Computer speakers

jcaut · 08-06-2005, 01:48 PM

Thought I'd use these as computer speakers. They're John K's design ( http://www.zaphaudio.com) based on the little HiVi B3N, except that I used the round ones (can't remember whether they're the "S" or the "N"). They've a series notch filter to tame a breakup peak and some baffle step compensation. I've been feeding them a full-range signal, which is not optimum, and running them with my PSW1200. Other than the fact that they're not going to produce a lot of volume, they sound pretty good.

The drivers only cost about $10 each, and can be purchased from Parts Express or Madisound. I built the enclosures out of 1/2" MDF, rounded the corners and then wrapped them with walnut veneer. The baffles (which I'm not too crazy about) were sprayed with truck bed liner, then misted with Duplicolor "GM Light driftwood metallic", and coated with polyurethane. My son's idea

If the pictures look a little distorted, it's because I still had the fisheye lens on my camera from when I took this shot, and I didn't feel like changing it.

Jason

Vr3MxStyler2k3 · 08-06-2005, 03:34 PM

Dude! Those look awesome... not to crazy about the baffle - definetely has "bling" to it

Those look GREAT man....

Any "in-the-process" pics?

jcaut · 08-06-2005, 03:45 PM

Bling, huh? Oh well.. I guess I can always change it later if I need to. It's hard to argue with a 7-year old when he's "helping" you build speakers. He didn't want that finish on HIS speakers (I'll put up pics of them in a little while), just on mine

Sorry, I didn't take any "in-progress" pictures of these. They went together pretty easily though, taking into account my mediocre woodworking skills. Wrapping that veneer around there wasn't as easy as I had imagined, but it ended up looking pretty good I thought.

Thanks for the comments!

Jason

gatemplin · 08-06-2005, 04:28 PM

Looks good to me. The veneer turned out really well. You cant go wrong with a John K design.

jcaut · 08-06-2005, 05:04 PM

Thanks Graham. It's nice using someone else's design. The problem with my own is that I never know when I'm done: I always think, "Well.. I can probably make it sound a little better; Better not solder it together yet.", so basically, I never get finished!

Mjr7531 · 08-06-2005, 05:28 PM

Amazing job! I first thought you were pulling Screen Shots from the original maker's site. Fantastic!

RuSsMaN · 08-06-2005, 06:16 PM

Hella cool.

Spawndn72 · 08-06-2005, 09:17 PM

So how do they sound?

michael_w · 08-07-2005, 03:26 AM

They look great. I should order a couple from solen and give this project a shot (if I can find a use for them somewhere).

The N's are round, while S's are square.

08-06-2005, 01:48 PM	#1
jcaut Polkhead Member Sales Rating: (5) Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Paris, Arkansas Posts: 1,771	Computer speakers Thought I'd use these as computer speakers. They're John K's design ( http://www.zaphaudio.com) based on the little HiVi B3N, except that I used the round ones (can't remember whether they're the "S" or the "N"). They've a series notch filter to tame a breakup peak and some baffle step compensation. I've been feeding them a full-range signal, which is not optimum, and running them with my PSW1200. Other than the fact that they're not going to produce a lot of volume, they sound pretty good. The drivers only cost about $10 each, and can be purchased from Parts Express or Madisound. I built the enclosures out of 1/2" MDF, rounded the corners and then wrapped them with walnut veneer. The baffles (which I'm not too crazy about) were sprayed with truck bed liner, then misted with Duplicolor "GM Light driftwood metallic", and coated with polyurethane. My son's idea If the pictures look a little distorted, it's because I still had the fisheye lens on my camera from when I took this shot, and I didn't feel like changing it. Jason Attached Thumbnails

08-06-2005, 03:34 PM	#2
Vr3MxStyler2k3 Sid the Kid Member Sales Rating: (21) Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: NC Posts: 15,669	Dude! Those look awesome... not to crazy about the baffle - definetely has "bling" to it Those look GREAT man.... Any "in-the-process" pics? __________________ Da Rig- Mains- Tyler Acoustics Super Towers Subwoofer- Tyler Acoustics Custom Seas 10" Stereo Subs Amplifier- Odyssey Stratos Extreme Mono Blocks Preamp- Odyssey Candela CD Player- Symphonic Line Vibrato The CD Player Power Conditioner- MIT Z Center Speaker Cables- MIT Shotgun S2 Bi-Wire Signal Cables- MIT Shotgun S2 Subwoofer Cables- MIT AVT 1 Power Cables- MIT Shotgun AC1 (Amps/Pre/CDP) MIT Z Cord II (Conditioner/Subs) Polks are in the truck!

08-06-2005, 05:28 PM	#6
Mjr7531 Polkazoid Member Sales Rating: (0) Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 856	Amazing job! I first thought you were pulling Screen Shots from the original maker's site. Fantastic! __________________ "I would like to thank the Canadians for coming out to wave... with all five fingers." -George W. Bush

08-06-2005, 06:16 PM	#7
RuSsMaN Hardcore Member Sales Rating: (27) Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: North Texas Posts: 16,039	Hella cool. __________________ If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough - when you get knocked down, you gotta get back up - Roger Alan Wade

08-06-2005, 09:17 PM	#8
Spawndn72 Polkateer Member Sales Rating: (1) Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 450	So how do they sound? __________________ Setup: Adcom GFA-545 amp Nad 1600 pre Dual 704 TT Pioneer 707 R2R Pioneer DV-578A Multi-format Polk SDA-2 Mains

08-06-2005, 03:45 PM	#3
jcaut Polkhead Member Sales Rating: (5) Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Paris, Arkansas Posts: 1,771	Bling, huh? Oh well.. I guess I can always change it later if I need to. It's hard to argue with a 7-year old when he's "helping" you build speakers. He didn't want that finish on HIS speakers (I'll put up pics of them in a little while), just on mine Sorry, I didn't take any "in-progress" pictures of these. They went together pretty easily though, taking into account my mediocre woodworking skills. Wrapping that veneer around there wasn't as easy as I had imagined, but it ended up looking pretty good I thought. Thanks for the comments! Jason

08-06-2005, 04:28 PM	#4
gatemplin Polkhead Member Sales Rating: (1) Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 1,591	Looks good to me. The veneer turned out really well. You cant go wrong with a John K design.

08-06-2005, 05:04 PM	#5
jcaut Polkhead Member Sales Rating: (5) Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Paris, Arkansas Posts: 1,771	Thanks Graham. It's nice using someone else's design. The problem with my own is that I never know when I'm done: I always think, "Well.. I can probably make it sound a little better; Better not solder it together yet.", so basically, I never get finished!

08-07-2005, 03:26 AM	#9
michael_w Polkologist Member Sales Rating: (2) Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 2,898	They look great. I should order a couple from solen and give this project a shot (if I can find a use for them somewhere). The N's are round, while S's are square.

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