Official Build Thread - MIC

[meb46]

I have nearly finished my second Mid/Tweeter Cross over, I just need to wait on one more Inductor and one Resistor... stock out options, so hopefully sorted early next week. Still have one of the top cabinets to rub back and put the drivers in, but house renovations are in full swing... so might be next week sometime.

Hope the jetlag isn't too bad... nothing like some speaker work to set the sensors right again

[JonMarsh]

Hope the jetlag isn't too bad... nothing like some speaker work to set the sensors right again

Well, after nearly 3 weeks in England, my bio-clock is pretty firmly set in that time zone, so about 3 or 4 in the afternoon the bod is telling me it's way past time to shut down! OK during the working day, but not so good for getting anything done in the evening!

I do have a big pile of parts for the new woofer and tweeter builds, so I'll have plenty to do this weekend. Good luck with all your renovations in the new place- hope that goes smoothly!

[CraigJ]

Beautiful speakers Mike, and welcome to the Midwest. Is this a design that is being shared? I have most of the speakers and wood and just might be up for the challenge……..

Welcome back Jon and thanks for sharing your adventurous trip with us.

CraigJ

[Aircirc]

I'm ready,it's painted,speakers in place,only crossover work remaining.I'm very happy!!

[JonMarsh]

Beautiful speakers Mike, and welcome to the Midwest. Is this a design that is being shared? I have most of the speakers and wood and just might be up for the challenge……..

Welcome back Jon and thanks for sharing your adventurous trip with us.

CraigJ

Mike and I have been collaborating since early 2012- crossovers for his tweeters will be customized for the Transducer Labs model he's using, compared with my Jantzens. The rest is, shall we say- open source- Mike posted a lot of details about the cabinet builds in his previous thread, so I wouldn't say he's looking too proprietary. The crossover designs are not completely finalized; I'm working on another spin of the LF crossover this weekend, and a second variant of my tweeter crossover, too. I believe the midrange design is quite OK and is frozen for now.

His target was a larger cabinet design ported, with the best possible LF extension in an anechoic sense; that's why they're so much larger than mine, which are sealed and adapted to boundary loading from a specific room position. I still haven't had time to work on an official build thread with more of the details, such as some of the material presented at the Northern CA DIY meet in April, but this too, shall come fairly soon.

[JonMarsh]

I'm ready,it's painted,speakers in place,only crossover work remaining.I'm very happy!!

Looking very good! :T Do you have in cabinet measurements yet?

[Aircirc]

Yes:

[PandazYa]

I am done with the painting part also. I'll leave around a month just so the paint is hardened to finally sand (orange peel) and polish for a nice high gloss finnish.

Image not available

[Aircirc]

@pandazya,looks like your project takes you a year or so

[meb46]

One last resistor received... now just pending one inductor and a switch to finalize the second Mid/Tweeter Crossover. House renovations are now taking presidence and the speakers are covered in plastic for the next couple of weeks... alas another delay....

[Paul W]

I've seen plastic stick to fresh paint...just be cautious.

[meb46]

Amidst the havoc of our Condo Renovations... two completed Mid/Tweeter Crossovers emerge... finally...



Also in progress are the Hook-up Cables... These are a little complex as the crossovers will reside outside of the cabinets (Due to overall size). Hook up cables are being made for each of the three bands...

Bass Crossover to Cabinet - Kimber Kable 8PR, ViaBlue Braided Sheath and Splitters
Mid Crossover to Cabinet - Kimber Kable 8PR, ViaBlue Braided Sheath and Splitters
Tweeter Crossover to Cabinet - Kimber Kable 4PR, ViaBlue Braided Sheath and Splitters

All parts have been shipped, so hopefully making these over the weekend.

Happy days...

[JonMarsh]

Mit Grüßen vom Villach!

Looking good Mike!

I'm over at our Austrian HQ since the end of last week- obviously not making any progress on builds- and it's been HOT here- record breaking never before seen temperatures kind of hot!

