Decware Tiny Radial

I couldn't help myself. I just ordered the exotic afromosia set at the top of the page. For $320, I just have to hear these things. Does anyone have a set? I figure these will be perfect on my workbench, for listening while I work, and for testing audio equipment after repairs or builds. I've been using a set of freebie towers stuffed awkwardly into the corners of the room the last couple years, and these just seem like more logical speakers for that space.

DECWARE Tiny Radials

 

I didn't know they had these. I will be interested to hear your thoughts.

 

Man, those are way cool. I’d love to buy the kit when available again. It’s cool they sell the plans, but I’m no woodworker.

 

I'd been looking at getting a pair for a while, but they sell so dang fast, you have to check the page daily to get them. Will be cool to get serial #18. Sounds like he will eventually do larger runs with less exotic woods later on, and I wanted to get my hands on an early model while he's still going all out on the exotics. He's hoping to get them down to $250.

 

Same. I feel like I could probably cut the main boards, but that lens on top looks tough. He's looking at 3D printing the lense and selling those as well.

 

Everything (analog) in my system save the TT (HK ST-7) is Decware at this point, so I'm obviously a fan. I really don't need a set of really nice desktop speakers, but I can be persuaded...

 

Looking at this on phone without eyeglasses in dark -

Clicked on this swearing it said Decware Tony Randall

 

That's my situation too and I don't have a need for desktop speakers or I'd be looking at these daily as well. I have two pair of HR-1 and one pair of ERR so I know and love Radial speakers. . . . .

Congrats DE!

 

So much want. So little need. I should be happy saving the cash. I'm not.

 

I'm running powered Audioengine speakers for my desktop that have had their reliability issues galore - been to a shop twice already, and once factory-repaired. Next time they clunk out, I will seriously look at these. If they're sensitive enough - I wonder if I can drive them with a DarkVoice headphone amp? - It has a preamp output, and as preamp it's just too powerful - I think it puts out something like 2W.

 

How do I get specs for them? I can't find any on the website.

 

I think this is the driver they are using:

"Tang Band T2-2136SA Full Range Speaker Module 2-3/4" x 2-3/4"" from www.parts-express.com!

 

The driver itself isn't very sensitive at all, 80db at 4 ohms, but I'm sure the cabinet bumps that up a little. It uses the Tang Band T2-2136SA. However, in all his videos, he's powering it with a Zen Triode, which is only two watts per channel. They're meant for near field listening.

 

Nah, I don't think a headphone amp is going to cut the mustard - it would need an amp with 4 Ohm taps, plus a sub-woofer, as it goes only to 80 Hz. I just wouldn't have enough room on my desktop for all that.

 

Well I hope you wouldn't put a sub on your desk, lol. The bass extension should be lower than 80hz with the cabinet. Not sure how much lower though. But yeah, the impedance is the real issue. I assume it's not meant to go lower than 32 on that headphone amp.

 

Well, I could get a TubeCube7 - it has a 4 Ohm tap and 3.5 WPC output, and possibly add this sub, and put it under the desk:

https://www.psbspeakers.com/product/subseries-100-subwoofer/

The question remains - how do I connect the sub in this system?

 

With that tube cube, I don't think you can. You'd need something with a pre-out. Personally, I'm not concerned with the bass response since these aren't going to be in a critical listening area. I'm guessing these get down to 70hz or so in the cabs and that's probably enough to be satisfactory while I'm distracted by stuff n things.

 

Well, to me it's the exact opposite - with my desktop system I'm sitting right in front of speakers listening to music. Granted, I'm browsing the web most likely, but I'm still listening closely.

My current desktop speakers (powered) go down to 65 Hz, and while not exactly lacking in bass, a little more would be quite welcome. Not a little less though.

We'll see, perhaps I can find a way to make it work. Both headphone amps I can use have pre-outs to connect the sub. But then it's either the sub, or the amp. I need to figure out how to split that signal from the pre-out to go to both sub and amp without any loss.

 

Well I will certainly let you know my impressions when I hear them. 70hz is just a guess, since it doesn't look like Steve has done any spectral analysis.

 

Thread on the Decware forum about these speakers:

Forums - Steve's TINY RADIAL project!

 

Regarding this, I wouldn't over think it. Just use high quality Y cables. Shouldn't cause any degradation.

 

Man, I really hope these just need some breaking in. They sound terrible. They are beautiful, but they definitely sound like a 2" speaker in a tiny enclosure. Boxy and nasally. No sparkle and no bass. Everybody kept saying they sounded huge Right now, I'd choose some cheap Logitech computer speakers over these. I'll update if they change much. Definitely feeling buyers remorse at the moment.

 

I am horribly disappointed. I don't think these are going to break in in any significant way. In my experience with new speakers, the worst is usually the first hour or two and then the changes are more subtle as they continue to loosen up. It's strange because they'll just have these random moments where they sound pretty good, then quickly back to garbage. It's like I've got some kind of weird envelope filter engaged. Parts just disappear in these insane frequency dips. The bass farts out with any kind of decent volume, even sitting right next to them. They're light so they jump around my desk from the bass. I don't think I've ever had expectations fall quite this flat on audio gear. What a shame. I wonder if he'll take them back...

 

An important lesson in HiFi is always make sure you're definitely not going to sell the product before you say bad things about it online. See, if not for these last two posts, you could go right to the for sale forum and claim they sound amazing but it was an impulse buy and you have too many speakers and fool some chump into recouping 90% of your investment. Now you've shot yourself in the foot.

But in all seriousness, as Decware is a direct-only brand, they have to take them back, right? Nobody can survive the direct only game without a 30 day return policy.

 

I am way too honest for that sort of thing, lol. Plus, I already promised yall I'd let you know what I thought of them, and I value this community

I sent them an email about it. No clue on their return policy, considering each piece is one of a kind. I'm thinking that maybe he didn't think through what different woods might do to the tone. This Afromosia isn't exactly known as a tone wood. Either that, or Steve needs to invest in hearing aids, cause he really talked these things up.

EDIT: Looks like 30 days with a 10% restocking fee.