It's time for a Statement announcing my latest project..

[Sefferdog]

Just finished another of Curt's projects, the Scrappy. :T Thought y'all might like to see it. To put it into perspective, I have it pictured with the Statements. :E

Just remember, it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it is the size of the fight in the dog. 8O These dogs have a good bit of fight in 'em! :W

Enjoy....

[Brian Bunge]

Looking good, Wade! Any chance you could bring down the Statements, or even the Mini Statements, in the next couple of weeks? Sundays are fine with me if they are with you.

[Sefferdog]

Looking good, Wade! Any chance you could bring down the Statements, or even the Mini Statements, in the next couple of weeks? Sundays are fine with me if they are with you.

Ouch... My back hurts just thinking about that. See attached picture from the last time I tried to lift them by myself. :E

Let me have my wife take my car to work tomorrow and I will measure up her little Honda and see what will fit. If I am going to make the trip I would really like to be able to get both the Minis and the Statements in there. 8O

I will let you know tomorrow.

[Brian Bunge]

Ouch... My back hurts just thinking about that. See attached picture from the last time I tried to lift them by myself. :E

Let me have my wife take my car to work tomorrow and I will measure up her little Honda and see what will fit. If I am going to make the trip I would really like to be able to get both the Minis and the Statements in there. 8O

I will let you know tomorrow.

Wow! That would really be sweet!

[thatdave]

Ahaik,

They look very nice....mine look bulky and unwieldy..
Speaking of which, we started the final lap on ours.
Took them apart Saturday....not easy....left up the old HTIB surrounds as the placeholders (old mains moved to surround duty) to help speed us along.

Last picture has the initial semigloss coat. Probably do 2 brushed on coats, 1 sprayed, then 2 or 3 coats of finishing wax.

David

[Sefferdog]

A
Took them apart Saturday....not easy....left up the old HTIB surrounds as the placeholders (old mains moved to surround duty) to help speed us along.

Last picture has the initial semigloss coat. Probably do 2 brushed on coats, 1 sprayed, then 2 or 3 coats of finishing wax.

David

WOW. I am humbled and amazed at the abilities of the people on this board. Wish I were nearly as talented. Fantastic job!! ;x(

[ahaik]

WOW. I am humbled and amazed at the abilities of the people on this board. Wish I were nearly as talented. Fantastic job!! ;x(

Same here David, superb woodworking :T . Nice to see someone try something different (with great success).
BTW is this the natural wood look, or are they stained ?

Asi.

[thatdave]

Asi,
Natural. It is Black Walnut, the clear coat brings out the color and grain.
The sides/back/baffle are 5.2mm MDF backed veneer. The trim parts are solid black walnut. Benefit of having a hardwood supply warehouse 10 min away.
Almost too heavy to move solo now......will get the weight when they come inside for driver install. I shudder to think of the extra weight the missing 15 inches are..

The different style was to match the rest of the DIY furniture we have made in the room. Will get them all in 1 shot when the Statments reach their final resting place.

[Jim Holtz]

Asi,
Natural. It is Black Walnut, the clear coat brings out the color and grain.
The sides/back/baffle are 5.2mm MDF backed veneer. The trim parts are solid black walnut. Benefit of having a hardwood supply warehouse 10 min away.
Almost too heavy to move solo now......will get the weight when they come inside for driver install. I shudder to think of the extra weight the missing 15 inches are..

The different style was to match the rest of the DIY furniture we have made in the room. Will get them all in 1 shot when the Statments reach their final resting place.

The cabinets are really pretty Dave. Excellent craftsmanship. :T

Jim

[thatdave]

Thank you.
Hehe...we did have 1 major mishap.
Final sanding before applying the clear coat. Accidently sanded through the veneer..
Wife said I sounded like Luke when Vader killed Obi-Wan. NNOO!!!
About a 1 inch circle....It is not so obvious after about 20min with colored pencils to hide the light colored MDF. Guess that side will face the TV..

[thatdave]

Finally completed and finished.
Next stop, pictures of them in their final resting place.
The 2 front shots are one with flash, 1 without...

[tpremo55]

Everybody I know has at least one thing they regret about almost every project. If I only have one, I'm doing REALLY well. At any rate, I think your cabinets are very nice. Very nice craftsmanship and a great design idea. Excellent Character!

[CupCak3]

I really can't wait to start on my Statement theater but I have one questions about the port diameter.

While playing around in Unibox, it looks like a 3" port could introduce some noise and distortion in the lower octaves at higher SPLs. Then looking at 4", the resonance frequency looks like it could be a problem. Could someone please comment on the port dia. choice?


Thanks!

