Voigt Domestic Corner Horn

Tsingtao_1903

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Some five years ago, I came across a post from someone in England building new a set of Voigt Domestic Corner Horns. I was hooked. Unfortunately, I had no access to a real set nor any drawings with dimensions.... Also, pictures of the horn were scant and very hard to find. Recently, I was in the fortunate position of having access to a home CNC machine, CAD software - leaned how to use it, and a 3D printer. Game on.

Created the model below in SolidWorks.
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Many details and dimensions were "made up" since they were not known to me. But, I decided the right thing to do was to build a half-size model just to test things out and learn in the process. My goal is to build a full size speaker one of these days. I estimated from various internet images that the real speakers stand around 5'4" or so. Also, my preferred speaker build material is baltic birch plywood.

The original horn throat was cast concrete. My solution: 3D print the mold and casted it in my kitchen sink. (Wife did not know ;))
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The top diffuser was modeled and cut in pieces on my CNC. Then glued up and hand sanded.

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The quarter horn is made from three sections.
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The bass channel was very tricky to build: Out, up, over, over, down then out from the bottom of the front.
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Looking down the throat. The grey part is the concrete reflector.
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So far, I've only built one. The diffuser, horn pieces and the concrete reflector for the second speaker are already made.
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After five years, I've finally got it out of my head. :)
 
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Be really interested to see how it sounds.
Given that the speaker is half size (only 29" tall), and that it only has one 3" driver (Fostex FE83-Sol), the sound is a lot bigger than it is. I have just finished a Bugle 45 build. Still burning the amp in and playing around with type 45 vs 46 tubes. So, can't really say yet. Will report back in a few days.
 
Given that the speaker is half size (only 29" tall), and that it only has one 3" driver (Fostex FE83-Sol), the sound is a lot bigger than it is. I have just finished a Bugle 45 build. Still burning the amp in and playing around with type 45 vs 46 tubes. So, can't really say yet. Will report back in a few days.

Thank you.

Do you plan in going full sized soon?

What driver will you use for the full sized build?
 
Full size is probably a couple more years down the road. I get the basic idea behind the quarter-wave horn theory. However, converting that theory to actual dimensions and constructions of the back loaded channel is something I have not figured out.

The original Voigt uses a 7" field coil driver. I don't have that kind of coins. Also, don't want to settle on a driver just yet until the dimensions of the back loaded channel are clear in my mind.
 
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Full size is probably a couple more years down the road. I get the basic idea behind the quarter-wave horn theory. However, converting that theory to actual dimensions and constructions of the back loaded channel is something I have not figured out.

The original Voigt uses a 7" field coil driver. I don't have that kind of coins. Also, don't want to settle on a driver just yet until the dimensions of the back loaded channel are clear in my mind.
Maybe a Pioneer PIM-8?
 
Wow. I am impressed.
Fantastic work
I think think there maybe a thread on Lenco Hevean about these speakers. I am pretty sure the member that knew the most about them passed away a few year back.
 
I am pretty sure the member that knew the most about them passed away a few year back.
I wish I knew the gentleman.

Lowther licensed the design and manufacturing rights from Paul Voigt and built a few of these speakers in the 40's. I tried to contact the Lowther Museum in England asking for basic information. Crickets.
 
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Getting back on track. Took a little time off the project to try to understand better the horn calculations and geometries....

Anyway, just finished the rough calculations for my VDCH "interpretation". The horn will have a mouth opening of 756 in2, horn length of 53 in, throat area of around 13-14 in2. That will put the cut off frequency at around 80 Hz.

Also, the back loaded section will simply be a transmission line. It will have a total length of around 110".
 
Doing more research into the VDCH. It turns out my assumption of an exponential horn curve was totally wrong. According to the Lowther Voigt Museum, Paul Voigt was the first to propose the theory of and application of the tractrix curve to loudspeakers - especially his horns! Also, from a different reference, the backloaded section is not a simple transmission line, rather, it' an application of his Voigt quarter wave pipe.

Whee. Not one but two rabbit holes!
 
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