Almost any material can be used, if you know how to get the best out of it. MDF and ply are relatively simple to use, metals, glass, stone, etc, generally take far more understanding and are harder to use for DIY. If you work at a machine shop, stonemasons, glassworks (as I used to), then it might be worth using "exotic" materials.
Everything has resonances, be they high or low Q, and need controlling or using. My speakers are a birch ply/MDF sandwich with curved and sand filled outer panels. Very heavy, very thick and fairly dead. But nothing is totally dead, and some things (MDF, IMO) kill the sound. Stick to tried and tested DIY materials until you have enough experience to make your own mind up.
Everything has resonances, be they high or low Q, and need controlling or using. My speakers are a birch ply/MDF sandwich with curved and sand filled outer panels. Very heavy, very thick and fairly dead. But nothing is totally dead, and some things (MDF, IMO) kill the sound. Stick to tried and tested DIY materials until you have enough experience to make your own mind up.
Thank you
Regarding this:
So technically, creating a very well designed aluminum enclosure, can be as "hard" as simply designing it on a computer and clicking print..
You don't need to buy the printer, since metal 3D Printers are highly expensive. you can simply send it to one of the services online that do 3D Printing and support metal materials.
See this service for example:
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/
Tho the price for metal 3D Printing is not cheap at all. That's the only disadvantage..
Regarding this:
You know that today, it is possible to 3D Print objects not only with ABS/PLA, but also with metals..
So technically, creating a very well designed aluminum enclosure, can be as "hard" as simply designing it on a computer and clicking print..
You don't need to buy the printer, since metal 3D Printers are highly expensive. you can simply send it to one of the services online that do 3D Printing and support metal materials.
See this service for example:
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/
Tho the price for metal 3D Printing is not cheap at all. That's the only disadvantage..
Allow me to use a ready-made quote:
I don't know..
But I do know the technique mostly used to melt the metal parts, is laser
This pendant for example, was made with metal 3D Printing:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Designing it on a computer takes less than a minute
Last edited:
Yes, though this assumes of course that there's no need for any sort of durability/portability, i.e. kids, pets, etc.. Note too that it will need a fairly massive base, minor bracing unless fairly thick panels are used.
GM
Good for high Qt drivers or where the panels are small, such as when using 1x4 thru 1x8 boards.
GM
Isn't this the one folks are using in foamcore cabs, which BTW would be fine for his high Qt driver?
GM
OK .. i'm going to jump in here.... I think unless your going to play it louder than normal
wood material does not matter as long as its built solid.. I built a set of altec 19s... and everyone said do not use real wood.....The guy who built the cabinets told me the fronts and backs had to be plywood to keep the outside from cracking at a later time..
I have had them for 3 weeks and I don't hear anything that I don't think belongs.
I have played them LOUD A FEW TIMES.. but normally I listen to just louder then the human voice......I think the main thing with any speaker cabinet is it has to be solid so it cant flex.. the louder you play them the more solid the cabinet needs be..........
wood material does not matter as long as its built solid.. I built a set of altec 19s... and everyone said do not use real wood.....The guy who built the cabinets told me the fronts and backs had to be plywood to keep the outside from cracking at a later time..
I have had them for 3 weeks and I don't hear anything that I don't think belongs.
I have played them LOUD A FEW TIMES.. but normally I listen to just louder then the human voice......I think the main thing with any speaker cabinet is it has to be solid so it cant flex.. the louder you play them the more solid the cabinet needs be..........
(quote)Been away, 2 tons for a 4' x 8' sheet (4608 sq.") ain't much pressure. On a 4" x 6" piece that would be 8-10 textbooks. Balsa will need about 1/4 the pressure of birch. So 3 textbooks should do.
There are many more things to take into consideration than how much pressure a plywood manufacturer applys to its lamination.
There are many more things to take into consideration than how much pressure a plywood manufacturer applys to its lamination.
SIZE DOES MATTER
The shape and size of the cabinet has everything to do with the sound...
I do think that some building materials might sound a little different at higher levels... but if there is sound deadening material used in the cabinet
its going to be less pronounced ...
Just my thinking but the cabinet structure is important ..
A speaker cabinet should be ridged..... but that's just common since..
The shape and size of the cabinet has everything to do with the sound...
I do think that some building materials might sound a little different at higher levels... but if there is sound deadening material used in the cabinet
its going to be less pronounced ...
Just my thinking but the cabinet structure is important ..
A speaker cabinet should be ridged..... but that's just common since..
Unless your building a thin wall lossy cabinet. BBC-style thin-wall cabinets. Why so special? - Harbeth: made in the UK since 1977 - the world's most natural sounding loudspeakers
Heres a bit of a forgotten one http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/mult...ead-i-found-lossy-cabinet-designs-harbeth.htm
The highest pressure I have seen is to veneer pieces and that can run to 15 PSI. If you try that with balsa wood you will crush the wood. I get good results making curved loudspeaker cabinets at 2-3 psi using poplar with a two part epoxy. I don't use the formaldehyde leaking common adhesives.
I have tried about 20 different commercial adhesives and am happiest with the epoxy. It has good control over the viscosity and cure time. Normal PVA based adhesives required higher pressure and ended up not as durable. Not really a good choice, but for a small piece of balsa wood should do okay.
The hard part was originally sourcing the lamination wood. But I found one of the suppliers who was happy to sell it to me as long as I bought sizes thay already made. Shipping of course is tricky as the humidity in transit also has to be controlled.
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.