[Brian Bunge]

Asi,

Somehow I missed your pics! Wow, those are beautiful! I'm glad I could help out on the poly recommendation. I've not used any of their stains before but I might give that black cherry a shot. I am building a version of the Microbes from the PE forum and have veneered the tops, sides and bottoms of the cabinets in some leftover birdseye maple veneer that I had lying around. I'll probably have to use dye to keep from obscuring the birdseye affect of the veneer, but the goal is to have a red finish on the veneer with a black baffle and back.

Maybe I should called the finish "Red Eye Maple"!

[Brian Bunge]

Asi,

Somehow I missed your pics! Wow, those are beautiful! I'm glad I could help out on the poly recommendation. I've not used any of their stains before but I might give that black cherry a shot. I am building a version of the Microbes from the PE forum and have veneered the tops, sides and bottoms of the cabinets in some leftover birdseye maple veneer that I had lying around. I'll probably have to use dye to keep from obscuring the birdseye affect of the veneer, but the goal is to have a red finish on the veneer with a black baffle and back.

Maybe I should called the finish "Red Eye Maple"!

EDIT: Oh, and I have some scrap veneer that I'll be experimenting on before I do anything with the final cabinets!

[Jim Holtz]

I really can't wait to start on my Statement theater but I have one questions about the port diameter.

While playing around in Unibox, it looks like a 3" port could introduce some noise and distortion in the lower octaves at higher SPLs. Then looking at 4", the resonance frequency looks like it could be a problem. Could someone please comment on the port dia. choice?
Thanks!

Hi CupCak3,

Curt can tell you why he chose a 3" port from the technical perspective if you're comcerned about it. Shoot him an email. I can tell you from a subjective standpoint that there is absolutely no port noise at any volume that I can tolerate and I do listen pretty loud at times. Perhaps others will chime in with their experiences.

Welcome to the Statements club! :T

Jim

[Sefferdog]

Hi CupCak3,
I can tell you from a subjective standpoint that there is absolutely no port noise at any volume that I can tolerate and I do listen pretty loud at times. Perhaps others will chime in with their experiences.

Welcome to the Statements club! :T

Jim

No port noise here and I blow the cobwebs out of the port on occasion. 8O

Wade

[ahaik]

Asi,

Somehow I missed your pics! Wow, those are beautiful! I'm glad I could help out on the poly recommendation. I've not used any of their stains before but I might give that black cherry a shot. I am building a version of the Microbes from the PE forum and have veneered the tops, sides and bottoms of the cabinets in some leftover birdseye maple veneer that I had lying around. I'll probably have to use dye to keep from obscuring the birdseye affect of the veneer, but the goal is to have a red finish on the veneer with a black baffle and back.

Maybe I should called the finish "Red Eye Maple"!

EDIT: Oh, and I have some scrap veneer that I'll be experimenting on before I do anything with the final cabinets!

Brian,
Old Dad's Poly is great, I love the results, I actually had a sub that I built, the veneer is European Wallnut, its more smooth then the oak. I stained it with a Minwax golden oak stain with 3 coats of Minwas spray poly (cans).
It looked good, but when I got Old Dad's poly I sanded them 600 grit and wiped on a coat of that and I really liked the results.
I will take some pictures and post them later.
Thank you for the great recommendations :T

BTW: I really like Old Dad's stain, it dries just like a finish.

[Brian Bunge]

Glad I could help! I'll definitely have to try some of the Old Dad's stain. If I build an A/V credenza I'm thinking of trying out their new Espresso stain.

[tpremo55]

Hi CupCak3,

Curt can tell you why he chose a 3" port from the technical perspective if you're comcerned about it. Shoot him an email. I can tell you from a subjective standpoint that there is absolutely no port noise at any volume that I can tolerate and I do listen pretty loud at times. Perhaps others will chime in with their experiences.

Welcome to the Statements club! :T

Jim

I've got the rear firing ports on the Statements that I built and I have no noise at all. I've listened to them at levels beyond reasonable and nothing. The one thing you might consider is that the port noise is reduced in a port with flared ends. The Precision Port 3" that I used has very large flares which yields a very gentle constriction and expansion. If Unibox has the option, confirm that you are indicating flared port on both ends (provided you are actually planning to use them). For what it's worth, I REALLY like the Precision Port kit and will continue to use it for large lower base applications.

[Sefferdog]

It is pretty cool to scroll down through the pages and see all of the avatars that are Statements!

[Brian Bunge]

Wade,

I swear I've seen pics of your Mini Statments that show the bases in more detail but I can't seem to find them anymore. If you have some will you post them again?

[Sefferdog]

Wade,

I swear I've seen pics of your Mini Statments that show the bases in more detail but I can't seem to find them anymore. If you have some will you post them again?

