My latest DIY speakers [Archive]

Wardsweb

05-15-2006, 10:32 AM

These only need veneer to be complete but I've got a Lone Star Bottleheads meet at my place on May 20th, so they will play as is. After the meet I'll take the drivers out and veneer.

Drivers: Altec 416-8C LF, Altec 802-8G on 511B horns HF and JBL 077 UHF. The crossover is a combination of an Altec N501 and JBL 3106.

http://wardsweb.org/misc/customhorns.jpg

Wardsweb

05-15-2006, 10:39 AM

This shows the skeleton structure. A combination of CNC baltic birch and MDF.
http://wardsweb.org/misc/w2.jpg

Wardsweb

05-15-2006, 10:40 AM

The sides are done in 4 layers of kerf MDF. These have been filled with bead blasting media (finer than sand), interior of the cabinet is sprayed with a non-harndening soundproofing and fiberglass lined.

http://wardsweb.org/misc/w7.jpg

RuSsMaN

05-15-2006, 11:32 AM

Incredible work, as always. I SOOOO wish I had woodworking skills.

Those would probably sound great on my 211 SET's (for sale) ;).

dorokusai

05-15-2006, 11:36 AM

That sets the bar for DIY in this place....holy cow.

Wardsweb

05-15-2006, 12:10 PM

Incredible work, as always. I SOOOO wish I had woodworking skills.

Those would probably sound great on my 211 SET's (for sale) ;).
Think you'll make it down for this saturday's shindig? No obligation to, just wondering.

RuSsMaN

05-15-2006, 12:15 PM

It's still up in the air, I want to, just depends on what I get done this week.

Paul in Canada

05-15-2006, 12:39 PM

Wow! Great job. One of these days I would like to try build some speakers. If you don't mind me asking about how much time and money would go into a project like this?

Wardsweb

05-15-2006, 01:31 PM

Wow! Great job. One of these days I would like to try build some speakers. If you don't mind me asking about how much time and money would go into a project like this?
My 2-way rosewood corner horns took about a year, part time and came in around $1500. The main cost is for the drivers, as is the case with my present 3-way speakers. The total will come in just under $2K with $1300 of that being the drivers and crossovers. Now if you had to buy these speakers you would be spending somewhere in the neighborhood of $6k-7K pretty easy. With better drivers these would run more like $10K.

unc2701

05-15-2006, 01:34 PM

*Smacks forehead* I don't know why I never thought of layering kerfed wood. I've always been hesitant to use kerfing on speakers (cuts would be huge for proper cabinet thickness) but layers would fix that. DOH!

Very nice work... would love to get my hands on a CNC. My unkle makes furniture, but part of his whole sales pitch is the uniqueness of each of his pieces- so there no chance of a CNC there. He is good for a 3 hour speech on joinery, though.

hoosier21

05-15-2006, 01:47 PM

It would be unreal to have access to a CNC

Wardsweb

05-15-2006, 01:51 PM

Wardsweb

05-15-2006, 01:52 PM

It would be unreal to have access to a CNC
Check you local yellow pages for wood shops, furniture/cabinet makers and lumber yards. You can pay someone to do the CNC for you.

steveinaz

05-15-2006, 02:20 PM

Outstanding job, I bet those babies rock!

dorokusai

05-15-2006, 03:50 PM

Check you local yellow pages for wood shops, furniture/cabinet makers and lumber yards. You can pay someone to do the CNC for you.

If it isn't in Russ's garage now....that's not likely to happen.

amulford

05-15-2006, 08:28 PM

Very nice work, Luther. If you could, I'd love to see how the veneer turns out.

How efficient are they? Did you have any trouble integrating the two crossovers?

Mazeroth

05-15-2006, 08:40 PM

Freakin' beautiful!

DiY speaker builders...UNITE! :D

Wardsweb

05-15-2006, 10:18 PM

Very nice work, Luther. If you could, I'd love to see how the veneer turns out.

How efficient are they? Did you have any trouble integrating the two crossovers?
The speakers are around 100dB efficient, maybe a little more. So a few watts from a 2A3 amp work fine but 50 from a EL34 push pull can rock the house.

The crossover worked well by just adding the UHF section of the JBL 3106 to the Altec N501. Both the HF and UHF have variable attenuation, so it can be dialed in to taste.

Moreants

05-16-2006, 09:35 AM

Very impressive! Beautiful work and sound to match I would guess.

Suddenly I feel like Fred Flintstone.

tonyb

05-18-2006, 11:02 AM

Very nice job,we are all envious of your skills.
Anytime you want to build me some.......
Sure you hear that from 100 people a day!
Beautiful job!!!

Wardsweb

05-18-2006, 11:53 PM

Bass ports done, just need to install the crossovers inside and veneer, but listening is warming my soul. Audio meet this weekend will be proud papa syndrome.

http://wardsweb.org/misc/051806.jpg

Apex

06-09-2006, 12:41 PM

Absolutely gorgeous..

