B&W Nautilus clone anyone?

[Andrewbee]

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[jackies]

Welcome to 2006?
o.0

[Kilroy]

I love the Nautilus... I get that it's dated now and kind of goofy on some levels... But it's just a cool speaker... I have no idea what they sound like though...

I've always wondered if there was a way to do a cheap, excellent sounding DIY version sort of as a thumb to the nose to the $30K a speaker set.

But there's no sense trying to do an exact copy of them. I would have loved to see them leave the top 2 enclosures in a deep wood finish, the bottom shell in a pearlescent white and then texturize the concrete with beech sand with maybe a few 'fossils' thrown in for good measure.

They're a visual-impact heavy speaker... I say take that and run with it...

[trd1587]

you'Re sick

[CLS]

I've had several chances to listen to the Nautilus. It can be very good indeed, if used properly. 4-ch active xover, so you need 8-ch of amps to drive a pair. I've seen 8 mono Aleph amps serving a pair of Nautilus and that was the best case I've heard. (but not the best speaker system I've heard)

For clone, I don't think so If I had that kind of building capibility, I'd do something else.

[LineSource]

Attached pictures: The RED B&W Nautilus clone described in the weblink has a non-optimal long spacing between the midrange and tweeter. Both the BLACK production B&W Nautilus and the B&W 801 model top have a much shorter midrange-tweeter spacing which should provide better crossover integration.

I am a believer in the B&W engineering behind the sphere+tapered tube structure for the mid-tweet. A tweeter like the SB28RDCN-C004 has an NdFeB motor which makes it small and efficient for a close M-T spacing. For the bass, I suspect an extensively braced, thick wall cabinet with rounded corners could provide better sound than the Nautilus clone construction.

The availability of PC HT digital bass boost plus room equalization has moved my HT from ported bass cabinets to sealed.

[Kilroy]

Originally Posted by trd1587

you'Re sick

Yes... Yes I am...

But I'm a fan of B&W speakers...

And, at times the Nautilus to me looks like the ideal combo of artistic expression combined with purist functionality... Like a Ferrari or Talbot Lago or something like that...

Then again, other times it looks to me like an alien's hearing-aid...

So I say if you're going to blatantly try to copy it, have some fun with it.

[mashypie]

Originally Posted by Kilroy

I love the Nautilus... I get that it's dated now and kind of goofy on some levels... But it's just a cool speaker... I have no idea what they sound like though...

I've always wondered if there was a way to do a cheap, excellent sounding DIY version sort of as a thumb to the nose to the $30K a speaker set.

But there's no sense trying to do an exact copy of them. I would have loved to see them leave the top 2 enclosures in a deep wood finish, the bottom shell in a pearlescent white and then texturize the concrete with beech sand with maybe a few 'fossils' thrown in for good measure.

They're a visual-impact heavy speaker... I say take that and run with it...

I was a bit disapointed he went to all that effort to turn them then just went and sprayed them grey, I couldnt believe that

Also under the impression the B&W on the inside looks nothing like the outside, so copying the external design isn't a guarenteed true copy....

Closed End Transmission Line

[amsci99]

Some sources claim that the enclosure was made of ABS plastic moulding while others quote it as GRP. Yet some claim that it's some magic material known as Marlan. Would really like to know which was it.

[Bill poster]

I tap tapped the ones at Grahams hifi, didnt feel like GRP but then its probably lined internally and has 15 coats of paint.