A166 build pictures

cwujek · 3rd August 2007, 04:08 AM

Just mostly finished up a pair of Rons beautiful A166 design. Couldn't have done it without the help of Roger Treis. Built like a tank, biscuit joints really could have kept this thing together without glue....This is my first DIY speaker build, big thanks to all those who helped along the way (especially Ron for designing them!), and for answering all my dumb questions...I'm waiting for some binding posts so I can glue on the other side and attach the baffles. Had some spare CAT5 cable around, so I figured it would be a good option for the interior wiring of the cab (seems to be pretty popular). One twisted pair per speaker. Blue jean cable will hook up to the binding posts and run the rest of the way to the amplifier (I have multiple tube amps I'm eager to try out). I'll update with more pictures once I do the finishing sanding/work out a viable finish. Veneer is tempting, but it's also a lot of work/money with no sonic benefit. I have read about some good plywood finishing options on this site, so I may give one of them a go. Thanks again everyone, I can't wait to actually hear these things!

verk · 3rd August 2007, 05:01 AM

BEAUTIFUL

Make mine look a little shabby!

Verk

planet10 · 3rd August 2007, 05:56 AM

Nice... can i use them images for the frugal-horn site?

dave

cwujek · 3rd August 2007, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by planet10
Nice... can i use them images for the frugal-horn site?

dave

Fine with me. I'll also take some better pictures with good lighting....those are just some quick shots for tonight....

planet10 · 3rd August 2007, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cwujek

Fine with me. I'll also take some better pictures with good lighting....those are just some quick shots for tonight....

ronc · 6th August 2007, 11:19 PM

Excellent job!

I truly hope you build the deflectors as they are a major performance gain insofar as quality/quantity of bass response.

ron

cwujek · 7th August 2007, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ronc
Excellent job!

I truly hope you build the deflectors as they are a major performance gain insofar as quality/quantity of bass response.

ron

Those will be built within the next two or three days. They will also be built with the 45 degree top instead of a flat top. Would it matter if I used MDF for these deflectors? Would save me a little money, but I would rather do these right than save a few bucks. Right now, I'm working out some small minute details. Binding posts arrived, but they are the wrong ones....

Rush ordered another pair this afternoon, hopefully I can get these done by the end of the week. Finishing is another area I am uncertain about. I have plenty of quartered mahogany paper backed veneer that I could use, but tung-oil or terry cains polyurthane/beeswax finish also is equally appealing. Sorting through lots of posts here on DIYaudio trying to make up my mind. If I did use some sort of poly/tung oil finish, could I round the corners a little without having to worry about any sonic losses? By the way, my baffle actually turned out to be a 12.2 inch square instead of the 12.7 inch square it is supposed to be (thats all the room I had for the material I had left, did not want to have to purchase another 5x5 sheet). I really am dying to get these done, I'm trying to do them right without rushing things.

ronc · 7th August 2007, 01:46 AM

MDF will work fine. The whole object is to reflect the wavefront so essentially it becomes a front firing horn. I would sand/kitty load the deflectors to provide the maximum energy reflection

.could I round the corners a little without having to worry about any sonic losses

Please do, if stick on padding is used there will be an adsorbation of the higher frequencies. Now everyone jumps up and down about proper corners being not required, but the loss in energy in an un-radius corner is large. And considering the wavelength of the higher frequencies, thy will never make it beyond the 2nd bend

I attempt to design for a minimual loss in energy and an equal transference in energy between actions. That appears to give the best balance between the physical actions.

ron

cwujek · 19th August 2007, 01:31 AM

Well, I'm on vacation now, but I actually finished them last week. Built the deflectors out of Baltic Birch to make everything look nice and match. Listened to them for about an hour, almost stayed home from vacation....... They were being driven by a restored Sherwood S5000 tube amplifier, and it sounded absolutely amazing. I have an extremely cheap CD player (its a portable one!!!)/ RCA cables for now, my next step is to build or buy a good DAC. But honestly, I was blown away. This is my first DIY speaker project, and I have never owned a nice stereo. I have a pair of Eico Hf12 mono amplifiers that will actually be the main amplifiers intended for these speakers. I am almost finished restoring them, should be a few days and I'll finish those up. More pictures to come. Ron, you really have a winner here. Now all I need to do is figure out what I'm going to do for a DAC/CD player....

