Should you build Panel Speakers? Let's find out!

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Original Video by Tech Ingredients:
• World’s Best Speakers!
Sound Absorber Material Used:
Sinfonia by OWA
Driver used:
Dayton Audio daex25fhe-4

[@scottbehl216]

I made my set last year and I love them. It's like a singer is right in front of me. I used the pink polystyrene panels, the kind for insulation like Tech Ingredients did. I would leave it open in the frame because the sound waves go behind also. Don't get the idea that they will put deep bass out because bass needs Air Movement. But the highs and mids are EXCELLENT ! I'm not even using my nice Towers anymore !! If you don't try this you will never know just how good they are !!

[@xAnAngelOfDeathx]

I have 2 - 2' x 2' x 1" DML's using the daex25x4-4 exciters mounted on high density blue styrofoam and would recommend them. I use a subwoofer also and this is the best audio that I have ever known and possible the best that I have ever heard. DML's for life here.

[@Victor-ze3sd]

Hi, could you please list some of the music you listen to?

[@scottbehl216]

Peter Cetera, Jadyn Rylee, and My Son's band Lake Effect.

[@Victor-ze3sd]

@@scottbehl216 Thanks!

[@scottbehl216]

They are best for acoustics, violin, cello, piano, and of course Voices ! Really needs a sub to go with it. I think they need a break in period so don't crank them up right away !! Good listening ! Great for movies and TV also !

[@KubGov]

🍅

[@TracyNorrell]

I want Tech Ingredients to adopt me. That dude is so smart and likeable

[@TracyNorrell]

@@NiksSofa I think he's probably okay with you not watching

[@OtherDalfite]

He is pretty cool. I want a full tour of his compound

[@toddincabo]

DML's are best suited to not being enclosed like that. With all that space you have you should take them out of those crates and hang them a few feet from the wall and let the sound flow from all directions from the panel.

[@igor2030ign]

PLEASE REMOVE CASE FROM THE BACK OF THE SPEAKER PANEL.... The sound will be MUCH MORE CLEAR AND WILL HAVE MORE AIR OR BRIGHT..... Those cases add some boo or woo like distortions on 250-500 Hz.

[@112Famine]

I know this is old, but if the way you're holding the speaker panel at the top is pinching the panel is will cut the panel's ability to give off sound.

[@BobbyKinstle]

I like that you put material behind them. I bet that makes them super smooth. So glad to see more people playing around with DML I like adding a small AMT tweeter like the Dayton AMT mini 8 to really make them sparkle above 6KHz

[@Butternose]

I’d love to know if you have tried them with/without the rockwool? Assuming your diy panels follow dml theory, diffuse dipole behaviour means the front/rear waves (although not entirely coherent) are not destructive. you may find the rear wave is a benefit. If you have the chance to compare, I’d love to know your thoughts!

[@MarioIArguello]

I assume the resonator panels are acoustical ceiling tiles? they still sound metally, due to lack of woofer or woofer qualities to pass the low frequencies. There are ways to get around this using the same panel material with specific size and additional geometry. A single small panel, as most people build these DML panel speakers, is not enough. I have done a great deal of experimentation and tweaking to get panel speakers to sound more full but they will never equal box or sealed ported speakers. I built a set of furniture quality La Scala Klipsch horns back in the 80's with my own twist to them, I was going to get rid of them because they take a lot of room, but on second thought, I decided to keep them because they are excellent speakers for listening to Jazz or home theater, and the huge size is simply the tradeoff one needs to deal with for high quality sound. Unfortunately, the panel speakers, even with cross over network to pass the low frequencies to sub-woofer are simply no comparison. I had a set of them 2x4Ft pink foam panels ) behind my DIY 15x6 ft home theater 2-ply spandex screen, in space of 2.5x4ft windows at the ends, as their cubby holes but opted to simply use a modern wireless soundbar system, for better sound and to avoid having to pull out my old 5.1 channel audio amplifier and avoid all the wiring with larger box speakers. While on the subject, I have also experimented with multidirectional speaker configurations using PVC pipes to mimic the sound dispersement, that is typically heard when you are in front of a band or concert, and this setup, while a bit more cumbersome, and strange in appearance, has a much more realistic sound distribution, if the speakers and tubes are sized according to instrument volume one want to replicate the range of its related frequencies. For example: if you want to replicate base or kick drums, a larger diameter tube and woofer is ideal, while if you want to replicate a metal instrument, horns, etc., a smaller diameter tube and speaker is ideal. There is really no magic here just a lot of common sense and experimentation and ultimately what sounds satisfying to one's ears.

