A good deal on a DIY speaker kit from Parts Express

Looks like a fun project ...

DO let me know when you see THESE on sale for $229 ...



Couple grand, but that's a LOT of drivers, even for a line array. I also like that they're mirrored.

I remember seeing a similar system a while back that had down firing 10" woofers in the base ... not sure what all happened to those ... might have been custom cabinets too - you know how those DIY people can be sometimes.   

You could either bridge the inputs or use them as bi-wired. I do know I was sorely tempted at the time ... betcha those could even give my McIntosh XR16's a good run. Or not - those never fail to impress, especially since getting the drivers rebuilt recently.

GR Research also makes fantastic kits (sans cabinets) including a couple of line source designs.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=125777.0





The N-series and X-Series are also incredible bargains for the money!

http://gr-research.com/

corndog71 wrote:GR Research also makes fantastic kits (sans cabinets) including a couple of line source designs.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=125777.0





The N-series and X-Series are also incredible bargains for the money!

http://gr-research.com/

hhhhmmmm...aint the prettiest of speakers I've seen........  

corndog71 wrote:

Who makes those blue colored amps?   Hate to think what the re-tubing cost is on those two...

arledgsc wrote:

Who makes those blue colored amps?   Hate to think what the re-tubing cost is on those two...

Those are a one time no holds barred custom built pair of 280 watt KT88 monoblocks by Gary Dodd of Dodd Audio.

Danny had them up for sale a few years ago.  I think he was asking $40,000.  Each weighs almost 300 pounds due to the massive transformers and aluminum chassis.

Bob Latino wrote:Since virtually all of us here on this forum are DIY type people, you might note that Parts Express just put their Tritrix MTM speaker kits on sale for $229 a PAIR + shipping (83 pounds !). This includes TWO sets of drivers, crossovers and cabinets. These speakers are fairly small at 36 inches high and use two 5 1/4 inch drivers and one tweeter in an MTM arrangement ... With limited bass response, these are probably not the best for a main system but they might do you fine in a bedroom system or even for home theater with a subwoofer. They get very good reviews from customers ..  See link below

Tritrix MTM speaker kit at Parts Express

DISCLAIMER > I have no association with Parts Express other than I buy parts from them now and then ...

Bob

Cabinet assembly video below ...



Crossover assembly video below ..

Bob,

I've built a set of these, they have a very huge sound for their size, the TL design really does enhance the low end fairly well, even with the 10 x10 room I'm current using them in. I'm thinking of using a pair of 5 1/4" Aurum Cantus drivers, instead of the Dayton pair, they have much better specs. I am also thinking of a mating those with a mid-tweeter planar. This should be a really nice match-up.

Current amplification are Mark IV power amps,they make these speakers sing!!  I have a recording of the Firebird Suite from Reference Recordings, and I must say one of the best in both performance and sound. The Tritrix pair handled the Finale quite well.

Bob Latino wrote:Re: The Dodd amps > I don't know for sure but with 6 output tubes per monoblock, each PAIR of KT88's would be responsible for about 93+ watts. That is riding those KT88's pretty hard. As a comparison, the Antique Sound Labs (Divertech) Hurricane monoblocks use 6 KT88 output tubes per monoblock and the Hurricanes are rated at 200 watts per monoblock. Now unless Dodd has some super secret circuit and/or some really high B+ voltages, I doubt whether he can get 280 watts out of these amps 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz at less than 1% distortion. Trying to get 93 watts out of a pair of KT88's or 280 watts from 6 of them would (IMHO) result in short tube life from today's KT88's.

Bob

like a lot of so called high end amps out there, its all about the 'bling' factor, not to mention that they could and do charge outrageous amounts for them, and as long as there are wood ducks out there happy to put those kind of greenbacks on the table, there will always be a market for them.
Truth be known, that really pisses me off, its a pet hate of mine, seeing what some charge for so called high end amps!   

ok, I feel better now   

Dodd is pretty quiet about his designs. I know another guy who can get 100 watts out of a pair of KT88s and still have them last several years. It's all in the transformers and doing things that weren't in the tube books 50 years ago.

As I wrote before these big blue amps were a one time thing. He typically builds stuff closer to a couple grand. I don't see anything wrong with taking things to the extreme. Sometimes that's how we break new barriers and figure out new ways of doing things.

That being said I'm not Mr. Moneybags either. That's why most of my rig is DIY. Better bang for the buck.

Thanks for the Dodd Amp info. In the first photos I mistook the shiny cap cans for six additional tubes per side! 280W is pretty impressive for any tube amp. Certainly can't be class AB fixed biased at all times so perhaps is doing exotic things. His web site claims a quad EL34 amp can do 150W with an automatic DC servo bias.

I had a pair of these Tritrix TL speakers as part of a 5.1 system. Very well thought of in the diy world, great performance from inexpensive drivers. If I may, I would like to link the Tritrix designer's website.

www.speakerdesignworks.com

Several great designs available for free there. I built the Singularity, a full range MLTL using the Dayton 8" PS220. Very efficient and good sounding. It's what I use to listen to my VTA SP8 and Dynakitparts ST-35. Curt Campbell is the designer's name. Worth a look.