Hi your blog is really great. Very informative! I was wondering, how would you compare the eighteensound waveguide you have there with the new OS waveguide? Is it worthing the extra effort of building/buying an OS profile?
Very hard to answer that one because it would require a more rigorous comparison than I have done. I've used them with different drivers and crossovers. You can see directivity measurements for both of them in our first waveguide shootout. My general impression is that they are comparable, certainly in the same league in terms of their sound quality. Both can sound very good. In our first waveguide shootout, my smaller oblate with the B&C DE250 was a clear winner over the 18 sound waveguide with a Faital CD at the same price point. However, the Faital was new out of the box and in longer sessions it did appear comparable. Since break-in, I haven't done any rigorous comparisons. I could change my mind in a more revealing comparison.
My choice would be an oblate spheroid. The theory suggests it is better. In subjective comparisons, the 18 Sound was at best equivalent, and at worst, a step back.
If you want to experience waveguides and compression drivers cheaply, then I'd suggest the Pyle waveguide which if featured in both waveguide shoot outs. It is very cheap and sounds good. The 18 Sound is well built, and the 12" oblate spheroid is also nicely made and very reasonably priced.
Thank you for your input, much appreciated! I'll build some CD design at some point for sure. For now the lack of space is a real problem so it will have to wait a bit.
I've just now observed that you are also making further steps in building a Synergy horn. As you probably know there's a similar effort leaded by JLH on DiyAudio, of designing a synergy based on some akabak simulations. It's in "suitable midrange for synergy horn" thread or something like that.
As I put some serious thoughts in this also, it occurred to me that one way of upgrading the synergy design is well, matching it with an OS waveguide. This should quite straightforward, as both profiles are essentially conical, still the throat is critical both these designs. For OS is critical because there's the OS profile and for the Synergy the throat is the place of summing the acoustic outputs of the five drivers. It these two could be reasonably merged I believe it would be really something..
My plan includes an oblate spheroid profile and since I have a small room I plan to install it flush in a bass trap. I find the bass traps essential to accurate bass and the combination in the one space makes it deserve it's name even more. Both are very large elements taking up a lot of space, but I can combine them so that the horn goes where the bass trap is least effective.
Hi your blog is really great. Very informative! I was wondering, how would you compare the eighteensound waveguide you have there with the new OS waveguide? Is it worthing the extra effort of building/buying an OS profile?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Very hard to answer that one because it would require a more rigorous comparison than I have done. I've used them with different drivers and crossovers. You can see directivity measurements for both of them in our first waveguide shootout. My general impression is that they are comparable, certainly in the same league in terms of their sound quality. Both can sound very good. In our first waveguide shootout, my smaller oblate with the B&C DE250 was a clear winner over the 18 sound waveguide with a Faital CD at the same price point. However, the Faital was new out of the box and in longer sessions it did appear comparable. Since break-in, I haven't done any rigorous comparisons. I could change my mind in a more revealing comparison.
ReplyDeleteMy choice would be an oblate spheroid. The theory suggests it is better. In subjective comparisons, the 18 Sound was at best equivalent, and at worst, a step back.
If you want to experience waveguides and compression drivers cheaply, then I'd suggest the Pyle waveguide which if featured in both waveguide shoot outs. It is very cheap and sounds good. The 18 Sound is well built, and the 12" oblate spheroid is also nicely made and very reasonably priced.
Thank you for your input, much appreciated! I'll build some CD design at some point for sure. For now the lack of space is a real problem so it will have to wait a bit.
ReplyDeleteI've just now observed that you are also making further steps in building a Synergy horn. As you probably know there's a similar effort leaded by JLH on DiyAudio, of designing a synergy based on some akabak simulations. It's in "suitable midrange for synergy horn" thread or something like that.
As I put some serious thoughts in this also, it occurred to me that one way of upgrading the synergy design is well, matching it with an OS waveguide. This should quite straightforward, as both profiles are essentially conical, still the throat is critical both these designs. For OS is critical because there's the OS profile and for the Synergy the throat is the place of summing the acoustic outputs of the five drivers. It these two could be reasonably merged I believe it would be really something..
My plan includes an oblate spheroid profile and since I have a small room I plan to install it flush in a bass trap. I find the bass traps essential to accurate bass and the combination in the one space makes it deserve it's name even more. Both are very large elements taking up a lot of space, but I can combine them so that the horn goes where the bass trap is least effective.
ReplyDelete