What’s On the Bench Tonight (OBT)

Founder of XSA-Labs
Joined 2012
Paid Member
On the bench tonight Aug 15, 2021 is developing a new XO for a speaker. Planar GRS 3in tweeter and RS180-8 woofer. Measurements and simulation so far. I might get a chance to make a prototype XO using Wago connectors.

attachment.php


attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • 2C0B9A0C-3ABF-40A0-8774-7FD690E1AC99.png
    2C0B9A0C-3ABF-40A0-8774-7FD690E1AC99.png
    20.5 KB · Views: 384
  • C447A63B-8A0A-45AF-A645-C5CB9169C6C2.jpeg
    C447A63B-8A0A-45AF-A645-C5CB9169C6C2.jpeg
    291 KB · Views: 389
Founder of XSA-Labs
Joined 2012
Paid Member
Nice! Are u still going to develop the RS225-8 and GRS planar?

Yes, it is next. This GRS 3in planar with the RS180 sounds pretty fantastic. I’m listening to it right now and the tonal balance is spot on. Nice upper extension with the planar while not sounding at all fatiguing. It’s voiced perfectly.

attachment.php



@peppennino: you have good eyes. Those yoga bricks are perfect for desktop speaker mounts for near field monitors (like my Rockvilles). I figured $7ea is way cheaper than similar $40 ones made of same EVA but sold for speakers. I had to really get this speaker high off the floor to avoid a floor bounce dip.

I have also had my Manfrotto 3021 for 21 years! Yes, it still works like new.
 

Attachments

  • ECD6A438-1BA5-4E77-B91F-BC5D5CCC6341.jpeg
    ECD6A438-1BA5-4E77-B91F-BC5D5CCC6341.jpeg
    381.8 KB · Views: 369
Last edited:
Received some LuFo-Lite boards from a secret admirer tonight. ;) Planning to jump back on that build shortly.

On the bench tonight. Lots O Drilling. Custom mono-block parts. I have just a few more holes to drill. :D
 

Attachments

  • 805960D2-4A87-4A9A-BE1C-309A4ED37145.jpeg
    805960D2-4A87-4A9A-BE1C-309A4ED37145.jpeg
    250.8 KB · Views: 91
  • 06EEE96E-70CF-454C-A4C9-125617E465A6.jpeg
    06EEE96E-70CF-454C-A4C9-125617E465A6.jpeg
    358.3 KB · Views: 99
  • 6EA69ADB-3B94-42E1-8D8D-0DC65810D332.jpeg
    6EA69ADB-3B94-42E1-8D8D-0DC65810D332.jpeg
    259.2 KB · Views: 101
Founder of XSA-Labs
Joined 2012
Paid Member
You have laser guide marks on your drill press!? Cool.

On the bench last night was CAD work for a new design for a waveguide and mounting bezel for the planar tweeter. It sounds great but the mech design literally has no way to mount it properly.

This is first cut rough to check fit. I’ll have to make a bit smaller. It’s a lot bigger when you see it in real life.

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • 7A1668BF-ED79-431B-AABD-8E9C9A2E1CD0.jpeg
    7A1668BF-ED79-431B-AABD-8E9C9A2E1CD0.jpeg
    294 KB · Views: 336
Founder of XSA-Labs
Joined 2012
Paid Member
It’s on the skinnier side of platforms. The width and height are great but depth front to back is smaller than usual. I have an older one that’s bigger and size for a larger waveguide. But the thing is finicky to use and actually the hot end got clogged and I never managed to get it repaired. So it’s been out for 4 years now. :)

The Dremel is a pleasure to use. Printers have come a long way in usability. This one has very few settings to mess up. It has special filament with RFID so you always get consistent prints. The filament costs more though. Sort of the inkjet printer analogy.

Latest update to my speaker XO now at 3.5kHz. Sounding really good.

attachment.php


attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • 7E3A6E8F-8A31-47F7-9B06-DC88086EA7A6.png
    7E3A6E8F-8A31-47F7-9B06-DC88086EA7A6.png
    23.3 KB · Views: 314
  • 34560219-CE80-4142-8165-1C00BABE5292.jpeg
    34560219-CE80-4142-8165-1C00BABE5292.jpeg
    354.3 KB · Views: 304
Last edited:
Founder of XSA-Labs
Joined 2012
Paid Member
These crazy “Wago XO’s” eventually become neat and tidy custom crossovers like these samples that just arrived from the manufacturer- these will go into a new commercial speaker that I designed recently for LSA.

attachment.php


All the components are made to order - exact values. Have you ever seen a 13.3uF film cap? :D
 

Attachments

  • 419D4DF8-03F9-4656-9A53-C8F7711D33C5.jpeg
    419D4DF8-03F9-4656-9A53-C8F7711D33C5.jpeg
    451.8 KB · Views: 354
Founder of XSA-Labs
Joined 2012
Paid Member
Thanks, Jwjarch! I am upgrading the 13.3uF cap to MKP in the production version. It’s a nice crossover and amazingly compact for what it is vs a hand P2P job.

I revised the waveguide to be much more compact. This looks a lot better and has smaller CTC distance to the woofer. I nailed the fit on this one. No Dremel tool post print cleanup work needed. :)

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • 051A5CE1-5166-4F00-8195-89F4CD083CD8.jpeg
    051A5CE1-5166-4F00-8195-89F4CD083CD8.jpeg
    324.1 KB · Views: 348
Last edited:
Founder of XSA-Labs
Joined 2012
Paid Member
I think it’s good to leave one side unfinished to let the wood breathe. Coming from someone who leaves most of his cabinets bare wood I guess it doesn’t mean much. Some wood like carbonized bamboo has been treated with basically a sealer that’s like plastic you don’t even need to finish it. Just sand it smooth and buff it.

These are my Rockville’s made from bamboo.
 

Attachments

  • 64557BB0-435D-4A66-AE29-4A132374815F.jpg
    64557BB0-435D-4A66-AE29-4A132374815F.jpg
    117.4 KB · Views: 149
Last edited: