First complete audio DIY project since Heathkit …
Here's a picture of my first DIY speaker project, a version of Timn8ter's Aria bipoles. Tim very generously shared his drawings with me. Performance has amazed me since the first time I hooked them up.
These are constructed of veneered 3/4 nominal baltic birch plywood and a solid tiger maple front.
Unlike my Heathkits, these provided no opportunity for me to solder a transistor or diode in the wrong way and send me running to my EE father for help!
Here's a picture of my first DIY speaker project, a version of Timn8ter's Aria bipoles. Tim very generously shared his drawings with me. Performance has amazed me since the first time I hooked them up.
These are constructed of veneered 3/4 nominal baltic birch plywood and a solid tiger maple front.
Unlike my Heathkits, these provided no opportunity for me to solder a transistor or diode in the wrong way and send me running to my EE father for help!
Attachments
… and my second
These are a pair of Jim Griffin's Alpair 10s built for use in basement HT setup (along with the powered sub seen in the picture). Placement leaves much to be desired, but my initial impressions on music is that these are not as good as the Arias--too much harshness and sibilance in the upper midrange?
I used 3/4" nominal MDF and took them to a local auto body place for painting, which they did for what I thought was a very reasonable charge ($180 for two towers and sub). I used drywall mud to fill the MDF 'end grain' then coated them with a couple of coats of shellac.
Thanks to Jim for sharing his design with the community here.
Next project (now that I've caught the bug): an attempt to clone PMC's FB1s using SEAS drivers, eggcrate acoustic foam, and dimensions transcribed from their handy cutaway photos!
These are a pair of Jim Griffin's Alpair 10s built for use in basement HT setup (along with the powered sub seen in the picture). Placement leaves much to be desired, but my initial impressions on music is that these are not as good as the Arias--too much harshness and sibilance in the upper midrange?
I used 3/4" nominal MDF and took them to a local auto body place for painting, which they did for what I thought was a very reasonable charge ($180 for two towers and sub). I used drywall mud to fill the MDF 'end grain' then coated them with a couple of coats of shellac.
Thanks to Jim for sharing his design with the community here.
Next project (now that I've caught the bug): an attempt to clone PMC's FB1s using SEAS drivers, eggcrate acoustic foam, and dimensions transcribed from their handy cutaway photos!
Attachments
The sub has a Peerless 10" woofer and matching passive radiator. Here's a link to the design I followed:
http://www.vikash.info/audio/xls10/
http://www.vikash.info/audio/xls10/
Sorry, but I picked the wrong bookmark for the first reply. That's the one I decided against building. Here's the one I built:
http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/article/1789/build-your-own-10-inch-subwoofer/
http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/article/1789/build-your-own-10-inch-subwoofer/
Here's a pair of uFonkens I build last week. I'm working on another set as a wedding gift for a friend.
Applied iron-on oak veneer I found at Lowes
Sanded with 120 then 220 using an oribital sander
Applied minwax dark walnut stain with a cloth
Applied 4 coats of minwax wipe-on poly, sanding lightly with 320 between coats.
After the last coat I sanded with 00 steel wool and applied minwax finishing wax and buffed it to a slight shine.
Applied iron-on oak veneer I found at Lowes
Sanded with 120 then 220 using an oribital sander
Applied minwax dark walnut stain with a cloth
Applied 4 coats of minwax wipe-on poly, sanding lightly with 320 between coats.
After the last coat I sanded with 00 steel wool and applied minwax finishing wax and buffed it to a slight shine.
I have a few...
1) all the pieces cut and ready for assembly
2) the backside of the mounting baffle
3) waiting for glue to dry
4) fully assembled but before applying veneer
5) veneer applied and just finished staining
And I have a few more "glam shots" here...
http://picasaweb.google.com/chuyler1/FrugelhornSpeakers
1) all the pieces cut and ready for assembly
2) the backside of the mounting baffle
3) waiting for glue to dry
4) fully assembled but before applying veneer
5) veneer applied and just finished staining
And I have a few more "glam shots" here...
http://picasaweb.google.com/chuyler1/FrugelhornSpeakers
Attachments
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Outstanding!! I'm thinking of doing a pair for the home office and another pair as a gift for my Uncle. I need to get a new guide for the table saw 1st tho :-( I notice in your gallery that you have some of BudP's little EnABL blocks on your large Fruglehorn's and I'm wondering if you are considering EnABL for these little babies???
I have considered it...but I'm not sure if I am up to the task myself. The Frugelhorn FE126eN's were purchased from planet-10.
I am enjoying their sound as-is right now but since I am building a second set, I might purchase the enabled versions from planet-10 so I can do my own A/B comparison. We watched "Handcock" in our bedroom with them the other night and I forgot I was supposed to be critiquing the speakers about 15 minutes into the movie. The sound is smooth and nothing is overbearing that would make me want to turn the volume down. Sure there isn't much bass, but it is more than the TV would ever put out on its own and after listening for a few minutes you truely don't notice.
Anyway, It's a fun little build. I only had to make a few rips with the table saw. The rest were done with a mitre saw since the pieces are so narrow. Starting with a 2x4' sheet from Lowes I ripped two 2'x145mm boards. I cut the 145mm pieces and then ripped the remainder of the 2nd board down to 102mm to complete the final pieces. The two 2'x145mm rips were enough for everything except the inner brace which I cut out of some scrap 1/2" MDF. That left enough wood for me to make a second set from my original 2x4' sheet. I didn't use the table saw again until the very end when I ripped the 45-degree angle cut for the baffle.
I am enjoying their sound as-is right now but since I am building a second set, I might purchase the enabled versions from planet-10 so I can do my own A/B comparison. We watched "Handcock" in our bedroom with them the other night and I forgot I was supposed to be critiquing the speakers about 15 minutes into the movie. The sound is smooth and nothing is overbearing that would make me want to turn the volume down. Sure there isn't much bass, but it is more than the TV would ever put out on its own and after listening for a few minutes you truely don't notice.
Anyway, It's a fun little build. I only had to make a few rips with the table saw. The rest were done with a mitre saw since the pieces are so narrow. Starting with a 2x4' sheet from Lowes I ripped two 2'x145mm boards. I cut the 145mm pieces and then ripped the remainder of the 2nd board down to 102mm to complete the final pieces. The two 2'x145mm rips were enough for everything except the inner brace which I cut out of some scrap 1/2" MDF. That left enough wood for me to make a second set from my original 2x4' sheet. I didn't use the table saw again until the very end when I ripped the 45-degree angle cut for the baffle.
"Sure there isn't much bass," Adding a small sub is something I'll consider if needed. http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=299-252 The single surface speaker cones aren't that difficult to EnABL after a bit of practice on some $4 cheap "test" units http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=269-480 Great info on your cutting and finishing processes - Thanks!
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Although not 100% DIY, I modified the speakers a bit to produce big room filling sound. 901's are turned around, covers removed when in use. They're still operating at full range. The big speaker cab is an old Crate 2 x 15 guitar bass cab. I use this to reinforce bass particularly mid bass that the 901 can't efficiently produce. The combination of 901's array and bass cab produces big room filling sound. Doesn't have to be loud to appreciate it, it sounds big. Sounded great on movie playback too.
