SMJ Audio Wavecor Ardent

[theSven]

A quick update ...... cabinets are done with finish application and moved inside out the humidity for a little curing.

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Gorgeous work Steve!! Good thing you got some dollys to move those things.

[JonMarsh]

A quick update ...... cabinets are done with finish application and moved inside out the humidity for a little curing.

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Great looking work- where did you get those dollies? They look a bit fancier than mine from Ace Hardware!

:T

[technodanvan]

Looks like it's almost time for me to contribute to this project.

Great looking work- where did you get those dollies? They look a bit fancier than mine from Ace Hardware!

:T

Come on, this is Steve. You know he made them! :P

[Steve Manning]

Looks like it's almost time for me to contribute to this project.




Come on, this is Steve. You know he made them! :P

Guilty as charged ..... I had some left over 1.5" slabs from making ribs for Sven and found some nice wheels on Amazon and there ya go.

[Steve Manning]

A splash of color on a Saturday ..... getting the crossover compartment wiring cut to length and termianted.

[technodanvan]

I don't think pornography is allowed on this site Steve! 8O

[theSven]

A splash of color on a Saturday ..... getting the crossover compartment wiring cut to length and termianted.


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That is some very very nice work Steve. I agree with Danny on this one! Very provocative indeed!

[Steve Manning]

Well things are about done at this point. Crossovers are done being installed and wired up to the outside world. Also have the clear covers in place.












Now for the last of it and install the bases.

[Steve Manning]

Well we may as well finish it up. Here are the bases going on.











Will need to see if we can get some better pictures as a follow up.

[JonMarsh]

Dayamm, Steve, I wish I could afford you for my next build!!

[theSven]

Well we may as well finish it up. Here are the bases going on.

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Will need to see if we can get some better pictures as a follow up.

Are you gonna install the speakers and take them for a test drive? These are stunning Steve, I'm tempted to drive down to hear them if you are gonna install the speakers :-) before Danny picks them up.

[technodanvan]

Steve, these turned out even better than I pictured. I imagine they're even better in real life, I can't wait!!!

Dayamm, Steve, I wish I could afford you for my next build!!

Yeah, I'm pretty sure his rates are gonna skyrocket when he adds these pictures to his website. But he'll have to in order to keep demand manageable!

Are you gonna install the speakers and take them for a test drive? These are stunning Steve, I'm tempted to drive down to hear them if you are gonna install the speakers :-) before Danny picks them up.

Unfortunately I have the remaining parts sitting in Vegas. I suppose I could bring them with me and we could have a little weekend get-together!

[theSven]

Steve, these turned out even better than I pictured. I imagine they're even better in real life, I can't wait!!!



Yeah, I'm pretty sure his rates are gonna skyrocket when he adds these pictures to his website. But he'll have to in order to keep demand manageable!



Unfortunately I have the remaining parts sitting in Vegas. I suppose I could bring them with me and we could have a little weekend get-together!

Give me a ping when you are gonna come and pick them up. I'm vaccinated and totally down to meet up and hear these guys in action!

[Steve Manning]

Thanks guys ..... I was thinking Danny would have to settle on hearing the Calliope's until he got home, but it sounds like your planing on an informal get together here?

[technodanvan]

Up to you Steve, it certainly doesn't take much to bring everything with me. Of course we'd have to spend an hour or so putting it all together. Downside is they'd be even heavier to move...but we'd also have another set of hands.

Have you heard a set of these before Steve? Also, do you still have a set of Minervas? I'd be interested in hearing that coaxial...

[Steve Manning]

Up to you Steve, it certainly doesn't take much to bring everything with me. Of course we'd have to spend an hour or so putting it all together. Downside is they'd be even heavier to move...but we'd also have another set of hands.

Have you heard a set of these before Steve? Also, do you still have a set of Minervas? I'd be interested in hearing that coaxial...

I have not heard the Ardent's in any version.

I do have a set of the Minerva's on hand.

[technodanvan]

I have not heard the Ardent's in any version.

I do have a set of the Minerva's on hand.

Well then, perhaps it'd be best if I lugged everything across the country.

Would we need anything other than the drivers? Stuffing maybe?

[Steve Manning]

Well then, perhaps it'd be best if I lugged everything across the country.

Would we need anything other than the drivers? Stuffing maybe?

I believe the master recommends stuffing at the top and bottom of the bass section, he'd be the one to offer up details on that.

[JonMarsh]

These are not ported, so they should be stuffed like a Holiday turkey- all the way.

