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Over the last year I have been searching the Web for speakers to be used for Music and in a Home Entertainment System. I read the reviews on everything from Rockets to the Salk Sound Towers. Speakers like most things have almost a cult like following. I was confused with what to purchase and since I live in the middle of nowhere (South Central Nebraska) going some where to listen to different non-box store speakers was very difficult. It would have taken a weekend trip. I have always liked good music, no matter if it was gospel, country, jazz, or rock. But, I feel music not only needs to be heard but felt. Being felt in my terms has nothing to do with volume, but how it moves you. When I was in college I dabbled a little with speaker design, but I new very little about the electronics involved in the crossover. After doing my investigation especially when looking at the Salk line up, the speakers didn't look that impressive so the quality of the sound had to be in the cross overs.
Anyway strictly by chance I came across the HTGuide web site and started reading about the DIY speakers, the different designs, and the competitions being held. I came to the conclusion, due to the diligent work of a few skilled people, and their willingness to share their designs that I would and could build a set of speakers. The nice thing was that if I didn't like the sound I would be throwing away a few hundred dollars rather than a few thousan. I had orginally decided on building Jim Holtz's Statements, but after showing them to my wife she kind of put the kibosh on that idea due to their size. So I (we) decided on the Mini-Statements.
Since Jim is so gracious to provide the design of the speakers all that is really left is to build the cabinets. I'm a Mechanical Engineer by trade and a wood worker by hobby. After looking at the design of the cabinets they appeared pretty simple. I did make some changes to the design of the cabinet. I don't like butt glueing wood so I cut 3/4" wide by 1/4" deep rabbits in all of the side panels to accept the braces and mid-tunnel. This can be done easily by cutting all of your sides first and then clamping them together and cutting the rabbits in the panels with one pass of the router. This way they line up. I did adjust the dimensions of the braces to keep the internal volume of the cabinet the same. I built the entire cabinet out of 3/4" MDF except the front baffle. It is made out of 3/4" White Oak. White Oak is much more dimensionally stable then Red Oak and is virtually water proof. It also matches the wood work in our house (WAF). I did glue a 1/2" thick piece of MDF to the inside of the front panel to make the total thickness 1 1/4". The 1/2" panel is inset into the cabinet for added strength, glueing area, and I also wanted the front seam to be between the MDF and the Oak.
Now to the speakers. They sound excellent. I have not moved them into the house yet, they are in my wood working shop, which is 40'x40' with 12' side walls and a concrete floor. So, it is definately not a sound studio. I did my initial listening with the speakers 3' from a wall and about 15' apart. It is amazing the sound stage they create. With certain instruments and voices you would swear the sound was coming from the Amp which is setting between the speakers. I was a little concerned about the bass at first, but I found I didn't have the polarity of one of the woofers right. I had to talk to Jim to find out where the + and - terminal designations are at on the Dayton drivers, they aren't marked very noticealby. I have only listened to them for a couple of hours, but they are really starting to open up. I'm hearing things in the recordings that I never heard before. The clarity of the mid-range and highs is phenomenal. My initial impression concerning lack of bass is becoming a non-issue, the bass is great.
My word of advise to anyone who is thinking about building these speakers is to go for it. You won't be disappointed. The cabinets are not that difficult to build. If you dont' have a big table saw, pre-cut the MDF with a circular saw and then do you final cut on the table saw. MDF is heavy so be careful moving it around, especially when it is on the saw. You will need a good Router, I like Bosch, and for all means buy the Jasper circle cutting jig. I bought one specifically for this project, I don't know how I lived with out one for so long. It is dead on accurate and very easy to use.
Depending on if you are going to veneer or paint the cabinets you will need to spend some time filling the seams. I used High Perfomance Wood filler MinWax. I think it is basically just body puddy that automobile shops use. IF you are going to paint them use a non-solvent based primer. You can buy this at any Autobody supplier. It will come with a catalyst and doesn't use a reducer. The solvent in paint can tend to disolve the glue used to hold MDF together and you can get delamination on the edges The decor in our family room has the antique distressed look, so my wife wanted them painted. I used Milk House paint and applied it with an HVLP gun. If you are going to paint I would suggest spraying rather than brushing. I applied 3 coats of paint and wet sanded with 400 grit between coats. Wet sanding wood finishes is O.K. as long as you don't sand through the finish to the wood so be careful.
