Chris,

As you know I have recently been experimenting with the BG Neo8 planar line transducers (speakers). Well I just wanted to update you on the findings so far. Tonally I think there is no equal to them. They are absolutely awesome. However I was hitting a bit of the proverbial brick wall when it came to getting them to image properly without being bias to one side or the other. Well after moving and listening, moving and listening, moving and listening some more I found that I could get them to image great from the kicks but I had to try all kinds of different angles. I even tried angling them straight up, into the kicks, down at the floor etc. Well I moved them most recently a little farther forward on the kicks and Eureka! I hit pay dirt. I have got them sounding great tonally, imaging high and soudstaging quite nicely. Now if I can just keep the tonal response when putting them into enclosures I am set. Those pesky back waves can be a bit of a pain in the backside. I will update you once I get the kicks formed up. I hope it will not take me too long.

 

I'd say those planars are definitely a step up from the normal stuff...... be sure and post some pics......
BTW... where did you get them?

 

Sounds good!

My kicks are supposed to come in today, and sometime next week I will take a mold of them. And hopefuly get the truck where its needs to be as far as getting ready to install. I really have to do is route the power wire through the firewall and finish the console and bolt down the amp, then I am good to go as far as getting the Utopias in and the 4.0.

I can't wait! Plus it will give me sometime to relax since I have been etremely busy this week.

Once I get everything done in my truck I may experiment with it a little or just go into the Home Audio as mentioned before...

 

Pics please

 

Have patience guys. It isn't like putting in a regular set of speakers. These things are an absolute pain to get them to image properly and to keep the rear wave from cancelling out the lower midrange freaks. I also still got to get the 4.5" midbass/mid before I can form up the kicks and I really should RTA the planars by themselves first to get an idea of their in car response. Then once I have that done I have to build a Linkwitz Transform possibly if I decide to use the 4" so that I don't suffer from time alignment problems. I am getting there but it is a slow row to hoe.

Donny,

You can pick up a set from partsexpress.com I am using the Bohlender Graebener Neo8 but after talking with an old associate of mine from my install days he was telling me that the Neo8 PDR version may do better in car with a slight sacrifice in the lower mid region. This of course will not be a problem provided that you add in a speaker between 4" and 6.5" diameter to pick up the low end and compensate for the extra weight of the cone with the Linkwitz Transform as I am looking to do. I just want there to be minimal delay time so I don't get the typical frequency smear inherrent in many systems. But if you wanna go through the challenges, heartaches, and headaches imposed by putting in planars make sure you have alot of free time and access to the minimum of an RTA.

 

Hehe...

Car audio is good and great especially for a hobby, but Im beginning to see the light and move to home audio. I guess this is the case because I am getting close to getting my truck complete and instead of sinking more money on it, I'll use it somewhere where it would make more of a differences and what not because I all ready have a nice car stereo.

Plus I think (I hope) I'll be happy with the Utopias! However, in a few years or so when I get more time and money I'll move to the experimenting stage in car and home audio, which I really want to do. I want to do it almost more than I want to get the stuff setup.

 

Well it is fun and keeps the mind busy. I just wish I had even more time to set aside for doing it. I mean with all the work on the stereo it really cuts into my time for doing IT. Just playing I meant more time to play with my stereo of course. Ok, now that my mind has been retrieved from the gutter.

I think that you will be really happy with the Utopias.. They really are a great sounding setup. As far as traditional cone speakers I don't think you can beat them. You can get others to rival them but not surpass them, at least I don't think so, well provided they are setup properly of course.

You know I was realizing a funny fact just a little bit ago that many people fail to realize. You can take a truly crappy speaker setup and get very awesome sound from it, I mean sound that would come close to the Utopias (not match but pretty darn close). The key to it all is in the design, application, and installation that really matters. Now for me this revelation never really hit me until I saw a guy on I sounddomain one day that has successfully used Pyramid speakers to win SLAP sound-offs. Now I have been out of the mainstream car audio scene now for I guess about 5 years. Anyway when i left Pyramid was crap. Now I think they more than likely still make the same crap but they have must have stepped up their line some as well. Not to say that I would ever buy them because I know there is much better out there and the audiophile in me would not let me buy Pyramid for that reason. Anyway, the jist of it all boils down to install. It will either make or break you in the SQ arena.