Early B.

06-09-2006, 04:18 PM

Ward -- you gotta give us an update on this project...

ND13

06-10-2006, 07:59 PM

Wood!!!

george daniel

06-10-2006, 08:13 PM

Class act :)

disneyjoe7

06-10-2006, 09:53 PM

Very Nice indeed.

faster100

06-10-2006, 10:51 PM

That whole rig is unreal.. Nice

Wardsweb

11-28-2009, 11:46 PM

Over three years in the making, but I finally veneered my horns and my 2-channel rig has had a few changes. So, here it is in all it's glory.

http://wardsweb.org/audio/Widgets/livingroom112809b.jpg

kawizx9r

11-28-2009, 11:53 PM

Wow...Im jealous ;)

Congratulations on the speakers, they're beautiful and I can only imagine that they sound even better!

RuSsMaN

11-29-2009, 12:09 AM

LUTHER!

I guess I need to revive my membership on that other board. Let's get the LSB's going again, if you haven't already, I miss you and Fred and all those other lunatics.

hearingimpared

11-29-2009, 12:19 AM

Absolutely beautiful!!! The whole rig.

Wardsweb

11-29-2009, 12:20 AM

LUTHER!

I guess I need to revive my membership on that other board. Let's get the LSB's going again, if you haven't already, I miss you and Fred and all those other lunatics.

LSB has been back burnered for a year now. I didn't hold any meeting in 2009. I guess it's time to start things back up or at least hold a get together at my new place.

GV#27

11-29-2009, 12:25 AM

Fabulous looking veneer and finish on those cabs and nifty looking rig.

concealer404

11-29-2009, 01:04 AM

WOW!!

Would you mind telling us exactly what the rest of the gear in the rig is? That's all gorgeous.

Wardsweb

11-29-2009, 01:20 AM

WOW!!

Would you mind telling us exactly what the rest of the gear in the rig is? That's all gorgeous.

From the top:
Clearaudio Champion II table with SME 309 arm fitted with a Benz Micro Glider cart
Shanling CD-T1500 CDP
McIntosh C36 preamp
Juicy Music Tercel phono pre
PS Audio Quintessence Power Center
Shanling SP-80 mono blocks on the floor

hearingimpared

11-29-2009, 01:24 AM

Your turntable gives me wood.

bikerboy

11-29-2009, 01:59 AM

Usually when you look at diy gear you dont expect to see much. But every now and then you see something that makes you go "WOW!" Beautiful work. Are you lovin the way they sound? Very nice setup. Didnt you have a Coronet before? Crazy cool looking TT.

sTiLlLeArNiNg

11-29-2009, 02:34 AM

:eek: BEAUTIFULL setup! :D

halo71

11-29-2009, 03:02 AM

Wow is about the only word I can find right now!

RuSsMaN

11-29-2009, 03:03 AM

LSB has been back burnered for a year now. I didn't hold any meeting in 2009. I guess it's time to start things back up or at least hold a get together at my new place.

Let's start a chat offline and get things back the way they were. PM me your details, I'll send mine.

BIZILL

11-29-2009, 04:14 AM

would i be overly selfish in asking you to post more pics???:eek::)

LessisNevermore

11-29-2009, 04:28 AM

would i be overly selfish in asking you to post more pics???:eek::)

+1

Is that Sapele? (difficult to tell from that distance) Stunning finish!

Can we get some closer pics of the veneer?

Top notch work, from soup to nuts.

Fongolio

11-29-2009, 05:14 AM

Great veneer job!! Love the rest of your set up too. Gorgeous rig.

engtaz

11-29-2009, 06:20 AM

Beautiful

MillerLiteScott

11-29-2009, 08:38 AM

Very nice. Beautiful work.

Wardsweb

11-29-2009, 08:55 AM

+1

Is that Sapele? (difficult to tell from that distance) Stunning finish!

Can we get some closer pics of the veneer?

Top notch work, from soup to nuts.

Here is a pic of the billet feet I machined and a closer look at the sapele pommele top of one of the speakers. I need to upload a few more pics.

http://wardsweb.org/audio/Widgets/bardone.jpg

george daniel

11-29-2009, 08:57 AM

Wardsweb

11-29-2009, 09:11 AM

would i be overly selfish in asking you to post more pics???:eek::)

Here is one from the other angle. Alas, 6 year old grandson + marshmellow gun = dented dust cap.

http://wardsweb.org/audio/Widgets/livingroom112809a.jpg

Wardsweb

11-29-2009, 09:14 AM

Good grief man,, you are blessed with a talent and it shows that you know what to do with it.Might I ask, what cart and phono pre are you using? Outstanding,exquiite,goregeous,top shelf,,just beautiful.
Congratulations,,what a stellar rig,:)

Thanks for the kudos. Being obsessive about detail almost mandated I learn how to do stuff myself because finding others with the same level of attention is next to impossible, or if they do, I can't afford them.

