advertisement


Building the Ergo E-IX mini-monitor loudspeaker system

Go with 10x10 so you can play with dual subs as well ;)
The 4x8 could do dual-subs as well. :D

It's the shortage of analog inputs that's the problem. The 4x8 has only one analog stereo input, while the 10x10 has four. I keep reminding myself, though, that I spin records only a few times a month, and play cassettes only a few times a year, so I could probably live with the one analog input.

The real issue is whether I want to go down the rabbit hole of active crossovers, when I've already got so many other projects on the go. There's also the factor that the MiniDSP maxes out at 24-bit/96KHz, and I've already got some 192KHz media in my collection.
 
FWIW, I once ran a pair of IX as actives. Pretty easy with the Mini DSP stuff. I basically replicated the transfer functions James mentions above with a few extra tweaks to suits taste and room etc. The really were great.
I forgot about that. :)
 
The other option is one of the SHD products form MiniDSP. Less outputs but onboard streaming as well so you get to get rid of the DACs and any streaming stuff you currently use, you get Dirac built in too. I installed one for a customer along the way from me and by the time he had sold all the other gear he had, he actually had spare money...
 
The other option is one of the SHD products form MiniDSP. Less outputs but onboard streaming as well so you get to get rid of the DACs and any streaming stuff you currently use, you get Dirac built in too. I installed one for a customer along the way from me and by the time he had sold all the other gear he had, he actually had spare money...
My house is festooned with Squeezeboxes fed by Logitech Media Studio. I just checked, and it looks like you can install SqueezeLite on the big SHD. It also has one analog input for my turntable.

However, it looks like it has only 4 outputs, which means it likely includes the MiniDSP 2x4 HD. That's not enough to work as an active crossover with my upcoming 3-way PFM Special.
 
Last edited:
After mulling it over, I've decided that I'm not quite ready to buy a MiniDSP, as that's a rather deep rabbit hole. However, my curiosity regarding the different personality of the two speakers is still rearing its ponderous head. I've just ordered a UMK2 calibrated mic, and we'll see how the two speakers measure.

FYI, I've just finished listening eight albums worth of Bruce Cockburn, and the Ergo IX has sounded stunning throughout. It seems the "too intense" quirk is very much dependent on the recording.
 
When measuring FR, you will have to apply gating to cut out reflected signal from the room. Not sure if your calibrated mic comes with the software.
 
When measuring FR, you will have to apply gating to cut out reflected signal from the room. Not sure if your calibrated mic comes with the software.
Yeah, I was pondering that. We'll see what I can see once it arrives. Perhaps I'll do it in a smaller room where I can rig up some materials to dampen all that. I realize it won't be an "anechoic chamber", but it might be good enough.

Fun fun fun! ;)
 
It's been almost a week since I put the Ergo IX on their own wood stands, and moved them further into the corners. I must say that I'm not really noticing that "shouty" thing anymore, bass seems deeper (likely due to boundary reinforcement), it's nicely balanced tonally, and overall I'm really pleased with them. I don't think I'll need to muck with the crossover.

FWIW, the Royd RR3 is sounding wonderful in my family room. My teenage boys actually sat with me last night to listen to some new music (some new to me, and some new to them). Usually they listen to music isolated with their "gaming headsets" or ear buds, and it was lovely to listen as a group. That's something that I don't get to do as often as I would like, and I blame the betters speakers in that room.

I've still got the UMIK2 mic arriving this week, and I'll do some measurements of the two speakers at some point to see how they compare.
 
It's been almost a week since I put the Ergo IX on their own wood stands, and moved them further into the corners. I must say that I'm not really noticing that "shouty" thing anymore, bass seems deeper (likely due to boundary reinforcement), it's nicely balanced tonally, and overall I'm really pleased with them. I don't think I'll need to muck with the crossover.

FW.....
Hmmm. I think I am going to change mine so the R in series with the tweeter can be easily changed. It sounds like this will be a necessary feature to accommodate all possible locations.
 
Hmmm. I think I am going to change mine so the R in series with the tweeter can be easily changed. It sounds like this will be a necessary feature to accommodate all possible locations.
According to James, it's not that simple:

...the Free space version is more than just a resistor change.

Mike, here is the free space XO schematic:

ACtC-3dqL-V6dMf5CMQxhpt9A6fasMvOcDg-viq_hN31LShDOG1Z5wO0pq2r4Kj07SaGsvpTdMWRrFwfjRwgq5X01yaQ8o0anX_RiF7XiE64Rx7kQuEqpQADGH4fciSSbF3tVN0yLM6nMHIU8t-g-4BNDYRR=w679-h377-no


The 2.5uF caps for C2011 and C2211 can be replaced with the more common 2.7uF values.
 
I see. OK, Thanks. I'll dig into that deeper then. I had the wrong idea.
Mike is partly right. The series resistor for the tweeter can be changed in value slightly to tweak the HF balance for either version, but the baffle-step adjustment for free-space placement will require a different crossover. That being said, if you are supplementing the E-IX with sub-woofers, you can also dial up the bass response to compensate for free-space placement and still use the wall-mount crossover.
 
OK. Thanks James. Mine will be a few inches off the back wall. Not exactly free space but not wall mount either. I'll go with the wall mount xover.
 
OK. Thanks James. Mine will be a few inches off the back wall. Not exactly free space but not wall mount either. I'll go with the wall mount xover.
In that case, the wall mount version will do just fine - especially if your backing wall is solid masonry.
 
It's not masonry. It is a wood frame wall with gypsum board surface; standard drwall as we call it here. But it should be OK. If not I wil alter them. Thanks.
 
Mike is partly right. The series resistor for the tweeter can be changed in value slightly to tweak the HF balance for either version, but the baffle-step adjustment for free-space placement will require a different crossover. That being said, if you are supplementing the E-IX with sub-woofers, you can also dial up the bass response to compensate for free-space placement and still use the wall-mount crossover.

That's useful, I've just got myself a BK Electronics XXLS400-FF, uses a 12" Peerless XXLS12 woofer in a 50l sealed cabinet. Hopefully I can integrate it with my Ergo E-IX successfully.
 
I just reviewed the BOM for free standng vs againt wall placement and all I see are differences in the resistor(s). James, can you please point me to the latest BOMs for these crossover variants? Many thanks.
 
I just reviewed the BOM for free standng vs againt wall placement and all I see are differences in the resistor(s). James, can you please point me to the latest BOMs for these crossover variants? Many thanks.
The BOMs are different. Here is the free-space version.

ACtC-3dqL-V6dMf5CMQxhpt9A6fasMvOcDg-viq_hN31LShDOG1Z5wO0pq2r4Kj07SaGsvpTdMWRrFwfjRwgq5X01yaQ8o0anX_RiF7XiE64Rx7kQuEqpQADGH4fciSSbF3tVN0yLM6nMHIU8t-g-4BNDYRR=w679-h377-no


This is the wall-mount version.

ACtC-3dQQxn3yNazDIH5zHEMKamb0nxDj_b1R-w1pEMP-OV2Qm6wDaqkfOcbj1otMSdnoGdOrupys0Dequ0RjW-f1YbkM7RXsLM5CvvtfX26bUipDW-WRtkwB18BWfSY4U9lwzE9WgYOIp78hsVsZkVK_zxF=w900-h500-no
 


advertisement


Back
Top