 

Ok guys! I got all the materials I need today to get my kicks formed up. I should have them done in about a week or so. Should be before the new year if all goes according to plan with my available time. I will post some pics once I get have them so keep an eye out.

:santa:

Merry Christmas, Happy Boxing Day or whatever you celebrate.



I personally prefer New Year's Eve if ya know what I mean.

 

cgorris: Thanks for the advice and I am gonna look into it...... I love messing with car audio....... about as much as messing with my HT system at home..........

Hazard269: If you're getting into home audio, is that gonna include HT also?

 

Donny,

No problem. Once I get them completed you could always take a ride down here to Atlanta and hear them for yourself. I am always up to letting someone hear the system.

I am seriously thinking of getting back into competitions ao if I do that I may actually be in TN one of these weekends.

 

Hazard/cgorris-
Whatzup ? The stars must be alignin' Cuz I just installed my sub box from SupercrewSound(highly recommened) and I keep having this dream of ordering enough sh#t from partsexpress.com and bolting this ungodly dual 15" 300 Watt Vented Box Sub to my floor joist to juice up my HT. I think once you tweak your autoaudio, nothing will keep you from extending this into your living/bedroom. Anyway, Happy Holidays to all !


Have Cash, Will Upgrade.


Ricksta

 

Hey whats up?

Sorry I haven't been around much lately, but we just moved into a new house and have been extremely busy. Plus I just got internet yesterday.

I think I mention somewhere on here but if not...I finally got the Utopias installed and they sound pretty good although they do need a bit of EQing. Also the low end out of these things is amazing which is why I have decided to sell the two 10w7s and go with either a single 10 (something that takes a smaller box) or an 8 still within the 'super sub' faimly though.

The only thing that worries me is that after three hours of listening yesterday I sent the Zapco C2k 4.0 into protection which really disturbs me! I am running it with in its rated limits so IMO this should not have ever happed or even come close to happening! But all is good otherwise and I may go ahea and unbridge it due to this....

Also as far as home audio and HT goes at first I am just getting into stereo because that is about all the money that I have right not (well it kinda is pending on me selling the subs and amps) but later on I will move to 5.1, 6.1, or 7.1 but to do it the way I would like to it would cost way to much money. I figure I will guy the speakers first then probably the amp(s)/pre amp then a nice DVD player (with SACD and DVDA and the other good things ) then probably move on to buy a TV then to the surround or possibly go around full ciricle and just begin to upgrade things again.

As for car audio I am getting close to finished as far as my system goes. Yes I will try new things with the equipment I have but I will not be upgrading the amps or front at all and hopefuly not the sub once I get the new one. The only other thing I will do is maybe switch things around to see how they sound (ie build new kicks) and maybe buy a HU later on.

 

Congrats on the house. I know it will take a little to get everything settlec but once you do things will quickly return to business as usual.

I am working on forming up the kicks for the planars this weekend then I will do the final tweak with the RTA probably over the new years. I gotta say that I am really impressed with the planars thus far since I have gotten most of the imaging problems worked out. I am sure was I finish forming the kicks and damping the backwave they will sound even better if that is even possible. These things handle transients like you would not believe. Oh, and tonality is simply awesome, you can actually hear the ringing of the drum head! Anyway I gota get back to work on them. I will keep everyone updated as time permits.

 

I'm glad that I ran into this thread. I was just considering installing planars at the base of the "a" pillars of my S/CREW.
I figured that the deflection off the windshiled glass from accross the dashboard would be spatial compensation for the proximity of the opposite driver.
What you write, sheds a different light on the subject. If you can please posts pictures I would surely appreciate it.

 

Well to clue you in on my experience thus far. The only planar ribbons I have found to be car friendly are the Neo8's by Bohlender-Graebener. The reason they are a little more car friendly is because they are the only ones at this point that I am aware of that will function in an infinite baffle/semi-sealed large enclosure with plenty of damping to effectively kill the rear wave. I did also try the A-pillars and they just would not stage properly and gave a really strange effect on the overall image with the reflection. They may have worked if they were enclosed but then they would take up too much view out of the windshield. Anyway, I tried them in virtually every location you could think of and the kicks are definitely the best for the ones that I have. Ok I am going to take the picks of the kicks prior to forming with just the mounting plates angled correctly and ready for the glass. Check my gallery in about 15 minutes.