[@thomasowens5824]

I enjoyed reading that, thank you. I am interested in the pipes and cannot quite imagine what you describe, ever thought of doing a channel?? You should. I don't have the workshop at the moment to play about but I am intrigued by a couple of chaps who build electrostatic speakers, any thoughts on those?

[@carlitomadrona6211]

Came across this builds this morning and I may end my day scrolling all videos about flat panel speakers, found it interesting... and I like cheap electronics 😍👍👍👍👍👍

[@scottbehl216]

When I want to listen to a PERFECT VOICE I listen to Jadyn Rylee ! THE ONLY REASON I MADE THESE !!

[@Insanity_Crow]

Five Star (yes the school paper notebook company) made a binder in the mid 00's that had a small Class-D amplifier and an exciter driver. I've never seen one since then so cool project.

[@justaguy-69]

they sound best if the width is 99% the length( oddly enough) and they are hung at least 4 inches from any walls and nothing blocking the sides

[@justaguy-69]

also one speaker should have the exciter in the center and the other off to the side and lower or higher.

[@ACW3DDesigns]

need to round the corners buddy will help

[@germanudo1]

Klasse, ich wollte auch nen KZbin ueber die Exciter machen.....

[@EatRawGarlic]

Very cool! I bought the same exciters, but still need the time and space to laser cut my foam panels. I'm going to combine them with a FreeDSP board and a closed sub based on a Peerless driver.

[@Roetz40]

I wasnt aware a board like the FreeDSP existed! very interesting. It may be too powerful, because in a true stereo system you dont need time delay etc. Only think you really need is crossover for panel/sub and a parametric equalizer. But I think I'll buy one set of components, Im searching such a dps for my home cinema!

[@MickeyMishra]

I wonder if the techniques used on magnepan speakers would work with these as well. For example increasing the sides or the wings of the speaker however it's described to increase bass response. due to the nature of the speaker I don't think this would work in a typical box type design but it will be really interesting.

[@lattinator2811]

Sehr cool umgesetzt! Beschäftige mich auch mit DML Speakers! Ein fast nie endender Prozess von Vebesserungen. Es gibt immer etwas Neues zu entdecken! Du hast nicht zufällig zwei Paneele übrig, da diese in Österreich anscheinend einzeln nicht zu bekommen sind? Bin gespannt auf die Fortsetzung! Lg

[@focus-digital-marketing-ai]

Very cool approach. Nice seeing different executions of DML panels.

[@michaelz6870]

Agreed! While I like the tech ingredients approach, ole boy here is now making my imagination run wild! 🤔🤔🤔

[@themanwithIBS]

Everyone is praising these, so I made a pair out of yellow xps (60x60x3cm). Sounds like sh!t, no base or treble, only mids. With the same effort you can probably make a pair of coned speakers out of lunch boxes with holes in them, that sound better for the price. But you could use it for PA system with drop ceilings though, or haunted houses.

[@andywason3414]

How efficient are they? do you get a lot of sound per watt? Great video!