Actually the bases are the same as the Statements, I just haven't changed the pic. In my avatar I took red oak veneer and gave it 3 - 4 coats of ebony stain and then a few coats of poly and didn't like it. I redid them to match the actual speaker and like it much better. Just didn't update the pic.

I am also in the process of checking on borrowing a buddy's truck because the Statements and Minis will not both fit in the car. If I am going to make the trip I am going to find something that can haul both pairs!

[Brian Bunge]

That's fine. Just let me know what's convenient for you. After Thanksgiving I'm probably going to forget what my wife looks like for the next month or so, so I'd imagine just about any Sunday will be fine. Also, I'm off work for 12 full days starting the Friday before Christmas through Jan. 2nd. I may be heading up to GA with my step-daughter to visit my family. So if you can't make it down before then, maybe I can stop by on my way back into town.

[thatdave]

Mine are finally in their final resting place.
They fit in great with the rest of our DIY living room..
The DVD shelf on the left is 1 of a pair that were where the statements are now. Also our coffee tables and TV stand/cabinet. All in Black walnut (the tables are from 2 inch stock, 40lbs per)

The Statements weigh in at about 95lbs X 2 for the cabinet alone, more than the TV.. 107lbs ish when all put together....

They will darken over time to match the TV stand, it is only about 8 months old.
Thanks to Jim, Curt and Wayne for the design.

Thanks to Jim for the advice on making them shorter than usual.
And thanks to everyone else for the encourgement, these were our first speaker....

Now to get ready for the center...

David and Lori

[Dennis H]

That looks really nice, Dave. Well done! :T

[Jim Holtz]

Hi Dave,

Curt, Wayne and I appreciate your very kind comments. Our thanks is the satisfaction of knowing that you're enjoying your Statements as much as we do. BTW, you'll love the center too! :T

Jim

[CBS]

finaly done!

I have been a friend of Jim's for many years now. I was also lucky to have his Statements at my house for two weeks right after he first finished building them. I loved them and with much help and support from Jim I have finally finished my first DIY speaker project. I have been working on these since May so I am very happy to have them up and running.

I use my room for HT in addition to two channel as such I needed some subs if I was going to replace my speakers with Jim's design. Jim and I talked and he came up with a great idea. The Statements were built as the sealed version and placed (bolted) to a sub cabinet containing a TC Sounds TC1000 15" sub. Front subs are run mono and crossed at around 40 hz, the amp is a Dayton Audio HPSA 1000-R. The same set up is used for the rear surround speakers.

The veneer is Waterfall Bubinga with 11 coats of Waterlox finish/sealer. I love the look but the sound is even better.

My hat is off to Jim, without his help I never could have completed this project.

[Sefferdog]

The veneer is Waterfall Bubinga with 11 coats of Waterlox finish/sealer. I love the look but the sound is even better.

Those are absolutely stunning. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of talent on this board. From the guys that design them, to the guys that build them.

You have done an amazing job! ;x( ;x( ;x(

It makes me want to go in where mine are and throw a sheet over them so no one sees them. 8O

[thatdave]

CBS,
That is what I was thinking of doing once I get more room, only w/ an 18"....
They look great, excellent choice of finishing.
On the down side, now mine aren't the only sealed..

[technimac]

...The veneer is Waterfall Bubinga with 11 coats of Waterlox finish/sealer. I love the look but the sound is even better...

OMG CBS, those are absolutely Drop Dead Gorgeous! Great work on that finish. :T

Nice to have great sounding and great looking speakers.

I do have two questions. Is the Bubinga veneer paperbacked and where did you get it?

Cheers ~Bruce

[CBS]

Bruce,

The Veneer is 10 mill paper backed. I got it from Oakwood veneer, I was very happy with it and the service that they provided. They called me back after I had ordered it to make sure it was going to be what I wanted.

Chris

[Jim Holtz]

I have been a friend of Jim's for many years now. I was also lucky to have his Statements at my house for two weeks right after he first finished building them. I loved them and with much help and support from Jim I have finally finished my first DIY speaker project. I have been working on these since May so I am very happy to have them up and running.

I use my room for HT in addition to two channel as such I needed some subs if I was going to replace my speakers with Jim's design. Jim and I talked and he came up with a great idea. The Statements were built as the sealed version and placed (bolted) to a sub cabinet containing a TC Sounds TC1000 15" sub. Front subs are run mono and crossed at around 40 hz, the amp is a Dayton Audio HPSA 1000-R. The same set up is used for the rear surround speakers.

The veneer is Waterfall Bubinga with 11 coats of Waterlox finish/sealer. I love the look but the sound is even better.

