DIY 802 d3 replica with oem B&W drivers

Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.
Hey, as the title says Im working on a B&W 802 d3 replica

I am looking for opinions on build technique and suggestions for visually similar midranges as the d3 midrange is difficult to obtain (possibility of questioning:captain: and due to high price)

I have found a supply for the drivers, Diamond drivers aren't sold no questions asked anymore but I had previously obtained two pairs of D2 Diamond woofers. The d3 midranges cost about $550 a piece which rounds up to $1600 a pair with tax+tariffs and shipping to my doorstep. :cuss:I will use a N802 tweeter as Im not going for a $7000 replica...

So i am looking for something visually similar and have even considered the 600/700 series version of the continuum cone which is less expensive. I consider the price/performance ratio of the 802 (D or N) 6" midrange as a benchmark, It wont look as good or modern, but for $300-340 a piece and performance that seems to match some more expensive Accuton drivers Its hard to ignore. I have seen an Accuton / Thiel&Partner "upgrade" on a B&W 801 which didnt look bad on the midrange enclosure but i cant think of anything else that would fit the look of the d3.

There are maybe two workshops with a CNC in my country that will do a custom project like this for individuals.:mad: One of them is a custom furnishing shop, but doesn't offer design services and the other one which does hasn't replied with anything since I left them with CAD files of the original 802 d3 in early january.

It looks like I have to contact the furnishing company with everything planned out, im guessing ill have to learn autocad and design it myself. My CAD files do not have inside dimension or structural properties, and anyways I have volume requriements and port dimensions that will differ from the d3 as i have the D2 woofers...

Regarding the build method,
I had thought about building the bass cabinet slice by slice with cnc from MDF as some have done with D2 replicas. But the turbine head with 3d printing or sandwiched CNC halves from MDF or even solid or laminated wood worked with a lathe.

I think the slice by slice method has significant advantages over bent wood or joining a cabinet from two or more parts, as the cabinet volume can be made more accurate and the bracing is embedded in the structure as a solid "vertebrae" between hollow slices...

What would you guys suggest?
 
My cost estimate is rather certain on everything other than the CNC cost as the method is unclear right now.
I know the hourly rate but the method dictates the hours...


B&W doesnt have a dealer in my country and there might even not be a single pair higher end b&w speakers of any generation in my country at all...
 
I dont consider it personal at all, I live in Iceland :)
Somehow iceland supposedly ranked no. 2 behind Russia in B&o sales before the financial crisis in 2008, but still we have truly only one specialized store for audio today. That store represents some high end brands but in reality it sells and displays mostly low- or mid-fi equipment...

Thanks for the tip on the 802D, but i am really bent on building a speaker myself.
Importing a 3000 eur, 160kg speaker pair would probably amount to 4500-5000 eur with tax and tariffs, so I dont really consider purchasing a fully built speaker online either...
 
Regarding the build method,
I had thought about building the bass cabinet slice by slice with cnc from MDF as some have done with D2 replicas. But the turbine head with 3d printing or sandwiched CNC halves from MDF or even solid or laminated wood worked with a lathe.

I think the slice by slice method has significant advantages over bent wood or joining a cabinet from two or more parts, as the cabinet volume can be made more accurate and the bracing is embedded in the structure as a solid "vertebrae" between hollow slices...

What would you guys suggest?

Vapor Audio design engineers strive to get the maximum advantages from the translam construction technology. Vapor audio uses advanced translam profile layers which reduce edge diffraction; support 3D cross-bracing; create tapered rear volumes to reduce resonances and hold wool for rear wave absorption; and hold sand for vibration reduction. Give some consideration to cloning one of their designs.
 

Attachments

  • Vapor Audio woof15.jpg
    Vapor Audio woof15.jpg
    82.2 KB · Views: 580
  • Vapor_Audio_Derecho_front_diag_large.jpg
    Vapor_Audio_Derecho_front_diag_large.jpg
    162 KB · Views: 393
  • Vapor CNC.jpg
    Vapor CNC.jpg
    230.8 KB · Views: 433
I think you will learn a lot...

Prepare to get at least a hundred XO parts and years of fun trying to figure it out.

Do you have the original 802D XO, that would be a good starting point. however impossible to copy to your replica.

Tweeter too will be a big issue.

I have plenty of technical drawings, documenting cabinet volume, pretty accurate dimensions of the port, as well as crossover schematics for Nautilus, D, and Diamond series.

The 800, 801, 802 and 803 have the same third order low pass (higher power rated versions have custom 1,8mm inductors, thats like 13 AWG and probably weighs like 2,5 pounds :eek: ) With 4 different woofers ranging from 7"-15" and vastly different cabinets, but the same crossover I think my replica wont have any major issues :)

Im not sure why the tweeter would be a big issue, i would have thought it to be a smaller issue than the midrange at least. I have the crossover and it arrives in its original aluminium enclosure.

Its a much better starting point than I had in my Dali Epicon project
 
Vapor Audio design engineers strive to get the maximum advantages from the translam construction technology. Vapor audio uses advanced translam profile layers which reduce edge diffraction; support 3D cross-bracing; create tapered rear volumes to reduce resonances and hold wool for rear wave absorption; and hold sand for vibration reduction. Give some consideration to cloning one of their designs.

thats exactly what i was thinking about, the D3 has a tapered shape as well so its fitting. translam returns much better google results than "slice by slice method" :D

But yeah, I need create an interior dimension for my cad file and learn how to slice it into equally large parts
 
Well yes, XO a different tweeter than the diamond will be a serious issue.

As for the drivers, at the manufacture they match them first of all to -+0.5db which helps, then they match L and R models to same standard.

A 2 to 3 % capacitor or inductor value change is audible and can cause problems, this uncertainty is accentuated by the drivers which all have different responses.

This is the reason why I said you need a calibrated microphone and few XO spare parts to fine tune each L/R cabinets for variations of 1 to 2 % in the parts and the driver responses, also cabinet imperfection, slight variation of damping etc.

At the factory they record each driver, match them, match the XO parts, then match among hundred of response curves the closest matches L and R monitors.

I predict that even with your care, factory matched drivers etc, if you build it like that you can end with a 2 db mismatch and audible XO defects.

1% on one part can equal 100hz difference at the XO point and reduce the performance of the speakers, this is if you have the D line from B&W or any other respectable speaker manufacture.
 
If it were me, I'd consider purchasing 2 of the Nautilus HTM2 center channel speakers for the midrange and tweeter drivers, and for the woofers a brand like SB Acoustics.

i did previously consider purchasing a center channel speaker to obtain more parts in one, but they dont have the nicely painted tweeters in metal housing. i think they have plastic enclosures from the looks of it
 
Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.