tang band speakers any good as midbass

[the caveman]

hey guys am trying to build a surround sound system from scratch and im at the point of selecting the speakers

the speakers i am currently most interested in are tang bands, as i cant post links yet the model of the 6.1/2"s im looking at are
w6-1721 or w6-1139si

im planing on having 2 towers with 1x 8", 2x 6.12", 4" a center box with 2x 6.12" and a 2" dome tweeter, 2x small boxes with 1x 5.14" and a compression driver/horn for a bit of fun

so first question are tang band speakers reputable for home theater use and dose that speaker arrangement sound workable
thanks jesse

 

[TLS Guy]

hey guys am trying to build a surround sound system from scratch and im at the point of selecting the speakers

the speakers i am currently most interested in are tang bands, as i cant post links yet the model of the 6.1/2"s im looking at are
w6-1721 or w6-1139si

im planing on having 2 towers with 1x 8", 2x 6.12", 4" a center box with 2x 6.12" and a 2" dome tweeter, 2x small boxes with 1x 5.14" and a compression driver/horn for a bit of fun

so first question are tang band speakers reputable for home theater use and dose that speaker arrangement sound workable
thanks jesse

Speaker design is complex and the heart of any speaker is the crossover. every driver has an optimal application. I suspect you have not done any reading on how to design and build a speaker.

 

[GranteedEV]

Hi Jesse.

To put it nicely, you don't know what you're doing, so please don't bother trying

For starters, try reading this:
http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/crossovers.htm

 

[jamie2112]

Yes Jesse you should really just buy a pair of speakers.Build a sub first see how that goes then try your hand at speakers.Just sayin.........

 

[the caveman]

i know i really dont have clue what im doing as this is my first attempt at build a home theater system but working with audio equipment is really starting to become a passion of mine thats why im building a system from scratch so i can get some expiriance working with all the diferent components of a complex system and hopfully learn a little while i build it. its not as if i expect to build a world class system on my first try, i expect to have to re build quite a few times (and want to rebuild) befor its anygood

 

[dkane360]

I would start with a kit like this:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-702

 

[GranteedEV]

i know i really dont have clue what im doing as this is my first attempt at build a home theater system but working with audio equipment is really starting to become a passion of mine thats why im building a system from scratch so i can get some expiriance working with all the diferent components of a complex system and hopfully learn a little while i build it. its not as if i expect to build a world class system on my first try, i expect to have to re build quite a few times (and want to rebuild) befor its anygood

Take it easy and be patient. There's many things you'll slowly learn you need if you ever want to make a half-decent system. If every build you ever do is based on failure, you'll never have any reference point to success. What do you get from building a piece of trash speaker?

You need to know about speaker measurements. The tools necessary to do them, the understanding necessary to interpret them, and the software necessary to make use of them. These things don't come free. They require time and money.

Do you even have the tools for building a box? A router, clamps, modeling software?

It's not just a matter of taking a woofer that looks good, and midbass that looks good, and then hoping they work together. You have to make them work together, and the key to it is complex and pricy.

The reason we recommend kits isn't because we don't think you could eventually learn how to make a decent speaker on your own. It's because this will help you as the first step to learn how to make a decent speaker on your own. As a hobby, you're going to have to invest a lot of time and money before you're ready to design your own speaker. Why not learn from someone else's spent time and money in the mean time?

As simple as it seems on paper, it's nearly mind-blowing just how much theory there is to learn about acoustics, electicity and magnetism, and psychoacoustics when it comes to designing a loudspeaker. This stuff is serious business. Most of the reading can be boring too... white papers written by boring electrical engineers with PH.Ds for engineering journals and stuff like that. Many (not all) of these guys probably have no personality, because what they write is very dry and matter-of-fact... trying to cram all this information will just give you headache. It gives me one.

On a side note, do you mind typing a bit more cleanly... like an adult? I hate to be a grammar and spelling nazi but it helps your message become more clear and also prevents you from seeing like an over-eager 14 year old (even if that's what you are, I'm sure you still know how to spell and punctuate... i hate reading run-on sentences).

 

[the caveman]

Thanks for all the info and sorry about the grammar, didn’t really think anyone would care (im an over-eager 17,yo).
As for building boxes, I do have all the equipment necessary (I’ve been building sub boxes for mates since.... before I hit puberty). I'm sorry to disappoint a few of you but I still want to design my own system. so if anyone could please tell me if tang band speakers are a good brand or if there is a better brand for around the same money it would be much appreciated.
peace

 

[GranteedEV]

Most drivers will be good when implemented properly.
Most drivers will be awful when implemented poorly.

