I am looking to start a new project and need to find the right driver. After looking at alot of freq resp charts the only one I see that seems to fit my needs is the Eton 5-200. If I can trust the published freq. response (unlikely) it has a very well controlled plot. The 0, 15 & 30 deg off axis all start to fall off around the same time at 7.5k. There is a small peak (about 3.5db) at 6.5k. There are many great midbass drivers out there, but often have bad HF peaks. Most people use a low x-over point, high slope or notch filter but the key to my next build is that I want to run the driver without a crossover. Where ever the driver falls off I will pick up with a Scan-Speak D2905-9700 with just a cap. Think wide bander with help on both ends. I could write a dissertation on why I want to do this and all the other drivers and designed I have done in the past, but I will spare everyone all the extra reading and leave this with a simple question.
Who has used the Eton 5-200?
Does anyone have there own measurements from the driver alone? The published chart only starts at 300hz so I hope the low end does not shelf/drop down below that. I only plan to use it where ever it falls off on an open baffle. My goal is one driver that covers around 100 or 120hz to 7 or 8k.
I am also afraid the peak is worse than shown.
I did a search of past posts and nothing came up, but the reason I came to this forum is that I saw that 'speekerbldr' built with this driver (The Corellias) in 2014. As I am new, I can not send him a message.
If no one has much input on this driver I will post a separate question with all my design criteria.
Who has used the Eton 5-200 A8 Symphony 5"?
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jds_photography
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- Location: New Hampshire
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Who has used the Eton 5-200 A8 Symphony 5"?
System: Cal Labs Delta Transport, Wadia 12 DAC (with Hovland Supercaps),
Audio Research LS1 with Duelund Cast caps on input and output.
Golden Tube Audio SE-40 (with Duelund Cast caps and Hovland Supercaps. Mundorf caps in Power supply)
Audio Research LS1 with Duelund Cast caps on input and output.
Golden Tube Audio SE-40 (with Duelund Cast caps and Hovland Supercaps. Mundorf caps in Power supply)
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speekerbldr
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2012 5:53 pm
Re: Who has used the Eton 5-200 A8 Symphony 5"?
I'm at lunch now, no time for a full reply. I did like the Eton 5-200. Let me see if I can round up my on-baffle measurements. I will say this, there's a breakup visible in the manufacturers curve, on their curve it's at 6500hz. My pair had a breakup similar in amplitude, but not frequency, If I remember correctly the breakup in my pair was closer to 4500hz, not 6500.
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speekerbldr
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2012 5:53 pm
Re: Who has used the Eton 5-200 A8 Symphony 5"?
Hey jds,
Here's the raw, 1m, on axis, on baffle, in room measurement for the 5-200. Merged with the nearfield it was pretty smooth all the way down. In the 9L vented box I had it in, the Eton had no trouble hitting 45hz. Nobody ever complained about bass extension or quality from it. Quantity, well it's a single 5". ((I wouldn't count on the SPL being correct my measurement system doesn't do those.))
You can see the peak is centered on about 5.2k and fairly benign as far as breakups go. The measurement was smoothed at 1/6 octave but removing smoothing didn't increase the peak magnitude, just added some jaggies to it. Run raw, the peak is audible IIRC.
Here's the raw, 1m, on axis, on baffle, in room measurement for the 5-200. Merged with the nearfield it was pretty smooth all the way down. In the 9L vented box I had it in, the Eton had no trouble hitting 45hz. Nobody ever complained about bass extension or quality from it. Quantity, well it's a single 5". ((I wouldn't count on the SPL being correct my measurement system doesn't do those.))
You can see the peak is centered on about 5.2k and fairly benign as far as breakups go. The measurement was smoothed at 1/6 octave but removing smoothing didn't increase the peak magnitude, just added some jaggies to it. Run raw, the peak is audible IIRC.
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jds_photography
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- Joined: Sat May 14, 2016 3:50 pm
- Location: New Hampshire
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Re: Who has used the Eton 5-200 A8 Symphony 5"?
Thank you so much speekerbldr, I really appreciate you digging that up!
Yes, it looks like the peak is about the same amplitude as the published plot, I'm glad it was not worse (although I wish it were at lease 1db lower but...)
I know that was in 2014, but do you recall the baffle size you tested on? The low end extension looks impressive for a driver with a Qts of .37 on an open baffle. Did you keep the near field plot?
I assume the dips at around 78, 148 & 320 are room / baffle size interaction? Eton's plot only starts at 300Hz so nothing to compare it to. I also assume the slow drop off starting at 600Hz and down is just a result of being at 1M. A long time ago I switched to doing my measurements very close to the driver with a lower volume to avoid room nodes affecting the plot, so I forget how the 1 meter measurements looked.
By chance, did you listen to them much full range before building your crossover?
<<Run raw, the peak is audible IIRC>>
Do you think it would be an objectionable peak or just 'noticeable'. I would rather not introduce phase issues trying to correct it. Curious what your opinion (or anyone else reading that has used them) of the sound quality is, especially the clarity of the upper midrange (Not sure if you tried a higher cross over point than 1500Hz before settling on 1500).
