Classix

Dayton DC160 + Vifa DX19TD05 (aka: DX19TG-05)

16"(H) x 9"(W) x 11"(D) (~15 Liters)

Vent = 1.5"(D) x 3"(L)

Tuning = 43 Hz | F3 = 39 Hz

I designed these for my brother in law. He and his wife don't have a ton of space, but they do have room for a nice pair of bookshelves. Also, although they may not admit it, they both like to crank tunes pretty loud.

The driver combination here is a bit strange, I'll admit. Although the Vifa DX19 tweeter is pretty well-regarded (and has even been used as a substitute for the Hiquphon OW series), it just never really caught on. It has a very low resonant frequency for a 19mm tweeter, which allows it to be crossed lower--hence my experiment with using it with this woofer.

The DC160 seems to cause a lot of groaning these days. But I think a lot of people have forgotten what it does best: killer bass extension in a small vented box. Honestly, find me another midwoofer than can plumb the depths in such a small enclosure that isn't made by Scan Speak and doesn't cost over $150. The trouble with this guy is that it just wants to take a dive after 1 Khz, then it has a bit of breakup around 2.5 Khz. So taming this bad boy either requires some sort of careful notching and EQ, or a balancing act of dumb luck and finding a crossover point and slope that hides the mess. I ended up with the latter.I tried a lot of configurations with this crossover (I also posted the .FRD and .ZMA files on the PE board for anyone else to take a crack at it. They found it to be equally as confusing), and I'm really happy with how these actually sound. I designed two versions of this speaker: a "Hi Fi" version and a "Relaxed" version.

The Bill of Materials for the HiFi version is here

The Bill of Materials for the Relaxed version is here

Classix - Hi Fi version

This version is what really surprised me. The midrange is actually clear and smooth. I tested out a lot of material which is tough on midrange (jazz, acoustic music, female vocalists), and couldn't really even believe it was a DC160 I was hearing... although part of what makes the midrange work is that the tweeter is taking up some of the work. The other reason these come across so clearly is that there is not full baffle step compensation.

...now, my brother in law doesn't listen to Jazz or Orchestral or Acoustic music. He likes Metal and Industrial. And his wife likes plain ol' Rock. Such a "refined" speaker just sort of seemed like a bad match for them. So I knew I had to make adjustments, which was actually sort of sad for me to do because I liked these so much...

Classix - Relaxed version

What this version has in common with the Hi Fi version is the large soundstage and very good imaging. But it has a "relaxed" midrange and more BSC for a bigger bottom end. I didn't go "full-tilt rock" on these, because I thought my in-laws might enjoy the "audiophile" experience of really hearing all the details on a recording, and finding out what "imaging" and "soundstage" are all about. (Honestly, once you hear your favorite songs on a well-designed set of speakers, and hear everything you've been missing all those years, it's hard to go back)

Overall, I am actually really happy with these speakers, and I'll be sad to see them go. They have a really large sound, but take up a pretty small footprint. The Dayton DC160 is definitely an eyebrow-raiser in terms of bass extension. They go low, and can handle pretty much all the 5-string bass and synth bass music I throw at them. On the other hand, there are certain laws of physics we must obey: a 6.5" cone can only move so much air, and while it can hit about any low notes you ask it to, it's not going to rattle your walls and furniture. That's why they make woofers and subs in 8", 10", 12", 15" sizes and larger. More cone area equals more air movement, which equals a more "visceral" listening experience. But I'm really just a music lover at heart, and for music of almost all dynamics and styles, the Classix should definitely provide an enjoyable and fulfilling musical experience.

Construction Details

First off, a huge round of applause to [James_e5] for doing the CAD drawings of the cabinets. They look awesome! James chose to do a removable back baffle, which is totally cool by me, but not necessary for completion of the project, as mine are just butt-joined boxes.

classix_front_view (PDF)

classix_section_view (PDF)

classix_top_view (PDF)

I lined the walls with eggcrate foam, and mildly filled the enclosure with polyfil. The vent I used was just a piece of 1.5" dia PVC pipe, and it is mounted behind the tweeter. It has a very small roundover, basically just for aesthetic purposes.

When I originally designed these, they were meant to be somewhat "masculine" or "broad shouldered." That's why I used 13-ply maple-veneered plywood on the side and painted MDF in the middle. His wife gave it the OK!

Here are the Classix as built by [Hal H]. He used hammered silver paint, which gives them a slick, industrial look. Nicely done!

Classix

Classix - Hi Fi version

Classix - Relaxed version

Construction Details

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