I'm seriously considering building a couple of Pensils using the alpair alpair 11ms.
For the cabinet i would go with the pensils from frugal-phile (pensil a11-p11).
I have never heard any of these designs - their simplicity in both cabinet and drivers attract me.
I listen to everything from Norwegian Black metal, death metal, regular pop and rock, electronic music (Björk Homogenic is a favourite) all the way to jazz and classical. I listen at reasonably low levels - usually i woudld be at a soundevel where i can still talk to another person in the room. I have a cheapish class D icepower amplifier as well as a surround receiver from yamaha and may upgrade (wish to) later. I have owned B&W 604 previously as well as amphion. I have a close friend who used to have B&W 805 matrixes and now owns a couple of expensive focals with a high end densen system. I have listened to B&W a lot 15-20 years ago and they are probably some of my favourites.
So now on to the questions:
So this is a question of the lowbudget version vs full birch ply version of the cabs.
Any thoughts on anything will help in my decision. If you want clarifications i can try - english is not my first language.
For the cabinet i would go with the pensils from frugal-phile (pensil a11-p11).
I have never heard any of these designs - their simplicity in both cabinet and drivers attract me.
I listen to everything from Norwegian Black metal, death metal, regular pop and rock, electronic music (Björk Homogenic is a favourite) all the way to jazz and classical. I listen at reasonably low levels - usually i woudld be at a soundevel where i can still talk to another person in the room. I have a cheapish class D icepower amplifier as well as a surround receiver from yamaha and may upgrade (wish to) later. I have owned B&W 604 previously as well as amphion. I have a close friend who used to have B&W 805 matrixes and now owns a couple of expensive focals with a high end densen system. I have listened to B&W a lot 15-20 years ago and they are probably some of my favourites.
So now on to the questions:
- Currently i have a limited budget so going from 22mm birch ply to 22mm MDF for the cabinets will save me a large amount of money. But how unhappy will i be wit that choice?
- I would consider redoing the cabs at a later time in birch ply - but to decide on that what could i expect in changes soundwise?
- Will bracing using thick round stock (maybe 40mm diameter) be an option - say everything from 3-6 pieces placed from baffle to back placed along the veritcal axis and maybe some going from side to side help in any way?
- If i redo them in birch ply, the brace (as described in pensil 12 pdf), might be an option i would consider. What improvements can i expect from such a change (none, roundstock to proper brace)?
So this is a question of the lowbudget version vs full birch ply version of the cabs.
Any thoughts on anything will help in my decision. If you want clarifications i can try - english is not my first language.
I / we can't assess how unhappy anybody will be, since they're the only person who really knows their own expectations / mindset. However, for whatever it's worth:
- Regarding MDF, if the only choice is between MDF and not being able to do anything at all, then I'd choose MDF every single time, and rebuild in a quality void-free multiply at a later date when finances allow. If possible, go for a moisture-resistant MDF (slightly green colour) or a high PSI type -they have greater density & higher rigidity as a result than the usual cheap DIY store variety. But again, if the choice is that or nothing, I'd choose that every time. At the end of the day, you have to be practical about these things
- Any kind of bracing, providing it doesn't disrupt the longitudinal standing wave, is better than none at all. The longitudinal holey bracing is the most effective solution: all the pensils are designed assuming it's in place, and (ironically enough) it's actually at its most effective / valuable when cheaper, less rigid materials like MDF are used, since they need all the help they can get in that regard. So if you're willing to put the time / work in, use them. If not -well, whatever you can will help to some extent, just not as much.
