Next build suggestions

[Jim Holtz]

Educate me just a bit on x-over parts. I am having to use
Dayton Metallized Polypropylene Capacitors instead of Janzen on some. Also the 56uf are out of stock so the closest I can come up with is a 50uf and 6..2uf. Is the .2 more anything to worry about?

Can the Dayton resistors be used in place of mills and if so what the disadvantage?

The .3 mH 18ga inductor is out of stock. Can go with 20ga but the DCR is 10ohms more. Can I use and what would be the changes needed to be made? or better to wait? Just noticed or would it be ok to go with .33mH. Not sure how much would need to be unwound but I gues I could take a turn or two off and call it good.

Hi JAS,

The 56 uF cap was going to be paralleled in the woofer circuit with a 3.9 uF to create the 60 uF cap. So, instead of doing that, just order a 60 uF Solen from MADISOUND and be done with it. You'll then only need two 3.9 uF caps for the ribbon crossover.

Also, Madisound can provide just about any inductor with the correct DCR you want. They'll custom wind them for you. Give them a call and they'll take care of it.

The Dayton WIREWOUND resistors are fine. If they don't have a value you need, Madisound can help out there too.

Jim

[JAS]

Looking at many finished pics of both the Full size and mini's I notice that very few are on spikes. The posted pics don't show if the port is out the base as the original design or moved to the back. Is the slot cut in the base enough when set on carpet without spikes because I thought I read in one post that it may add or act like a longer port and change things.

Not questioning designs but trying to learn why things were/are done the way they were. 1. why was the port designed to port out the bottom? 2. Why are the two 5" braces centered behind the two RS225"s and not centered between the mid tunnels and top or bottom brace?

[JAS]

I am going to use R19?(for 6" walls) to line the inside. I found it will separate into three layers. Started to line the top section (back, top, sides, and top of mid tunnel) but got to thinking about air flow to the bottom around the tunnels for the mids. Is there enough flow through the insulation or do I cover every thing but leave the it open around the tunnels for maximum air flow?

[Jim Holtz]

I am going to use R19?(for 6" walls) to line the inside. I found it will separate into three layers. Started to line the top section (back, top, sides, and top of mid tunnel) but got to thinking about air flow to the bottom around the tunnels for the mids. Is there enough flow through the insulation or do I cover every thing but leave the it open around the tunnels for maximum air flow?

Hi JAS,

I lost a hard drive today so I've been fighting with computer issues all day. This is from a 2nd PC in the house with webmail. To your questions:

I wanted to make the port less obvious so I down ported. Back porting will work fine but keep it low and away from the back of the RS225.

The smaller braces were designed to stiffen the walls behind the RS225's where they needed it most. The mid tunnels didn't need any more bracing.

6" insulation is to much, IMHO. I'd suggest 2" to line the walls with and that it. You don't stuff ported cabinets, just line them. Home depot has small rolls of the 2" that work great.

HTH

Jim

[JAS]

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

May not have made it clear how I did it. I took the 6inch insulation and pulled the backing off it. A little stayed with it. I then divided the remaining thickness into three pieces giving me 2" thick pieces but they were fluffed up a bit from the separation. Playing around with it if I compress it it expands back out between 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 inches. It's not even so I try to put the thicker stuff on back and thinner on the sidewalls. I then will trim so it does not cover up the space between the mid tunnels and side walls.

Now do I do anything to the side walls around the tunnels? Thought I'd add a 6.5" piece behind the tweeter.

[Jim Holtz]

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

May not have made it clear how I did it. I took the 6inch insulation and pulled the backing off it. A little stayed with it. I then divided the remaining thickness into three pieces giving me 2" thick pieces but they were fluffed up a bit from the separation. Playing around with it if I compress it it expands back out between 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 inches. It's not even so I try to put the thicker stuff on back and thinner on the sidewalls. I then will trim so it does not cover up the space between the mid tunnels and side walls.

Now do I do anything to the side walls around the tunnels? Thought I'd add a 6.5" piece behind the tweeter.

Perfect! The only places you need to line are what is in line with sound emitting from the back of the RS225's. It won't help behind the ribbon.

Jim

[JAS]

Just to double check as I am sure the answer is no but will wrapping the 7mH inductor with electrical tape change it's properties? Beings it is so big I am going to use tape to secure the 60uF cap to the side of it and then just use screws to attach it right under the lower woofer on the brace.

Also some peeps drill holes in a board for mounting the crossover parts and run leads on the back side. I pretty sure wood has some resistance and was wondering if it is to low to make difference or if anyone has ever tested it?

[Face]

I wouldn't use electrical tape, it can loosen up in time.

I usually use hot glue and zip ties for caps and just zip ties for inductors.