Yes, it looks like the peak is about the same amplitude as the published plot, I'm glad it was not worse (although I wish it were at lease 1db lower but...)
I know that was in 2014, but do you recall the baffle size you tested on? The low end extension looks impressive for a driver with a Qts of .37 on an open baffle. Did you keep the near field plot?
I assume the dips at around 78, 148 & 320 are room / baffle size interaction? Eton's plot only starts at 300Hz so nothing to compare it to. I also assume the slow drop off starting at 600Hz and down is just a result of being at 1M. A long time ago I switched to doing my measurements very close to the driver with a lower volume to avoid room nodes affecting the plot, so I forget how the 1 meter measurements looked.
By chance, did you listen to them much full range before building your crossover?
<<Run raw, the peak is audible IIRC>>
Do you think it would be an objectionable peak or just 'noticeable'. I would rather not introduce phase issues trying to correct it. Curious what your opinion (or anyone else reading that has used them) of the sound quality is, especially the clarity of the upper midrange (Not sure if you tried a higher cross over point than 1500Hz before settling on 1500).
System: Cal Labs Delta Transport, Wadia 12 DAC (with Hovland Supercaps),
Audio Research LS1 with Duelund Cast caps on input and output.
Golden Tube Audio SE-40 (with Duelund Cast caps and Hovland Supercaps. Mundorf caps in Power supply)
Audio Research LS1 with Duelund Cast caps on input and output.
Golden Tube Audio SE-40 (with Duelund Cast caps and Hovland Supercaps. Mundorf caps in Power supply)
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speekerbldr
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2012 5:53 pm
Re: Who has used the Eton 5-200 A8 Symphony 5"?
I don't have anything resembling an IEC baffle, so the baffle I tested the Eton on was the actual baffle I used in the Corellia - 7.5" X 12". That baffle size would lead us to... The rolloff visible in the image is simply a result of the small baffle and Baffle Diffraction losses. Unfortunately I didn't keep the nearfield measurements, once I blended the nearfield with the 1m, I.. deleted it? I'm not sure what I did with them, but I don't have it any more. I'd fire up the old SoundEasy Corellia project but it's gone too. That project was in a very old version of SoundEasy (V7) and when I upgraded to the latest (V20), the ability to import many old projects, including that one, was lost.
You are correct, the three Dips in the plot are room boundary effects. Could be some peaking in there too as a result of the same thing. The measurements are only good to 300-400hz on the stand I used.
Making a measurement close to the cone like you do produces nice nearfield measurements. Very useful on the low end.
I always seem to listen to a driver a bunch before I put it in a system. Not that I get too much useful information from doing it that way, mostly I just can't resist firing the new toys up even before 'getting the batteries in' so to speak. I wish I could tell you what the peak sounded like but I'm not sure I remember. But thinking about the project today, now I do remember listening 'through' the breakup to hear the music inside. Tuning the peak out, so to speak. But was the peak sharp or crunchy or... what, I don't recall. I do remember choosing that low crossover point partly based on the fact that I didn't want to have to deal with 2nd, 3rd or 4th harmonics setting that resonance off. Man, If I had one of the drivers, I'd send it, but I don't even have them anymore.
Did I like the 5/200? Yep, I really did. It was rich, pretty and effortless for a small driver and came complete with nice hall ambiance up and down the scale. Would I personally run it full range, even with the support of a tweeter? No. But, that's just my opinion and I can think of very few drivers I would do that with, especially in the bandwidth you are shooting for. Eggleston Works used to do that, as I recall. They used older Morel drivers.
You are correct, the three Dips in the plot are room boundary effects. Could be some peaking in there too as a result of the same thing. The measurements are only good to 300-400hz on the stand I used.
Making a measurement close to the cone like you do produces nice nearfield measurements. Very useful on the low end.
I always seem to listen to a driver a bunch before I put it in a system. Not that I get too much useful information from doing it that way, mostly I just can't resist firing the new toys up even before 'getting the batteries in' so to speak. I wish I could tell you what the peak sounded like but I'm not sure I remember. But thinking about the project today, now I do remember listening 'through' the breakup to hear the music inside. Tuning the peak out, so to speak. But was the peak sharp or crunchy or... what, I don't recall. I do remember choosing that low crossover point partly based on the fact that I didn't want to have to deal with 2nd, 3rd or 4th harmonics setting that resonance off. Man, If I had one of the drivers, I'd send it, but I don't even have them anymore.
Did I like the 5/200? Yep, I really did. It was rich, pretty and effortless for a small driver and came complete with nice hall ambiance up and down the scale. Would I personally run it full range, even with the support of a tweeter? No. But, that's just my opinion and I can think of very few drivers I would do that with, especially in the bandwidth you are shooting for. Eggleston Works used to do that, as I recall. They used older Morel drivers.