First Project - Seas Induss Kit - Suggestions/Improvements

[sirizak]

I've had a good look around and decided on the Seas Induss Kit as a nice place to start my journey in DIY audio. Seas has a good reputation, and the kit seem to offer good value and be straight forward in its design. I was also looking for a forward firing port design to allow more flexibility for placement if required.

The cabinet is a 20 Litre front ported book shelf design, with a 16cm x 5cm inner diameter flared front port. The Woofer is U18RNX/P and the Tweeter is 27TBCD/GB-DXT

I've been browsing this forum for a number of weeks now and I thought it might be a good idea to ask if anyone far more knowledgeable than my self has suggestions or improvements that might be incorporated into the design prior to buiding the cabinets and crossovers. I haven't ordered anything yet actually so any advice would be most welcome.

The speakers are to be used as main front speakers in a home theatre environment, but I tend to listen to more music than movies, a subwoofer will be added later (perhaps two), I have been looking at the Critical Q sub design here: Critical Q Sub-Woofer and if the speakers are a success another pair will be built for rear duties and I will attempt to design a center channel with a similar design.

Here is a link to the kit:
THE ART OF SOUND PERFECTION BY SEAS - Idunn

The Woofer:
THE ART OF SOUND PERFECTION BY SEAS - H1571-08 U18RNX/P

The Tweeter:
THE ART OF SOUND PERFECTION BY SEAS - H1499-06 27TBCD/GB-DXT


Any advice for a first time builder would be greatly appreciated!

[sirizak]

Apologies the Kit is called the Idunn

[ianpengelly]

Its nice to go down the route of a well documented build for your first attempt. I'm not sure what your woodworking skills are like, but if there was a learning curve for me it was in the construction of the cabinets and there is a wealth of useful tips and advice. Have a look around at some of the tricks other people have done and hopefully it will ease some of the pain of the cabinet build.

Most of all enjoy doing it, it is an amazing feeling when you get to sit back and enjoy something you have built!

And remember the golden rule: Measure twice (or thrice if you are of a nervous disposition) and cut once.

[sirizak]

Thanks for the encouragement Ian, I am quite excited about it! Luckily my sisters boyfriend is a qualified Cabinet maker / Joiner and I've asked him to guide me through, it's been a long time since high school woodwork. I'm very much a measure thrice man!!

I am more worried about the cross over though, it is set fairly high at 2.2kHz and I'm not sure if a more complex crossover might be more appropriate. Heck I'm not even sure if I might be better off with an entirely different design!!

[sdclc126]

The Seas ER18DXT ported two way

Same tweeter, different SEAS woofer, very thorough crossover design. Build it exactly as described.

My 2 c.

[sirizak]

Thanks sdclc126, Have you heard these?

I spotted some posts referring to this speaker but hadn't tracked it down, looks good.

I live in Australia and I haven't found anyone with that Dayton cabinet, also I'd like to build it myself, do you know if there is a drawing of it available?

Definitely a contender!!

[AEIOU]

I've heard them, since I live a short distance from him. Really superb too. But the genuine SEAS kit looks to have a larger enclosure, which will get you more bass. I took the pictures with my camera.

Originally Posted by sirizak

Thanks sdclc126, Have you heard these?

I spotted some posts referring to this speaker but hadn't tracked it down, looks good.

I live in Australia and I haven't found anyone with that Dayton cabinet, also I'd like to build it myself, do you know if there is a drawing of it available?

Definitely a contender!!

[sdclc126]

No I haven't heard them, but plan to build them - I currently have sealed Usher 8945P + SEAS 27TBFC/G and they are superb - but the guy who designed these - Jay_WJ, recommends the DXT as my next build.

I run them with a sub, so I'm using the Dayton .038 cu. ft. cabs - if you are going to use a sub this is a good cab choice - if you want ported w/o sub then a bigger cab, for either woofer, will be necessary.

I don't know of any drawings available for the Dayton cabs, but you can just go off the dimensions on the site - I'd actually recommend a slighly wider baffle - maybe 9" - as the 8" baffle on the Daytons means 7" woofers are just kissing the edges and you can see the cutouts beyond the edge of the grilles.

The important thing is to maintain the proper internal volume; just don't go too wide on the baffle or it will require some XO tweaks.

[Francec]

"I am more worried about the cross over though, it is set fairly high at 2.2kHz"
2.2kHz isn't particularly high for a 6.5" woofer, so I wouldn't worry about that.

Frank

[sdclc126]

My cabs are 0.38 cu ft, not .038 cu ft, but I'm sure you guys probably figured that out anyway.