Hi all,
Just thought I'd share some pics + info on my latest stuff.
Go here for some pictures and a small bit of info on the bookshelves I'm building for my Home Theatre.
And go here for all the latest info on my DIY subwoofer, including a video of it in action (Mmmmm.... excursion
I'll be updating the speaker page once I've got some more time, and when Madisound get around to sending me my xover components.
Just thought I'd share some pics + info on my latest stuff.
Go here for some pictures and a small bit of info on the bookshelves I'm building for my Home Theatre.
And go here for all the latest info on my DIY subwoofer, including a video of it in action (Mmmmm.... excursion
I'll be updating the speaker page once I've got some more time, and when Madisound get around to sending me my xover components.
The driver choices were primarily based on the manufacturers data, with a secondary consideration to price and availability to New Zealand.
I was initially going to go with the classic P17/D27 Vifa combo that is tried and true, but the availability dried up (and the price went up) just as I was about to order. Thus, I made a decision to go for the far cheaper (and newer) TC series of drivers. The mid-woofer uses a molded plastic chassis, but it's easily strong enough. These woofers and tweeters were previously only available for OEM dealers, and have been used in some fairly high-end speakers.
Now I just need to get the order from Madisound sorted - they sent the wrong components first time around - so I can get the speakers finished for a decent listening session.
And then there's the stands to build, and... Lucky it's Anzac Day on Friday!
Cheers,
Jonathan
I was initially going to go with the classic P17/D27 Vifa combo that is tried and true, but the availability dried up (and the price went up) just as I was about to order. Thus, I made a decision to go for the far cheaper (and newer) TC series of drivers. The mid-woofer uses a molded plastic chassis, but it's easily strong enough. These woofers and tweeters were previously only available for OEM dealers, and have been used in some fairly high-end speakers.
Now I just need to get the order from Madisound sorted - they sent the wrong components first time around
- so I can get the speakers finished for a decent listening session.And then there's the stands to build, and... Lucky it's Anzac Day on Friday!
Cheers,
Jonathan
G'day Jonathan,
Good to catchup with you on this forum (a bit more active than the audioenz one eh?
I must admit - you've done a great job on the cabinet finish. Ok Im biased - but I think NZ Rimu beats most other native timbers I've seen speakers finished in. (My study desk is made from timber from the old Hunter building @ Vic uni when it was demo'd! - hopefully a bit of educational excellence rubs off on me!)
I've changed from Vifa to Peerless speakers. Out of interest - can you tell me what the shipping was from madisound? (and whether you used ground, air, even express!)
I want to build the AR.com DIY kit. Ed Frias has recommended I do not substitute tweeters - otherwise I'd buy from citysouthelectronics.com.au (excellent on-line service).
Hey sub excursion - you can't beat it (I love it when my wife says she can feel the pressure changes in her ears!)
Cheers,
Dave.
Good to catchup with you on this forum (a bit more active than the audioenz one eh?
I must admit - you've done a great job on the cabinet finish. Ok Im biased - but I think NZ Rimu beats most other native timbers I've seen speakers finished in. (My study desk is made from timber from the old Hunter building @ Vic uni when it was demo'd! - hopefully a bit of educational excellence rubs off on me!)
I've changed from Vifa to Peerless speakers. Out of interest - can you tell me what the shipping was from madisound? (and whether you used ground, air, even express!)
I want to build the AR.com DIY kit. Ed Frias has recommended I do not substitute tweeters - otherwise I'd buy from citysouthelectronics.com.au (excellent on-line service).
Hey sub excursion - you can't beat it (I love it when my wife says she can feel the pressure changes in her ears!)
Cheers,
Dave.
Hi Dave,
Shipping from Madisound was US$37 for a 7 pound package. That is Fedex express. It was ordered on the Tuesday before Easter, and was in the country good Friday. Arrived at my place early Tuesday morning. The third business day by my reckoning.
Airmail would have been a smidgen cheaper at around US$26, but would take 2 weeks or so. It's also a pain if anything goes "missing" whilst travelling across the Pacific. Madisound do not do surface.
It probably wouldn't be all that much cheaper with a smaller order as far as postage goes. I've been quoted US$35 for a 4 pound package in the past.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Shipping from Madisound was US$37 for a 7 pound package. That is Fedex express. It was ordered on the Tuesday before Easter, and was in the country good Friday. Arrived at my place early Tuesday morning. The third business day by my reckoning.
Airmail would have been a smidgen cheaper at around US$26, but would take 2 weeks or so. It's also a pain if anything goes "missing" whilst travelling across the Pacific. Madisound do not do surface.
It probably wouldn't be all that much cheaper with a smaller order as far as postage goes. I've been quoted US$35 for a 4 pound package in the past.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jonathan
woodworking question
Hi Jonathan,
Love the look of your cabinets!
Can you comment on your cabinet technique?
It looks like you have laminated 'real wood' (not veneer) over an MDF skeleton. But I can't tell from the photos how the joins were made (which is a good thing!).
How did you get such seemless joints? Is each panel (baffle, top, left side, right side, etc.) a seperate piece of wood?
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Pete
Hi Jonathan,
Love the look of your cabinets!
Can you comment on your cabinet technique?
It looks like you have laminated 'real wood' (not veneer) over an MDF skeleton. But I can't tell from the photos how the joins were made (which is a good thing!).
How did you get such seemless joints? Is each panel (baffle, top, left side, right side, etc.) a seperate piece of wood?
