Has anyone every heard or built these speakers? Straight 8's? (1 Viewer)

[JayM]

i tried to do a search but it wouldn't let me search for the term '8'
Can you guys tell me what you think of this DIY kit?
http://www.bottlehead.com/straight%208/straight_8.htm
I am looking to jump into the DIY speaker realm and I am looking for a good kit start with.
I like the Adire kits and well as the GR Research kits, but I came across this one and it looks like it would be a good one. Let me know what you think.
Thanks

 

[Bill Fagal]

Right now, I'm listening to some homemade line arrays (12 mid-basses per channel, 1 tweeter crossed with a cap and coil at 5K). They're pretty fun--dynamic, efficient, and effortless, but they tend to compromise impulse and off-axis response (as do all line arrays, to varying degrees).
I haven't heard the straight 8s, but I've read alot of positive feedback from owners.
If you want to dive into line arrays, read this to get a jumpstart.
Bill

 

[Chris Tsutsui]

err, this kit doesn't look like for the beginner DIYer, especially if you'll be building the cabinet yourself. (Look at how many holes and how big it is)

Just my opinion, but I think a DIY line array is further down the road, maybe after you've built and enjoyed some DIY bookshelfs like AV1s.

I wish JBL sold line array DIY kits because their site had some pretty good info on the subject.

 

[Brian Bunge]

Hell, the Straight 8's look like a piece of cake after almost finishing a pair of GR Research Alpha LS's this weekend! I'm still dizzy from cutting all those circular holes.
Brian

 

[charles_w]

Brian,
What are the dimensions of the Alpha Cabinets? I have The Alpha fund started but it is going to be awhile before the fund is full
Lee

 

[DerrickN]

Jay,
Have you consider the Linus Array? Base on the info that I'd read, I would think the Linus Array are a better choice than the Straight 8. Here is the comparison between the Straight 8 and the Linus Array.
http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/bo...ges/46667.html
BTW, I'm tempting to build the Linus Array as my next project.
Derrick

 

[Chris Tsutsui]

Sweet, your gonna have Alphas!
Of course you'll have to post some reviews and comparisons with those puppies. Just don't like them too much because some of us can't afford them for a while.

 

[Hank Frankenberg]

Charles, I built Danny's personal pair of Alpha LS cabinets. As I recall, they're 72" tall and I made bases 2 1/4" thick. I don't have the other dimensions with me, but maybe the photos will give you an idea. Those monsters weighed at least 250 lbs each. Check the photos on page 2 of my web site: http://www.geocities.com/hankbond1/index

 

[Brian Bunge]

Hank,

We weighed the raw cabinets and they came in at 143 lbs. each. The 7" drivers are 5 lbs. each, which adds 45 lbs. The tweeters are 1 lb. each so that adds 8 lbs. That gives a total of 196 lbs. each before adding in Black Hole 5, the ports and any internal wiring. So 250 lbs. might be about right completely finished.

Chris,

We're building these for a local customer. He's using 3 pair for his HT system!

Brian

 

[Chris Tsutsui]

oh, it's still be nice to hear the setup once it's finished.. I've never seen a HT with that many line arrays, I wonder how it would sound in the sweet spot.

 

[Dustin B]

3 pair, wow.

How is the center being positioned? Acoustically transparent screen?

 

[charles_w]

Hank,

Great job, are they worth saving for?
I know I would get alot of satisfaction from building them but they are expensive

Thanks,
Lee

 

[Hank Frankenberg]

Charles, in my opinion, they are worth saving for. Best D-I-Y sound I've ever heard, and better than most I've heard in hi-fi shops. Big sound, big soundstage. You'll like orchestra/big band wide presentation. If most of your listening is trios/small jazz combos, you might settle for a less intrusive size speaker. Since this is significant money, why don't you drive up to Danny's to audition them in person? It would certainly be worth the trip since you're in Texas.

 

[Anthony_Gomez]

The Straight 8's do not make sense to me!
they are a split between a line source and a point source. Lince sources decay at 3db/distancedoubling while point sources at 6db/distance doubling
These had to be designed to have the sensitivities match at a certain distance away. Lets say that they did it for 7 ft listening distance. Suppose you the purchaser listens to music 14 ft away. your tweeter section will be down 3db from the woofer section!

 

[charles_w]

Hank,

It would be a long drive, but I think it's something I would do before ordering them. BTW is there another Austin meet in the works?

Lee

 

[Pete Mazz]

They aren't line arrays. With a single tweeter, how could they be?

Pete

 

[Anthony_Gomez]

Pete, that is my point. They are hybrids. The line of mid/woofers is a line array, but the tweeter is a point source....both with different decay rates.

 

[Hank Frankenberg]

Charles, call Danny and go listen to them. No Austin HT meet in the works at this time. Sort of a summer hiatus I suppose, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone made the suggestion soon for a September meet.
Anthony and Pete are correct about the Straight 8's.