As a general rule of thumb I reckon Dave's figure of double the thickness for translam sounds about right.
I also reckon that making the cabinet with domed or spherical panels will have an even bigger effect.
I think that translam will have greater damping as it will tend to deform by shearing rather than elongation and compression.
Niffy
I also reckon that making the cabinet with domed or spherical panels will have an even bigger effect.
I think that translam will have greater damping as it will tend to deform by shearing rather than elongation and compression.
Niffy
A piece of plywood used in the intended orientation has shearing between each layer of veneer. The transition from one ply to the next causes an imdeance change which acts as a damping mechanism. Rotating the material to not take advantage of this leaves you with only a greater amount of material to ctrae the damping.
dave
Hi Dave,
With the way I'm going to orientate the layers it will be like having the grain running in bands around the speaker. This will be more effective than running the grain front to back. Look at composite reinforced pressure vessels. The fibres all run around the circumference of the vessel not along its length.
I know that the main force applied to the cabinet is via the speaker's frame and not internal pressure but the main flexing mode will be similar, trying to barrel the cabinet.
As the cabinet has to operate over a wide range its resonant mode will be in the pass band. It's unavoidable. The increased damping offered by translam will help to control this resonance.
Niffy
With the way I'm going to orientate the layers it will be like having the grain running in bands around the speaker. This will be more effective than running the grain front to back. Look at composite reinforced pressure vessels. The fibres all run around the circumference of the vessel not along its length.
I know that the main force applied to the cabinet is via the speaker's frame and not internal pressure but the main flexing mode will be similar, trying to barrel the cabinet.
As the cabinet has to operate over a wide range its resonant mode will be in the pass band. It's unavoidable. The increased damping offered by translam will help to control this resonance.
Niffy
Because half the fibres are orientated through its thickness, perpendicular to the surface, rather than parallel to the surface.
Niffy
Hi Scottjoplin,
Fibres (Wood grain) are most rigid in tension (or compression). When a panel flexes its surface stretches putting the fibres in the surface under tension. It's the fibres ability to resist being stretched that give them their rigidity. Fibres that run through the thickness of the panel aren't put under much tension as the panel flexes so don't add much to the rigidity.
Niffy
Fibres (Wood grain) are most rigid in tension (or compression). When a panel flexes its surface stretches putting the fibres in the surface under tension. It's the fibres ability to resist being stretched that give them their rigidity. Fibres that run through the thickness of the panel aren't put under much tension as the panel flexes so don't add much to the rigidity.
Niffy
Hi Niffy,
This is all very interesting although I have to admit I built my Eikona translams for the looks and used a local CNC shop to cut the slices for me. The standmount is a Miniline TL and the twin Eikona is the TL3. Despite the shape both are basically boxes inside apart from the sloping divider used to create the TL. The TL3 goes deep but the cabinet never gets excited
They are clearly not as clever as yours will be, I went the translam route because I like the look.
Looking forward to seeing how your build progresses.
This is all very interesting although I have to admit I built my Eikona translams for the looks and used a local CNC shop to cut the slices for me. The standmount is a Miniline TL and the twin Eikona is the TL3. Despite the shape both are basically boxes inside apart from the sloping divider used to create the TL. The TL3 goes deep but the cabinet never gets excited
They are clearly not as clever as yours will be, I went the translam route because I like the look.Looking forward to seeing how your build progresses.
Hi Ian,
I have been following your thread "in praise of Jordan full-range drivers" over on lenco heaven. That's a nice collection of speakers you're amassing.
I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to DIY, I like to do everything myself. I did contemplate contacting you for the name of your CNCer. It would have saved a bit on wood.
My method is to cut the sheets into squares then use a router to cut the disks from these squares. It will be wasteful but should make my life as easy as possible. I'm hoping to start making sawdust this afternoon.
My reasons for going down the translam route is two fold. It's the easiest way to make the complex cabinet shape that I want. Hopefully the thickness of the walls and the shape of the cabinet will overcome any deficiencies of translam. Secondly, as proven by your creation, if done well tramslam looks really good.
I look forward to the next installment of "in praise of"
Niffy
I have been following your thread "in praise of Jordan full-range drivers" over on lenco heaven. That's a nice collection of speakers you're amassing.
I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to DIY, I like to do everything myself. I did contemplate contacting you for the name of your CNCer. It would have saved a bit on wood.
My method is to cut the sheets into squares then use a router to cut the disks from these squares. It will be wasteful but should make my life as easy as possible. I'm hoping to start making sawdust this afternoon.
My reasons for going down the translam route is two fold. It's the easiest way to make the complex cabinet shape that I want. Hopefully the thickness of the walls and the shape of the cabinet will overcome any deficiencies of translam. Secondly, as proven by your creation, if done well tramslam looks really good.
I look forward to the next installment of "in praise of"
Niffy
No, I've had enough of that stuff and so has the CNC shop I used!
Have you seen this recent addition to Jordan's website?
Customer Project - The Eikona Egg - E J Jordan Designs
Have you seen this recent addition to Jordan's website?
Customer Project - The Eikona Egg - E J Jordan Designs
I'm not too sure about the aesthetic of having the egg upright, it might have worked better without the unnecessary port. And those feet? One thing for sure, they don't fall into the boring square box camp.
I have been wondering about baffle step compensation. Most designs that use the Jordan drivers don't seem to employ any. A baffle step will still mess with the phase of the speaker although nowhere near as much as a crossover. A point that I have seen raised several times is that you have an amplifier with a nice low output impedance that gives a good damping factor. If you then start sticking inductors or capacitors in series you throw that damping away. Does messing with the phase and damping effect sound quality? Probably. Worse than a baffle step? By making the cabinet very curved any step should be nice and smooth and less obvious.
To start off I'm going to do what most Jordan users do and run my speakers without any additional components between the amplifier and driver.
Niffy
I have been wondering about baffle step compensation. Most designs that use the Jordan drivers don't seem to employ any. A baffle step will still mess with the phase of the speaker although nowhere near as much as a crossover. A point that I have seen raised several times is that you have an amplifier with a nice low output impedance that gives a good damping factor. If you then start sticking inductors or capacitors in series you throw that damping away. Does messing with the phase and damping effect sound quality? Probably. Worse than a baffle step? By making the cabinet very curved any step should be nice and smooth and less obvious.
To start off I'm going to do what most Jordan users do and run my speakers without any additional components between the amplifier and driver.
Niffy
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