Your first time - Was it good? :D

[ShinOBIWAN]

I always love looking at other folks work, nicking idea's, marveling at the finish, driver choices and a whole load of other things that make most of us on here tick as far as the hobby goes.

But probably the most interesting and best remembered for most is the very first project. I remember mine well and was wondering if others would like to share also. Thoughts, pics, actually anything you care to say. I'd really like to hear from some of the veterans on here like Cal, Planet, KWY since I bet the first was before I was born - I'm 26, born in '79. Would be interesting to see how the choices have evolved along with the tech.

Eitherway please, please share you first time with us all - loudspeakers only though, I think everyone builds around 5 subs they attempt a loudspeaker - I did.

Ok I'll kick off:

First was last year and was a take on the Visaton Topas kit with some styling changes.











Matching sub using a Visaton 12" driver, the model number escapes me.


Drivers were Visaton Ti 100 4" mid/bass and MHT12 Ribbon Tweeter.

I really liked these speakers, laid back and easy going but detailed and dynamic at low volumes. Bass was good from a 4" driver thanks to the transmission line loading.

Ultimately I got the itch and sold them on to move on to other things. Still wish I hadn't since I think you should always keep your first ones to look back at either how well you did or how much further you've moved on depending on the way you look at it.

[Audiophilenoob]

I really like those curved sides... how did you make them? layering wood?

[ShinOBIWAN]

Yes, multiple layers of 3mm plywood.

So what was your first one then?

[tktran]

ShinOBIWAN I'm the same age as you...

Well about 2 years ago I built my first speaker- the ProAc Response 2.5 clone.

Personally, it was a great learning experience for me- up to this point I didn't even know how to 'operate a hammer'

My journey was about learning how to use a circular saw, router, sander, drill, soldering iron, veneering, finishing, as well as all the other little odds and ends. To have a complete piece in our living room was immensely satisfying. To be honest I didn't really care if they sounded rubbish because I'd pored 3 months of heart and energy into building them.

I never really liked metalwork or woodwork classes when I was in school, but nowadays everywhere I go, I really appreciate fine design and construction, and am always want to learn how something is made, or how I can improve my workmanship.

I will be keeping my first speakers. They will make a good reference in the future.

[vinylkid58]

I built my first pair of serious speakers the year you were born.
Haven't built any speakers since…..but planning to. Really like your
Visaton's though. Very sexy.

Jeff

[ShinOBIWAN]

Originally posted by tktran
ShinOBIWAN I'm the same age as you...

Well about 2 years ago I built my first speaker- the ProAc Response 2.5 clone.

Personally, it was a great learning experience for me- up to this point I didn't even know how to 'operate a hammer'

My journey was about learning how to use a circular saw, router, sander, drill, soldering iron, veneering, finishing, as well as all the other little odds and ends. To have a complete piece in our living room was immensely satisfying. To be honest I didn't really care if they sounded rubbish because I'd pored 3 months of heart and energy into building them.

I never really liked metalwork or woodwork classes when I was in school, but nowadays everywhere I go, I really appreciate fine design and construction, and am always want to learn how something is made, or how I can improve my workmanship.

I will be keeping my first speakers. They will make a good reference in the future.

Know how you feel/felt.

Previously I'd only built a few subs for the car and home when I was around 19 then a gap of around 5 years before I picked up with the DIY again despite being a self confessed swap-a-holic when it comes to audio kit throughout all this time. In the end I realised to get what I wanted for a price I could afford, I'd have to make my own.

Most of the stuff I had to learn from experience and experimentation. Some of it worked some ended up as scrap. I also learned that good tools are essential. The old man is a joiner by trade so I had access to some good kit, I'm slowly building my own set of tools up but they aren't cheap when you consider how many different bits you need. Usually I'll go halves with him and do a time share thing, so as to get the good, accurate and reliable tools that cost that bit more.

[squalor]

My first loudspeaker project was a flop. I enclosed these Q-Forms and cut down the frames of some Vifa PL18 to fit. I used WinISD to calculate port sizes. I ended up with boomy bass and no midrange. The Vifas are now in my doors and the Q-Forms only hold the tweeters. I'll get back to it one day.

[lufbramatt]

heres my first attempt, still a work in progress, and the other speaker is only half made at the mo. This is the right-hand speaker, on the left at the mo due to me needing to find a new home for my pc monitor- the big old magnets on the pl18 midwoofs send the screen crazy from about 2ft away :S

Sound is pretty classy at the mo tho, using ken perkins series crossover in an external box and they sound smooth, refined and detailed- they make my old acoustic energies sound like listening underwater!

Construction is all plywood, sides are laminated 4mm ply, baffles are 30mm thick and the insides are heavily braced- they weigh about 15kg's each

Only one coat of primer so far till the other speakers made (girlfreind was pretty horrified when i jokingly told her that snot yellow was the final colour hehe), then they are gonna get a nice coat of gloss black, and a pair of matching custom stands built to replace the borrowed atacama se24's.

[roddyama]

My first were my ported subs in the late 70's. You can see them in the System Pictures & Description thread in page 16. they originally had JBL 124A's in them but I replaced them with TAD 1601a's a couple years ago.

The construction is 3/4" MDF, heavily braced with a 1.5" baffle. The exterior it teak formica with a 3/8" smoked glass top.

[wintermute]

Well my first would have probably been in 82/83 not 100% sure, they were a couple of (non matching) full range drivers that I found at the local garbage tip they were in open backed sqaure boxes that I nailed together from bits of scrap wood I had laying around. They produced sound and were used for a year in the senior study at school in 1984 but they weren't exactly what you would call good (though a bunch of teenagers who could have music thougt differently

the setup driving it all was even more ludicrous, I think the amp was an out of a car stereo, but it had been modded to use as a pa system for a workshop I think, Also found it at the dump... I only found the pcb so gutted an old portable radio and used it's case. The tape deck was out of an old Hammond organ, and was mono, so I put a stereo head iin it, and made a kit preamp for it. All up it probably cost me about $25

I think one of the drivers was an old rca one, had a light brown cone (ribbed) and a white paper wizzer cone in the middle. the other I think may have been an old pioneer car audio driver.... both were probably 4" or maybe 5" drivers..... It is possible they are still around in a box at my parents place, I'll have to have a look

Tony.