# Forward firing Omnipolar Design



## SirKevi (Jan 31, 2009)

I am new to posting here so I will have to post a few times before I can upload photos but I would like to hear some other ideas as to problems, ideas, concerns. I currently have a jerry rigged prototype. any questions welcomed.


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## SirKevi (Jan 31, 2009)

Okay to add to the first post I well Fill you in on what I currently have for speakers in this build. The forward firing is a Tang Band W6 1721 and a Hiquphon w1 crossed at 2500 hz 2nd order the omi firing are Tang Band W6-789E 6-1/2" Woofer and a vifa Tweeter that was a dali overstock from parts express. 
The subs are currently Alphasonik 6 12" also using a BBE DS26 loudspeaker management for extra crossover eq
and baffle step correction. Amps are currently Peavey 900, Adcom 4 channels and bryston 4b.


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## SirKevi (Jan 31, 2009)

Please start firing questions and comments as soon as i can i well post pics of current and planed cabinets.
I hope this thread well get people thinking about new and inovative ways to design speakers. I have currently retired my mirage M1s they simply dont image or give the detail these do. I dont claim these are the best. but after a lot of trial and error these are some of the most room forgiving speakers that have amazing imaging well not giving up sound stage size. there biggest down side is there need of active crossovers and of course multiple amps. they are not small but also not massive, 5 cubic feet for subs with just over 1 cubic foot for forward firing, and around 2 cubic feet for up firing.


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## mdrake (Jan 31, 2008)

I love your choice of drivers and amps! I can not wait to see your Omnipolar Design. I don't think active designs as being a downfall but rather another design alternative.  I have never heard the Hiquphon w1 but after all the glowing reviews I would love to. :T

Matt


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## Anthony (Oct 5, 2006)

Hi there. Welcome to the Shack! Can't wait to see the design.

I dabbled with active designs -- sometimes they are the only way to make your idea work (efficiency mismatch, need for a weird shaping curve or notch filter, ugly impedance response of a particular driver, etc). So they definitely have their place, if you don't mind the extra amps and wires


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## SirKevi (Jan 31, 2009)

After reading linkwitz's site about the orions I learned alot about sound and speaker design. I would love to build the orions but my room simply cant use a speaker that needs to be that far from the wall. So after buying some of the drivers that I wanted to try and playing with crossover points bafflestep and tunnings, I read about omnipolar designs but they always used small drivers simply facing upwards loving the sound of my Mirage and banging my head against the wall I started to try somthing different. Having the right amount of direct radiating sound with high quality drivers and then using fairly high efficency drivers facing up with a slight angle I have somthing that seems to be unique. I had purchased 4 psw12's just to play with at $50 a piece I coundnt go wrong but I also had a feeling about there psw812 so I picked up acouple for $120 and started to have fun.


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## SirKevi (Jan 31, 2009)

I hope this shows up


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## SirKevi (Jan 31, 2009)

lets see if this works.


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## mdrake (Jan 31, 2008)

SirKevi said:


> lets see if this works.


That is cool!! Are there time delay or baffle step issues with that design? It seem there would be with the top drivers firing omni like that and the woofers have really no baffle at all. :T 

Matt


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## SirKevi (Jan 31, 2009)

Baffle step is currently full +6db on the forward firing the key seems to be the ratio of volume front to rear I currently run the fronts -.5db with the rear at +4db. Keep in mind the rears are also much more sensitive than the front so there is actually close to 9 db difference. I am still playing with the amount of baffle step on the rear to the front. So far when I play with delay that seems to kill the soundstage, the bonus so far seems to be that they dont need to be out in the middle of the room and still maintain a large sound stage with the front keeping excelent imaging. If you have a smaller room or simply dont want to have to move your speakers in and out to listen this may be for you.


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## SirKevi (Jan 31, 2009)

Linkwitz said that with out active electronics the orions would not have worked, after playing with this idea for almost a year I have new found respect for him and what he has given to audio.


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## Lucky7! (Jan 7, 2008)

Your design reminds me in ways of my old Linn Isobariks. Probably the only speaker I regret selling, but I haven't heard any in years and my glasses may be rose coloured. They were the first speakers I had that 'aha!' moment with.










Not sure I understand this though: "I would love to build the orions but my room simply cant use a speaker that needs to be that far from the wall."

With an omni, you're still going to need it to be about the same distance from the walls, front and side (no null here like a dipole) so that destructive cancellation is going to be outside the Haas window.
If you need your speakers to be close to the front and/or side walls of your room, then a controlled directivity type a la Econowave or Geddes would be a better approach.


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## SirKevi (Jan 31, 2009)

I have not had the chance to hear those speakers or play with wave guides. Maybe its just in the room that I listen in but when I angled the top speakers that was when they the aha moment happened, the angle of the top speakers needs to vary based on listening distance. unfortunatly I dont have a big enough room to find out if it all collapses in a large or vaulted ceiling room. the main reason I went with active crossovers and diffrent drivers was the 9db difference in volume that I needed to make this work. You may be right those speakers may be a better choice for my room but not for my need to tinker and play with different ideas.


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## hm-moreart (Mar 5, 2009)

Hello,
i made a few construction with an omnipolar characteristic,
to place near a wall and no HT reflections by using an invers mounted back driver,
so only up to 2 kHz is working.
Take a look at my double horns:
Saxophon
Trombone
Posaune
Kornett
and the new RDH20
all with measurements, feedback, plan.


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## Anthony (Oct 5, 2006)

Nice work.


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

I like the design, tottaly unique, can't wait to see some actual photos.:T


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