I hope your renovations are proceeding smoothly-

I'll be back very late next Sunday, and already have a brutal list of things that must be done at work next week! I hope to do some crossover testing the following weekend, that is, if I get the weekend off!

~Jon

[Aircirc]

Ok,everything in place, let the pics talk:

[Hdale85]

Wow they look awesome, that room looks like a nightmare though!

[Steve Manning]

Those turned out great Mike ..... a very nice recovery from the veneer mess you got handed earlier in the build. I love the contrast of the white and black.

Steve

[meb46]

Aircirc - Those look great, awesome job! What's your listening impressions?

[kbzx35]

Those look absolutely gorgeous! I'm still getting into wood working and would like to know how your process to create that edge work (angles) on the enclosures.

[meb46]

In the absence of actual speaker progress due to renovation activities, I was "happy snapping" to see if the speakers fit in with the décor... I think I achieved required aesthetics! Who knew white speakers would fit in so well despite the size! That's it for a few weeks due to travel. Back in late September itching to get started on building the Bass crossovers... is October the month for finishing these sculptures? Fingers crossed!

[meb46]

And before you ask... No, this is not the room where the speakers will live I have something much larger to accommodate this pair of entertainers...

[randyc1]

Incredibly Beautifull speakers Meb !!, ...personally i think they look sooo much better white !!

I can only imagine all the work it takes to build these!! great job.

Best looking speaker designs of ALL to me!!

[Aircirc]

Aircirc - Those look great, awesome job! What's your listening impressions?

My impressions are that I can't stop listening to classical music , they sound great,I think top quality drivers is the key for
success
Worth every penny, for how they sound I think they were cheap, I listend to 5000 Eur speakers and nothing to compare with mine

[Avalanche]

;x(;x(;x(;x(
Incredible build.

[meb46]

Minor update, but an update none the less

I have ordered all of the parts for the Bass Crossovers, so hopefully by the end of this weekend I might get to finally hear one of these beasties. On top of that, I have a new NAD M51 which I have managed to get installed and working... this weekend might be exciting. Pictures and progress to follow early next week.

[meb46]

Bass Crossover parts received and now sits as this weekends fun!



One speaker is finished including the Kimber Kable, and now pends the Bass Crossover. Aim for the weekend is to have one completely running and then I can start to play with my new NAD M51...

[meb46]

Quick question... What's the impact of mounting the Magnetic Core inductors parallel to the Capacitors? Any adverse effect or am I good to run with the layout in the picture above? Routing of the interconnects between each component will be on the underside of the mounting base, all heavy copper cable.

[JonMarsh]

Quick question... What's the impact of mounting the Magnetic Core inductors parallel to the Capacitors? Any adverse effect or am I good to run with the layout in the picture above? Routing of the interconnects between each component will be on the underside of the mounting base, all heavy copper cable.

That layout is fine- there shouldn't be any interaction. I can post a picture of my builds late this evening, but you shouldn't have any issues.

I'm still waiting on the final parts shipment for new midrange build to go in cabinet; that's not due to leave PE until they get in one more inductor, around the 22nd or so...

[meb46]

Thanks Jon, much appreciated.

Aside from the fact we have guests staying with us this weekend, I should get a clear run at some build time

[JonMarsh]

well, now, don't neglect your guests! Unless you can fob that off on your wife! :W

[JonMarsh]

Here are the newer woofer and tweeter crossover builds to go in the cabinet. Nothing magical about these layouts, but they'll get the job done.

As you can see, our woofer layouts are essentially identical- hardly surprising!









as to the new midrange builds, waiting on PE:

Thank you for contacting Parts Express. Our records show part number 027-498 is in stock. We are waiting on 2 more parts to come in to be able to ship your backorder. It is our practice to send all backordered items out in one shipment. We show part numbers 027-950 and 255-684 are due in on or around 10/15/13. As soon as these arrive, we will ship your order.

So I figure the rest will ship before the end of the week, hopefully.


