High end 2 way bookshelf designs

[stephenmarklay]

World Famous Designer Troels Gravesen developed a well documented Illuminator Monitor using the the ScanSpeak 18WU/8741T00 driver paired with either 7100 or 6600 tweeters. Troels developed two crossovers - time delay circuit and simple lower cost LR2/LR2. These are expensive drivers, but you can price shop for crossover parts. Great cabinet. The Phonar Credo company uses this design with bottom woofers.

Illuminator-Monitor

World Famous Designer Jochim Gerhard developed the Kalasan SB Satori monitor in a well documented thread. Truncated pyramid cabinet for diffraction control. MW16P-8 midbass + TW29R-4 tweeter.... you can swap the lower cost SB29RDC tweeter with little sonic difference.

SB Acoustics Satori Monitor

Thank you sir.

 

[LineSource]

Photos.... The Kalasan can become your best value with the lower cost SB29RDC tweeter and a free crossover circuit you can price-select parts.
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Troels also designed a 2-way monitor using the 7" Satori MW19P and TW29RN
H450mm W260mm D280mm

MW19P-8

Just looking at all the sharp edges hurts your ears
1. Purchase 1” quarter-round router bit
2. Round over stepped baffle
3. Add one more baffle panel and round over thicker baffle edges
4. Stepped baffle time alignment makes the simple Xover easy to clone

 

[Ugg10]

The Klang and Ton NADA bookshelf using the 18w Illuminator looks nice as well. Interesting cross brace using what looks like m12 stainless threaded rods, takes up less volume so potentially slightly smaller box I guess.

NADA 2-Way Klang + Ton Kit Pair using Illuminator Drivers

 

[JohntheRevelator]

I like the Ellam MKII design from Troels: Ellam98-mkII I really like the Scanspeak 15W/8530-K00 midbass driver as I find that it strikes a nice balanced between detail and smoothness. I suspect that the Illumintor Monitor, that others have mentioned, is a better speaker in absolute terms. However, if I were going to build a 2-way I would want it to be small otherwise I would just build a slim floor-standing speakers instead. For me the flexibility of a mini-monitor is why I would build one and that starts to get compromised when they get bigger.

 

[Retsel]

Bud Fried speakers

Bud Fried developed transmission line speakers which were outstanding. The best of his line were the truncated pyramid speakers which vented the transmission line out of the back of the speaker. If you truly want bookshelf speakers, then these won't work as they need to be out in the room for the transmission line to vent.

The truncated minimonitors were called C5 (6.5 inch woofer and 3/4 inch tweeter), and if sold with the transmission line woofer (named Model Os), were called the Valhalla system. Previous to the Valhalla system they were called super monitors. The model Os were designed to be support the minimonitors on top. These speakers can image like crazy.

Somewhere on the Web is site from which speaker plans can be downloaded. I think that the tweeters are still available, but you would have to figure out what woofers work with them.

Retsel

 

[stephenmarklay]

I like the Ellam MKII design from Troels: Ellam98-mkII I really like the Scanspeak 15W/8530-K00 midbass driver as I find that it strikes a nice balanced between detail and smoothness. I suspect that the Illumintor Monitor, that others have mentioned, is a better speaker in absolute terms. However, if I were going to build a 2-way I would want it to be small otherwise I would just build a slim floor-standing speakers instead. For me the flexibility of a mini-monitor is why I would build one and that starts to get compromised when they get bigger.

These look interesting. I see this “step” baffle in several of his designs. Looks different.

 

[zman01]

JohntheRevelator,

The Ellam98-mkII looks like a nice design - have you built it? I have the 15W/8530K-K00 and like them too. 🙂

These look interesting. I see this “step” baffle in several of his designs. Looks different.

What I understand is that Troels went for the step baffle in the design to get time alignment using second order LR cross-overs.

 

[LineSource]

However, if I were going to build a 2-way I would want it to be small otherwise I would just build a slim floor-standing speakers instead.

MAYBE... Something like the Astasia?

Think of the cool-stuff you can put on top!