Build Thread - SMJ Equilateral Subwoofer

[JonMarsh]

Besides, this is what Steve really should have posted, based on what he sent me yesterday evening....

[theSven]

Really looking forward to picking these up this weekend. Today I need to get across the pond back to the USA. On Sunday Jim and I will head up to practice for the East Coasts strongest man competition to lift these into his vehicle. I will have a dolly, straps, and blankets waiting at my house to carefully get these down into the basement room where they will get put to good use.

[JonMarsh]

Sounds like you've got a good plan, Stan! Photos would be fun... for us, probably not for you!

[theSven]

Photos of moving the subs or traveling? Murphy had it out for me today, and the flight was cancelled from Frankfurt to the states. Both pilots got sick and had to be taken to the hospital. This all happened before we boarded, and took about 2 hours from when pre-boarding started to announce the flight was cancelled. I will have to reschedule picking up the subs now due to the travel delay. Anyhow I can get some work done in the hotel tonight and tomorrow since I will be stuck till the last flight of the day heads back to the U.S. That way I can take some time off if needed during the week to get the subs.

[theSven]

I rented a car yesterday to drive up to SMJ Audio to pick up the subs. My car is too small for two cabinets to ft. I could have possibly fit 1, but definitely not two!



First cabinet in the car, and then unloading the cabinet once I got back to the house. I was glad these were heavy and did not slide around at all with my driving.


I moved the subs inside and set them on the boxes at first, My 12 lbs dog next to the cabinet to give a sense of scale.


I moved the cabinets to furniture dollies to maneuver to the stairs.


I slide one down the stairs and carried the other one walking backwards down the stairs. That way if I needed to set it down I could do that easily.


It was a tight squeeze getting these cabinets into the theater. I was happy I could get them through the door without having to remove it.


Getting the cabinets close to where they will go once assembled.


The drivers on top of the cabinets.

[Scareurpasenger]

Looks like you need more space! That is going to be a killer setup though. What amp are you planning on using with them?

[theSven]

Looks like you need more space! That is going to be a killer setup though. What amp are you planning on using with them?

I have a Behringer and Jim S has loaned me a Crown to try. Ideally I would like a sub amp that has a trigger to turn on/off with the processor. If I had more time I would really like to do a DIY amp. I think that would be a lot of fun to try and do that.

[Steve Manning]

Looks like you need more space! That is going to be a killer setup though. What amp are you planning on using with them?

My original design had the cabinets 30% smaller, but the bass heads, Sven and Jon, prevailed and there ya go!

[theSven]

I got the terminal binding posts installed yesterday. I will install a woofer today and take a dats reading and then begin adding the stuffing. Oh and I need to install the feet. Progress...

[theSven]

Over the last few days I have been getting the subs put together.


I bought a bunch of fill for the cabinets. I ended up using 1 box per sub.


The hardest part for me assembling the subs was tightening the bolt on the binding terminal. What I ended up doing is using a lock washer with a washer and the nut. I used a ratchet socket with a needle nose vice grip to hold the socket on, and an allen wrench in the terminal hole to spin it around to tighten. That worked really well!


Both cabinets stuffed with fluff


One sub mounted in!


Both subs assembled, and starting to clean up the room.


Room cleaned up and subs pushed into place. Yes, I know... I really need to get the granite pieces for the Ardent-D's. Now that the subs are done I can stop by some of the granite shops in my area.

Next up is listening and breaking these monsters in.

[technodanvan]

Looking really nice in there Sven. What's the granite for? The bases look pretty heavy duty already, and aren't you on the foundation?

[theSven]

Looking really nice in there Sven. What's the granite for? The bases look pretty heavy duty already, and aren't you on the foundation?

The granite is to put under the Ardent D's and get rid of the boards that are on the floor currently. It left the boards there to slide the towers around easier.

[JonMarsh]

I think Sven is just having all together too much fun! I'm distracted by so many side issues right now, I have no idea what I'd do if I was actually working for a living!

[JimS]

Those are looking really good in place Sven!!!

Steve Manning I guess you didn’t quite get them portly enough for Sven’s leg day - maybe built-in granite bases on the next set 👍😜

[JimS]

Hey Sven, any chance to get some listening in yet??

[theSven]

Hey Sven, any chance to get some listening in yet??

Sadly no. I've been overseas for the week and I fly back tomorrow. Then I leave again for 2.5 weeks overseas to the APAC region. I'm afraid any listening is not going to happen till mid November at this time. Steve finished the subs at the perfect time where I had a small window to pick them up before I'm out of town again. End of Q3 to early Q4 is the busiest time of the year for me with work events.

[JimS]

Ouch!! I resemble that remark sitting in the lounge tonight heading to EU for the week 😀

Hopefully we get some time off in December and can catch up for some listening. The Arvos are sounding really good now and just got Spotify lossless playing nicely with Innuos sense this weekend 👍

maybe (crosses fingers) even some ardents under the tree if electrical storms stay away from Steve for a few months

[theSven]

Nice on the Spotify lossless. I'm going to have to stop over to hear these Arvos!

[JonMarsh]

Sadly no. I've been overseas for the week and I fly back tomorrow. Then I leave again for 2.5 weeks overseas to the APAC region. I'm afraid any listening is not going to happen till mid November at this time. Steve finished the subs at the perfect time where I had a small window to pick them up before I'm out of town again. End of Q3 to early Q4 is the busiest time of the year for me with work events.

Life is what happens while you wish you could make other plans...

[theSven]

I did do some pre-planning and ordered 2 granite pieces to replace the boards under the Ardent D's. I was able to pick up the pieces today and got them put in place before the next call starts.











Now it looks like a proper theater setup with the boards removed and put back in the garage. The granite works nice to slide on the carpet to move these towers.

[technodanvan]

Looks really great Sven! What are you using for surrounds again?

[theSven]

Looks really great Sven! What are you using for surrounds again?

Thank you Danny! I have some SVS rear surrounds I got off of a friend about 11 or 12 years ago. The speaker is wall mounted with french clips to sit flush on the wall. They look like these: