Another Statements HT (Monitors, Statements II, Statements II Center)

[Pknaz]

I started a new job last week, so progress will be a bit slow as I ramp up in my new role. I did get to spend a bit of time today working on "little" stuff.

This is a shot of the cabinets as I left them from last weekend. Haven't done anything with them this past week except put a block of MDF over the hole that is visible on the left tower at the bottom of the cabinet. I'm doing the same thing with the towers and center that I did with the Monitors. I've cut square holes in the back of each cabinet and then covered them with a piece of MDF so that the binding posts are "sunk" down below the surface.


One of my braces I got a bit too happy with the power sander and took a bit too much material off the brace. I mixed up some MDF dust and glue to create my own "wood filler". It is as hard as a rock! Seems to have done the job pretty well.


The center is at about the same stage as the towers. Still quite a bit more work to go!
Any thoughts on crossover placement?

I used a piece of MDF glued to the cabinet as a mounting block for the woofer circuit. I did this on the towers as well, but it is easier to see on the pic of the center. I chose to do this so that there was more material to "bite" into with screws. I wanted the extra material because of the weight of the woofer circuit. They'll be mounted with deck screws, pilot holes drilled, of course.


And the Mid/tweet cavity lined with foam. I cut out sections of foam around the crossovers.

[Pknaz]

Wired up the center to test the crossovers, everything sounded fine, so I'm gluing on the top now, and I'll glue on the baffle later this week, time permitting. The Vifa mids don't fit in the holes as the binding post gets in the way. I'll try to post a pic of it from the back side. I suspect that once I chamfer the back of the mid hole, it should fit nicely.


Cut all of the foam for the towers, that's a lotta foam!

[Pknaz]

I chamfered the mid and woofer openings on the center and towers this weekend. Did I get enough material away from the drivers?

This is the center channel.


This is what the towers look like.


These next two are what the woofer chamfers look like.

[Jim Holtz]

They all look good to me. Very nice work! :T

Jim

[Pknaz]

I forgot to post this earlier on in the thread. This is how I made sure my additional bracing was both level and exactly the right width in the cabinet. I used some small strips of MDF clamped to the back of the cabinet, the window brace and one of the 5"x10" braces and another strip a along the front of the cabinet. I then clamped my side brace that goes from front to back under these small strips of MDF. I then used alligator clamps to hold my side-to-side brace. I'm not sure if I'm explaining it very well, hopefully the picture helps.

[Pknaz]

I'm done with all of the cabinet glue-up for the center, I need to do some flush trim routing, sanding and prep for finishing. I've still not decided on how I want to finish it. Tossing around the idea of going with black Duratex, but may decide to veneer it. We'll see.


Crossovers and internal wiring for one tower complete, one more to go! - I'll post a picture of the wiring at a later point. Electronics and wiring checked out! Need to do a small amount of trimming before I can glue on the baffle.

[Pknaz]

They all look good to me. Very nice work! :T

Jim

Thanks, Jim! I really appreciate you stopping in here once in a while and keeping an eye on my work!

[Pknaz]

Those are some clean crossovers. Very nice!

Thanks, Kevin, I hope my finished products look as great as yours when I'm finished. I'm beginning to wish I would have just bought yours! - But then my wife reminded me that I wouldn't be able to point to them and say "I built those"!

[Evil Twin]

You have been making excellent progress- no motivational speeches required, I can see- success will be it's own motivation.

[Pknaz]

I started a new job a little over two months ago, and life has been crazy. The common phrase from coworkers is "Drinking from a fire hose", and they're right! Needless to say, it has really slowed down progress on my Statements.

Today I finished wiring up the second tower, glued in all the foam, and glued on the front baffle. I put a bead of hot glue on the wiring to keep it tight against the tunnels, as well as filled the whole in the tunnels where the wire fits through using hot glue.








A few weeks back, a neighbor of mine helped me make cuts into the base peices using a band saw with a fence. All the cuts are incredibility consistent. here's a shot of a few of the boards. The image makes it look like the cuts are angled outward, but they're not, they're paralleled with the outside edge.


Hopefully tomorrow I can have the second tower to the same point. The center cabinet is pretty well completed, flush routed, sanded and ready to be finished. Still not decided how I'll finish it.

[Pknaz]

Forgot to mention, I also added a few "glue blocks" in the corners in the base of the cabinet. I did this to give extra material for bolts to bite into in order to hold the base on. You can see them in the middle picture above.

