Just the equipment rack. I'll get a couple hundred hours on them before I try and sort out my impressions and placement. So far, their strengths outweigh their weaknesses so I'm feeling good about them.
I may try them with only the front driver with a board clamped over the side driver hole just to see what that is like. I'm sure the second drivers gives a lot of punch to the bass but I think they may be muddying things up somewhat at the top.
I may try them with only the front driver with a board clamped over the side driver hole just to see what that is like. I'm sure the second drivers gives a lot of punch to the bass but I think they may be muddying things up somewhat at the top.
I pulled the drivers and began sanding in preparation for finishing. I'm listening to my N2X's again. These are fine speakers that sound way better than a $500 pair should. But I'm missing the depth and punch of the Conistons.
Going to try a 62 uF cap across the side drivers when I get them back up and running. That will filter the highs out of that driver while still letting the bass through. May also try a super tweet on the back of the cabinets with a 1 uF cap to give that last bit of spatial air to the sound. But I'll wait for the drivers to break in before determining the need for that.
Going to try a 62 uF cap across the side drivers when I get them back up and running. That will filter the highs out of that driver while still letting the bass through. May also try a super tweet on the back of the cabinets with a 1 uF cap to give that last bit of spatial air to the sound. But I'll wait for the drivers to break in before determining the need for that.
Sanding by hand with blocks took most of yesterday. Started with 100 grit and on to 150 and finally 220. Vacuumed between grits and then finished with natural Danish Oil Finish that I had on hand. Great stuff and super easy.
Brought out the natural lustre of the birch with no fuss. The end grain is particularly pleasing.
Got them back up and running in now.
Brought out the natural lustre of the birch with no fuss. The end grain is particularly pleasing.
Got them back up and running in now.
Thank you for the kind words! I have experienced a long break in period on my N2X's. I'd say it was close to 500 hrs. but I was also breaking in the upgraded caps in the cross overs.
The bass and lower treble on these is phenomenal. When the upper registers catch up it's going to be sonic bliss! I still have to dope out bases and install terminal cups. Mickey Hart's Drumming on the edge of Magic on them is mind blowing.
For me the building is as satisfying as listening so I'm already noodling about the next project. Perhaps an H frame open baffle.
I've been doing some serious listening here for several days and I can say that these are keepers. They are absolutely brilliant on well recorded music.
They "bloom" at lower volume levels making listening more enjoyable for the household. I can listen deep into recordings deep in the night without disturbing anyone.
Been playing Jerry Garcia Band - Arista 1991. This is a live double CD and it's got some real jewels on it. Simple Twist of Fate is gorgeous. Jerry could play exceptional music right up to his untimely end. The band he assembled is very synergistic. The two black female vocalists are a perfect fit to the soulful nature of the album.
I'd like to build another pair of these with some aesthetic enhancements to the cabinets. Some burl veneer on the baffles and perhaps stacked birch plys on the upper and lower angled pieces in the horn mouths. I would also inspect the sheets of ply before cutting for pleasing grain patterns. These really jumped out with the Danish oil finish.
I have ordered parts for some tweaks that may help with over saturated music ( Neil Young's Down by the River etc. ) and will experiment with a rear mounted ribbon tweet but this is just gilding the lily really. What self respecting DIY'er does not like to fuss over things a bit? I'll start a separate thread on the mods. I may need some help and advice there.
Also would like to try some other amplification. Class D or a tube push pull.
My NAD stuff while good is rather vanilla. High end audio's fetish with neutrality became absurd and I think my current amp was affected or perhaps infected.
They "bloom" at lower volume levels making listening more enjoyable for the household. I can listen deep into recordings deep in the night without disturbing anyone.
Been playing Jerry Garcia Band - Arista 1991. This is a live double CD and it's got some real jewels on it. Simple Twist of Fate is gorgeous. Jerry could play exceptional music right up to his untimely end. The band he assembled is very synergistic. The two black female vocalists are a perfect fit to the soulful nature of the album.
I'd like to build another pair of these with some aesthetic enhancements to the cabinets. Some burl veneer on the baffles and perhaps stacked birch plys on the upper and lower angled pieces in the horn mouths. I would also inspect the sheets of ply before cutting for pleasing grain patterns. These really jumped out with the Danish oil finish.
