I came across this exhibition too late to go and see it
https://www.lissongallery.com/exhibitions/devon-turnbull-ojas-hifi-listening-room-dream-no-1
I wondered what people thought about the speakers OJAS builds? I'm temepted to DIY a pair of these...cut my own wood and source the speakers (JBL 8" coaxial ceiling speakers.
https://ojas.nyc/collections/frontpage/products/artbook-shelf-speaker-2
https://www.lissongallery.com/exhibitions/devon-turnbull-ojas-hifi-listening-room-dream-no-1
I wondered what people thought about the speakers OJAS builds? I'm temepted to DIY a pair of these...cut my own wood and source the speakers (JBL 8" coaxial ceiling speakers.
https://ojas.nyc/collections/frontpage/products/artbook-shelf-speaker-2
HI, if you like the looks and concept go ahead!🙂 There is at least two things you could "improve" though, but it would change the looks. The port is likely noisy and tons of edge diffraction for wide bandwidth from ~800Hz up until 10kHz or so, both of which make the speaker localize itself. Perhaps this doesn't matter to you, as most speakers have these two issues. In this sense it seems to be a lifestyle product, as most "highend" is. Sound is what it happens to be, although never heard it is easy to see by eye many things are optimized for aesthetics instead of absolute audio performance. This is what most people want, so if you do as well go ahead.
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Uncannily like many of the old Altec plans.
The only thing I would be tempted to build from Ojas is the 31" subwoofer, but I don't have 6 grant to buy one of these.
Otherwise....
Otherwise....
https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/approx-31-woofers/fostex-fw800hs-31.5-super-woofer/
Only needs a 500-800L box! /s
Only needs a 500-800L box! /s
Great comments everybody. The subtext to your messages are what I indeed thought...it looks good, probably sounds OK, and with enough hype it's the best thing since sliced bread! But on a serious note, I'd love to build a couple of speakers and a sub to a fairly high speck. Budget would be around £2-3K. The cabs wouldn't cost me anything since I have a good friend with a CnC machine who makes bespoke kitchens out of top grade birch ply, simply using his off cuts would cost me next to nothing. So where should I start? What texts are there to begin my jouney. Are as OJAS has used the coaxial drivers the way to go? Many thanks
If you start from scratch, just do what ever draws your attention because thats interesting to you and makes sure you'll get it done. With the experience of first speakers you might want to make another pair, a different more suitable one, in the future. I could argue any reasonably well made speakers sound fine until your listening skill can spot issues, which you now can address somehow as you have noticed them. If not, you would not know better so any speakers are just fine until your listening skill evolves! 😉
Building anything gives nice experience in many fronts, from manufacturing to measurements and so on. What speaker system works best depends on the application, whether it's in your livingroom or on office table, what's the room acoustics, can you position them freely or do you even care about magical stereo sound and so on. If you do not know exactly what you need and want and prefer, then anything goes!🙂
If you are really new to this, it's quite a steep learning curve to design a speaker from scratch with many pitfalls around measurements and crossover stuff but also due to sheer amount of information available it's very confusing for a long time until you've gained some practical experience. So, in this sense highest possibility for successful project is to build a kit that has plans ready. You could still measure it to confirm everything works as it should. With this experience you are better equipped for your possible next project.
Remember to have fun, it's a hobby, and takes some time and money so better spend it wisely to have fun!🙂
Building anything gives nice experience in many fronts, from manufacturing to measurements and so on. What speaker system works best depends on the application, whether it's in your livingroom or on office table, what's the room acoustics, can you position them freely or do you even care about magical stereo sound and so on. If you do not know exactly what you need and want and prefer, then anything goes!🙂
If you are really new to this, it's quite a steep learning curve to design a speaker from scratch with many pitfalls around measurements and crossover stuff but also due to sheer amount of information available it's very confusing for a long time until you've gained some practical experience. So, in this sense highest possibility for successful project is to build a kit that has plans ready. You could still measure it to confirm everything works as it should. With this experience you are better equipped for your possible next project.
Remember to have fun, it's a hobby, and takes some time and money so better spend it wisely to have fun!🙂
He repackages what Altec Lansing and JBL were doing 70 years ago and sells it as hi end. I never heared it (i live on the other side of the ocean), but from people who know the originals, I hear you better stick with the originals or make more modern variations from it (like JBL does now).