[Renron]

kPnaz,
Looking good, glad to see your progress even though free time is a fleeting thing. It's journey that's fun.
The glue blocks are a good idea. If you would like any online help with the finish these, just ask. We'll be glad to help. I've built a few that came out pretty good.
Ron

[flamethrower1]

You are going to absolutely be amazed when you light these up.
I have never been disappointed with any of Curts designs and Jim Holtz is a big help on these builds as well, great guys with a lot of knowledge.

[Jim Holtz]

Curt and I really appreciate your kind words. That means a lot to us. However, the thing we are happiest about is that you're enjoying the speakers. :T

Jim

[Renron]

Amen to that Jim.

[Pknaz]

You are going to absolutely be amazed when you light these up.
I have never been disappointed with any of Curts designs and Jim Holtz is a big help on these builds as well, great guys with a lot of knowledge.

Yup, I agree!

[JoeAngelicchio]

Can't wait to see them finished!! :W

[Pknaz]

Can't wait to see them finished!! :W

Even if I decide to Duratex them all?
My patience is starting to get the better of me, I want these in my room ASAP!

[Renron]

Even if I decide to Duratex them all?
My patience is starting to get the better of me, I want these in my room ASAP!

Your speakers, your choice. Whatever makes you happy. Still want photos thou.
Ron

[Pknaz]

Duratex delivered! I'm about 95% sure I'm going with duratex for the center, will be testing the product this week. My goal is to have the center completed by this weekend.

[jwanck11]

I used Duratex.... and now that I have had them in my LR for awhile, I wish I would have gone a different route (and will with my next build.) Duratex is very easy to apply - you just have to work quickly and keep the roller wet to end up with a uniform finish.

The issue is that the drivers sort of get "lost" and the speaker loses its identity, at least to me. I'll take pictures and post them...

Images not available

[jwanck11]

If there are any more pictures that would help with your perspective, let me know! I am going to move these into the basement and build another set (already have the center channel built) and finish them differently.

[Jim Holtz]

I used Duratex.... and now that I have had them in my LR for awhile, I wish I would have gone a different route (and will with my next build.) Duratex is very easy to apply - you just have to work quickly and keep the roller wet to end up with a uniform finish.

The issue is that the drivers sort of get "lost" and the speaker loses its identity, at least to me. I'll take pictures and post them...

Sweet system! :W

Jim

[Renron]

Your system looks very nice, some prefer the drivers / speakers to "disappear" into the room when watching a movie in the dark. I'm sure it sounds fantastic.
Already working on another build? Impressive, Most impressive, to borrow a saying from E.T.
Ron

[jwanck11]

Thanks guys! The system gets so many compliments - especially when I put on an orchestra piece at low to moderate volume. People cannot believe how such "big" speakers can disappear while producing a concert hall experience. You can literally hear depth. They blow away my much more expensive D4s.

I completely agree that vision taste is in the eyes of the beholder.... I just wanted to give the OP a chance to see how duratex looks. On that note, if you do choose to go that route, make sure you let the Duratex cure for at least a week before setting them in place. It is hard as heck to be patient, but worth it.

Yep - I was going to go with a DIYSG design for the dedicated theater due to the very high sensitivity, but the Statements are flat out incredible for movies given the additional spacial effect. Rather than a wall of sound, I prefer an environment of sound. The amp I use can push them plenty loud enough to create an immersive experience. I have the CC built, have 2 SI DS4 18" drivers I'll be putting in ~8cuft ported enclosures, the statement IIs as mains and likely another set (4) of Finalists for RS and RB. My atmos speakers are already built. I will try another design or two because building speakers is a lot of fun, but I have a master and princess suite bathrooms to get to after the theater. lol.

[Renron]

Jwanck11,
"but I have a master and princess suite bathrooms to get to after the theater. lol. " You've got your priorities straight! Good Man.

Ron

[Pknaz]

Thanks guys! The system gets so many compliments - especially when I put on an orchestra piece at low to moderate volume. People cannot believe how such "big" speakers can disappear while producing a concert hall experience. You can literally hear depth. They blow away my much more expensive D4s.

I completely agree that vision taste is in the eyes of the beholder.... I just wanted to give the OP a chance to see how duratex looks. On that note, if you do choose to go that route, make sure you let the Duratex cure for at least a week before setting them in place. It is hard as heck to be patient, but worth it.