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Pete
How the cabinets were done..
Hi Pete,
The cabinets were all built similar (Both sub and speakers). First an MDF box was made. Just butt jointed and glued+screwed. Process was: Start with back, glue on sides overlapping the back. Glue on top and bottom overlapping back and sides. Glue on front baffle. Then after a quick sand down to make sure all sides are nice and flat, glue the finishing timber on.
For the speakers, the timber was 90x6mm. I glued 2 and a bit pieces on to the front baffle and the rear panel, overlapping the edges a bit, clamping it good and proper both to the cabinet, and to each other. Then I ran a router around each piece with a patterning bit cutting them flush with the MDF panels. Then the sides went on in the same fashion, and were cut flush with the router once again. This gives a box that is wrapped in the Rimu. Then the top and bottom were done. Lastly, everything is sanded down, then rounded over on every edge (Vertical edges first, then around the top and bottom). Finally sand everything up and route the driver holes etc.
Hope the above makes sense.
Took about 3 weeks to laminate up my 5 speaker boxes, as I could only do a side or two a day due to the # of clamps involved (8-10 each side) and having to work!!
I can't wait now to get the xover components together and finish them off.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Hi Pete,
The cabinets were all built similar (Both sub and speakers). First an MDF box was made. Just butt jointed and glued+screwed. Process was: Start with back, glue on sides overlapping the back. Glue on top and bottom overlapping back and sides. Glue on front baffle. Then after a quick sand down to make sure all sides are nice and flat, glue the finishing timber on.
For the speakers, the timber was 90x6mm. I glued 2 and a bit pieces on to the front baffle and the rear panel, overlapping the edges a bit, clamping it good and proper both to the cabinet, and to each other. Then I ran a router around each piece with a patterning bit cutting them flush with the MDF panels. Then the sides went on in the same fashion, and were cut flush with the router once again. This gives a box that is wrapped in the Rimu. Then the top and bottom were done. Lastly, everything is sanded down, then rounded over on every edge (Vertical edges first, then around the top and bottom). Finally sand everything up and route the driver holes etc.
Hope the above makes sense.
Took about 3 weeks to laminate up my 5 speaker boxes, as I could only do a side or two a day due to the # of clamps involved (8-10 each side) and having to work!!
I can't wait now to get the xover components together and finish them off.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Dave,
Here's something to try re: shipping for those Peerless tweeters from the States. Speaker City is on the West Coast. Go to their site, add what you want to the shopping cart and then click on "check out". It will load an applet that asks for your address, etc. Put in everything except credit card information and then click "send order". You'll get an error message about the card information. At that point, click the back button to get to the shopping cart. It will now have the shipping quote as well.
Parts Express also carries the Peerless tweeter for the AR-DIY and you can get a shipping quote there before ordering as well.
Luck!
Here's something to try re: shipping for those Peerless tweeters from the States. Speaker City is on the West Coast. Go to their site, add what you want to the shopping cart and then click on "check out". It will load an applet that asks for your address, etc. Put in everything except credit card information and then click "send order". You'll get an error message about the card information. At that point, click the back button to get to the shopping cart. It will now have the shipping quote as well.
Parts Express also carries the Peerless tweeter for the AR-DIY and you can get a shipping quote there before ordering as well.
Luck!
BigDaddy,
Thanks for the tip!. I've asked Madisound for a quote. do speakercity sell XO components? (I couldn't find them on their site)?
I want to order the XO components as well - since the ones in NZ are well... crappy (it is capacitors that are the issue, and I don't fancy winding my own inductors being a first project). Most of the inductors in NZ use high guage copper and are have at least 1 Ohm resistance! (I suppose I could factor this in in the xover design...)
Dave.
Thanks for the tip!. I've asked Madisound for a quote. do speakercity sell XO components? (I couldn't find them on their site)?
I want to order the XO components as well - since the ones in NZ are well... crappy (it is capacitors that are the issue, and I don't fancy winding my own inductors being a first project). Most of the inductors in NZ use high guage copper and are have at least 1 Ohm resistance! (I suppose I could factor this in in the xover design...)
Dave.
Thanks alphaGeek,
Sorry I was so lazy guys - feel like a dufus for not finding the XO catalog on speakercity before....
I wish we had such god parts suppliers in our region (there must be someone decent in australia - I'll do some digging).
FYI.... the PE calculator says that shipping for parts only (eg. no cabinet) for a 2-way project will be US$81!!! (which will cost me about NZD$160 - so you can see my rationale).
PS: Jonathan - sorry for threadjacking!
Dave.
Sorry I was so lazy guys - feel like a dufus for not finding the XO catalog on speakercity before....
I wish we had such god parts suppliers in our region (there must be someone decent in australia - I'll do some digging).
FYI.... the PE calculator says that shipping for parts only (eg. no cabinet) for a 2-way project will be US$81!!! (which will cost me about NZD$160 - so you can see my rationale).
PS: Jonathan - sorry for threadjacking!
Dave.
No worries.
Hopefully you can find some decent parts sources that won't cost you an arm and a leg!
I believe there are some Solen (caps) distributors somewhere in Oz - don't know where though.
Oh - Did you get my message regarding the extras I've got? If not, drop me a PM or email.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Hopefully you can find some decent parts sources that won't cost you an arm and a leg!
I believe there are some Solen (caps) distributors somewhere in Oz - don't know where though.
Oh - Did you get my message regarding the extras I've got? If not, drop me a PM or email.
Cheers,
Jonathan
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