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JohnMichael
12-31-2011, 03:13 PM
In my search for new speakers I have been looking at all kinds and brands. Before I get out and do some serious listening I was thinking of entertaining myself by assembling the Seas Loki kit from Madisound. The co-ax driver and the crossover are both made by Seas. The cabinet is included and looks well made with 1 inch thick front baffle and 3/4 inch thick enclosure.

I have wanted to try this kit before and I think this winter may be the time. I am going to order it with the base level crossover. This will not cut into my budget for my other speakers. Of course when I find them I will have to sell off some of the equipment in the closet.

Is anyone currently using a speaker with a co-ax driver or the Seas Loki? I have enjoyed the KEF Uni Q drivers. I think I will enjoy discovering what they can do. They can always join the RS6's in a sale. I think I will always keep the Mo Fi OML1's.

Enochrome
12-31-2011, 04:48 PM
Nice JohnMichael! Go for it!

If it does dent the pocket book, I think the satisfaction of hand built and the experience would be worth it.
I heard Seas drivers are exceptional. Harbeth uses their tweeter and manufactures their other drivers, which I think says a lot about their respect for them. What is the size of the overall cabinet?

Who knows you might stop looking for other speakers :cornut:

JohnMichael
12-31-2011, 05:55 PM
Nice JohnMichael! Go for it!

If it does dent the pocket book, I think the satisfaction of hand built and the experience would be worth it.
I heard Seas drivers are exceptional. Harbeth uses their tweeter and manufactures their other drivers, which I think says a lot about their respect for them. What is the size of the overall cabinet?

Who knows you might stop looking for other speakers :cornut:



It would be nice to be happy with them. I like both my current speakers but neither completely hits the mark for me. If only I could figure out how to combine the best of both in one speaker.

Seas Loki MKII Coaxial Kit With Cabinet - Each: Madisound Speaker Store (http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/coaxial-speaker-kits/seas-loki-mkii-coaxial-kit-with-cabinet-each/)

Seas Loki MKII Coaxial Kit With Cabinet - Each

This kit has everything you need to assemble a completed speaker. While we recommend soldering all speaker wire connections, this kit can easily be assembled with minimal tools. All that is required is a screwdriver/drill, a razor blade/wire stripper, and set of pliers/crimpers.

The Seas Loki MKII is a single 7" coaxial driver speaker system from the highly regarded Seas Prestige line. The driver used is the T18RE/XTV2 (H1333).

Consider the Loki MKII Kit in a stereo pair for music listening, or as a hi-end surround sound solution.

This is the most versatile and easy to build speaker kit that we offer. With the tweeter coincidently mounted at the base of the woofer cone, the Loki provides a point source presentation. There is no traditional “sweet spot” for the listener; the soundstage is broad, and the imaging excellent. In addition, the speaker can be laid on its side without any lobing issues. The magnet is also shielded, for worry free installation regardless of location.

The crossover for this system has been redesigned by Bjørn Magne Idland of the Seas R&D team. The new network is less complex than the original, and specifically engineered for this speaker kit. Crossover slope is 12db/octave on both the mid/bass and tweeter. We conducted hours of listening tests between the original and new crossover design. While we are still a fan of the original, the new design proved more balanced in its presentation and worthy of implementaton in the next generation Loki MKII kit.

Coaxial driver Information:

Bass and midrange frequencies are carried by a PP/TPX (clear polypropylene type) cone ideally matched to a special adaptive rubber surround. This results in a very smooth frequency response from the mid woofer.

The coaxially arranged precoated fabric dome tweeter has a low resonance frequency, and integrates with the cone driver to a point source.

The cone of the woofer acts as a horn loading for the tweeter, and the chassis of the dome unit represents the throat of this horn. The tweeter is located where you would expect to see the dust cap on a traditional driver. The woofer cone moves independently around the tweeter.

Assembled Crossover Information:

The Loki MKII kit crossovers are professionally assembled with high quality parts throughout. The tweeter section uses a ClarityCap SA along with Mundorf MOX resistors. The woofer circuit utilizes a Sidewinder 16 AWG air core inductor. Upgrade options include ClarityCap ESA and Mundorf M-Cap Supreme for the tweeter, and Goertz Copper Foil 14AWG inductor for the woofer. Please inquire by email if you require a specific combination of parts that is not shown as an option above.

Finished Cabinet Information:

The high quality assembled cabinet is 12 liters (.43 ft3) with dimensions of 8" wide x 15” tall x 11" deep. They are constructed of 3/4" mdf with a 1" front baffle and finished with your choice of real wood veneer. The front baffle is precision cut for a flush mount of the coaxial driver and the flared port is built-in. The rear of the cabinet is also cut for a perfect flush mount of the DB-CUP.

Notes:

While creating a wonderful sound stage and imaging in an ideal setup on speaker stands, the LOKI also excels in non-traditional arrangements. We have auditioned the speaker in many unusual locations (on-wall, in ceiling, bookshelf, unevenly spaced, up in the warehouse rafters, etc) with very acceptable performance in every case. This is the most forgiving speaker for difficult locations that we have heard, so don't be afraid to get creative.

We can say without hesitation that the Loki offers audiophile performance in a small and convenient package.

Specifications:
•8 ohm impedance
•87dB sensitivity
•Frequency response: 46Hz (@-3dB) to 25kHz
•Power handling: 80W Long Term, 250W Short Term
•Cabinet dimensions: 8" wide x 15” tall x 11" deep

Ajani
12-31-2011, 06:04 PM
Are you able to audition Kef's R series? They have some very interesting Monitors in your budget. Like the the R300 for $1800:
http://www.hometheater.com/images/090911kef_rseries.jpg

I wonder if you've considered something more exotic... Something for a 2nd system that is completely different to your existing setup... Perhaps a SET (or low power class T)/Fullrange driver combo... A number of Poultrygeist's threads have peaked my interest in DIY projects of that nature...

Poultrygeist
01-03-2012, 10:26 AM
The Silver Iris is a highly efficient great sounding coax speaker with a strong following.

Hawthorne Audio - Home Page (http://www.hawthorneaudio.com/index.html)

Ajani
01-03-2012, 12:02 PM
The Silver Iris is a highly efficient great sounding coax speaker with a strong following.

Hawthorne Audio - Home Page (http://www.hawthorneaudio.com/index.html)

That Hawthorne link looks really good... I love their precut, pre-drilled OBs! They really understand that many of us don't even have a drill (much less a jig, router or whatever is required for cutting a circle to fit a speaker), so the most we would want to do is tighten bolts or use a screwdriver...