Yep - I was going to go with a DIYSG design for the dedicated theater due to the very high sensitivity, but the Statements are flat out incredible for movies given the additional spacial effect. Rather than a wall of sound, I prefer an environment of sound. The amp I use can push them plenty loud enough to create an immersive experience. I have the CC built, have 2 SI DS4 18" drivers I'll be putting in ~8cuft ported enclosures, the statement IIs as mains and likely another set (4) of Finalists for RS and RB. My atmos speakers are already built. I will try another design or two because building speakers is a lot of fun, but I have a master and princess suite bathrooms to get to after the theater. lol.

jwanck11, thank you for this perspective, really appreciate it. My statements builds are going into a dedicated theater/listening space that is very dark, so the duratex just might work out very well for my environment! I keep tossing around the idea that I might want a set of curved cabinets with a nice wood veneer for the front two speakers, and then put accent lights that are controlled with a 12v trigger so that they shut off when the projector is turned on....we'll see....for now though, I'm strongly leaning toward duratex so that they disappear into the room.

I'd like to make the Duratex finish as smooth as possible, I have some smooth foam rollers that I've picked up and was also planning on adding a bit of water to the Duratex (Roller grade) to help keep it smooth. How much water is appropriate?

Out of curiosity, jwanck11, what are you using for atmos speakers? I'm struggling with this at the moment.

On another note, I've laminated two sides of one tower with 1/8" HDF. I chose to do this in an attempt to reduce or eliminate telegraphing of the side glue joints. Is this over kill? Jim, seem to remember a thread where you were trying this with a set of speakers you built recently, am I remembering that correctly? The plan is to do the two sides and top of each of the towers and the center channel.

[Pknaz]

Sweet system! :W

Jim

I agree, fantastic system. I'm thinking of using a set of Finalists for my surrounds as well, I need another set of surrounds to complete my 7 ear height.

[Jim Holtz]

Jim, seem to remember a thread where you were trying this with a set of speakers you built recently, am I remembering that correctly? The plan is to do the two sides and top of each of the towers and the center channel.

I've used 1/8" MDF to cover the joints for some time and it works well. You end up with a very small seam rather than a bunch. This time I'm also coating the cabinet with Zinsser Guardz that soaks in and makes a very hard surface that I will then skim coat the few joints with bondo. I'm going to shoot these in gloss black so they have to be perfect or everything will show. My plan is to sand thoroughly and then skim the whole cabinet with Crystalac grain filler before the final sanding. Then onto high build primer and then shoot it with Crystalac gloss black with top coats of Crystalac gloss clear.

If I shoot it well enough it shouldn't take too much rubbing to make it look good.

When I bought my Mustang, I invested in a DA buffer and many foam pads to get as close as I could to a show car finish. So, my cabinet plan is, a light sanding with 2000, buff with Meguires 105, then buff Meguires 205 and finally buff with Menserna SF3800 to jewel the finish. I'll than apply the left over Polish Angel Invincible and Cosmic coating I applied to my black Mustang.

Sorry if that's too much information. 8O I have high hopes they'll be quite pretty when I get done.

Jim

[Pknaz]

I laminated the sides of one of the towers, and the top of the center this weekend with HDF and ran a flush trim router around the edges to clean it up.


I purchased a 2" long flush trim bit and realized when it arrived on Friday that both my routers were 1/4" shank only...*sigh*. Thankfully, there is a Woodcraft less than 3 miles from my house and they had a "Trade in" sale going on. Picked up a Porter Cable router with a trade in, got it home, and realized that the router plate didn't have a big enough center whole to fit the 3/4" roundover bit! *Double Sigh*. So, I made my own!


It is amazing how much dust one of these 3/4" roundover bits creates.



The plan is to laminate a layer of HDF on the tops of the cabinet and complete the round over on the top as well.

[Pknaz]

While I'm waiting for help lifting the Statements cabinets to continue working on them (I'm weak) - I'm diverting into another project....

PE has their sub kits on sale - I've been planning on getting these for a while now, but wanted to wait until they were on sale...well...bingo!

[jwanck11]

Very nice!

Careful watering down the duratex, as you will change the molecular composition and I am not sure the finish will be what you want. I suggest a foam roller - as the roller (I used spray grade) will lay a fairly textureless finish.

As for atmos speakers, I built my own! They use 4 Faital 4" drivers each and match very nicely with the Statements and Finalists once dialed in. I have a build thread somewhere on here... https://www.htguide.com/forum/showth...ighlight=Atmos

What do you plan to power the sub with? A trick is to use zip ties in the driver's holes (2 opposing) so that you can lower it into and back out of the hole to mark and then drill your seats.

[Pknaz]

Very nice!

