ATC monitor project, any input welcome

[TornadoTed]

I've always dreamed of owning some ATC's but can't afford the prices. Anyway I've decided I'm going to build some as I've built quite a few pairs of hi-fi speakers. I've decided on 15" Volt R3863 drivers, SM75.150 ATC mid ranges and Seas T25CF-002 Millenium tweeters. I'm going to use a BSS crossover and try to find 3 second hand Bryston or Crown amps. I reckon I can build the lot for under £4000 ($6800)

Wilmslow Audio in the UK can supply all the speakers and also CAD drawings of the cabinets, I do joinery in my spare time so it is fairly easy just building a couple of boxes!

One question though, what is the differnece between the SM75.150 and the SM75.150S? All I can tell from the specs is the 'S' has a 3 dB more, 94 dB compared to 91 dB for the non 'S' version. I guess which one you need is dependant on your bass driver, anyone have any ideas or suggestions on this or in general for this project?

Also can anyone suggest a better crossover, the BSS fds-336t seems about the best I an find for under £1000 ($1700)

[audiothings]

check out the geekslutz forum here, or try www.diyaudio.com

also thomas barefoot answers questions in the "speaking of speakers" forum at www.johnlsayers.com

best of luck and let us know how it turns out.

self.

[TRW]

Interesting Ted,

why not go for Wilmslows Prestige at under £2k and use the rest to provide suitable amplification? They seem like a good design with quality components for the money and save you needing to figure out the more complex attributes of speaker design. I believe Wilmslow offer a consultancy deal for reasonable money when designing a new enclosure/crossover.

I think they'll be the best people to ask.

I reckon the Prestige looks like a cool speaker but haven't taken the trip to Leceister to hear them yet.


-Tom

[Lindell]

Originally Posted by TornadoTed

One question though, what is the differnece between the SM75.150 and the SM75.150S? All I can tell from the specs is the 'S' has a 3 dB more, 94 dB compared to 91 dB for the non 'S' version. I guess which one you need is dependant on your bass driver, anyone have any ideas or suggestions on this or in general for this project?
($1700)

The sensitivity shouldn't matter when you are doing an active speaker. They both play loud enough anyway.....

Originally Posted by TornadoTed

Also can anyone suggest a better crossover, the BSS fds-336t seems about the best I an find for under £1000

I would go for a digital crossover instead. The settings and things you can do with digital is so superior to an analog crossover. Driver alignment (delay), eq, etc. Much easier to shape the speakers sound to your room and taste.
Check this amazing box out: ******//www.deqx.com/pdc26.html


Cheers,
Lindell

[xaos]

Originally Posted by Lindell

Check this amazing box out: ******//www.deqx.com/pdc26.html

That is one expensive crossover! That looks like a great tool, but budget wise $3700 is pretty cost prohibitive for the DIYer.

[TornadoTed]

Originally Posted by TRW

Interesting Ted,

why not go for Wilmslows Prestige at under £2k and use the rest to provide suitable amplification? They seem like a good design with quality components for the money and save you needing to figure out the more complex attributes of speaker design. I believe Wilmslow offer a consultancy deal for reasonable money when designing a new enclosure/crossover.

I think they'll be the best people to ask.

I reckon the Prestige looks like a cool speaker but haven't taken the trip to Leceister to hear them yet.


-Tom

A good point but unfortunately I have a set of soffit mounted Tannoy DMT 15 Mk II's so I need something to go back into the holes roughly the same size and shape give or take a few inches.

Wilmslow Audio will design the cabinets and provide CAD drawings for around £50. A crossover won't need to be designed as I intend to use an outboard one.

The budget I was working too was roughly:

£1700 for the drive units
£900 for the crossover
£1200 for the amps
£50 for design and CAD drawings
£150 for wood, glue, acoustic foam and treatments for inside the cabinets etc

Incidentally I intend to make them out of oak from my farm that has fallen in storms. For ther hi-fi speakers I have built from Wilmslow in the past I used 9mm oak bonded to 9mm MDF using a vaccum bag for compressing them together. This makes a beautiful looking speaker but the oak can't move as the MDF won't let it. I only intend to make the front of the new speakers like this as you won't see the sides and backs so MDF will be fine.

[TornadoTed]

Originally Posted by Lindell

The sensitivity shouldn't matter when you are doing an active speaker. They both play loud enough anyway.....



I would go for a digital crossover instead. The settings and things you can do with digital is so superior to an analog crossover. Driver alignment (delay), eq, etc. Much easier to shape the speakers sound to your room and taste.
Check this amazing box out: ******//www.deqx.com/pdc26.html


Cheers,
Lindell

That does look like an amazing piece of kit but that is nearly twice my budget. The BSS crossover I was looking at is digital also. I still haven't given up hope of finding an old ATC crossover second hand yet but they seem as rare as hens teeth.