Just be sure you wire all the drivers in phase- Renron had trouble with his build because of the mids being backwards.


This should be fun... what I'd call a real community event. I can't be there, but maybe we can setup a Zoom call after you've got things put together and running.

And don't forget those copies of Keb Mo "Slow Down" CD's I sent you- I suggest handing them out to both attendees, after you've listened to it!

:T

And vaccinated is very good, but wear masks. Based on early evidence, I've been telling everyone to wear masks even when vaccinated, and have always been doing that- finally the dummies at the CDC woke up and instead of going out on a limb about something they had no hard data about, only assumptions, are saying the right thing.

Of course, ET ALWAYS wears a mask, so some of us have no change in habits to consider- it hasn't bothered me at all to go into the stores locally the last two months and being the only person with a mask on, excepting Panera, Starbucks, and Wells Fargo. carefully run national chains. Nevada instituted an emergency order on Friday. Folks seem to still be asleep at the switch here in Idaho, but consider this...


Idaho COVID-19 surge: Over 500 cases Friday, 2,000 for week. Positivity rate soars.

BY IAN MAX STEVENSON
ISTEVENSON@IDAHOSTATESMAN.COM
45 minutes ago
For the fourth week straight, COVID-19 cases have surged in Idaho, pushing daily case numbers to levels not seen since March.
The state added 2,259 cases this week of July 26 — including more than 500 on Friday — surpassing 200,000 cases since the start of the pandemic and pushing the seven-day moving average of new cases to roughly 323, an average not exceeded since March 15. As recently as July 5, the seven-day average was under 50.
As of July 28, there were 170 patients hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 and 49 in an ICU, according to the Department of Health and Welfare. In a trend seen across the country, doctors and public health officials say that the state is in a pandemic of the unvaccinated: Nearly every patient with a severe case of COVID-19 has not received a vaccine.

[technodanvan]

We'll have to get a camera set up just so you can tell us when we're doing something wrong Jon. I have a 5 pound bag of Acousta-Stuf that just arrived for the Singularities - I will not nearly be using all of it, so I'll bring it with me. What do you think Jon, about 1 - 1.5 pounds per speaker?

For those interested in seeing how a $14,000 set of speakers compares to these in terms of build materials I direct you to this thread at PE: https://techtalk.parts-express.com/f...a-iii-speakers. Obviously they take great care in crafting the exterior of their speakers and the interior suffers as a result. Not that they don't sound good - I'm sure they do - but Sonus Faber clearly knows how to market a speaker and balance costs to make a profit.


Regarding COVID: My wife and I never stopped wearing masks, despite being vaccinated. I guess we figured it'd make a comeback eventually, it was only a matter of time before a new variant (or variants) sprung up. At least you aren't in one of those states where the governor has banned mask policies Jon. I see several cities have taken action in Idaho as well.

[JonMarsh]

Theoretically, for stuffing, if some is good, more is better and just slightly less than too much is just enough!

To determine that empirically, you add stuffing and check the impedance curve; the lower the Fb, the better, once it starts going back up, you've got too much.

But also, the amount is not critical. Save some for the midrange enclosure, too- that's more important. Bring what you got...


Brad Little walks the tightrope here pretty well, but his Lt Governor is a real piece of work. She's pretty crazy, in the MTG and Boebert vein, like to post photos of herself with guns and tough trucks, and is going to run for Governor next time around.

[technodanvan]

Sven & Steve, I'm shooting for arrival next Saturday (the 14th).

[theSven]

Sven & Steve, I'm shooting for arrival next Saturday (the 14th).

I’m out of town that weekend ��. My sister is getting married in MI and I get back to VA on the 18th.

[Steve Manning]

Sven & Steve, I'm shooting for arrival next Saturday (the 14th).

I'll be here.

[technodanvan]

I’m out of town that weekend ��. My sister is getting married in MI and I get back to VA on the 18th.

Sorry man, wish I could move it but with COVID on the upswing I need to get this trip done.

[theSven]

Sorry man, wish I could move it but with COVID on the upswing I need to get this trip done.

It’s a good choice, given the upswing. My sister had to postpone her wedding from last year due to Covid. Will look forward to another opportunity to meet up.

[technodanvan]

Hey Steve, could you please confirm the below?

Red/Green = Positive

Black/White = Negative/Ground

[Steve Manning]

Hey Steve, could you please confirm the below?

Red/Green = Positive

Black/White = Negative/Ground

Almost .....