Careful watering down the duratex, as you will change the molecular composition and I am not sure the finish will be what you want. I suggest a foam roller - as the roller (I used spray grade) will lay a fairly textureless finish.

I've heard you can dilute it something like 20% - but after testing with it this weekend I've been able to copy a few others around here who've suggested rolling with a dry roller about 2-3 minutes after each coat. I tried that, as well as also running it down with my bare hands about 2-3 minutes after each coat and that worked really well. My test piece has almost a leather texture, pretty smooth, but not spray paint smooth.

As for atmos speakers, I built my own! They use 4 Faital 4" drivers each and match very nicely with the Statements and Finalists once dialed in. I have a build thread somewhere on here... https://www.htguide.com/forum/showth...ighlight=Atmos

Awesome, thanks for that!

What do you plan to power the sub with? A trick is to use zip ties in the driver's holes (2 opposing) so that you can lower it into and back out of the hole to mark and then drill your seats.

I'm still not sure what I'll be powering the subs with. Based on my preliminary WinISD calculations and previous REW measurements and the corresponding needed EQ curve, I'll bottom them out with 300 watts, so I don't need a lot of power. I have two free channels on my XPA-7 that I'll probably use initially for the first two. I'm definitely open to options, though I'm not really interested in Pro amps.

[Pknaz]

I was able to get a bit more work done today before I leave for a week. I have one sub cabinet completely glued together and the second one half way there.


One tower is ready for Duratex. Both sides and top laminated with 1/8" HDF, 3/4" roundover on front and top, HDF sanded with 80 grit to take off the sheen and allow the Duratex to adhere to the surface.
The roundover is also sanded with 320 to make it very smooth. The lines you see are glue, though they do appear as though they're gaps, they're not.

[Browncoat]

Love all the pictures you're posting. Very cool project; the crossovers look especially handsome.

If you haven't decided what to do with the extra cabinet hole yet, you could rabbet it and cut a matching circle to close it up.

[Pknaz]

Love all the pictures you're posting. Very cool project; the crossovers look especially handsome.

If you haven't decided what to do with the extra cabinet hole yet, you could rabbet it and cut a matching circle to close it up.

Thanks, I hope someone gets a small portion of help from my postings as I've gotten from other's posts around here!

The cabinet you see up there above with the round overs, that is the one with the whole in the top of the cabinet - I sandwiched the whole with a piece of MDF on the bottom and the HDF on the top.

[wkhanna]

progress is a wonderful thing, is it not?

looking V nice!

[Pknaz]

No new progress on the towers, but I've finished all the glue work on the four sub enclosures, I hope to have a chance this weekend to do a flush route around them.

It also looks like I've decided on sub amps, I went with the Dayton SA1000 stand alone amps, four of them.

[jwanck11]

Congrats! The subs, even at 300W should hit hard. I used basically the same amp for my 15" driver build, but in plate format. I think you will be very happy once dialed in!

[Pknaz]

Made some more progress this week. I finished laminating the 1/8" HDF on the top and two sides of both cabinets, flush trim routed all sides of both cabinets, put a round over on the front and top and have all surfaces sanded with 120grit in prep for Duratex.

Here is tower number two just after finishing with it for today.


Both towers ready for Duratex!


Lots of dust, glad I have a large box of these things

[Pknaz]

I'm using binding posts on the sub enclosures, since I'm using external amplifiers. Again, like all the other cabinets I'm building in this project, I'm countersinking the binding posts.

Marking my holes


Drilling the starting points for the jig saw


Gluing in the blocks for binding posts

[Pknaz]

Question: what do people use to connect the wires to the drivers? Should I be concerned about any additional added resisted by these types of connectors?

http://www.parts-express.com/1-4-(16-14)-female-disconnect-crimp-terminal-blue-50-pcs--095-280

Do they make these kinds of things in a more conductive material?

[Pknaz]

Got quite alot done today. Sanded all of the sub cabinets and the center. Put at least one coat, and in some cases two coats of Duratex on at least five sides of each of the four subs and center cabinet.

[jwanck11]

On one center channel, I soldered straight to the driver's tabs and on the other, I used the connectors you linked to. There is no audible difference between the two.

[Renron]

Slip on connectors make it easy to remove drivers for any reason in the future. Soldering is OK if you don't mind un-soldering or cutting wires later.
There is no difference in sound quality that I am aware of.
Wire wise, 14ga. multi stranded wire is what I prefer. 18ga. for tweeters. 14ga. is probably overkill for most drivers, but you won't have to worry about voltage drop / resistance losses.
Ron