It is unlikely this will be your last FR build 😀
Start cheap and work your way up.
Yes, A7 is better than EL70, but it will show every wart on your choosen amplifier.
dave
Start cheap and work your way up.
Yes, A7 is better than EL70, but it will show every wart on your choosen amplifier.
dave
Dave,
I guess you speak from expereince? At least,I am hooked 😀.... one build completed, one going on, bought drivers for the next 2 😱 but we're never gonna survive unless we get a little crazy... right? 🙂
Thanks Dave, I think I'll just go with the EL70, I don't think the difference is going to be really worth it until I start focussing on my source which is a little bit down the line.
Attached is the revised plan.
I've tweaked the sizes a bit for easier cutting. It has resulted in a bigger box but I've kept the ratio to 1.4, so I reckon it will work!
Is chipboard a huge compromise over plyboard for this design? It's about 1/4 of the price!
Attached is the revised plan.
I've tweaked the sizes a bit for easier cutting. It has resulted in a bigger box but I've kept the ratio to 1.4, so I reckon it will work!
Is chipboard a huge compromise over plyboard for this design? It's about 1/4 of the price!
Attachments
Well, EL70 drivers ordered. I'll be going for the design that I posted just above and I'm really looking forward to it!
Quick question - with the inverted BiB, how far off the ground should the box be, or is it again a matter of finding what sounds best? I am thinking about experimenting by putting blocks of wood under the corners first, but if there is a recommended amount then I will just make the sides longer and have a front and back vent..
Ok, I'll build it as designed and then use blocks of wood on the floor to raise or lower it to find out how high the spikes need to be!
Going to pick up some cut 15mm CD plywood in the morning! Looking forward to picking it up and getting started.
The weather today was about as miserable and wet as any I've seen in the UK or Ireland. That made it the perfect day for working inside on some speakers!
Unfortunately, tools are sparse but I managed to get my hands on a VERY wonky jigsaw and 2 half broken clamps. Oh yes, this was already shaping up to be a successful build...
Anyway, with holes (which looked like they had a stroke) cut for the driver, it was time to start glueing it all together with the help of Selleys Aquadhere. It was at this point that I noticed that matey at the builders merchants had given me warped plywood. Nice one, thanks. I'm too impatient to get it all done again so I figured that, as this is my first speaker project, I'd persevere and see how it goes.
Some Pictures from todays action:
Glueing the second piece (note the expensive water bottle weight)
Glueing down the baffle:
Glueing down the other side of the speaker. I needed this much weight to try and un-warp the wood
Sticking on the top piece of the speaker:
I'm using some pretty ropey speaker cable that came free with car speakers I bought for the Falcon, but that's easily changeable as I'm going for a binding post free design. Less connections the better.
The speakers still need the front fascia putting on which will be primed and sprayed Matt black as per my image above. I reckon this will look pretty good and I may be able to get away without veneering the speakers as the ply finish isn't too bad. We'll see.
In other news - I received a note that I have a parcel waiting for me at the post office 😀 All I need to do is to find a soldering Iron for 2 connections on my TK2050 amp and I'll be listening to music!
Unfortunately, tools are sparse but I managed to get my hands on a VERY wonky jigsaw and 2 half broken clamps. Oh yes, this was already shaping up to be a successful build...
Anyway, with holes (which looked like they had a stroke) cut for the driver, it was time to start glueing it all together with the help of Selleys Aquadhere. It was at this point that I noticed that matey at the builders merchants had given me warped plywood. Nice one, thanks. I'm too impatient to get it all done again so I figured that, as this is my first speaker project, I'd persevere and see how it goes.
Some Pictures from todays action:
Glueing the second piece (note the expensive water bottle weight)
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Glueing down the baffle:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Glueing down the other side of the speaker. I needed this much weight to try and un-warp the wood
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Sticking on the top piece of the speaker:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
I'm using some pretty ropey speaker cable that came free with car speakers I bought for the Falcon, but that's easily changeable as I'm going for a binding post free design. Less connections the better.
The speakers still need the front fascia putting on which will be primed and sprayed Matt black as per my image above. I reckon this will look pretty good and I may be able to get away without veneering the speakers as the ply finish isn't too bad. We'll see.
In other news - I received a note that I have a parcel waiting for me at the post office 😀 All I need to do is to find a soldering Iron for 2 connections on my TK2050 amp and I'll be listening to music!
So.... they're finished! Like a dumbass I didn't get any pictures in decent lighting, so here's a very unflattering teaser photo:
I haven't really had much of a chance to listen to them as TV is king in the evenings but initial impressions are OK. I need to work on their positioning a lot but this was just a test to make sure everything works. There is a hum out of the amp which is irritating and I can't see a reason for it and I hope it's not the power supply.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
I haven't really had much of a chance to listen to them as TV is king in the evenings but initial impressions are OK. I need to work on their positioning a lot but this was just a test to make sure everything works. There is a hum out of the amp which is irritating and I can't see a reason for it and I hope it's not the power supply.
You don't have them off the floor much -- and with carpet you might find a hard base to help the bass.
You do need to get some hours on the drivers...
dave
You do need to get some hours on the drivers...
dave
Commited,
Congrats on completing your first build! I did mine last month - a BiB with Fostex Fe166en.
The BIBs are pretty amazing. As Dave has suggested, better start getting hours on the drivers. As a FR newbie, I am also learning that the drivers tend to change a lot as you start piling up hours of play.
-Zia
Congrats on completing your first build! I did mine last month - a BiB with Fostex Fe166en.
The BIBs are pretty amazing. As Dave has suggested, better start getting hours on the drivers. As a FR newbie, I am also learning that the drivers tend to change a lot as you start piling up hours of play.
-Zia
Hi Dave, I'll definitely be raising them off the floor thanks, I just wanted to check that they actually worked!!
Zia, I'm not really getting a chance to play with the drivers as the amp has a horrible hiss that I'm trying to get rid of!
Zia, I'm not really getting a chance to play with the drivers as the amp has a horrible hiss that I'm trying to get rid of!
So I thought I'd give this a little update as I've now been listening to them for a few days. It's pretty difficult to get some dedicated listening time as we're currently living in someone elses house which is also compromising placement. To make things even more difficult, my TK2050 amp turns out to be faulty so they're currently being powered by an Aiwa karaoke system which is pretty horrific. Couple this with an ipod as source and I should be tearing my hair out.... I'm not. You can tell, even with this awful source & amp, that these speakers are something special. I can't wait to hear the speakers in corners of a well shaped living room with the TK2050 amp and my Monica 2 DAC. Shouldn't be too long away! Thanks Dave for the heads up on the drivers and help with the speakers so far!
I have now ordered some 30mm long spikes to go under the speakers and I'll be using some of my leftover plywood to make some bases which I'll spray black.
I'm going to cut the karlson slot in the speaker soon. I'm going to start off with 1 on each side approx 50mm x 200mm - any opinions on this size?
I have now ordered some 30mm long spikes to go under the speakers and I'll be using some of my leftover plywood to make some bases which I'll spray black.
I'm going to cut the karlson slot in the speaker soon. I'm going to start off with 1 on each side approx 50mm x 200mm - any opinions on this size?
That looks like a serious amount of holes to drill, or am I being stupid?!
I was going to draw the outline of a small size slow and cut out with a jigsaw! Then I was just going to cut strips off until I was happy.
I was going to draw the outline of a small size slow and cut out with a jigsaw! Then I was just going to cut strips off until I was happy.
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