Jim has come up with a great design and has been very helpful. He is a rare breed in this world today who doesn't expect compensation for his time and effort.
Terry
Anyway strictly by chance I came across the HTGuide web site and started reading about the DIY speakers, the different designs, and the competitions being held. I came to the conclusion, due to the diligent work of a few skilled people, and their willingness to share their designs that I would and could build a set of speakers. The nice thing was that if I didn't like the sound I would be throwing away a few hundred dollars rather than a few thousan. I had orginally decided on building Jim Holtz's Statements, but after showing them to my wife she kind of put the kibosh on that idea due to their size. So I (we) decided on the Mini-Statements.
Since Jim is so gracious to provide the design of the speakers all that is really left is to build the cabinets. I'm a Mechanical Engineer by trade and a wood worker by hobby. After looking at the design of the cabinets they appeared pretty simple. I did make some changes to the design of the cabinet. I don't like butt glueing wood so I cut 3/4" wide by 1/4" deep rabbits in all of the side panels to accept the braces and mid-tunnel. This can be done easily by cutting all of your sides first and then clamping them together and cutting the rabbits in the panels with one pass of the router. This way they line up. I did adjust the dimensions of the braces to keep the internal volume of the cabinet the same. I built the entire cabinet out of 3/4" MDF except the front baffle. It is made out of 3/4" White Oak. White Oak is much more dimensionally stable then Red Oak and is virtually water proof. It also matches the wood work in our house (WAF). I did glue a 1/2" thick piece of MDF to the inside of the front panel to make the total thickness 1 1/4". The 1/2" panel is inset into the cabinet for added strength, glueing area, and I also wanted the front seam to be between the MDF and the Oak.
Now to the speakers. They sound excellent. I have not moved them into the house yet, they are in my wood working shop, which is 40'x40' with 12' side walls and a concrete floor. So, it is definately not a sound studio. I did my initial listening with the speakers 3' from a wall and about 15' apart. It is amazing the sound stage they create. With certain instruments and voices you would swear the sound was coming from the Amp which is setting between the speakers. I was a little concerned about the bass at first, but I found I didn't have the polarity of one of the woofers right. I had to talk to Jim to find out where the + and - terminal designations are at on the Dayton drivers, they aren't marked very noticealby. I have only listened to them for a couple of hours, but they are really starting to open up. I'm hearing things in the recordings that I never heard before. The clarity of the mid-range and highs is phenomenal. My initial impression concerning lack of bass is becoming a non-issue, the bass is great.
My word of advise to anyone who is thinking about building these speakers is to go for it. You won't be disappointed. The cabinets are not that difficult to build. If you dont' have a big table saw, pre-cut the MDF with a circular saw and then do you final cut on the table saw. MDF is heavy so be careful moving it around, especially when it is on the saw. You will need a good Router, I like Bosch, and for all means buy the Jasper circle cutting jig. I bought one specifically for this project, I don't know how I lived with out one for so long. It is dead on accurate and very easy to use.
Depending on if you are going to veneer or paint the cabinets you will need to spend some time filling the seams. I used High Perfomance Wood filler MinWax. I think it is basically just body puddy that automobile shops use. IF you are going to paint them use a non-solvent based primer. You can buy this at any Autobody supplier. It will come with a catalyst and doesn't use a reducer. The solvent in paint can tend to disolve the glue used to hold MDF together and you can get delamination on the edges The decor in our family room has the antique distressed look, so my wife wanted them painted. I used Milk House paint and applied it with an HVLP gun. If you are going to paint I would suggest spraying rather than brushing. I applied 3 coats of paint and wet sanded with 400 grit between coats. Wet sanding wood finishes is O.K. as long as you don't sand through the finish to the wood so be careful.
Jim has come up with a great design and has been very helpful. He is a rare breed in this world today who doesn't expect compensation for his time and effort.
Terry
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