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| Model: | DDR Dipole Kit |
| Category: | Speakers |
| Suggested Retail Price: | $700 |
| Description: | Blueprints for a two way synamic driver based Dipole Speaker System |
| Manufacturer URL: | Adire Audio |
| Review by Dman on January 29, 2008 at 04:34:21 IP Address: 72.39.181.96 | Add Your Review for the DDR Dipole Kit |
Adire Audio DDR Dipole Speaker System Kit
Warning/Footnote;
As of July 2007, Adire Audio, makers of the Extremis 6.8 driver, as well as designers of the DDR system, had closed up shop. This has changed now, as a new company, Acoustic Development International, formed by previous Adire employees (do a search for the full story!) have brought the Extremis driver back to life (now known as the Extremis 170).
Description
To paraphase from Adire Audio’s website description of the DDR-
“The Adire Audio DDR is a simple two way speaker system kit that one can build with his or her own choice of crossover components, building materials, and cosmetic finishes. One only has to follow the simple PDF file plans (no longer available from the now defunkt Adire website, but it's still floating out there in cyberspace), and they can have a very high performance, wide range, dipole speaker system."
The DDR design is based around a pair of Adire Extremis 6.8 midwoofers and a single Bolander-Graebner NEO3PDR planer type tweeter with its rear enclosure cup removed. The crossover design is a 6th order passive type, and incorporates the appropriate low frequency compensation to achieve relatively good bass extension in a small 12” wide by 48” high baffle. The Extremis midwoofer itself sports Adire’s patented XBL motor mechanism. This allows for cone excursions somewhat more in line with what a 10” driver can produce. The XBL system also reduces distortions that are common to small drivers, especially ones that try to take on big bass…
B-G’s planar tweeter is a relative sleeper in the field of DIY. At a hair under $50USD per driver, it offers a LOT in the price/performance category.
To continue-
"Those of us that are new to dipole speaker design might find striking about the DDR is that there is no enclosure. This lack of box can be rather off-putting at first. Don’t be alarmed. This is where two principles of crossover design come into play. Most Dipole speaker systems rely heavily on electronic crossover/equalisers in order to maintain a flat response from the mid and bass drivers. This requires the use of multiple amplifiers (usually one stereo channel per driver, per speaker). Roughly translated- a two way system would need two separate power amplifiers, A three way would need three, etc… Adire’s approach, which to those who DO know Dipole technology, would seem wasteful- design a crossover that not only is part of the speaker system (rather than a separate active box full of potentially expensive electronics), but shape its response to compensate for the losses inherent in a Dipole system (such as rolled off bass due to lack of a cabinet)”
The DDR is the first Dipole system I’ve ever built, and the second Dipole I’ve ever listened to on a long-term basis. I’ve listened to Dahlquist DQ-10s, which I restored some six years ago, but they don’t really count as a TRUE Dipole- more of quasi-dipole (at least through a narrow band of mid-bass driver). My first introduction to dipole technology came by way of a Magnepan setup many years ago (I can’t even remember WHAT Maggie it was!). The open soundfield of the Maggies blew me away. I vowed that someday I would have that sound again. But we are talking about a listening experience that goes back almost 20 years ago, I cannot be sure of the subjective quality of that system to truly compare with the DDR. Besides, I don't think I'd want to. While both systems are Dipolar, that's where the similarity ends. Also, my own personal tastes in music and reproduction have changed dramatically over the years.
What first strikes one about the DDR is the bottom end response. While one expects dipoles of this size to sound somewhat thin, the DDR gives much deeper bass response than one would think its actually capable of. While its not the gut wrenching visceral extension that a good subwoofer can provide (The bottom end does miss the mark on full range extension, its response falling off rapidly below 50hz in my system), it nonetheless sounds full, with just a hint of added weight. What bottom end the DDR does produce has a realism and tautness that I’ve only heard in a handful of speakers. The Dahlquist DQ-10s doesn’t do this. But remember its bass driver is in a sealed box! The 10s may extend subjectively deeper (I’ve measured them into the low 40hz range), but they are thinner sounding to my ears. The DDR balances the bottom to satisfaction. Adire is quick to point out that unless you NEED the last octave and change in your system, you probably won’t rush to hook that subwoofer up any time soon.