[@Roetz40]

I don't have any numbers for efficiency. But the maximum spl is limited to the cutoff frequency, they can only do a limited amount of excursion. So a small amp (20-30watts) will max these out. But it is more than enough to be heard by the neighbors... :)

[@justimoore22]

Been thinking about doing a surround sound system with these. Then just add a regular sub to even it out

[@Roetz40]

Works pretty well. I would suggest, going with a subwoofer with a very light membrane setup that is able to properly hit frequencies above 150-200hz.

[@donalddluckerii3147]

So I watch the entire video and didn't see or here the reasoning behind using a surface as a lossy as a ceiling tile/acoustic board instead of the pink stiff panels that everyone recommends?

[@johnevans9751]

Expansive sound. Crisp. Efficient. Coupled with woofers, or subwoofer, fills a large roof. No 'its coming from that box over there' sound. I used 3/4" 42" X 48" panels.

[@jimsvideos7201]

I can only take your word for the sound quality of course - the spectrograph is objective but I don't have the depth to really appreciate it - but they look _good._

[@9xqspx6]

1:40 you mean you found it on the crate's list? (I had to, sorry 😀)

[@JohnSmith-il4wi]

Liked and subscribed, thanks from Chicago!

[@UltraNuggz]

Thoughts on adding a surround membrane to edges of panel attached to box instead of hanging thus a sealed enclosure? Would prevent front and back wave cancelation... wonder how much deeper it would measure.. or affect open sound? Heading to garage to try it!

[@Roetz40]

Keep us posted once you're back :)

[@julias-shed]

You always have interesting projects. Thanks for posting this 😀

[@wanderingthrougheurope5669]

Thanks for the video. What is the thickness of the XPS panel you have chosen. I am trying to decide between 30mm and 20mm since most US based videos use 1inch.

[@Roetz40]

Hey. The panel im using measures 18mm!

[@niemanddings9517]

Thats really cool. How do you suspend the Cable to the exciter. For fourty watts it shurely isnt unsubstantial, and i imagne it kinda needs to not hit anything when playjng a loud noise to avoid makeing a ratteling noise.

[@Roetz40]

Yes youre right - I used very flexible silicon wires to attach to the speaker. As you said, any tension on the wires cause problems with the driver!

[@T1nCh0]

So...do they sound good or...? I didn't really got that question answered.

[@Roetz40]

Yes they do sound really good in the 300hz-10khz range. We need equalizing and a subwoofer to make it sound good in the whole range!

[@T1nCh0]

@@Roetz40 thank you!

[@LeeTanczos]

Interesting design / implementation.

[@__-lb6sf]

"But"

[@WestBerlinCustoms]

Super interessant und mega umgesetzt. Kommt auf meine ToDo-Liste. But(t) I need a bigger space first. ☝️😁👍 Greetz aus Berlin! 👋👋

[@Roetz40]

Hehe, kann ich jedem empfehlen ;) Grüße zurück!

[@robertweekes5783]

Is 2/5 centering a rule or a suggestion?

[@Roetz40]

A rule to minimize modes. If you want all the details, check tech ingredients video!

[@justaguy-69]

its a rule, but another is to have the panels width be 99% of its length and to put one exciter (left or right) in the center... and the other is in the 2/5 rule placement. another rule is to round the corners on the panels. another is to hang them in the open no closer than 4-5 inches from a wall not in a box!

[@andantecomodo1767]

Schon wieder so ein deutscher KZbinr, der krampfhaft nur englische Videos macht und sich dabei um einen betont amerikanischen Slang bemüht... 🤥

[@jimg8887]

Thinking about my own build, notice most are using foam insulation and rounding the edges. It hit me, I wonder how cheap foam kickboards would work. I can find them on closeout for about 2.50 each and all have rounded corners and some even have nice graphics.

[@carnsoaks1]

I enjoyed your video. Nomenclature Rocks Cousin. When using English, bloke, avoid calling every item a thing. Most "things" have a name. Naming "things" is cool and likable and helpful. For example. Fibers, get everywhere if not covered. Clips or brackets were 3D printed to fasten the driver. Practice practice practice.