at the crossover frequency and the phase between the woofers and other drivers is minimal. That aspect is likely the largest advantage of a 2.5 way design, it's a simple, elegant solution to a common problem.


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## fej (Feb 8, 2006)

I understand the principals of the 2.5, but excursion at 40hz from 1 driver or 2 is still a fair amount of cone movement to ask from a 7" driver IMO.

We will see how long the IB sub setup takes me to get done, and I need to motivate and open up my existing towers.

Thanks for the help guys


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

fej said:


> I understand the principals of the 2.5, but excursion at 40hz from 1 driver or 2 is still a fair amount of cone movement to ask from a 7" driver IMO.
> 
> We will see how long the IB sub setup takes me to get done, and I need to motivate and open up my existing towers.
> 
> Thanks for the help guys


I know it's not an option for you because of your budget, but just making sure you are seeing what mean. You get a 6db boost in output (equivalent to quadrupling the total power to it if you could which you can't) overall regardless of what you do with the sub 80Hz range.

It's also many peoples opinion that even if you crossover to a sub you can't reach reference level output from a 7" 2-way. No matter what your crossover point is, the efficiency and power handling is not there for it.


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## GlasSman (Nov 14, 2006)

backwoods said:


> I can understand the pocketbook problem.
> 
> But, just to clarify, you add the second woofer to *reduce* excursion in your midrange.
> 
> Think of it this way, there is no benefit to using the 2 way over the 2.5 (except money) but there are several benefits in using the 2.5 over the 2 way. But, you'll probably still be happy with the 2 way. Just make sure you realize what you are giving up.



Yep....living with pair of 2.5 ways for the past 20 years I'm not willing to give "that" up.:blush:

Whn you've lived with it you know EXACTLY what it is....and it's good.


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## fej (Feb 8, 2006)

Heh, maybe I will try and come up with a second pair of the 8531's .... tax man comes in a few months


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## backwoods (Feb 22, 2006)

worth the wait! 

Especially when you are investing that much to begin with. lol, I can't believe I didn't even mention BSC...Nice catch danger..


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

So, has anyone built these yet?

I just pulled the 2.5 set up on madisound and even my wife said they look nice. ....


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## 60ndown (Feb 8, 2007)

http://www.decware.com/newsite/speakers.html


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