Olivia Chang

[Spassgeneral]

So, after checking my budget, my decision between chili and olivia fell on Olivia.
After I build a pair of fostex fe168ez rec just using a circular hand sew, I wanted to go the easy way now.
I went to our local Obi-market and paid only 27,- Euro for the cutted wood.
So I just have to glue the parts.





So far by now.
The fostex did not arrive yet, so I have time to to do the finish and the damping.
now my question: How to damp the chamber?
Line the inside walls withvelt? Put in some wadding? If so, how much?

do I need a baffe step correction with these?
thanks in advance
Der Spassgeneral

[hermanv]

Wadding expands the apparent chamber volume, but does little or nothing for internal reflections.

I like felt, untreated or raw wool about 1/2" (1 to 1.5 cm) thick all around the driver walls, being careful not to block the port slots. Also many feel that there shouldn't be any felt on the mounting baffle wall.

[Kensai]

The general advice I've seen about by folks I would trust is to line the back, either the top or the bottom and one side wall with felt or cork or a layer of batting.

Kensai

[Nanook]

Go get some automotive acrylic spray on primers and spray the inside and outside with it. Go get some automotive spray lacquer paint in a colour that you or your partner (or both) like. Take your time and scuff the primer, and use a tack rag to remove and sanding "dust". Spray the enclosures in several light coats, scuffing each lightly until you reach 3 or 4 coats. and then stop (most important in areas that will be visible. No need to build up layers inside the "box" or behind it, but do get a good coat of the paint in there)....

when the drivers arrive , install them and enjoy. Your enclosures do look quite good.

stew

[hermanv]

Originally posted by Kensai
The general advice I've seen about by folks I would trust is to line the back, either the top or the bottom and one side wall with felt or cork or a layer of batting.

Kensai

This one reflective one absorbent is a good idea for listening rooms to prevent them from sounding too dead. I'm not too sure it's a good idea for driver enclosures.

It might be easy enough to try it both ways, whatever sounds good to you is the only rule worth following - enjoy your new speakers.

[Scottmoose]

The object is to kill standing waves without over-damping. So opposing walls generally works well.

Wool carpet underlay is a cheap & effective material for damping purposes.

[Spassgeneral]

They are ready to play now.
I glued some bracing in, lined the inside walls with carpet, put in a little bit of wadding and connected the fe127e.
Everything is perfectly sealed, but there is very little bass. I know the fostex have to break in, my fe168ez changed heavily during the first 40 hours of playing, but I think the sound too thin. The fr diagram let me think there would be usable output to 50 hz. I don't use bsc so far. The enclosures stand tight to the back wall, so baffle step is not the main issue I think.
May be I just have to be patient to hear how the little fostex break in.

[Spassgeneral]

@ nanook
This is exactly, what I want to do.
They will become grey-metallic. Colour of my wifes car.

[Scottmoose]

Naturally. They require a circuit & some breaking in of the driver. These boxes are not intended to go particularly low however -they're for partnering with separate woofers.

[Scottmoose]

Re-reading your post, I do hope you didn't line them with carpet? That's far too thick / heavy & will kill what LF I designed into them. They don't need very much. Adding still more wadding will just make things even worse. It's thin, wool carpet underlay that's the stuff to use, & not on every face, but on opposite faces (e.g. top, one side-wall, and back), as I mentioned. That's more than sufficient & will provide a damped sound.

Give the drivers a week to break in, and if you're still not happy (unlikely if they're over-damped), rip out all the lining & wadding you put in the chamber, save for a small piece directly behind the driver, and a small amount on the bottom. That should make them good for ~70 - 80Hz in-room, as intended. Make sure the throats are clear too.