What are the characteristics of a better material for enclosure?

[Geek]

Originally posted by 56oval
Steel plate for speaker cab's ,why shouldn't it work .

Actually, I just bought a pait of TransSonic speakers for the shop that are built like a tank - either cast or steel, I haven't checked with a magnet, but they're really tiny (6" or so high) and weigh nearly as much as my Aura 2-way bookshelf units

I like them 'cause they stay put on the shelf when the tools are shaking the place up

Cheers!

[johnthedoctor]

Is £40 a sheet cheap for marine ply? No idea what the sheet price is for less than 20 but I'm having no luck trying to find a UK Baltic Birch plywood supplier online.

What sort of questions should I be asking them before ordering?

Oops...forgot the link

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...tab%3DWatching

[planet10]

Originally posted by johnthedoctor
Is £40 a sheet cheap for marine ply? No idea what the sheet price is for less than 20 but I'm having no luck trying to find a UK Baltic Birch plywood supplier online.

As i understand it, finding any plywood at all in the UK can be a challenge.

dave

[nigelwright7557]

Originally posted by planet10


As i understand it, finding any plywood at all in the UK can be a challenge.

dave

I usually get mine from B&Q.
Its not cheap and tends to come in smaller sheets.

[SimontY]

I bought some GORGEOUS stuff from Arnold Laver. It's not hard to find at all. The big name DIY stores sell it, but for good stuff it's maybe not so easy.

What I bought was 25mm baltic birch and it was £80 for a sheet. It's very high quality though! Almost finished my open baffles I'm making with it...

[rdf]

Originally posted by 56oval
Steel plate for speaker cab's ,why shouldn't it work .

Rings like a bellllllllllllll...... I've done it. Try layers of aluminum instead. Two 1/4 sheets atop on another, without damping layer, already sound close to granite on a tap test. Much, much, much easier to damp than steel and no real practical difference in wall flex.

[johnthedoctor]

I've looked for a list of what to ask the the plywood suppliers but haven't found a proper list of questions yet.

If I've read it correctly, it's ok if the manufacturers made a circular hole in a ply and then plugged it, does that count as 'void free'?

[SimontY]

Mine has one or two plugged holes (knot removal) like that, and it looks fine. I think to look at it you can tell if it's good stuff or not. You want baltic birch with many plys - the more the better, and the thicker (overall) the better. Mine wasn't sold as void-free but from cutting and examining edges I'd say it's "nearly void-free".

[JC951t]

Hi Guys,

My findings is that using different enclosure materials
for the same cabinet design does equate to slightly
different sound reproduction. One thing for sure is that
stiff & non resonant cabinet is not for me. Many people
or articles have been preaching about cabinets colouring
the sound but another question arises. With so many types
of speakers cone materials available, which type is true to
sound reproduction ? Do the speakers by itself not color the
sound ? Perhaps building cabinets should be done the same
way as building amplifiers. Mix & match parts to aquire the sound
that we're looking for.

[johnthedoctor]

I think to look at it you can tell if it's good stuff or not

That rules out the ebay listings and picking up the phone and having a merchant deliver if you don't know what the minimum specs should be.