FHXL Build
I've started to build a set of Frugal Horn XL. I have a pair of Frugal Horn Mk3 that I built some time ago. I really like them and so I decided to build the XL as well. I have a pair of Alpair 10.3 drivers that have been breaking in to low volume classical music since last Friday. I found 18 mm Birch 10-ply at Home Depot. Since I have a Volkswagen GTI I had 1 sheet cut into 4 - 24 x 48 pieces and a second sheet cut into 18 x 48 slices. It all fit nicely. I plan to veneer them in Walnut. I hope to complete the build will on holiday between Christmas and New Years.
I've started to build a set of Frugal Horn XL. I have a pair of Frugal Horn Mk3 that I built some time ago. I really like them and so I decided to build the XL as well. I have a pair of Alpair 10.3 drivers that have been breaking in to low volume classical music since last Friday. I found 18 mm Birch 10-ply at Home Depot. Since I have a Volkswagen GTI I had 1 sheet cut into 4 - 24 x 48 pieces and a second sheet cut into 18 x 48 slices. It all fit nicely. I plan to veneer them in Walnut. I hope to complete the build will on holiday between Christmas and New Years.
Jeremy- Depending on how far you are setting from your speakers you may try to tilt the back of your cabinets to align the driver to aim at you directly rather than over your head. If you look at the on axis plot of the drivers vs. off axis you may pick up some extra high frequency you are looking for, just a suggestion and easy to try.
Hi Jim,
I think they are bang on, from my listening position I can see the top of the cabinet so the center of the drivers are level with my chin more of less, the 5dg tilt is aiming the center of the driver directly to ear height, as I say It's just a smidge recessed in the treble for me that puts things like hi-hat cymbals and vocals back into the mix. I've always lived with 2/3 way speakers and the Alpairs are not far off, pretty impressive I think with very coherent presentation, but I feel the need to experiment with some tweeters, ESS AMT have been recommended to me so I'll be going with those, if they don't work out, as in muck the presentation up, I can always sell them on.
Cheers, Jez.
Toby - hope the build goes well- did you get the plans, and did they make sense?
Jez - to echo Jim, while they aren't the lowest cost candidate, it'd be hard to imagine a pair of AMTs well dialled into any system not sounding excellent. I've always thought its dipole radiation pattern would integrate very well with a rear mouth BLH - certainly Mr Schilling has reached the same conclusion.
Jez - to echo Jim, while they aren't the lowest cost candidate, it'd be hard to imagine a pair of AMTs well dialled into any system not sounding excellent. I've always thought its dipole radiation pattern would integrate very well with a rear mouth BLH - certainly Mr Schilling has reached the same conclusion.
Hi Chris,
I have the plans thank you very much. My brother in law printed them on a 22 x 36 inch plotter. They aren't to scale, but the large plans are nice to work with. I have all the pieces cut and have brought them all inside. It is to cold in the garage for glueing. I have not cut out the openings for the drivers yet. I don't seem to have the dimensions. I will check out the Mark Audio site. They should have them.
Happy New Year to all,
Toby
I have the plans thank you very much. My brother in law printed them on a 22 x 36 inch plotter. They aren't to scale, but the large plans are nice to work with. I have all the pieces cut and have brought them all inside. It is to cold in the garage for glueing. I have not cut out the openings for the drivers yet. I don't seem to have the dimensions. I will check out the Mark Audio site. They should have them.
Happy New Year to all,
Toby
That is good to hear. Kind of what I was thinking. I'm pretty excited about them. I have built 5 pairs of speakers. BVR Iris for Fostex 167, Frugel Horn Mk3 and soon Frugel Horn XL. I built a set of MLTL cabinets for Lowther drivers using Bob Brines plans. And a pair of Lowther Medallions using DX-4 drivers and down-firing 12 inch Rhythmic subwoofers in the bases. 😎
I have some experience from listening to my brother in law's system and others, but I don't claim to be an expert. He has a right and left Vandersteen subwoofer in his system. Mine sounds much more integrated. The subs blend in perfectly and you can't pick them out. Others that have listened to my system have the same opinion. I am using the Rythmic amplifiers in servo mode. They take their input from the output of my 2A3 SET amp that is driving the Lowthers. I am very happy with them. The Frugel Horn Mk3 are the left and right in my 'theater' and the FHXL will be in my downstairs system.
Chris, I have a 15in (1) front firing Rythmik sub driven by Rythmik PEQ amplifier mounted in a DIY enclosure per their specs. I have used this sub with at least 5 sets of speakers, single driver, 2 way, 3 way, and 1.7 maggies. The sub has integrated with them all, the best sub is one that you can't tell if you have one. Highly recommended for the price.
