Straws in bass port......

[Mohsin]

Ok this may sound weird but having read a few posts about how drinking straws can be used as bungs for bass ports I decided to try this on my RX1's. I got drinking straws, taped a whole load together and cut them so they were about 5 inches long, popped them into the bass ports making sure they were a tight fit and from the quick listen I had I would say that although they have kept most if not all of there bass response there is definately a drop in chuffing. It was only experimental as I had some time to waste this morning but has anyone else tried it?

Mo

 

[Vladimir]

What is more effective than reducing the port diameter or extending the tube is using a U pipe to make the back port into a front port. Ideally you want the tube to taper towards a smaller diameter to the free unplugged end. You can also stuff the tube with damping foam or light fibers (cotton, wool etc.) to reduce the bass extention and get tighter bass (effectively turning air movement into heat). It's an easy and rewersible tweak especially effective for speakers near walls and in corners.

Few photos of my prototype: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | don't laugh. *wink*

 

[plastic penguin]

What is more effective than reducing the port diameter or extending the tube is using a U pipe to make the back port into a front port. Ideally you want the tube to taper towards a smaller diameter to the free unplugged end. You can also stuff the tube with damping foam or light fibers (cotton, wool etc.) to reduce the bass extention and get tighter bass (effectively turning air movement into heat). It's an easy and rewersible tweak especially effective for speakers near walls and in corners.

Few photos of my prototype: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | don't laugh. *wink*

Holy Moses! I know the hot weather does some funny things but... *smile*

Can you not just listen to the music?

 

[CnoEvil]

What is more effective than reducing the port diameter or extending the tube is using a U pipe to make the back port into a front port. Ideally you want the tube to taper towards a smaller diameter to the free unplugged end. You can also stuff the tube with damping foam or light fibers (cotton, wool etc.) to reduce the bass extention and get tighter bass (effectively turning air movement into heat). It's an easy and rewersible tweak especially effective for speakers near walls and in corners.

Few photos of my prototype: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | don't laugh. *wink*

Heath Robinson, eat your heart out! *good*

(Could only come from the mind of a single man).

 

[Vladimir]

I listen to the music a lot but I also occasionally enjoy messing about with tweaks. Good thing I never took photos of my CDP tweaks in the past 10 years. I doubt they would pass through airport security. *wacko*

 

[stevebrock]

What is more effective than reducing the port diameter or extending the tube is using a U pipe to make the back port into a front port. Ideally you want the tube to taper towards a smaller diameter to the free unplugged end. You can also stuff the tube with damping foam or light fibers (cotton, wool etc.) to reduce the bass extention and get tighter bass (effectively turning air movement into heat). It's an easy and rewersible tweak especially effective for speakers near walls and in corners.

Few photos of my prototype: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | don't laugh. *wink*

Holy Moses! I know the hot weather does some funny things but... *smile*

Can you not just listen to the music?

PP my thoughts exactly - Ive spent last 24hrs in hospital with missus - become a dad for the forth time - just got home on my own, missus & baby doing fine in hospital, kids at in laws and Im spinning the Gyro and everything is good in the world!

PS apart from the atrocity of the last few days with that plane

 

[calpark46]

I should show this thread to my wife. Then she'll know I'm not the only weirdo who buys a box of drinking straws, picks out all the blue ones (they were the most conservative colour), cuts them, bundles them with elastic bands and stuffs them in the back of my LS50s.

I did just a few days ago as an experiment, having spent most of the last 18 months with the half bungs in my KEFs. At times, I've also tried the full bungs but although it makes the sound wonderfully detailed, it is at times too bright and takes some life out of the music.

Initial impressions of the straws are that they bring a lovely balance to the sound, with retention of detail and sweeter, better controlled bass. Another benefit seems to be that the sweet spot is expanded in my fairly compromised listening room.

I'm off to tell my wife that I'm normal after all.

 

[Vladimir]

PP my thoughts exactly - Ive spent last 24hrs in hospital with missus - become a dad for the forth time - just got home on my own, missus & baby doing fine in hospital, kids at in laws and Im spinning the Gyro and everything is good in the world!

PS apart from the atrocity of the last few days with that plane

Congratulations dadio! *drinks*

Is it a boy or a girl? *smile*

 

[Vladimir]

I'm off to tell my wife that I'm normal after all.

Yeah... good luck with that. She might cut off your internet completely. *nea*

 

[CnoEvil]

PP my thoughts exactly - Ive spent last 24hrs in hospital with missus - become a dad for the forth time - just got home on my own, missus & baby doing fine in hospital, kids at in laws and Im spinning the Gyro and everything is good in the world!

PS apart from the atrocity of the last few days with that plane

Good Man!

Four's a great number.......I should know.*yahoo*

 

[Neptune_Twilight]

What is more effective than reducing the port diameter or extending the tube is using a U pipe to make the back port into a front port. Ideally you want the tube to taper towards a smaller diameter to the free unplugged end. You can also stuff the tube with damping foam or light fibers (cotton, wool etc.) to reduce the bass extention and get tighter bass (effectively turning air movement into heat). It's an easy and rewersible tweak especially effective for speakers near walls and in corners.

Few photos of my prototype: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | don't laugh. *wink*

A most intriguing idea! I'm never really happy with rear ports open on any speaker I’ve heard, my RX2's are dragged well out from the wall & as far as I can from a chimney corners but still prefer them with foam bungs in, though I'm going to experiment with different materials, as the bungs in it a bit too much - I can't see my other half going for your solution though *biggrin* I suppose I really ought to be looking for a pair of infinite baffles eventually, my K2 should be able to drive most speakers regardless how efficient, though when I do upgrade I don’t want to move sideways.

