Anyone ever use Corian(TM) to build speaker enclosures?

[GlidingDutchman]

Anyone ever use Corian(TM) to build DIY speaker enclosures?

Looks like Mark & Daniel Audio use it to build their stunning monitors...

GD

[AMV8]

Hi

Yes I have used Corian to build a mid range enclosure and I am still using it for listening each day.

Some details of my system

I use a 5" direct connected ( no crossover ) wide range mid unit. This is helped in the base by a 10" unit with a 1st order low pass filter. It is helped in the high end by a 1" soft dome tweeter with a 1st order high pass filter. The first order filters are designed to match the fall off in the mid units performance.

So, with a direct connected mid range unit I have a very sensative system that reveals a lot of detail in the music.

I found that a very rigid mid cabinet was necessary. I generally copied the Wilson Watt leaning pyramid cabinet shape and made it in Corian. The base cabinet is just 1" wood as I found rigidity lass critical to my hearing in that cabinet.

I still use the Corian cabinet - It was made some 8 or 9 years ago.

Don

[sdclc126]

I believe Corian is a type of "phenolic resin" which is supposed to be one of the least resonant materials known, making it ideal for loudspeaker cabinets.

As best I remember, Wilson Audio uses it for their speakers; in this case the cabinets are moulded so there are fewer individual sides to connect, probably contributing to cabinet deadness - something that would be difficult to DIY.

But cutting and fastening the panels properly should give a decent result.

[AMV8]

Hi

Out of interest I have two sets of speakers that use Corian cabinets. In one case I had the mid cabinet cast in Corian - at great cost. In the other case I made the cabinet from sheets of corian that I connected with Acrylic glue. I could not detect any difference in sound between the two speakers. The cast cabinet looks the part however.

Don

[sdclc126]

AMV8 -

Out of curiosity do you have any photos of the speakers?

Thanks.

[AMV8]

Hi

I have not taken any pictures of the speakers. However I copied the wilson Watt leaning pyramid design. Mine look like a "rougher" version of WW speakers.

The first set of WW copies I made were in 1 1/2" thick concrete ( I began my working life as a civil engineer ) and they also sounded good. However my wife wanted something better looking so I made two sets in Corian - one for each of the two audio systems that I use.

Don

[Hezz]

My understanding is that Corian is not phenolic but an acrylic mineral composite. I don't think phenolic is a food grade plastic. It was widely believed that Wilson uses this along with phenolic composite panels. Hence the X and M materials.

In my opinion it would be better to use Rockport Technologies type construction. Unless you are making small enclosures the molded fiberglass epoxy shell with poured epoxy foam core will be better than corian performance wise and also probably less expensive.

You can also make your own pourable corian type stuff from sand and general purpose epoxy resin. THe cavity should be filled completely with sand and the epoxy resin filling all the empty air space so you only need about 20-25 percent of the cavity volume in epoxy. That is an estimate. You can also add dye and colored sand to the mix but if it's coated with fiberglass and epoxy composite skin of course the color will not matter.

Ideally the skin should be as strong and rigid as possible and the core dense and lossy. Foaming agents can also be added to the epoxy to make it foam and in this case you may not want the sand in there. But you may want some loose random fibers of some kind.

There is also the possibility of lead shot mixed with the core material.

[Hennie]

Originally posted by Hezz
My understanding is that Corian is not phenolic but an acrylic mineral composite. I don't think phenolic is a food grade plastic. It was widely believed that Wilson uses this along with phenolic composite panels. Hence the X and M materials.

Yes Corian is a mineral loaded acrylic. Wilson uses this as well as a phenolic resin laminate.