A big part is also styling and nostalgia, not good sound, that drives this hype.
I would rather spend that money on recreating/improving an Altec A7 or so (with added subs) than try to clonse his designs based on those classic designs as you mostly pay for the hype and stylingg, not for engineering or so.
And like said, rather go to Joseph Crowe. He makes similar style speaker sets, but at least based on science and good engineering, He can sell you plans (relative affordable) to build it yourself, or you can ask him to build it (but that is expensive). I've seen plans of him, and they are very detailled and well made. I even considered a tweeter horn design, but i have no place nor the tools to make them myself (and hiring a carpenter is very expenive).
A big part is also styling and nostalgia, not good sound, that drives this hype.
I would rather spend that money on recreating/improving an Altec A7 or so (with added subs) than try to clonse his designs based on those classic designs as you mostly pay for the hype and stylingg, not for engineering or so.
And like said, rather go to Joseph Crowe. He makes similar style speaker sets, but at least based on science and good engineering, He can sell you plans (relative affordable) to build it yourself, or you can ask him to build it (but that is expensive). I've seen plans of him, and they are very detailled and well made. I even considered a tweeter horn design, but i have no place nor the tools to make them myself (and hiring a carpenter is very expenive).
Nobody's actually heard them so expect to hear peoples wild guessing based on their eyeballs.
If you appreciate the look of 1940 / 50's utility style cabinets, go for it.
Some people actually like simplicity and the aesthetic.
Far as real world it will be a 2 way with a 8" JBL speaker.
So would have good old straight forward bass and highs.
the port wont resonant as much as transmission line.
So it is always comical to hear peoples wild science guesses based on their assumptions
what a magical speaker should have. When they see simple straight forward designs that actually work.
As mentioned Ojas designs are heavily inspired by early Altec designs.
So you might want to explore vintage models to maybe make your own personal take.
The JBL speaker used requires 2 cubic feet and just tuned to Fs.
So any design you adapt just needs that volume and calculated port.
Read the JBL datasheet which basically describes the same requirements
If you appreciate the look of 1940 / 50's utility style cabinets, go for it.
Some people actually like simplicity and the aesthetic.
Far as real world it will be a 2 way with a 8" JBL speaker.
So would have good old straight forward bass and highs.
the port wont resonant as much as transmission line.
So it is always comical to hear peoples wild science guesses based on their assumptions
what a magical speaker should have. When they see simple straight forward designs that actually work.
As mentioned Ojas designs are heavily inspired by early Altec designs.
So you might want to explore vintage models to maybe make your own personal take.
The JBL speaker used requires 2 cubic feet and just tuned to Fs.
So any design you adapt just needs that volume and calculated port.
Read the JBL datasheet which basically describes the same requirements
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https://unisonresearch.com/en/prodotti/max-2/
I was listening this today, not really cheap but ex demo price around 5000-6000 Euro. Very nice sound. As for aesthetic I dont know what to say, side finish beautiful high gloss wood but front view pffff. Still, compared to OJAS its eye candy
I was listening this today, not really cheap but ex demo price around 5000-6000 Euro. Very nice sound. As for aesthetic I dont know what to say, side finish beautiful high gloss wood but front view pffff. Still, compared to OJAS its eye candy
I built a pair of the Ojas coaxials for a client. The sound was unobjectionable. Given the cost, it’s definitely a lifestyle accessory though I’m not sure how that translates into holding its value on the second-hand market. As an aside, I tried to get the same client to consider coaxials from DIYSG a few years prior and they were uninterested. Not sure how the concentric 8” coaxial from DIYSG stacks up against the 8” used in the Ojas but measurements look slightly better for the concentric 8, iirc.
I saw it. Long queue, eventually got a seat and later even a seat in the sweet spot. The room was full of people and the windows were closed so the lack of oxygen made me rather sleepy. Music was from turntable, old jazz and similar records, likely mono.
The sound was not modern, there was a fuzziness to the mids, wether that was the large woofers reaching too far into the midrange or also the records, I don’t know. I prefer a more modern horn sound, viva audio and the like.
Pictures attached. Only the big system was in play, the other speakers were exhibits.