Red/White = Positive

Black/Green = Negative

[technodanvan]

Glad I asked!

[Steve Manning]

I assume the trip back went well?

[technodanvan]

Yeah got back Tuesday. Still recovering from it, sleep schedule and eating schedule are borked up pretty good.

[technodanvan]

Possible issue, I put one of them together today and I'm getting nothing out of the tweeter. Tried both tweeters, same problem. Will put the other one together tomorrow hopefully so I can see if it impacts both of them. Hopefully just a loose connection somewhere.

Also snapped off two bolt heads, so my day hasn't been great.

[Steve Manning]

Possible issue, I put one of them together today and I'm getting nothing out of the tweeter. Tried both tweeters, same problem. Will put the other one together tomorrow hopefully so I can see if it impacts both of them.

Also snapped off two bolt heads, so my day hasn't been great.

That's not good.

What bolts did you snap?

[technodanvan]

One installing the mid, one installing the tweeter. I had my drill on the lowest setting and it still took them off.

[Steve Manning]

One installing the mid, one installing the tweeter. I had my drill on the lowest setting and it still took them off.

Yeah, I try to stay away from drills/drivers for small screws, they have way more torque than my hands and what those screws can handle.

I sent you an email ....

[technodanvan]

Yeah, I knew better and still did it. I might at least use the 12v drill next time.

[Steve Manning]

Yeah, I knew better and still did it. I might at least use the 12v drill next time.

Guess we should have gone with inserts when we made the baffles way back when.

[Steve Manning]

As a suggestion, you could actually drill and tap holes in the bamboo that will hold screws rather well.

[Bear]

As a suggestion, you could actually drill and tap holes in the bamboo that will hold screws rather well.

I've found that pre-drilling in bamboo is a definite must, with the pilot hole truly needing to be the size of the body/central core. Also, good quality screws are also a must. I've lost a number of basic BlackOx screws from both Madisound and PE. When I look at them, the grain structure looks sintered. The good news is that I've been able to unscrew the the body with pliers and try again (vise grips help a lot).

[theSven]

As a suggestion, you could actually drill and tap holes in the bamboo that will hold screws rather well.

When you say tap, you mean adding a threaded insert? this may be a dumb blond question, but I'm blond and can ask these things :P

[Steve Manning]

When you say tap, you mean adding a threaded insert? this may be a dumb blond question, but I'm blond and can ask these things :P

No inserts just thread the bamboo. It's hard enough that you can tap it and use a bolt. Now is as good as an inserts if your going to remove and reinstall the bolts, no.

[JonMarsh]

Only fuuls like me use inserts in Bamboo... mostly!

:W

[theSven]

I was out in Vegas last weekend for my aunts wedding and I got in touch with Danny to have a listening session with the SMJ Wavecor Ardent. Danny introduced me to Roon, and I have to say I'm embarrassed I haven't ever hear of Roon. It was fantastic and easy to use! It was great getting to see these speakers in action and seeing the beautiful work Steve did, and finally getting to check off the list of hearing the Wavecor Ardents. We listened to wide variety of music and it was exciting to hear how great these speakers perform!

[JonMarsh]

Roon is great- missing it, but hope to solve that in the next 6 months!

Roon is very cool, and has been upgraded substantially since I first got my license (in the early days)- now, I just have to wait until we can get moved in to our own home and I can unpack the storage units and get to the networked music hardware I have stuck away, and decide on my final/current render configuration- I have a signature Rendu, and some other bits that may play into the final configuration, as well as a new-to-me Brainstorm DCD-8 to replace the one I swapped out to my former work colleague (who is now in Singapore) so he could run one in mono configuration and higher sampling rate) on each channel. This is a clock/data distribution unit that supports re-clocking sources like a rubidium atomic clock. (got a couple of those, of course)

[theSven]

Roon is very cool, and has been upgraded substantially since I first got my license (in the early days)- now, I just have to wait until we can get moved in to our own home and I can unpack the storage units and get to the networked music hardware I have stuck away, and decide on my final/current render configuration- I have a signature Rendu, and some other bits that may play into the final configuration, as well as a new-to-me Brainstorm DCD-8 to replace the one I swapped out to my former work colleague (who is now in Singapore) so he could run one in mono configuration and higher sampling rate) on each channel. This is a clock/data distribution unit that supports re-clocking sources like a rubidium atomic clock. (got a couple of those, of course)

I’m thinking heavily of getting the lifetime bill option. Either way they have very attractive license options.