Small being relative, as they're actually on the large side of the range of tunings I found acceptable. About 3.3 liters of gross Vb before driver and bracing subtraction, which probably don't account for that much. Vertical panels are 11mm BB-ply butt-jointed to oak strips I ripped and it's capped at the top and bottom by oak a well. I have some internal bracing tying the panels together. Vent is a PP drain adapter pipe, 1.375" internal diameter by 4" long, bringing Fb to ~75Hz, was aiming for ~80Hz. I'll keep it like this for now and see if I feel I should shorten it or lightly stuff it.
External dimensions are 11.25" height, 5" width and 6" depth.
I went a bit heavy with the sanding on the front panel, which didn't look that dark until I applied tung oil and it really brought out that darker sub-veneer. Oh well, it wouldn't be a true project of mine if there weren't any mistakes. Let's just call it a bit of antiquing...
They sound pretty good! Even not especially close to a wall, they feel fairly balanced, if a bit bright. Their permanent desktop location will have them somewhat closer to a back wall and the nearfield sitting positions will bring the listener in quasi quarter-space, which I find to usually do the job for these kinds of setups.
External dimensions are 11.25" height, 5" width and 6" depth.
I went a bit heavy with the sanding on the front panel, which didn't look that dark until I applied tung oil and it really brought out that darker sub-veneer. Oh well, it wouldn't be a true project of mine if there weren't any mistakes. Let's just call it a bit of antiquing...
They sound pretty good! Even not especially close to a wall, they feel fairly balanced, if a bit bright. Their permanent desktop location will have them somewhat closer to a back wall and the nearfield sitting positions will bring the listener in quasi quarter-space, which I find to usually do the job for these kinds of setups.
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I've used FF85WK in a variety of wacky enclosure and always found them to be relatively punchy for such tiny cones, they don't disappoint in this regard loaded in simpler vented box as well. As currently tuned, they can "fake" depth with the slight mid/upper bass emphasis, not a bad thing IMO. I don't have any subwoofer, so can't try that. TD15M is not yet dethroned, not that this was the point.
It's hard to beat small FR drivers for the hobby side of the whole hi-fi thing. It's much simpler and faster, also often cheaper, to churn out fun and usable designs, not to say one can't take it up a notch and get really involved.
It's hard to beat small FR drivers for the hobby side of the whole hi-fi thing. It's much simpler and faster, also often cheaper, to churn out fun and usable designs, not to say one can't take it up a notch and get really involved.
>>> It's hard to beat small FR drivers for the hobby side of the whole hi-fi thing. It's much simpler and faster, also often cheaper, to churn out fun and usable designs, not to say one can't take it up a notch and get really involved.
I completely agree!. Little Fostex drivers in little cabinets lead to larger Fostex drivers in larger cabinets... then to several other driver manufacturers, etc.
Consider the flaws in your cabinet part of the fun. I have flaws in all my projects and can totally relate. You made something really nice!
I completely agree!. Little Fostex drivers in little cabinets lead to larger Fostex drivers in larger cabinets... then to several other driver manufacturers, etc.
Consider the flaws in your cabinet part of the fun. I have flaws in all my projects and can totally relate. You made something really nice!
Thanks guys.
I most likely "stole" the ply+hardwood corners design idea from somewhere, but I can't give credit as it's probably one of the thousands of enclosures I saw pursuing various websites, including a bunch of Asian sites with all sorts of cool and unusual designs.
I was actually building a small jewelery box for my girlfriend's daughter in this very manner and though it wouldn't be harder to do a couple of small reflex boxes while I'm already ripping oak and ply.
I most likely "stole" the ply+hardwood corners design idea from somewhere, but I can't give credit as it's probably one of the thousands of enclosures I saw pursuing various websites, including a bunch of Asian sites with all sorts of cool and unusual designs.
I was actually building a small jewelery box for my girlfriend's daughter in this very manner and though it wouldn't be harder to do a couple of small reflex boxes while I'm already ripping oak and ply.
+1 Very cool boxes IG.
