Omni-directional Speakers

[Matthew J Poes]

Sorry, pm'd you before reading this. Shame! Basic AES membership is $150 yr (?) and now gives full access to e-library, every paper ever published! Worth it's weight in gold.
That paper is critical to the entire subject. Feel free to ask Earl about ;-)

I wrote you back in the PM too, but I will try to obtain. Maybe the author will send me a copy. I was a member when I was a student, but once I couldn't get the student rate it was too much. I may rejoin if all of this grows for me, but right now it's too much to spend on what is mostly a hobby for me. My acoustics business doesn't make enough money right now to justify this, and I have other business expenses I need to make first.

 

[tesseract]

I think Wayne may have built one of the Linkwitz speakers, so he can comment on those. My experience was at a fellow Audiophiles house, so my time was limited. A few hours maybe at most.

I've heard Wayne's and a couple of other pairs, all in different rooms. They are champion SS&I performers, as one would expect from Siegfried.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

I've heard Wayne's and a couple of other pairs, all in different rooms. They are champion SS&I performers, as one would expect from Siegfried.

Yeah most of his speakers are. He’s an imaging guy. I actually was reading more on the dispersion of those speakers and realized he called them monopoles in one of his articles. I guess they aren’t Omni. Bass is Omni (as are all monopoles in a small space) but the full range is pointed at the listener causing a very directional dispersion. Hence why he calls them monopoles I suppose.

 

[Todd Anderson]

I've head the LXmini's on several occasions. They sound fantastic, IMO, but are a tad thin on the low end. Paired with a good sub, and I think they're a winner!

 

[Eric SVL]

Added a couple more from ze Germans: Duevel and MBL.

 

[Grayson Dere]

I've been running a pair of Silent Speakers designed by Winslow Burhoe for my 2-channel music for a few years now. Even though the sound can be somewhat slightly diffused when compared to a direct radiating speaker it is very LARGE sounding as if the entire wall behind the speakers are putting out the music..for the size of the speakers the bass response is phenomenal, too. Also, the designer has interesting philosophy in the speaker's placement in the room:

From the Silent Speaker website: http://directacoustics.com/?page_id=16

Room Acoustics
“Silent Speakers” are designed for specific room placement, for example, against a wall and sitting on the floor. Drive units are on a slanting baffle, facing up, in order to help avoid creating standing waves and room acoustics.

 

[tesseract]

Those look a lot like these Neat Acoustic speakers, that sounded surprisingly large when I heard them.

http://neatacoustics.com/iota-alpha/

 

[Grayson Dere]

Those look a lot like these Neat Acoustic speakers, that sounded surprisingly large when I heard them.

http://neatacoustics.com/iota-alpha/

Yes! they do look very much like the Neat Acoustics speakers. I wonder if the large sound experience has more to do with the angled up firing direction causing reflections back to the listener from the rear-wall/ceiling more than anything else...

 

[Eric SVL]

I think if I did a DIY speaker project, it would be the LXmini. They could be really good near-field computer speakers, and free up a lot of space on my desk, too. Put a Rythmik sub near the desk and I'd be set.

Does anyone know if one can still purchase the plans from his site? Otherwise he has options listed here, http://www.linkwitzlab.com/LXmini/Construction.htm, one of which includes the plans. It gets a bit pricey and I am not sure if they ship to this side of the pond.

 

[Eric SVL]

I hope Wayne chimes in here, as he reviewed the LXminis: https://www.hometheatershack.com/fo...ab-lxmini-kit-speaker-performance-review.html

I'd like to know his thoughts, looking back, compared to systems he's heard in the years since that review.

 

[Grayson Dere]

I think if I did a DIY speaker project, it would be the LXmini. They could be really good near-field computer speakers, and free up a lot of space on my desk, too. Put a Rythmik sub near the desk and I'd be set.

Does anyone know if one can still purchase the plans from his site? Otherwise he has options listed here, http://www.linkwitzlab.com/LXmini/Construction.htm, one of which includes the plans. It gets a bit pricey and I am not sure if they ship to this side of the pond.

Those speakers were at the CA Audio Show a few years back...they sounded incredibly lifelike from what I remember. I don't know what electronics were used
as the source/pre-amp/amp but the whole system was phenomenal in both dynamics and clarity.

Thank you for reminding me of these as I forgot the maker/brand : )

 

[JStewart]

Does anyone know if one can still purchase the plans from his site?

I didn’t look at your link so sorry if this is redundant.
You can purchase both the kit and plans here
https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/2-way-speaker-kits/lxmini-linkwitz-lab-speaker-kit-pair/

 

[Eric SVL]

I didn’t look at your link so sorry if this is redundant.
You can purchase both the kit and plans here
https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/2-way-speaker-kits/lxmini-linkwitz-lab-speaker-kit-pair/

Yeah, that is one of the options. I'm sure many go that route.

The other site listed has an option for a bit higher end kit, too.

 

[tesseract]

I hope Wayne chimes in here, as he reviewed the LXminis: https://www.hometheatershack.com/fo...ab-lxmini-kit-speaker-performance-review.html

I'd like to know his thoughts, looking back, compared to systems he's heard in the years since that review.

Wayne built those speakers and I heard them. Worth owning, for sure.