Another design I'm also looking at is GR Research's N2X. They work with the finished PE .05cu/ft enclosures which is an added bonus.
http://www.gr-research.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=148
The N2X uses the same BG Neo3 PDR tweeter as in the Cryolite - interesting. Overall I like that tweeter, with one problem.
I have been recently working with a friend on a DIY design with that same tweeter that was going to be crossed to a different woofer at about 2200 Hz. The tweeter has a large dip (about 5 dB) in response around 3000 Hz (roughly from 2700 to 3300 Hz). We had to go with a different tweeter because we couldn't find a way to deal with that dip. That dip made for too much of a laid-back sound. It wasn't unpleasant sounding, but lost too much detail.
When you see Lou Coraggio, ask him if he had any problems with that 5 dB dip with that tweeter. I noticed that he used a 2400 Hz crossover in the Cryolite and the N2X uses a lower 1900 Hz crossover. If that dip is always present in those tweeters, the N2X should have a more audible problem in the 3000 Hz range. It's now my opinion that the Neo3 PDR tweeter should be crossed over no lower than 3500 Hz, but maybe Lou had different experience.
The N2X mini-monitor uses a sealed box and the Cryolite uses a ported reflex box. I would expect more bass from the Cryolite.
If you are thinking about using one of the PE pre-made cabinets, you should be aware of one thing. Both the rectangular and curved cabinets are very well made with a sturdy interior cross brace and a removable front baffle. So far so good
. But the brace divides the floor space in two, so your crossover will probably have to be split into two separate boards. If your crossover has large parts, it will be a challenge to get it all to fit in. The curved cabinets have less floor space than the rectangular ones. Look on the PE site to see if there are pictures of the interior of these cabinets.
My experience was with the PE 0.37 ft³ cabinet. Their 0.5 ft³ cabinet may not be such a problem.
The PE finishes are good, but the maple and cherry finishes are not real maple and cherry veneer. They use some rather plain-grained unspecified blond hardwood, which is clear-coated for the maple and stained a cherry-red for the cherry. They don't look bad, but they're not the real thing.
