Another Speaker Finished (MTM Floorstander)

[Vikash]

I'm on a roll! You know those projects which you start but then just seem to take a back seat as you find something else to get excited over... well I have hundreads of them - probably like many of you here. But alas, there is hope - for I have knocked one off the list!

This floorstander project was my first ever speaker project that I started. Well proper one anyway. And it's been quite emotional because I started it not long after joining dA in '03 and I've only just got round to calling it finished.

Anyway, enought blather....here's some pics:







You can peruse an enormous amount of info about the build journey here, and it's in quite some detail (honestly, looking back at it I don't know where I found the time to take all those pics and write all that rubbish!) : http://www.vikash.info/audio/mtm_floorstander/

V

[sdclc126]

Congratulations Vikash - I am quite familiar with having lots of projects started and few completed!

Now that they're done, how do they sound? What are your overall listening assessments? Pros, cons, & comparison to your other builds?

[Richard Ellis]

Nice looking floorstanders, Doesn't feel great..."Now what to do..Oh yeah, I'm done?" I just love my DIY MTMs'...their thirteen years old now & Iv'e worn out the surrounds....I guess I should redrive them as the original drivers are long out of production!
The absolute lack of occupied floorspace makes for easy locating.
_______________________________________Rick....... ...

[v-bro]

I suspect they sound geat, nice build! Especially like the angled edges...

Only thing that doesnt look so good (maybe only on the picture) is the coating..dont know if you like high gloss:
A 'how to' for High Gloss Finishing

[Vikash]

Originally posted by sdclc126
Now that they're done, how do they sound? What are your overall listening assessments? Pros, cons, & comparison to your other builds?

I've been listening to them today with the SKA amps and they sound stunning! They're a league above any of the other speakers I've built (fullrange only so far) by a long way. Huge sound, deep bass, analytical mids and balanced highs compared to that of the original TDL RTL3 design from which all the drivers have been ripped. I was finishing them for the sake of it really, but after listening them todat I've already rearranged them room and put them in the prime spot (until such a time that the Orion's are completed at least). Very happy with them indeed.

Originally posted by Richard Ellis
Nice looking floorstanders, Doesn't feel great..."Now what to do..Oh yeah, I'm done?" I just love my DIY MTMs'...their thirteen years old now & Iv'e worn out the surrounds....I guess I should redrive them as the original drivers are long out of production!
The absolute lack of occupied floorspace makes for easy locating.

Yeah it does feel weird when something that gives the impression of being never-ending suddenly ends. I'm not sure I believe I've finished them yet.

Originally posted by v-bro
I suspect they sound geat, nice build! Especially like the angled edges...

Only thing that doesnt look so good (maybe only on the picture) is the coating..dont know if you like high gloss:
A 'how to' for High Gloss Finishing

The exterior cabinet finish is very poor. I started by brush painting on the primer (years ago!) and then they just sat in a room awaiting some more elbow grease to sand/prime/sand prime etc. After admitting defeat over a year later that I was never going to put major effort into the gloss finish I decided to just spray a coat of gloss black on in a bid to get them finished.

Fortunately the finish coat doesn't mirror the sound

[69stingray]

Those look great. haven't read the website yet.....what size are those woofers?

[Vikash]

6.5" or thereabouts IIRC.

[v-bro]

618 liters for two 6.5"?!! whooaaahh!

P.S. it's never to late for a good finish or gloss coating... the oh so beautiful cabinets are worth it!

[v-bro]

I don't find the 'black' match the 'black' well either (the paint appears to be more of a 'red' black, the drivers more 'blue' black). I would re-do them just for the looks (and response:"whoa, did YOU build these?!")


But I don't finish all my projects with such perfectionism either, one makes mistakes easily (what quality are my ingredients, long think-through periods don't make MDF easier to paint because of the elbowgrease it collects...) The best builds are second and third ones mostly, that's why I like to build prototypes before the real thing, the quicker you build the better the result...

Another detail I would at least change: the silver screws, even a touch of a marker would improve the looks...

But then again, it can be nice to be able to see it's been handmade...

P.S. Is that the same tweeter as in the Mission 762?