Clearwave RBR Build

[Ashley_May]

Due to another severe spate of upgradeitis I have been searching for replacement fronts that offer a significant improvement over my trusty Epos M5 fronts.

My M5s are lovely and transparent, open and detailed, but as always, better can be had. Being a DIY convert earlier this year (built a Rythmik audio DS12) many a long night has been spent searching for a good kit. I settled on the Clearwave RBR from madisound - a reference level standmount at an incredible price.

Clearwave RBR 'recession buster reference'

Info on the design here

I’ll be building the sealed version as the sub would negate the need for a ported version. I’m hoping to add some interest to the side of the boxes with surfacing as below...maybe in gloss white, maybe in gloss black, still undecided. The front baffle will be 1.5" thick, and the side walls 3/4" thick, plus an external 'surfacing layer'. At this stage, I need to work out an optimum cutting plan for the MDF.

My question is...will subtle surface changes on the side walls (see below) negatively affect diffraction?

Any input appreciated,

Ash

[Ashley_May]

More images

[Ashley_May]

And the components

[picowallspeaker]

If you feel the urgency to create a (fake?) cabinet - monopole -like -behavior then why don't just duplicate the angled shape to both sides ?
Cheers!

[Ashley_May]

Thanks for the reply. A fake cabinet? If you mean the CAD, I did this to proof the design, and the angles will be on both sides. Can you elaborate on 'monopole-like-behaviour',

Thanks!

[picowallspeaker]

Nothing mysterious , nothing serious ...!
I was referring to the cabinet as the extension of speaker behavior , which shouldn't be true in reality , as it is a *negation* of the speaker itself , like a bird in a cage.
The pictures are excellent - I mean the design - and many changes like a total non-parallel sides can be done .
I would try an experimental box by making a baffle with curved edges on the sides , leaving the tweeter external and using a large PVC pipe as woofer air mass load.

[Inductor]

Ashley_May,
Test the front baffle shape with the help of a software (like Edge or other). The curved edges (picowallspeaker) are not proved to be better or anything like that (not enough experience), is just a matter of (taste) localizing the speakers in the room in a different way. So the better way is testing I agree (I mean here the shape of the edges of the baffle, and not the side walls that have more to do in a different way).

[picowallspeaker]

What's written above is totally true . I use two cubic cardboard boxes with inexpensive off-the-radio speakers connected to 1 W germanium amps for listening to my music . I don't even care to put them on conical feet for mechanical separation.
Sitting in front of the computer smokin' cigarettes is just blowing my mind and the body.
Cheers!

[5th element]

Jed also designed the loudspeaker around the exact baffle and mounted driver geometry. I wouldn't touch that if you want to make sure the xover works exactly as intended.

[Ashley_May]

Thanks guys. I wouldn't want to change the baffle / driver geometry or anything critical to undermine Jeds plans. I understand the enclosure shouldn't impose anything on the sound, which is why the internal enclosure is exactly as Jed designed. The external skin the on side walls and rear baffle is purely for aesthetic purposes. (just to make it clear!)

Therefore the internal diffraction should remain the same, but it is the external diffraction I'm concerned with. Your right, I suppose the only way is to test it. Rather than construct a fake cabinet, I may as well proceed with Jeds exact plans, and then temporarily stick on the thin CNC 'surfaced' MDF to the outside and do comparitive listening tests.