Finalist Speaker Concerns

[4444jw4444]

Hi,
I am doing the Finalists. This is my first non-8ohm speaker build, so I may ask questions that are obvious to more experienced folks. I have the crossovers built, and have tested the speakers with them before I start building the cabinets.

My concerns/observations are as follows:

- I've tested the speakers out of cabinet and the woofer is moving a lot, but making little noise. Tweeter and Mid sound great
- I elected to use electrolytic caps for the 100mF capacitors. I have the following model https://www.solen.ca/pub/index.php?cata ... =3&s3=&s4=
- I am worried about powering the speakers. I had to have my 60wpc amp at 75% to get to listening levels.

So my questions are as follows:

- Is the 100V 100mF non-polar electrolytic cap messing with woofer performance (causing erratic behaviour), or is there another possibility?
- If the 100V max is a problem, I also have 4 400V 100mF polar caps that I could use.https://www.solen.ca/pub/index.php?cata ... =3&s3=&s4= Do I need to install these in mirrored pairs? Will this help? If not, then I will buy the 400v 100mdf caps from solen.
- Do cabinets greatly increase the spl of the speakers, and is it entirely unfair to be worried about powering my speakers when I am testing them out of cabinet?
- I have access to 3 amps. 65wpc, 60wpc, and 25pwc. Is there a way that I could use 2 amps to power different parts of the speakers? Could I perhaps power the bass with one amp, and the tweeter and mid with another?
- Can I somehow preamp my signal into my main amp and boost the volume that way? Suggested models of preamps if its a good idea?

Lots of questions here, and not a lot of experience. My thanks in advance to anyone who provides advice. Thank you!

[Jim Holtz]

The 100 volt electrolytic should be OK. Honestly, I can't recommend you use it in the mid circuit. Will it work? Yes, but there's a rule of thumb that the worst poly cap is better than the very best electrolytic. I'd suggest you consider using a poly cap on the mids and use the elecrolytic on the woofer if you have to save some money. This is a premium speaker with exceptional sound quality, so you decide how you want to filter the signal going to the drivers.

Yes, the cabinet will make a huge difference and the port must be installed to get the bass out of the design. Nothing will sound right until you get the cabinet finished.

The Finalists are about a 84 db design so they aren't real sensitive. They will require more power than what you have available for anything but chamber music at lower volumes. They are a very dynamic speaker that can reach 110 db when pushed to the limits but it takes power to get there. I'd recommend you drive them with no less than 100 watts @ 8 ohms of clean power from a good amp which should give you 150 - 180 watts @ 4 ohm. They work out to be a 6 ohm design so an amp of that power rating should drive them OK. More power is better.

All of the Statements series and Finalists speakers have big dynamics capabilities and all require enough clean power to make them perform as designed. Bi-amping really isn't an option with the amount of power you have available in any of the amps listed.

Good luck!

Jim