Note that I'm trying an experimental build for the midrange over my last, taking out some caps and tweaking the inductor; will report back; on simulation, it looks like better phase tracking through the low to mid crossover. It would be fairly easy to implement on an existing crossover.

[meb46]

Success... First Bass Crossover completed, tested and VERY happy!

This is the left hand side crossovers, the large one covers the Mid and Tweeter, the smaller one is the Bass.



Still need to find something to house the Crossovers... but this is essentially the Left Speaker complete...

[meb46]

This weekend will be completing the other top module and assembling the last Bass Crossover... and then... its evaluation time

[JonMarsh]

Looking sharp, Mike! :T

I'm hoping to have enough time to plug in the new HF and bass modules at GF's this weekend, too, maybe the music server setup also. This will likely be the last weekend off for several weeks, unfortunately. I've got to move the rest of the measurement rig over there, too.

What kind of room layout are you planning for the speakers?

[meb46]

Jon - Unfortunately I don't have the "ideal" room for these... I have Glass Windows spanning the full length of the lounge on one side. Not the best for an echo effect, but the view makes up for it.

I have completed mounting the last two drivers in the right hand side cabinet and have a day holiday tomorrow... so one of the many items on the to do list is the last Bass Crossover... luckily its on the top of the list Once completed, I will take a couple of pictures to should the finished articles.

Where I have then located is very close to a wall at the back of them... what sort of minimum distance from the wall do you think would be best bearing in mind these are bottom firing bass port? I was hoping to get away with about 300mm from the wall to the start of the cabinet (This is 300mm from the wall to the top of the bass cabinet due to the slope).

Even listening to only one speaker, it would seem my taste in music is in flux... Female Jazz vocalists seem to be on the cards more frequently

[meb46]

In preparation for the finished articles...

What's everyone's favorite "Speaker Test Track"?

[JonMarsh]

In preparation for the finished articles...

What's everyone's favorite "Speaker Test Track"?

I've only got a few dozen- will list some this evening.

Try "Overture from Cotton avenue" from Joni Mitchell's Don Juan's Reckless Daughter, (preferably the recent remastered version) Jaco Pastorious on bass.

"High Life" from Jazz at the Pawnshop, either the 30th Anniversary edition (SACD) or the new FIM 2013 version. Natural percussion and imaging.

Areas, first cut, Curandero. Tabla and other percusion, acoustic instruments.

Any number of versions of Saint Saens Symphony #3

Audio Fidelity Hybrid SACD Yes, Close to the Edge. In a completely different category without the Haze and glare of most versions.

Golden Ribbons, Angry Eyes from Loggins and Messina.

Corner Pocket or Sweet Georgia Brown from Harry James "The King James Version".

I mean, what's important really is that it's music you connect with and reasonably cleanly recorded and mastered.

[meb46]

The finished articles...

And like that... they were finished!!!! Completed the last crossover, positioning them in the lounge and now the listening begins... thus far... HAPPY! More updates on listening thoughts soon...

[Face]

Very nice!

[dlneubec]

Excellent!!

[JonMarsh]

Bet it feels good to finally get to this point! :T I feel like I still have a ways to go, but making progress slowly.

[Paul W]

Congratulations! They look great!

[WilZirkle]

Very nice! hope you are enjoying them

[Myint67]

Diy speaker

Hi men 46
Nice speaker working!
I also staying Singapore a while & I would like to do diy speaker, where can I do CNC milling ,can I have address ?

Thanks

[meb46]

Myint67... I used a company called Starcolor. They make CNC Router cut sign boards. Details below...

Blk 161, Kallang Way, #06-04 Singapore 349246 Tel: (65) 6844 4436

Good Luck!

[Hank]

OUTSTANDING work, Mike - you should be proud.
Indentured one:

"High Life" from Jazz at the Pawnshop

+1 on that! Close your eyes and if you have imaging you can hear the sax player move from left to center. That xylophone playing is top shelf!
Mike, are you considering room treatment?