 

[Vladimir]

My Scorpio prototype is fugly but if you come to a refined final solution, you can make a shorter, smaller plexiglass tube that won't look so out of place on a standmount. Sure beats straws.

 

[tinkywinkydipsylalapo]

My Scorpio prototype is fugly but if you come to a refined final solution, you can make a shorter, smaller plexiglass tube that won't look so out of place on a standmount. Sure beats straws.

Sure beats straws that are invisible in a rear port??? Why not go the whole way and use a tumble-dryer vent hose? Or perhaps a snorkel?

 

[Vladimir]

My Scorpio prototype is fugly but if you come to a refined final solution, you can make a shorter, smaller plexiglass tube that won't look so out of place on a standmount. Sure beats straws.

Sure beats straws that are invisible in a rear port??? Why not go the whole way and use a tumble-dryer vent hose? Or perhaps a snorkel?

Tried that. This solution felt more sofisticated.

 

[nopiano]

Mo, I have never tried this myself but your question has got me trying to recal where I saw this first. It was either Celef or maybe Proac I think.

It is an acknowledged option for tuning ports, so if you like the result then you've done well!

 

[nopiano]

Mo, I have never tried this myself but your question has got me trying to recal where I saw this first. It was either Celef or maybe Proac I think.

It is an acknowledged option for tuning ports, so if you like the result then you've done well!

 

[Covenanter]

Please see my new website - www.isawthemcoming.com - where you can buy my cyrogenically treated straws at the knock down price of £50 each. If you don't have bass ports I also have a kit that allows you to drill your own.

Chris

 

[jiggyjoe]

neatest stuff to change the port tuning frequency is water pipe insulation. buy both the 15mm and 22mm and see which you like best.

 

[Neptune_Twilight]

I was faffing with straws yesterday, I did have a big OCD moment when I saw the only straws we had were a mixture of colours! There was a few worrying moments when I thought I would have to remove the bass driver(s) to retrieve them from within the cabinet, one thing it did show me is I need to experiment with materials (probably foam or sponge) to get the bass just right - The water pipe insulation looks a good idea too - Thanks!

When I sent feedback to MO about the RX's (they did ask) I did add that a few different densities of foam would be helpful as it is a bit all or nothing with bungs supplied - My wife thinks I lost it years ago with hi-fi & sometimes helpfully says ‘yes dear I think that sounds clearer’ after I've spent half a day moving the speakers around & probably ended up with them in the same place.

 

[Roger_A]

The first I've seen them commercially was in Meridian M2 active loudspeakers from the 70's which I still have.

Roger

 

[nopiano]

The first I've seen them commercially was in Meridian M2 active loudspeakers from the 70's which I still have.

Roger

Mmm, quite possible as Bob Stuart was often very advanced in his ideas.

 

[Covenanter]

Just a question - if a few straws or a different type of foam can materially improve the sound of a speaker why don't the speaker manufacturers supply them? After all they would be extremely silly not to as it would cost them pennies and gain them pounds.

Chris

 

[Vladimir]

Just a question - if a few straws or a different type of foam can materially improve the sound of a speaker why don't the speaker manufacturers supply them? After all they would be extremely silly not to as it would cost them pennies and gain them pounds.

Chris

They do Chris. B&W comes with foam bungs, an outer rim and a closing central tube. That way you can calibrate reducing or completely closing the ports, depending on room acoustics and preference.

I'm sure other manufacturers supply them as well.

 

[Covenanter]

Just a question - if a few straws or a different type of foam can materially improve the sound of a speaker why don't the speaker manufacturers supply them? After all they would be extremely silly not to as it would cost them pennies and gain them pounds.

Chris

They do Chris. B&W comes with foam bungs, an outer rim and a closing central tube. That way you can calibrate reducing or completely closing the ports, depending on room acoustics and preference.

I'm sure other manufacturers supply them as well.

You miss my point! I know manufacturers supply bungs, my R700s come with them, but it would be sensible to assume that they don't use any old materials but something that they have found works well. If straws worked better surely they would supply those!?

Chris

PS I remember back in the 1970s, when I had a Hadcock arm on my turntable, reading a letter in hifi mag from some guy who had the same arm and who had cut it in half and rejoined it slightly differently to change the geometry which he claimed made it much better. My thoughts then were the same as now - if it would have been better like that the manufacturer would have done it themselves.

 

[davedotco]

Just a question - if a few straws or a different type of foam can materially improve the sound of a speaker why don't the speaker manufacturers supply them? After all they would be extremely silly not to as it would cost them pennies and gain them pounds.

Chris

They do Chris. B&W comes with foam bungs, an outer rim and a closing central tube. That way you can calibrate reducing or completely closing the ports, depending on room acoustics and preference.

I'm sure other manufacturers supply them as well.

You miss my point! I know manufacturers supply bungs, my R700s come with them, but it would be sensible to assume that they don't use any old materials but something that they have found works well. If straws worked better surely they would supply those!?

Chris

PS I remember back in the 1970s, when I had a Hadcock arm on my turntable, reading a letter in hifi mag from some guy who had the same arm and who had cut it in half and rejoined it slightly differently to change the geometry which he claimed made it much better. My thoughts then were the same as now - if it would have been better like that the manufacturer would have done it themselves.

I think the manufacturers produce what sells, not what is the 'best' solution.

In general terms a lot of speaker manufacturers tune their speakers to be, shall we say generous, in the bass region. This is easily done and the extra bass this produces is considered a good thing by an awful lot of buyers.

it is entirely possible to produce a ported speaker with bass that is deeper, tighter and more accurate than the norm, but they often don't sell, not enough bass....!

Too little bass is a speaker problem, too much a room problem. Never really understood that.