cwujek · 21st August 2007, 10:59 PM

Well, took a break from listening to Leo Kottke and took some pictures. I have not applied a finish yet, as I was to desperate to just listen to them.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/cwujek/hd001.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/cwujek/hd009.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/cwujek/hd008.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/cwujek/hd007.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/cwujek/hd006.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/cwujek/hd002.jpg

3rd August 2007, 04:08 AM	#1
cwujek diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Seattle, WA	A166 build pictures Just mostly finished up a pair of Rons beautiful A166 design. Couldn't have done it without the help of Roger Treis. Built like a tank, biscuit joints really could have kept this thing together without glue....This is my first DIY speaker build, big thanks to all those who helped along the way (especially Ron for designing them!), and for answering all my dumb questions...I'm waiting for some binding posts so I can glue on the other side and attach the baffles. Had some spare CAT5 cable around, so I figured it would be a good option for the interior wiring of the cab (seems to be pretty popular). One twisted pair per speaker. Blue jean cable will hook up to the binding posts and run the rest of the way to the amplifier (I have multiple tube amps I'm eager to try out). I'll update with more pictures once I do the finishing sanding/work out a viable finish. Veneer is tempting, but it's also a lot of work/money with no sonic benefit. I have read about some good plywood finishing options on this site, so I may give one of them a go. Thanks again everyone, I can't wait to actually hear these things!

3rd August 2007, 05:56 AM	#3
planet10 frugal-phile(tm) diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Victoria, BC, NA, Sol III Blog Entries: 5	Nice... can i use them images for the frugal-horn site? dave __________________ community sites t-linespeakers.org, frugal-horn.com, frugal-phile.com ........ commercial site planet10-HiFi p10-hifi forum here at diyA

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3rd August 2007, 05:01 AM	#2
verk diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: NZ	BEAUTIFUL Make mine look a little shabby! Verk

6th August 2007, 11:19 PM	#6
ronc diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2003	Excellent job! I truly hope you build the deflectors as they are a major performance gain insofar as quality/quantity of bass response. ron

7th August 2007, 01:46 AM	#8
ronc diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2003	MDF will work fine. The whole object is to reflect the wavefront so essentially it becomes a front firing horn. I would sand/kitty load the deflectors to provide the maximum energy reflection .could I round the corners a little without having to worry about any sonic losses Please do, if stick on padding is used there will be an adsorbation of the higher frequencies. Now everyone jumps up and down about proper corners being not required, but the loss in energy in an un-radius corner is large. And considering the wavelength of the higher frequencies, thy will never make it beyond the 2nd bend I attempt to design for a minimual loss in energy and an equal transference in energy between actions. That appears to give the best balance between the physical actions. ron

19th August 2007, 01:31 AM	#9
cwujek diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Seattle, WA	Well, I'm on vacation now, but I actually finished them last week. Built the deflectors out of Baltic Birch to make everything look nice and match. Listened to them for about an hour, almost stayed home from vacation....... They were being driven by a restored Sherwood S5000 tube amplifier, and it sounded absolutely amazing. I have an extremely cheap CD player (its a portable one!!!)/ RCA cables for now, my next step is to build or buy a good DAC. But honestly, I was blown away. This is my first DIY speaker project, and I have never owned a nice stereo. I have a pair of Eico Hf12 mono amplifiers that will actually be the main amplifiers intended for these speakers. I am almost finished restoring them, should be a few days and I'll finish those up. More pictures to come. Ron, you really have a winner here. Now all I need to do is figure out what I'm going to do for a DAC/CD player....

21st August 2007, 10:59 PM	#10
cwujek diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Seattle, WA	Well, took a break from listening to Leo Kottke and took some pictures. I have not applied a finish yet, as I was to desperate to just listen to them. http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/cwujek/hd001.jpg http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/cwujek/hd009.jpg http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/cwujek/hd008.jpg http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/cwujek/hd007.jpg http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/cwujek/hd006.jpg http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/cwujek/hd002.jpg