That's pretty close to the factory box WRT volume, but lower tuned, if I'm not mistaken. I'd be curious to see how you like a higher tuning if you do try it. Drain pipe ports make it an easy experiment...
FWIW, I liked the old FE83 (no E no EN) in factory boxes, complete with high-ish tuning and a slightly exaggerated midbass hump. As you suggest, it sort of subjectively makes up for the small size and limited extension.
I've made speakers that same way as well, but you certainly didn't steal it from me cuz I never posted pics of them... It's a good and easy method. I've seen a few over the years. Mine used red meranti for the edges, and I ended up painting the birch ply in between with red paint.
That's pretty close to the factory box WRT volume, but lower tuned, if I'm not mistaken. I'd be curious to see how you like a higher tuning if you do try it. Drain pipe ports make it an easy experiment...
FWIW, I liked the old FE83 (no E no EN) in factory boxes, complete with high-ish tuning and a slightly exaggerated midbass hump. As you suggest, it sort of subjectively makes up for the small size and limited extension.
I've made speakers that same way as well, but you certainly didn't steal it from me cuz I never posted pics of them...
It's a good and easy method. I've seen a few over the years. Mine used red meranti for the edges, and I ended up painting the birch ply in between with red paint.
Fostex recommends 3.5 liters tuned to 92Hz. By pure accident, as I trimmed a bit off the vertical dimension to have an even base to sit and glue the oak tops/bots, I ended-up with 3.36L internal Vb, exactly what WinISD defaults to with FF85WK, not that it means anything really. My gut feeling is it would be better yet tuned to ~80-85Hz as I initially wanted, with perhaps a bit of resistance in the vent in the form of a loose wad of polyfill or similar. The PP drain pipes are only caulked on, which is actually enough to support them since they are fairly light, yet rigid enough for a 3" driver. I can easily remove them to trim. I used the same on my 4" TB bamboo DCR's. I like that they have a small lip at one end and nicely fit a 1.5" hole.
It was ages ago, but I really liked the stupid high suggested tuning on my FE83. IIRC it was about 95. However, that was one of my first FR projects, and I was still young and stupid. (as opposed to old and stupid)
If you pull the vent pipes out, you could quickly sweep through and test a bunch of tunings by partially blocking the hole by various amounts. What's empty do? like 130 or something?
If you pull the vent pipes out, you could quickly sweep through and test a bunch of tunings by partially blocking the hole by various amounts. What's empty do? like 130 or something?
By empty you mean the 1.5" hole without the tube? That'll tune around 160Hz.
I did try a bit of polyfill when I measure Fb and vent output; really easy to kill port output with very little stuffing. It would be easier to damp it were I to tune higher as the output would increase a lot, as well as the Q.
For the alignment i use, 2.5 litre is the maximum volume... as in the uFonkenSET.
We are working on a new quarter-wave design which in 1st prototype show huge potential.
dave
Chris did both of these some 15 years ago:
dave
Nice, but where are the over-sanding blotches??
IG81 - generally, those are discretely out of camera view - or sometimes they're consonant with the veneer grain patterns (no luck there, that part is all artistry at work )
fortunately, the bearing didn't explode on the 1 1/2" radius bit - using the big PC 3 1/2 HP router, you can to a lot of damage in the couple of seconds it can take seconds to feel that
)fortunately, the bearing didn't explode on the 1 1/2" radius bit - using the big PC 3 1/2 HP router, you can to a lot of damage in the couple of seconds it can take seconds to feel that
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Those look great chrisb! maybe this method is due for a comeback!?
You could always fix that with paint, like I did... It's actually kind of a good look: somewhere between Japanese robot and half-timbered house. 
LOL, count me in as 30 years behind the times then.
Learned about these loudspeaker things from something they used to call a "book", which is kind of like a web page, but different.
IG81 said:
You could always fix that with paint, like I did...
It's actually kind of a good look: somewhere between Japanese robot and half-timbered house. LOL, count me in as 30 years behind the times then.
Learned about these loudspeaker things from something they used to call a "book", which is kind of like a web page, but different.- Status
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