Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Frankestein Center Channel Greatness

Some of you know of my self confessed affection for modified Axiom made Merak center channel speakers. Let me tell you why, VP shaped anti standing wave cabinet, 2 x 6.5" drivers and a choice between a horn tweeter or a 3/4" titanium (same as used in the previous incarnations of the M2, M1, M0 speakers). So, tweaker that I am, I upgraded the capacitor with Audiocap Thetas, damped the box, and replaced the twin 6.5" drivers with Axiom aluminum drivers. Now, the 6.5"s are free ranging, and the tweeter is crossed over at about 3000Hz, similar set up to the M3.

Anyway, I really like these speakers, I won't tell you how I compare the sound quality to VP100/150s, except to say, I still use the modified Meraks.

Well, some months ago, I saw an auction on ebay for a pair of silk tweeters from the Reference 3a de Capo mm, (and the fancy cross-overs which go with them)) much larger than the 3/4" titanium but I knew they were crossed over at about 3000Hz and the de Capo also uses a free range main driver, so I took a chance. I think the pair cost me $50.00 or something like that. Had the Merak box routed out, the de capo tweeter fit, upgraded the speaker terminal plate and binding posts, added a supertweeter, flat to about 40KHz.

You know, luck counts in this world. This concatenation sounds great!!

Just thought I'd share my tweaker's delight.

cool deal on your 'new' center channel. i like the fact that you experiement with audio stuff to find the combo that best suits your listening tastes.

although i am just a simple plug and go kinda guy, it all still sounds pretty good to me!!

bigjohn

Nice work, 2x6!
Are you going to replace the horn tweeter in the office center also? I thought that that center was a little bit of a "shrieker". OTOH, maybe it was the insane volume you had it playing at?

Wow, although I don't have time for this sort of stuff, I followed what you said Heck, I don't even have time to finish my basement.

ps: are you going to change all the internal wiring to monster cable

G'morning!

I think I used Cardas silver wire from the new speaker plate terminals to the x-over.

Big Merak centers (twin 6.5" drivers) came in 2 flavors, the MC634 with 3/4" tweeter and the MC6H with a great horn (7"x3.5"). The Merak which now sports the Reference 3a tweeter started out as an MC634 with the 3/4" titanium tweeter. My previously favorite Merak was the MC6H with the big horn tweeter (still love that one, not shrieky Bigwill, No!). I looked around for a replacement horn which would fit, but all I could find was more of the same, i.e., a $3.00 horn tweeter.

Bigwill, time for you to come by and visit at the new hacienda. Ready? Dust off your favorite CDs and let's audition some stuff. I can tell you this for sure, as to the T Amp, Ah! CDP and modified M55s, you may think you're prepared for what you're going to hear, but I assure you, you are in for a jaw dropping surprise!

I'd love to stop by. Three day weekend coming up and I have absolutely no plans (other than hangin' at the house with a stein full of beer ).
Send me a PM or an email or something.

PM on its way! Oooh! Are you in for a surprise!

Yeooow! You did it, didn't you? You built MY Speaker!!!

You did it the Easy way!!(Yeah, Right!!)

I've been daydreaming lately....OK..OK!, for the last few years!! About a full-range center that'll match up with the rest of my speakers.

I know someone who works in a custom woodworking shop and has access to a really fine high precission bandsaw capable of producing accurate cuts thru MDF boxes to-on a good day-within .002" consistently!(he thinks) And better than that-reassembling them back together in whatever order required!

Now all I have to do is disassemble an M3, accurately measure the internal vol; accurately measure(by displacement)the single port to get it's effective I.D. and length; Do a bit of reverse engineering to come up with the Thiele Small Parameters; extrapolate to get the appropriate Vb to get, say, an f3 of about, oh, I dunno, about 58 with TWO of those lovely 6.5s!(That'l match up with my M50s quite well) Then cut two M3s apart at just the right dimensions to give a total assembled net vol, but still stay symetrical, to get that required Vb; glue them back together and start cutting ports at an appropriate starting length; start adding baffling, and begin taking speaker output measurements, continue cutting ports(so I cut it again, and it's Still Too Short!) and adding or removing baffling while chasing numbers to come up with something that may still not sound.....

Ooooor.....

Hey Ian!...Remember that Merak speaker you built a few years back...You know..the one with the two 6.5s?.....

It would be VERY cool to have an Axiom center with dual 6.5"'s A big honking center channel.

Hey F107+5

You're welcome to come on by as well!!

I like what you say about building a custom speaker box. The Merak is well built and has the Axiom shape, but could be larger for ideal sound quality from twin 6.5"s. It also needs a great puckered pongid rectum instead of a shiney little port. Rosewood would be nice.

Speaking of rosewood, I haven't set up the Thiel CS 3.6s yet, but if I could get my hands on another Merak or maybe just have a cabinet built, I could use a couple of 6.5"s I have and the remaining Reference 3a de Capo mm tweeter/cross-over for a real custom center channel. OK, now you've got me thinking ...