The Clearaudio is fitted with an SME309 arm and Benz Micro Glider cart. This runs through a Juicy Music Tercel phono pre. It truely is a sublime setup.

george daniel

11-29-2009, 09:17 AM

Thank you--I think "sublime" is the perfect term for you rig:).

Thank goodness it was a marshmellow.

danz1906

11-29-2009, 09:25 AM

Over three years in the making, but I finally veneered my horns and my 2-channel rig has had a few changes. So, here it is in all it's glory.

http://wardsweb.org/audio/Widgets/livingroom112809b.jpg

Awesome!

michaeljhsda2

11-29-2009, 09:56 AM

+1

Is that Sapele? (difficult to tell from that distance) Stunning finish!

Can we get some closer pics of the veneer?

Top notch work, from soup to nuts.

Beautiful rig. Wow!

"from soup to nuts" almost sounds like the jingle from Central Hardware on Kingshighway.

LessisNevermore

11-29-2009, 02:55 PM

Here is a pic of the billet feet I machined and a closer look at the sapele pommele top of one of the speakers. I need to upload a few more pics.

http://wardsweb.org/audio/Widgets/bardone.jpg

Absolutely beautiful. What did you use for finish? (lacquer, poly, etc.)

Looks like the veneer was rotary-cut. (large pieces, no book matching) Yes?

Midnite Mick

11-29-2009, 03:28 PM

Wow that is a beautiful veneer and finish...as well as the rest of your gear.

Congrats,
Mike

Wardsweb

11-29-2009, 04:19 PM

Absolutely beautiful. What did you use for finish? (lacquer, poly, etc.)

Looks like the veneer was rotary-cut. (large pieces, no book matching) Yes?

The sheets measuring about 25"x49". This way each side is one sheet and laid so any two sides facing each other are mirror images. The back was the only place I used two pieces only because I didn't have enough full sheets.

They are finished in 8 coats of Deft gloss lacquer. I will wait a few weeks and then buff the finish out.

bsoko2

11-29-2009, 04:29 PM

What a talent!

Bill

Wardsweb

11-29-2009, 04:55 PM

Here they are with grills.

http://wardsweb.org/audio/Widgets/livingroom112909rightgrill.jpg

SolidSqual

11-29-2009, 04:59 PM

Wow, I wish I had the time and the know how to make my own speaks.

Face

11-29-2009, 06:08 PM

Nice job! I love the finish on them!

Did you also do the crossover?

Wardsweb

11-29-2009, 06:13 PM

Nice job! I love the finish on them!

Did you also do the crossover?

The crossover is based on a combination of an the Altec N501 and JBL 3106.

TNTsTunes

11-29-2009, 09:00 PM

Here is one from the other angle. Alas, 6 year old grandson + marshmellow gun = dented dust cap.

http://wardsweb.org/audio/Widgets/livingroom112809a.jpg

Awesome job on the speakers.

I have fixed dented dustcaps many times with a vacuum cleaner. It sucks the dent right out.

zingo

11-30-2009, 12:11 AM

A m a z i n g s p e a k e r s . . .

TouchOfEvil

11-30-2009, 12:18 AM

Insane, that whole setup is drool inducing.

treitz3

11-30-2009, 12:26 AM

http://wardsweb.org/audio/Widgets/livingroom112909rightgrill.jpg

Now that there is just plain sweet. I don't care who you are.

quadzilla

11-30-2009, 01:10 AM

Hmmm... You'll have to excuse me. I need a few moments alone now.

halenhoang

12-02-2009, 02:13 PM

Here they are with grills.

http://wardsweb.org/audio/Widgets/livingroom112909rightgrill.jpg

Your work is stunning. That is beautiful.

Anyone else notice the life force above the speakers?

Halen

MrGlobe

12-02-2009, 03:18 PM

Those really are some of the most beautiful speakers I've ever seen

Wardsweb

12-02-2009, 05:53 PM

Those really are some of the most beautiful speakers I've ever seen

Thank you very much. There is a lot of time, money and love in them.

schwarcw

12-14-2009, 11:22 PM

Luther, Is that a chocolate face Scott component in your rig??

Beautiful set up. The pic's of the turntable always knock me out!

KASR

12-15-2009, 12:57 PM

Unbelievable workmanship!

steveinaz

12-15-2009, 01:29 PM

Now THOSE are man-speakers. Awesome attention to detail.

ben62670

12-15-2009, 01:34 PM

Eh I don't like em. They are much nicer than mine!
Congrats on the workmanship.
Ben

nguyendot

12-15-2009, 01:40 PM

I'd use a vacuum or some silver tape to pull the dust caps out. Sometimes the vacuum doesn't work because the cap is too porous and it doesn't grab. Then I just grab the silver tape and scrub a piece in to where its dented and SLOWLY pull out... pulls dents out like magic!