Whether you can figure out how best to implement any driver and find out if it's worthwhile to implement has little do with whether it's "good" or "bad" but with measurements and your own understandings of crossover design. It has to do with looking first at general measurements and basic specifications, and then taking your own far more indepth measurements.

Now if you're asking if tang band is some no-name company selling you low quality garbage, then no. They're fairly well known and a good bang-for-buck.

I am dissapointed though. I like to see people succeed, and you're on what seems to be the path to failure.

 

[the caveman]

well wish me luck then
think i got it all figured out, will post some pics and a vid if it turns out alright.

 

[TLS Guy]

Thanks for all the info and sorry about the grammar, didn’t really think anyone would care (im an over-eager 17,yo).
As for building boxes, I do have all the equipment necessary (I’ve been building sub boxes for mates since.... before I hit puberty). I'm sorry to disappoint a few of you but I still want to design my own system. so if anyone could please tell me if tang band speakers are a good brand or if there is a better brand for around the same money it would be much appreciated.
peace

Your problem is this. We can't tell you if the speakers are any good or not. One of us would have to do a huge amount of work to see if your drivers could even work together. There are a lot of combinations, probably most, that it is actually impossible to design a crossover for.

Three ways are very difficult, that is why there are now so few. The problem is keeping the midrange driver in band and still have the crossover points far enough apart. Then you have to mate your design to the acoustic data of each driver and level the drivers. Providing impedance correction a step loss compensation is particularly difficult.

It is a really bad idea to embark on a three way. If you want to build a nice two or 2.5 way that is a different matter and we can talk you through it if you listen. It is a really bad idea to pick a horn tweeter, which will make long range modeling impossible.

You seem to have no comprehension of the steep climb involved in making a three way that has even a remote chance of providing minimal satisfaction.

We get your type of post a regular intervals and very frequently from teenagers. Almost always they want help designing a three way. The answer is always the same as we can't help you.

By the way the components for any workable crossover for a three way will likely run over $200 per speaker.

So if you want help, then you need a more approachable project.

And by the way you don't need luck, you need a bevy of miracles.

 

[lsiberian]

You can certainly figure out if the speakers will work together if you are willing to put in the design work. Design is the hardest and longest part of making a speaker. A 3-way is a tough design to start with. What you are undertaking is an engineering project so be prepared for it to take some time. Tagband makes excellent drivers. w6-1721 is a very solid driver and might be excellent for a bottom driver. Model it up in WinISD and see if you get something that will work.

see Zaph's test on it http://www.zaphaudio.com/6.5test/compare.html

 

[lsiberian]

I'd suggest you consider the modified Thor TL Mark came up with if you want a really high class speaker.

I believe it's 2 SEAS Prestige CA18RNX and SEAS Prestige 27TDC and it's certainly worthy of consideration.

 

[jinjuku]

i know i really dont have clue what im doing as this is my first attempt at build a home theater system but working with audio equipment is really starting to become a passion of mine thats why im building a system from scratch so i can get some expiriance working with all the diferent components of a complex system and hopfully learn a little while i build it. its not as if i expect to build a world class system on my first try, i expect to have to re build quite a few times (and want to rebuild) befor its anygood

I would recommend trying one the Zaph designs.


You have to walk before you run.

 

[highfigh]

well wish me luck then
think i got it all figured out, will post some pics and a vid if it turns out alright.

The one thing that has to be remembered- the speaker determines what box will work best. You can't force a woofer to do what it can't, or won't. Wanting it to do something that it can't won't make it happen.

My comment about active crossovers being more efficient has to do with a characteristic of passive devices- they cause something called insertion loss and it can be substantial. A 3dB loss means you'll need to pump twice as much power into the speaker to get the same volume and that can mean the amp will run out of headroom before you get the volume you want.

Good crossover components are expensive and cheap, electrolytic capacitors just don't yield the results desired.

Look at the Zapf site and try one of those first- it will save a lot of money and he already did the testing/crossover design.

 

[lsiberian]

The one thing that has to be remembered- the speaker determines what box will work best. You can't force a woofer to do what it can't, or won't. Wanting it to do something that it can't won't make it happen.

My comment about active crossovers being more efficient has to do with a characteristic of passive devices- they cause something called insertion loss and it can be substantial. A 3dB loss means you'll need to pump twice as much power into the speaker to get the same volume and that can mean the amp will run out of headroom before you get the volume you want.

Good crossover components are expensive and cheap, electrolytic capacitors just don't yield the results desired.

Look at the Zapf site and try one of those first- it will save a lot of money and he already did the testing/crossover design.

If he's going active he could use the Tagband with a Dayton Dome midrange and a good high end tweeter with a DCX 2496. He already has the amps for it. I'd suggest you get a pair of Tagbands and domes for the project.