And the DIYSG speaker build is done. HTM12's for fronts Fusion Center and HTM6's for side surrounds. They replaced Klipsch RF7ii fronts, RC64ii center and RS52ii surrounds. While I really enjoyed my time with the Klipsch setup they eventually became too fatiguing with female vocalists in particular. Right now HTM 12's are on some quick and dirty MDF stands I built with some scrap I had laying around. I still need to sand and paint them but the weather has not cooperated and I am NOT sanding the MDF in the garage! The pic of the front 3 has the HTM12's temporarily sitting on some footstools . There are also some random pics of the build. Also threw in a pic of the HTM12's in their awesome and famous packing job from Erich H ! I am really enjoying the sound of the whole system and I have not even run Dirac yet!
Congrats on your build, it is rare that a new DIYSG build is smaller than the old system. How well does the Fusion 8 Center work with the HTM-12's? I'm interested in the HTM series for my siblings and freinds future builds, I run Fusion 10's and have a 88 Special built but the finishing work to make it pretty is on going. My friends and siblings are more "normal" so I'm pondering the HTM-8 and upcoming HTM Center (when available) Plan B is the Fusion 8 Center so wonder how well it integrates with the HTM horns. Since my friends are normal, they won't be closing their eyes, moving their heads side to side and try to find any fractional abnormality with 2 seconds of a complete film sound score like some of us do. Keep us posted how everything goes together and improvements you make.
Well smaller is relative . Smaller in volume but not in sound! I have not finalized the L/R placement yet or run Dirac so I can't say for sure what the final verdict will be. What I can say without a doubt is that the Left, Right and Center handle female vocals much better than the Klipsch speakers they replaced. The center channel is also doing a better job than the RC64 at dialogue in movies etc. I would have much preferred the 88 Special as a center but can't make it work due to the vertical dimensions. As for integration between the Fusion center and the HTM12's, it is pretty seamless honestly. My goal is to build the HTM center whenever it materializes and then probably give the Fusion to my son. I just did not want to wait for the HTM center as there has not been any sort of timetable established.
Nice build! It is easy to get OCD about the center speaker, it is the one that does the dialog for movies after all. Went with the biggest/highest efficiency speaker I could fit in the furniture--then figured out how to mod the furniture to squeeze in an 88 Special. It sounds like a great plan, get the F8 Center, evaluate it and ponder what the upcoming HTM Center will do for you. Something along the lines of a SEOS 10 horn, the HTM compression driver crossing at 1,300Hz and two 6.5" neo woofers would be interesting. Call it the HTM 66 Special? Figure it would be around 14"H X 16 inches or so wide but as always, the biggest issue is to get 16 ohm variants of the HTM Neo drivers. After all, a person needs to have a reason to build more speakers, right?