Just saw this a couple days ago, by our own Bennett.
Anyone eager to build one for testing?
Anyone eager to build one for testing?
I'm sure if size and weight are not an issue this will be a beautiful speaker, and I want a pair - but I also want B&C to release a smaller 90 degree version of this horn 15" wide for those projects that need a different compromise.Big, heavy, and loud? It looks like it's designed for ease of build, and nice full-range response over any sort of compact-ness. Perfect for installations, except for lack of rigging, as expected for a DIY design.
Despite some of the hype, 3D printers big enough to print a useful horn in one pass are still relatively expensive. There are also some strength concerns, in particular with FDM, but those are typically solvable with proper part design. And part cost is a function of printing time and material type. That said, it's certainly possible, and if you have a 3D model of a design, there are a number of companies who will be happy to print it for you (Protolabs and Shapeways in the US come immediately to mind, but there are others).It always surprises me how few sensibly-priced custom-made horns exist; with 3D printing so commonplace, and GRP being cheap, easy, and quick to work with. I am not a horn designer, but surely the profile does not have to be micron perfect...
There are lots of nice horns of a suitable size to match a 12" driver - B&C ME90, RCF HF950, Eighteen Sound XR1496 etc. but not many to match a 15" that provide good loading down to 600Hz or less.
I realise now that my original post was too vague. I should add that I intended for the master to be 3D printed either whole or as half a horn, from which a GRP mould could be easily taken to reproduce the finished horn itself in GRP.Despite some of the hype, 3D printers big enough to print a useful horn in one pass are still relatively expensive. There are also some strength concerns, in particular with FDM, but those are typically solvable with proper part design. And part cost is a function of printing time and material type. That said, it's certainly possible, and if you have a 3D model of a design, there are a number of companies who will be happy to print it for you (Protolabs and Shapeways in the US come immediately to mind, but there are others).
I realise now that my original post was too vague. I should add that I intended for the master to be 3D printed either whole or as half a horn, from which a GRP mould could be easily taken to reproduce the finished horn itself in GRP.
FWIW this is what I have done with a horn of the size I mentioned plus a DCX464, 2 x B&C 14ndl88 and a couple of 21SW152's. On the left hand side you can see a large white 3D printed horn in the background that pre dates the ME464![]()
I hope you can clearly tell that your box was an inspiration, in many ways. Thanks, Peter!
I dunno, it's like when people ask me if the 18IPAL is good in a particular enclosure: It's the best woofer we can make, so yes? What would be better, less motor or a weaker cone or less suspension travel?Bennett, I've been eyeing off Peter's designs for a while, but I love the idea of big boxes that don't need separate subwoofers. I'd anticipate using them for modest outdoor parties with DJ/program material.. is there a particular use case these are aimed at?
I dunno, it's like when people ask me if the 18IPAL is good in a particular enclosure: It's the best woofer we can make, so yes? What would be better, less motor or a weaker cone or less suspension travel?
I wanted to build a box that could keep up with the DCX464 and have really nice pattern control to show off the ME464 horn. I was definitely thinking a bit of the outdoor party people who are building a lot of cool looking enclosures, chasing high SPL. It's a bit big for throw and go PA use, and I wouldn't touch flyware with a 10m pole, but it's not heavier than a KF650 (135 lbs) so just big by today's standards. You can tell how nicely it turned out given most of the listening portion of that video is filmed at the edge of the horn pattern! It's slightly arrayable, in that two wide would be ≈150°, and at that point there would probably be enough LF to keep up with the MF/HF. Most people will want a subwoofer anyway just to get that 30Hz, but I think of subwoofers as effects and I prefer the sound quality of a really full range source. Honestly you could put these in your living room, the sharp pattern control will make them sound even better compared to something with a normal sized horn (or a dome tweeter). Just gain the amp way down to avoid hiss... and make sure you have a big living room.
I dunno, it's like when people ask me if the 18IPAL is good in a particular enclosure: It's the best woofer we can make, so yes? What would be better, less motor or a weaker cone or less suspension travel?
I wanted to build a box that could keep up with the DCX464 and have really nice pattern control to show off the ME464 horn. I was definitely thinking a bit of the outdoor party people who are building a lot of cool looking enclosures, chasing high SPL. It's a bit big for throw and go PA use, and I wouldn't touch flyware with a 10m pole, but it's not heavier than a KF650 (135 lbs) so just big by today's standards. You can tell how nicely it turned out given most of the listening portion of that video is filmed at the edge of the horn pattern! It's slightly arrayable, in that two wide would be ≈150°, and at that point there would probably be enough LF to keep up with the MF/HF. Most people will want a subwoofer anyway just to get that 30Hz, but I think of subwoofers as effects and I prefer the sound quality of a really full range source. Honestly you could put these in your living room, the sharp pattern control will make them sound even better compared to something with a normal sized horn (or a dome tweeter). Just gain the amp way down to avoid hiss... and make sure you have a big living room.
I dunno, it's like when people ask me if the 18IPAL is good in a particular enclosure: It's the best woofer we can make, so yes? What would be better, less motor or a weaker cone or less suspension travel?
I wanted to build a box that could keep up with the DCX464 and have really nice pattern control to show off the ME464 horn. I was definitely thinking a bit of the outdoor party people who are building a lot of cool looking enclosures, chasing high SPL. It's a bit big for throw and go PA use, and I wouldn't touch flyware with a 10m pole, but it's not heavier than a KF650 (135 lbs) so just big by today's standards. You can tell how nicely it turned out given most of the listening portion of that video is filmed at the edge of the horn pattern! It's slightly arrayable, in that two wide would be ≈150°, and at that point there would probably be enough LF to keep up with the MF/HF. Most people will want a subwoofer anyway just to get that 30Hz, but I think of subwoofers as effects and I prefer the sound quality of a really full range source. Honestly you could put these in your living room, the sharp pattern control will make them sound even better compared to something with a normal sized horn (or a dome tweeter). Just gain the amp way down to avoid hiss... and make sure you have a big living room.