Description
**This driver is now discontinued and this page is maintained just for reference please see the Pluvia 7.2 HD page for the second generation driver.**
These drivers are packaged in pairs
These new drivers are frankly amazing, not only are they an astounding full range driver but you can use the in a mid bass application as well where they will allow you to use simple and shallow filters. These drivers will work fine the the Frugel Horn 3 and the Pensil 7. We like both and can do a kit for both. Dr Scott Lindgren is the designer of both alignments and is responsible for many speaker boxes that can be found at the frugal-phile site listed below. There are some more alignments further down the page.
The Pluvia Seven driver is a new type of small driver from MarkAudio. While it’s mechanically similar to the CHR-70 series drivers, its major design features are more advanced.
The main feature of this Pluvia is its new low-mass thin profile glass-fibre injected chassis (frame). This chassis design has taken 2 years of research and development to produce a highly damped strong frame that makes installation easy. Pluvia Seven can be either surface mounted or recessed into a loudspeaker box. The chassis mounting depth is only 3.5mm making it easy fit for either type of installation. The chassis appearance is high quality, with a professional industry finish that makes the Pluvia Seven look expensive while it remains affordable.
The Pluvia Seven features a new shape cap and revised suspensions giving it a wide range with controlled mid response to help reduce “shout,” typical of many small wide band drivers. Pluvia’s cones use the latest profiles from designer Mark Fenlon, featuring 2 new colours, Vintage Gold and Soft Chrome. Vocals on this Pluvia are clear and natural. Baffle Step Compensation (BSC) is enhanced on the new suspension layout, making this driver more effective in combatting box losses in the low range. Other new features include longer gold plated connectors for easier soldering or using clamp type connectors.
The new Pluvia Seven is an excellent high-end and multi-purpose driver. It’s also suitable for many computer, Home Theatre, TV, and commercial A/V applications.
Other suggested alignments:
Sealed
4.3 liters (0.15 cubic foot) sealed box for an f3 of 100Hz and f6 of 77Hz
8 liters (0.28 cubic foot) sealed box for an f3 of 100Hz and f6 of 70Hz
Bass reflex
7 liters (0.25 cubic foot) vented box with 1.5″ diameter vent by 4″ long for f3 of 57Hz
9 liters (0.32 cubic foot) vented box with 1.5″ diameter vent by 4″ long for f3 of 51Hz
12 liters (0.42 cubic foot) vented box with 1.5″ diameter vent by 4′ long for f3 of 46Hz
Here are links to drawings for above:
Pluvia 7 – 8 litre sealed
Pluvia 7 – 9 litres Bass Reflex
Pluvia 7 – 12 litres Bass Reflex
Derek –
I’ve just used these as (almost) drop-in replacements in a 20-year old home-brew TQWT design for some Jordan JX92’s which died, and I’ve been very pleasantly surprised… no harshness at all, great imaging (and the sweet spot is much bigger than the old JX92s). The slight lift around 13kHz adds to the airy, open sound of these drivers, and is not intrusive at all.
I’d give them 5 stars if they went just a little bit louder (the cone excursion is noticeably greater than that JX92’s for a similar volume, and I’m being careful not to push them during the running-in period) but that’s me nitpicking – the bass extension and control is truly surprising for a unit with a Sd of only 50cm sq.
For those wanting to experience just how good a single full-range driver can sound, you can’t go wrong with trying out the CHS-70 / Pluvia 7 – especially at this price point.
Stephen (verified owner) –
Really nice drivers. I wasn’t sure what to expect from a full range driver but I was very pleasantly surprised at the results from these.
I used these drivers in a set of compact, sealed box speakers . The drivers are easy to install as the cut-out size is pretty close to a standard hole-saw (102mm). Rebating is optional because they are so shallow.
During run-in the I found the sound to be quite thin, but after a couple of weeks they really improved. The bass extension is much better than I expected from a compact driver in a sealed cabinet.
Imaging is spot on, bass is taught and fast, mids are fantastic. If I had one criticism, it would be that they can be a tiny bit harsh at the top end, although this is still improving with time and I do have some very ropey recordings. For most music, especially acoustic, they sound wonderful. I’ve even tried them out on some thrash metal, and while the scale isn’t there, the speed and detail is spot on with just enough bass.
These have now displaced my Quad 11L speakers in the living room. Not bad for £80 drivers, a little bit of hardware and some scrap plywood. Although I veneered them to keep the wife happy.
I put some pictures of the build and finished speakers up here:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/homemade-speakers-home-office-stephen-guthrie/
I will certainly be back to try out a larger set soon…
admin –
Hi Stephen, Thanks for that, nice review