I have ordered parts for some tweaks that may help with over saturated music ( Neil Young's Down by the River etc. ) and will experiment with a rear mounted ribbon tweet but this is just gilding the lily really. What self respecting DIY'er does not like to fuss over things a bit? I'll start a separate thread on the mods. I may need some help and advice there.
Also would like to try some other amplification. Class D or a tube push pull.
My NAD stuff while good is rather vanilla. High end audio's fetish with neutrality became absurd and I think my current amp was affected or perhaps infected.
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I've added a small bit of electronic wizardry to the Conistons courtesy of member John Bsuch. I mentioned to him that I wanted to attenuate the highs just a bit and he suggested the following: You can run an inductor and a resistor in parallel and cut the db of the upper end. I used an 0.85 low dcr inductor and a 10 watt 6 ohm resistor to accomplish this. I've got this wired up on the positive lead outside the cabinets now and the effect is pleasing. You are essentially raising the mids and lows in relation to the highs above about 4k. The speakers really do the disappearing act with this simple mod and that tells me the highs really did need attenuating.
There is a big difference in the highs between FM radio and other sources. You really don't need this mod for the FM but it works magic on cd's. It is also adjustable by varying the value of the resistor. I will try some lower resistance before I settle on a final value. And I'll make it switchable for FM listening and certain music that does not need the adjustment.
There is a big difference in the highs between FM radio and other sources. You really don't need this mod for the FM but it works magic on cd's. It is also adjustable by varying the value of the resistor. I will try some lower resistance before I settle on a final value. And I'll make it switchable for FM listening and certain music that does not need the adjustment.
I have not yet found a speaker for $250 that beats the sound of my Mar-Kel70. I guess i wont find any unless i build them myself.
Yes, i admit it's not the best looking speakers. But who cares. Add another $20-$30 and you got some nice paint or veneer on them
This will help me build Lotus^2
Motosapien, Very informative and enjoyable thread.
I am planning to build Lotus^2. Every now and then I see rave reviews about Sachiko (and now good words about Coniston), and I get really curious about double mouth horn sound. Sachiko is too big for me, and I would also have to buy new drivers. I was thinking of sending Scott a mail on becoming a beta tester for Victor, but then stumbled across Lotus...the dimensions are perfect for the space I have in mind and definitely has good WAF .
Got the plywood today. If evrything is right I might go for cutting on Friday.
Anyone can suggest alternatives for damping material for the compression chamber? Recycled denim is defintely not available here, wool felt - I will have to see... Fibre glass wool and Jute material - both can be found.
-Zia
Motosapien, Very informative and enjoyable thread.
I am planning to build Lotus^2. Every now and then I see rave reviews about Sachiko (and now good words about Coniston
), and I get really curious about double mouth horn sound. Sachiko is too big for me, and I would also have to buy new drivers. I was thinking of sending Scott a mail on becoming a beta tester for Victor, but then stumbled across Lotus...the dimensions are perfect for the space I have in mind and definitely has good WAF .Got the plywood today. If evrything is right I might go for cutting on Friday.
Anyone can suggest alternatives for damping material for the compression chamber? Recycled denim is defintely not available here, wool felt - I will have to see... Fibre glass wool and Jute material - both can be found.
-Zia
Zia,
I've read that fiberglass ceiling tiles work well for dampening the box. They are about 2 cm thick and can be cut to shape and glued to the insides of the box with carpenters glue. Leave it off the last side because it would have made gluing that last side on problematic. Do use the braces and lightly shim to the driver's backs. You will be pleased with the room filling sound and detail at moderate volumes.
I've read that fiberglass ceiling tiles work well for dampening the box. They are about 2 cm thick and can be cut to shape and glued to the insides of the box with carpenters glue. Leave it off the last side because it would have made gluing that last side on problematic. Do use the braces and lightly shim to the driver's backs. You will be pleased with the room filling sound and detail at moderate volumes.
This is a great point you make - these are characteristics I greatly appreciate and they make listening effortless and enjoyable.
-Zia
+1 I have been using Armstrong #420 ceiling tiles to line my cabinets for years. I usually line all walls. I then require little or no stuffing.
The #420 is only available in cases of 12, which is a little much for most DIY'ers. The #420 is 5/8" thick. THIS
is 1" thick and available in single 2'x4' panels.
Bob
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