Is anyone thinking about building Walsh drivers?

Mapman... You can mount a conventional cone driver backwards firing down, but it isn't at all like a Walsh driver.

The angle of the cone and its material must be such that sound propogated down the cone material is delayed by a time that, at every point down the cone, matches the delay resulting from the angle of the cone. (Sorry I can't explain that better). This is the key design feature which enables its superb phase coherency, as evidenced by accurate reproduction of a square wave.

Eldartford,

I'd say you are correct in terms of how a properly designed Walsh driver operates.

My understanding though is that Lincoln Walsh invented the principle, but never implemented a specific commercial design himself, though he was involved early on with the first early OHM products, something that no other makers of Walsh drivers can claim.

SO when I read that any conventional driver can be configured to operate as a Walsh driver (though most likely not a good one unless the principles of designing a Walsh driver are applied and realized properly somehow), I find it hard to argue. The quality of the resulting sound produced in the end based on applying the principles is what matters.

I read about people implementing their own "Walsh" type speakers using otherwise conventional drivers, but have never heard any, so I could not comment on the results achieved.

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck, but still not all ducks are created equal!

Eldartford is 100% correct. In the "A", the cone was two tiered and had two angles. The different angles reflected the propagation velocity of Titanium (upper), and Aluminum (lower). I think the "F' was the first in a series of compromises, in that all three cone materials were all at the same angle.
The theory behind the transmission line was detailed in a White Paper that Ohm would mail you for the asking back in the "70's. I have never been able to find it on the web, nor have I been able to get it from Ohm.
We did some experiments with two way "Walsh" speakers back then using off the shelf 10" CTS woofers and the foil tweeter that Infinity later bought.
It didn't sound too bad, and in fact a couple of musicians and wealthy audiophiles were impressed enough to consider backing a commercial venture.
Unfortunately, a profitable business model and art for the sake of art collided immediately and the project was doomed.
A lot of effort was put into dampening/stiffening the cone with things like roofing tar, and terminating the outer surround to coax transmission line behavior at the same time keeping a "back wave" from going back up the cone.
One big problem was that the roofing tar worked for a week or so, but then it started to really harden the the character of the sound began to degrade. After the business deal fell through, we never followed up.
We never did any serious tests, because we were a couple of broke kids playing with Hi-Fi and couldn't afford the gear to test with. They sounded good for a while, though

Hello Mapman, Unsound, Bondmanp,...everyone.

I think about building Walsh style drivers and speakers on a daily basis. I live and breathe it along side laser designs and builds.

Hope you folks don't mind if I chime in, but I have some new products that may interest you.

Why build Walsh drivers when you can now own a pair for DIY Projects? Under $1K.

Besides our highly redesigned TLS-1 (modeled after the old F),and the TLS-2, (modeled after the old A), we have now added to our line up, for DIY people the TLS-4,which is a Walsh style "Tweeter/Midrange" unit in a very compact package. There almost full range. See our virtual system..My Walsh Dream.

In addition we offer the new TLS-5 Hybrid, a fully Walsh style Tower for those with less space than the larger floorstanders require.

You know, we are often talked about here on Agon, but so far, none of you have come to see us, or test our products.

I began this sleigh ride years ago to share the music with fellow audiophiles, and to offer products for your pleasure, because you asked me too.

Our continued effort is on your behalf and we thank the dozens of clients that have blessed us with their patronage.

We would love to advertise or open a virtual store here on Agon, but unfortunately, they are priced well out of our range, for now. So, like Ohm Acoustics and others we rely on our clients to spread the word.

Eldartford,
To comment on your earlier post, Lincold Walsh did develope the first Model A's with Marty Gersten, whom went on to open and operate Ohm Acoustics. Marty eventually developed the Ohm F based on the A and the special voice coils to drive them.

While Marty left Ohm in 1978, if memory serves, I did maintain contact with him until his untimely death, just about 2 years ago. This is unfortunate, as we were collaberating on other designs utilizing this pricipal.

I am here and I am happy to help anyone whom asks.

Great listening to all

Hi Dale.

I'd much rather spend my time listening to Walsh speakers than building them.

Your speakers are on my short list of designs I have not heard that I would most like to.

Right now I am happy with what I have but always looking to explore new or future options.

I would make extra effort to go to Capital Audiofest this July if I knew you would be demoing your stuff!

I still have not heard anything that I can afford that would make me abandon Walsh style speakers for my tougher applications.

I do fear though that the expertise to make the technology work well in a marketable manner is so limited that it could fall totally by the wayside someday. That would be very sad!