My hat is off to Jim, without his help I never could have completed this project.

Hi Chris,

Thank you! I appreciate your comments. However, I have to point out what a huge project this has been for a first time builder. You really took charge, built the cabinets and forged ahead doing things you've never done before. So kudos's to you for having the guts and the determination to build them.

The sound of this combination is phenomenal. The bass of the Sealed Statements is ultra tight and the power of the 15" TC Sounds subs is unbelievable. It's just killer sound, IMHO.

I'm pleased that I was able to help you along the way when needed. One day, you'll cuss me for getting you hooked on DIY though. :rofl:

Great job Chris! You should be proud of your achievements and of course of the Statements. :T

Jim

[Brian Bunge]

Hey Jim,

Exactly which of the TC Sounds 15" subs are those?

[coctostan]

Chris-

Those look great. Approximately what frequency and slope are you low-passing the subs at? Are you high passing the statements?

[CBS]

Hey Jim,

Exactly which of the TC Sounds 15" subs are those?

Brian,

The Subs are TC1000's I got them shortly before TC sounds stopped direct sales.

Chris

[CBS]

Chris-

Those look great. Approximately what frequency and slope are you low-passing the subs at? Are you high passing the statements?

The sub crossover is set at about 40 hz, the slope is whatever is standard in the sub amp crossover, Jim may have a better idea than I do. I am not high passing the statements they are getting a full signal from my main amps. It really sounds very nice right now, I still get to get my SPL meter out and check it out for sure. Sealed subs with the sealed statments really makes for some tight and detailed bass.

C

[Jim Holtz]

Chris-

Those look great. Approximately what frequency and slope are you low-passing the subs at? Are you high passing the statements?

Hi Coctostan,

It's the 1000 watt rack mount amp that PE sells. The crossover is 24 db. It's an excellent amp with a lot of power.

I knew the subs and Statements would blend well since we were crossing so low and they're both sealed but the sonic results exceeded my expectations. The bass is the best I've heard. It's unbelievably tight and powerful. Chris has a very big room too but there's no problem pressurizing it with the subs. Deep bass notes in music are real sounding and they are extremely detailed.

If I were building my Statements now, I'd certainly strongly consider taking the same approach as Chris. It's sweet!

Jim

[Hdale85]

Yeah I was going with a TC driver but they kind of been taking forever to get my exchange together and then they ran out of what I wanted (after mike said he had one on hold for me waiting for my exchange) so now they are supposed to be giving me a refund....been 3 weeks since that was supposed to happen so we will see. That Tempest X from diycable is looking mighty interesting at 175 bucks though!

[Brian Bunge]

Just keep in mind that the Tempest needs a pretty big enclosure compared to some of the other drivers out there. Otherwise, it's a great buy for the money.

[cacophonix]

Hi CBS,

Love the look of your speakers!
Did you use satin waterlox or the high gloss?

[impala454]

Chris/Jim: Can you give a little more detail on how the statements are bolted to the subs? Also would it be possible to get some detailed dimensions on the sealed statements? I'm currently building the center and was thinking of doing something similiar to what Chris has done there, but like Dave said, with 18"s

More pictures would be awesome as well (pics of the backs & build pics would be sweet if possible)! Beautiful work!

[thatdave]

Chris,
May I ask how you integrated the 15"? Do you run the channel to statement and sub? Daisy chain to sub then statement?

For those much more informed than I,
I have not seen any power handling information. How much is too much power (is there is such a thing)?. Mine are currently fed (in theory) 100W X 2 from my receiver. Probably much less when used for HT. I am considering a Crown XLS202D to feed them (300W X2).

David

[CupCak3]

Hi CupCak3,

Curt can tell you why he chose a 3" port from the technical perspective if you're comcerned about it. Shoot him an email. I can tell you from a subjective standpoint that there is absolutely no port noise at any volume that I can tolerate and I do listen pretty loud at times. Perhaps others will chime in with their experiences.

Welcome to the Statements club! :T

Jim

Jim: Thanks for the reply! After looking at air speed again, its really not going to be a problem for me since I'll be crossing my mains b/t 40 and 60hz. Also, my calc was assuming 50watts going to each woofer. 8x)

tpremo55: the measurement I was looking at was pure air velocity. I will definately use flared ports due to the amount they lower air turbulance. :T

CBS: ;x( You setup is gorgeous! Could you please post a bit more detail on your box sizes and the method you used for securing them together? Thanks!

[CBS]

Hi CBS,

Love the look of your speakers!
Did you use satin waterlox or the high gloss?

Cacophonix, I used the Waterlox original sealer/finish, More gloss than stain but less than high gloss