I am seriously impressed with the resolution of these speakers. They are in a league high above what the cost of construction would suggest. I recently had the time to sit down one day and listen for an extended period to the Dynaudio Reference (Grand?)Master system, fronted by an 18K SME ‘table and serious VTL pre and power amplification. The recording was the 45 RPM version of Brubeck’s Time Out. Of course, I had to hear my fave from that set- Take Five. Through this system, I could hear the drummer’s fingers on the drum heads at one point, altering each drum’s tuned pitch- not to mention each drum’s space in the recording (and the room!). Of course, with any speaker of excellent resolution, feed it garbage and that’s what it will reproduce. But feed it really good LPs, and the sound can be scary real on a system of this fortitude! The front wall of the room disappears, leaving you with a very real portrayal of the venue (or mix if its a studio thing).
The DDRs don't get that last word in resolution (and some of you may thin I'm nuts to suggest it!), but it does make for VERY satisfactory listening! While the DDR isn’t even in the same league as the Dynaudio system, I found myself actually not missing those little microscopic cues in the music. Teh performance was full and things were not honestly not missed. While I am sure their colorations add to the full "you are there/they are here" phenomenon, I can easily live with things the way they are. The integration of the bottom to mid to top, while having some errors, is pretty good, again given the price. I would have thought that a system with a 6th order crossover would have serious issues in the crossover region. Not so, I didn’t hear it!
The speakers have been set up in both my main room of my old house as well as my current apartment. This time period of ownership is going on one year now. I, as well as many friends, cannot believe the sound coming out of these speakers. One would figure that with the complexity of the crossover, that the driving amplifier either wouldn’t be able to control the drivers, thus muddying up the sound and thus losing control of things. I have heard some serious speakers on the market that cost many times the price of my finished DDRs that cannot get it up and boogie like these can. Classical and jazz are well served with this system. The idea of the orchestra is very well approximated. While we are not talking about the dynamic swing capabilities of such systems as the previously mentioned Dynaudio, it does a great job reproducing things in the medium loudness category.
Funny how one can just suddenly have an epiphany while listening to something. In this case its “Friday Night in San Francisco” by Di Meola, Mc Laughlin, and De Lucia (the HDCD Bob Ludwig re-master, CK-65168). AS I am sitting here in the sweet spot, I am hearing hall reverb not just to the sides of the speakers, but to the rear- indeed, a whole out of body simile here (akin to the actual venue? That’s the only way I can describe it). The crowd is around me (or I am part of the crowd, experiencing the event?). Uncanny… I have heard other (and more expensive systems) do this, but I did say EXPENSIVE!!!
These speakers are laughably better then anything I've heard in their price range (about $800CDN, give or take, depending on the wood, crossover parts and finish you choose). While not a totally neutral speaker, they convey almost every aspect of the recorded performance, environment, and can easily let one hear ANY changes in a mix (volume, balance, EQ, and ESPECIALLY mastering tricks!). They are about as close to being there as one can get without spending a TON more coin on speakers, and come away with something only marginally better…
If the phrase budget killer hasn’t been used to death, then that’s what I’d call this kit.
| Product Weakness: | Power hungry. Minimum of 100W/pc required. <br>Placement is critical, just as many dipoles require... |
| Product Strengths: | Incredible imaging. Deep bass for small baffle. |
| Amplifier: | Audio Research Corporation D-76a |
| Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | Pre amp- Flemming Audio Cathode Follower. Flemming Audio Stage One Moving coil step up head amp. |
| Sources (CDP/Turntable): | Turntable- Linn Axis with Linn Akito II tonearm and Ortofon MC15 Super Mk II moving coil cartridge. NAD C542 CD player. PAnasonic F-87 DVD-A player |
| Speakers: | Dahlquist DQ-10. Tangent RS-6 |
| Cables/Interconnects: | Home made- RG-6 with Goldplated RCA ends |
| Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Everything from Massive Attack to Bach |
| Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
Like Teknofossil, I too have the PDF from Adire audio. Inmates may feel free to email as well...
I have the DDR dipole pdf (from Adire Audio)for this design if anyone has a server to host it. Also, if anyone wants it they may email me off line via the asylum.
-T
very nice review. Yeah, there is something about dipole bass . . . I remember from having owned Magnepans (MG-IIs), many years ago (like 30!). If I recall correctly, my Magnepans started rolling off around 50 Hz, too. But, driven with a Dyna Stereo 400 amp, the system worked well. I bought an early passive subwoofer, that filled in the bass a little lower (to about 30 hz), but at the expense of bass quality. I ended up switching it out for classical music and in for rock music.
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