Jim
Jim
Several friends of mine are using a pair of the rythmik subs to integrate into their stereo main speakers. The ryhtmik subs integrates with many different types of speakers -- horns, magnepans, 2-way, 3-way, rogers and other monitors. It seems that the rythmiks are up to the task in matching the speed and accuracy of the main speakers. So far, most of the ones i know have not let go of their rythmiks and are very happy with them.
Frugel Horn Build Plans Please
Hello Dave,
I've sent you an email to your Frugel Horn web address, with a copy of my Paypal receipt of my donation to diyAudio. I would like to get FHXL build plans. I'll be using 18mm MDF board.
Many thanks for your time.
Jason
Hello Dave,
I've sent you an email to your Frugel Horn web address, with a copy of my Paypal receipt of my donation to diyAudio. I would like to get FHXL build plans. I'll be using 18mm MDF board.
Many thanks for your time.
Jason
Dave would strongly recommended using plywood instead of MDF if he we online right now.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/construction-tips/291381-mdf-vs-birch-plywood-3-way-tower-2.html
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/planet-10-hifi/184088-frugel-horn-mk3-flat-paks-48.html
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/86151-mdf-thickness-3.html
Get well soon, Dave.
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Great stuff, If you do need and help with this sort of thing you know where I am.
Stefan - this is the easiest part of the "business", so no worries
Now, painting polka dots will soon become an issue.
Jason: I'll echo the advice re Baltic Birch plywood - and not just for the weight and hazardous dust issues.
As seen on the last few pages of the plan set, which ever way you cut it, the curved shape of the side panels does affect the efficiency of material break out, and even a tightly nested CNC pattern ignoring grain direction (which I prefer not to do) will require more than a single 4x8 sheet - in fact as little as slightly less than 1.25 sheets. The Euro size of 5x5 still requires 2 sheets per pair, but with less remaining off cuts.
I actually lay my own cut patterns differently than as drawn, since our flat pack kits are CNC'ed, which while requiring wider spacing between parts for tool bit clearance than a standard saw kerf, does allow for closer nesting. They include dadoes on the outside panels, which also affects their orientation on the panels.
ps - I realize I may have forwarded you my preliminary shop copy of the plan set - the more recent one will follow - it should amount to 13 pages
Now, painting polka dots will soon become an issue.
Jason: I'll echo the advice re Baltic Birch plywood - and not just for the weight and hazardous dust issues.
As seen on the last few pages of the plan set, which ever way you cut it, the curved shape of the side panels does affect the efficiency of material break out, and even a tightly nested CNC pattern ignoring grain direction (which I prefer not to do) will require more than a single 4x8 sheet - in fact as little as slightly less than 1.25 sheets. The Euro size of 5x5 still requires 2 sheets per pair, but with less remaining off cuts.
I actually lay my own cut patterns differently than as drawn, since our flat pack kits are CNC'ed, which while requiring wider spacing between parts for tool bit clearance than a standard saw kerf, does allow for closer nesting. They include dadoes on the outside panels, which also affects their orientation on the panels.
ps - I realize I may have forwarded you my preliminary shop copy of the plan set - the more recent one will follow - it should amount to 13 pages
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Thank you all for the information & recommendations of BB Ply over MDF.
Yes, MDF dust is just awful & for that reason alone makes BB Ply much more appealing.
I'd planed on coating the wood with a water based, acrylic sand texture coating, applied at 2 coats at 3mm total thickness for a custom finish. I've used this on 2 of my other projects & IMO looks quite nice.
This is what it looks like... Pics are not the best quality, my apologies.
I'm sure this sand texture will help to dampen cabinet resonances. I can colour this material any colour i like!
I should mention that i created it, as my job is developing decorative surface coatings for the building industry.
I'm not one to knock back good advice and the BB ply seems to be to best option for the best result.
Cheers!
Jason
Yes, MDF dust is just awful & for that reason alone makes BB Ply much more appealing.
I'd planed on coating the wood with a water based, acrylic sand texture coating, applied at 2 coats at 3mm total thickness for a custom finish. I've used this on 2 of my other projects & IMO looks quite nice.
This is what it looks like... Pics are not the best quality, my apologies.
I'm sure this sand texture will help to dampen cabinet resonances. I can colour this material any colour i like!
I should mention that i created it, as my job is developing decorative surface coatings for the building industry.
I'm not one to knock back good advice and the BB ply seems to be to best option for the best result.
Cheers!
Jason