[ThomasW]

I pretty sure wood has some resistance and was wondering if it is to low to make difference or if anyone has ever tested it?

Wood is an insulator. What that has to do with mounting an inductor on a board is beyond me since no one is trying to send a signal through the wood.

[JAS]

Wood is an insulator. What that has to do with mounting an inductor on a board is beyond me since no one is trying to send a signal through the wood.

Well no kidding, even I know that much. What I was refering to was bare wire. Yes wood is an insulator but the insulating properties are not as high as say glass or plastic. If there is some moisture in the wood it will conduct.

[JAS]

Parts arrived today and started working on the crossovers. The mid and tweeter are mounted on a board and for the woofers I will be mounting them separate on the inside of the cab below the lower woofer by using two screws through the inductor. The cap was taped and then ends hot glued to hold against the inductor.

[JAS]

We have sound. WOW

Fairly problem free except when I first fired them up I could hardly hear them. Up with the volume I went and first thought was oops something is wrong. Made some setting changes and got a bit more but still to low. Went ahead and ran Audyssy and ended up with the mains +2db, UniCC -3db, and Tribune surrounds -2db. Still not right and something has to be wrong. Well I just wanted to listen to them, even though output was still low, as the sound quality was just amazing. I had spent the last 24+ hours working on these with about 4 hours of sleep. Had the volume set at +5 on the Intregra 8.8 and fell asleep on the couch. Two hours later I awoke with the house shaking. The SPL had gone way up and had to adjust the Intrega to -15 to bring the SPL back down to the same level that I had earlier. I have heard of speakers needing to be broken in but I didn't think it was this dramatic. Normal??

Need to spend more time listening to them and will run Audyssey again. Also got REW set up by using the mic that came with the Integra but need to make a patch cable to run from PC to the Integra.

Not much on putting words together to explain what I am hearing or to describe the Statements. The upper bass can be felt in the floor and hits you in the chest on heavy bass material. The transition between all drivers is seamless (unlike the tribunes where sometimes the tweeter would stand out ). Level of detail really makes the hair stand up especially when listening to a familiar track and you hear things that were never there before. I find myself wondering where the speakers are placed, I mean other then their big physical presence it's hard to pin point there position if you were blindfolded. The front sound stage is so wide I would look 5 feet or further off to the side for another Speaker.

A big thanks to those that replied and the help along the way, especially to those that put the man hours in to design such a great project.

[DeathMonk]

That doesn't sound normal at all.. A loose connection maybe?

It's good to hear all these positive reviews because the statements are my next project

[Jim Holtz]

We have sound. WOW

Fairly problem free except when I first fired them up I could hardly hear them. Up with the volume I went and first thought was oops something is wrong. Made some setting changes and got a bit more but still to low. Went ahead and ran Audyssy and ended up with the mains +2db, UniCC -3db, and Tribune surrounds -2db. Still not right and something has to be wrong. Well I just wanted to listen to them, even though output was still low, as the sound quality was just amazing. I had spent the last 24+ hours working on these with about 4 hours of sleep. Had the volume set at +5 on the Intregra 8.8 and fell asleep on the couch. Two hours later I awoke with the house shaking. The SPL had gone way up and had to adjust the Intrega to -15 to bring the SPL back down to the same level that I had earlier. I have heard of speakers needing to be broken in but I didn't think it was this dramatic. Normal??

Need to spend more time listening to them and will run Audyssey again. Also got REW set up by using the mic that came with the Integra but need to make a patch cable to run from PC to the Integra.

Not much on putting words together to explain what I am hearing or to describe the Statements. The upper bass can be felt in the floor and hits you in the chest on heavy bass material. The transition between all drivers is seamless (unlike the tribunes where sometimes the tweeter would stand out ). Level of detail really makes the hair stand up especially when listening to a familiar track and you hear things that were never there before. I find myself wondering where the speakers are placed, I mean other then their big physical presence it's hard to pin point there position if you were blindfolded. The front sound stage is so wide I would look 5 feet or further off to the side for another Speaker.

A big thanks to those that replied and the help along the way, especially to those that put the man hours in to design such a great project.

Hi JAS,

I'm glad to hear things are coming along OK. However, the Statements shouldn't suddenly get loud. I'd recheck the crossovers.

Yes, they do have an impressive sound stage, if I do say so myself.

Jim

[JAS]

They didn't get loud suddenly. I gained some volume by making changes on the amp(bumped up the input level on the USB. Have all my music stored on a external hard drive) and running Audyssey., but it was lower then it should have been. The level increased slowly in a few hours of running them. How long till one would say they broke in. Ran them all day at -10 to 0 which gets loud for a long session in the sweet spot.

[Jim Holtz]

Playing loud like that all day should be enough to get everything broken in.

Jim