Small DIY 3 way bookshelf speakers

[enrico.z]

Hi All,
I'm new on this forum and this is my first post. I'm a not very experienced enthusiast.
I completed a first bookshelf project and this is the second one.
I bought the 3 couples of drivers as a deal and after I tried to put them together in the best way.

• Hivi M5A 5" mid bass aluminum/magnesium cone driver
• Visaton B80 extended range 3,3" driver
• Hivi TN28 1" tweeter

I know it's quite useless a 3 way design with such a small woofer and a small enclosure, but I like experiments.
So you can see the result in the pictures.
They sound good, not really punchy in the super bass region as you can imagine, but they are dynamic, well controlled and very clear at medium-high frequencies.
Medium frequencies are a little too present but they are very very clear thanks to the Visaton qualities. Also in the non optimal location in the room this is a plus.

 

[tktran303]

Very nice woodworking!

How did you make the tweeter mounts? I’ve always avoided these type of speakers; it felt like more work than necessary; but I do admit the reverse horn or tube is effective at lowering the Fs of the tweeter and reducing reflections.

Any measurements?

 

[enrico.z]

Thank you @tktran303

I did only the wood base for tweeters. They were sold (used) without their plastic base. But for the rest no other work except the filling of the posterior chamber with sound-absorbing material.
I don't have specific measurements but i can confirm the good off axis response thanks to low diffraction effect.
In this case, with 3 ways design, I had no problems with resonance frequency because I could cross tweeter and midrange a little higher than in a 2 ways solution.

 

[pop4richard]

I'm a bit concerned. Should not the Visaton midrange have its own little box? Did you use software to design the box and the port size? I love the look of these speakers, very clean, nice finish and good proportions.

 

[enrico.z]

I'm a bit concerned. Should not the Visaton midrange have its own little box? Did you use software to design the box and the port size? I love the look of these speakers, very clean, nice finish and good proportions.

Hi @pop4richard ,
yes, the visaton has a small 1,5l box inside. The port size is calculated with the help of various calculators but nothing advanced. All measurements with very basic instruments and a bit of crossover tuning and listening sessions.

 

[joensd]

I know it's quite useless a 3 way design with such a small woofer and a small enclosure, but I like experiments.

I don´t think it is useless at all. You relieve the (IMHO) very nice B80 from bass-duties and thus do what all 3-ways (should) achieve:
Get the best out of the mid driver.
Also, for most people/rooms a 5" can be just fine.
Had a Harbeth M20 for years that was plenty for me and my neighbours too.

Besides I absolutely love the design and execution of the speakers.
The baffle, ports, the tweeter on top, terminals and even the leather (which I usually don´t care about in speakers). Very classy!

 

[enrico.z]

I don´t think it is useless at all. You relieve the (IMHO) very nice B80 from bass-duties and thus do what all 3-ways (should) achieve:
Get the best out of the mid driver.
Also, for most people/rooms a 5" can be just fine.
Had a Harbeth M20 for years that was plenty for me and my neighbours too.

Besides I absolutely love the design and execution of the speakers.
The baffle, ports, the tweeter on top, terminals and even the leather (which I usually don´t care about in speakers). Very classy!

Thank you. I'm pleased to receive your appreciation.
Yes, After all I agree with you and the mid range benefited a lot from this design. But sure Is full of excellent quality 2 ways speakers with brilliant mid range rendition.

Unfortunately I had some limitations in terms of space, so I designed a 10 liters cabinet that Is adeguate for a woofer not larger than 5-6 inches.All in all, however, it is enough for my listening.

 

[PeteMcK]

I agree with Joensd, not useless at all; I did something similar with Wavecor 5", Dayton PC105 & Dayton NF20 in 20 Litres (a bit big)- they've been my favourite desktop speakers for a couple of years. (SB13PFC will suit a smaller cabinet)

 

[enrico.z]

I'd have liked to make a larger cabinet but i was limited by the available space in my bookshelf...yes, they are real bookshelf speakers 😄
Not an Ideal location, i know...

 

[ernperkins]

I really like the leather (or leather like) wrap around. I was wondering how you attached it and how you you wrapped it around the front and rear of the speaker.

 

[enrico.z]

I really like the leather (or leather like) wrap around. I was wondering how you attached it and how you you wrapped it around the front and rear of the speaker.

I'ts a synthetic leather. I attached It with a spray glue in the larger surfaces and with a strong Bostik contact glue on the edges.
To understand what i did for front and rear solution and to join the two edges of the leather i post some pictures.

 

[ernperkins]

Thanks and nice job.

 

[6thplanet]

That's a very clean looking speaker, nice work!

 

[enrico.z]

That's a very clean looking speaker, nice work!

Thank you @6thplanet