Bookshelf speaker boxes
- Thread starter Holmz
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Holmz
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Well it is like lipstick on a pig as it is a veneer... 
But I put a 1/2" strip on the side which is biscuited onto the MDF. I am getting a bit better at getting the edge lip 'knocked down', but it is still problematic at the corners... so the boxes are a bit rough-n-ready... But good practice for another cabinet project which will need edging attached.
Anyway I soldered up some RCAs and worked on some speaker wires for a while this afternoon, and ordered a car battery charger.
I have a hole saw I ordered from the hardware shop on Saturday, which I need to counterbore the speakers, as the router but has a 10-mm cut diameter. And I got a piece of 1" pipe from the plumbing shop for the 'port' Saturday and cut it today...
But I put a 1/2" strip on the side which is biscuited onto the MDF. I am getting a bit better at getting the edge lip 'knocked down', but it is still problematic at the corners... so the boxes are a bit rough-n-ready... But good practice for another cabinet project which will need edging attached.
Anyway I soldered up some RCAs and worked on some speaker wires for a while this afternoon, and ordered a car battery charger.
I have a hole saw I ordered from the hardware shop on Saturday, which I need to counterbore the speakers, as the router but has a 10-mm cut diameter. And I got a piece of 1" pipe from the plumbing shop for the 'port' Saturday and cut it today...
Holmz said:Well it is like lipstick on a pig as it is a veneer...
Doesn't matter really, MDF is the standard for speaker construction as its uniform density yields the best sound response from the boxes. A solid jarrah box would hardly look any different, yet sound terrible in comparison.
As someone that has built many sets of speakers, I'm also keen to see your progress! What were the design constraints, driver size, crossover design etc etc?
Dogberryjr
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Holmz said:
Uhhh . . . ?
Holmz
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HAXIT said:
Excuses:
1) hole saw ordered 8 days ago for the speaker diameter (-20 mm for the router lip)
2) Rain since Friday (First since Jan)
3) AFL Footy Grand Final yesterday
4) Awaiting blocking capacitors for the tweeter protection.
5) Awaiting speaker box fill
Things done:
1) RCA cables made (Soldering iron was running hard at it last Sunday)
2) Started on speaker cables
3) Picked up a proper crimper and spade-female ends
LooseSox said:
Well I was thinking sealed (1 litre) box the F(s) for the mid ranges is 225 Hz in a sealed box. (I was leaning towards a 2-way plus subwoofer.)
In a ported box the F(s) is 125 Hz in a 1.2 litre ported box with a 1" diameter port 3" long. So I went ported...
The basic concept is to use these and move them around on the dashboard of a 4x4 and see where they seem like they sound OK and then get stuck into the 4x4 with the p1cc [big grin].
I am still unsure what I will run in the 4x4... Either these or some other speakers.
Then I can retire these to be camp ground speakers. (Hence the ported may be better, and I can use a cheap woofer, and extended sub...
I will have Neutrik SpeakOn connectors and have a left and right outlets outside to plug these into, and maybe a VAST for TV... (Dunno yet)
In the mean time I picked up another used pair of 6.5" mid base speakers and a 50w/channel tweeter amp.
So I will probably do...
- Woofers 120 - 900 Hz (I think these want a sealed box at 3 litres)
- Midrange 900-Hz to 3500 Hz
- Tweeters 3500-Hz onwards
(Dunno for sure yet - but the guess seems a starting point)
Dogberryjr said:
Yeah... well I will haul in a car battery from outside, as well as capacitor and then make sure the amplifiers work and the CD-player/radio... And ensure it is all sounding OK (outside on a table) before trying to install it.
The silver box is a used "adjustable active cross over". All the parts are used except for cables and the radio/CD is new old stock.
- 3" copper tubing for the ports is ready.
- RCAs are ~2' long to go from this cross over to a 4chx100W amp, and a 2chx50W amp.
- The SpeakOn needs to be installed in the box - and similar on the speaker output side.
- Still unsure whether I want the whole box biscuited to the front and back, or use ~6 brass screws on either the front or the back (or both)... Or use Lamello ClampX to allow to disassemble them (Maybe on the front).
( I am leaning towards the screws and silicon sealer)
Some of the Jarrah edging strips were a bit undersized, and I had a couple of "slip ups" trimming them flush... but I will have the daggy sides in the rear, and have 2 as "presentable" and 2 as "daggy" [big grin]
The Mrs says they look a bit ordinary... We have 5 senses, and these were not optimised for sight, taste, touch nor the olfactory senses.
Dogberryjr
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Ah. Gotcha. I was worried you meant to torture something.
Holmz
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duburban said:
Fire away (hijack) here - I am interested and maybe it fits in with the project?
The ScanSpeak Beryllium D3004, and 10f are in the photo.
Their Wu18 are in the post.
Also looking at some ribbons... (Bohlender Graebener Neo10)
Dunno much - but I am scratching the chins at lot.
Holmz
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Ok Bruss, which hardware holds the covers on those good looking speakers?
I assume that is for a 5.1 type of set up?
What are in them in the way of speakers?
What amps are you power them with? (i.e. Watts/channel...)
... and I assume passive crossovers in the boxes?
What wood is that on the boxes?
I assume that is for a 5.1 type of set up?
What are in them in the way of speakers?
What amps are you power them with? (i.e. Watts/channel...)
... and I assume passive crossovers in the boxes?
What wood is that on the boxes?
Dedicated speaker grill clips. Female in the box male in the grills. If I were to do it again, it'd be rare earth magnets rebated inside the boxes/grills.
Yep, 5.1, although I havent built the .1 part yet. The place I'm renting at present I can't even use the rear speakers let alone a 65L sub due to space constraints.
The centre and rear speakers are rear ported and the mains are a hybrid ported/transmission line design.
The drivers are a combination of Peerless, Vifa and Scanspeak with passive crossovers designed to suit. Tasmanian Oak veneered mdf boxes. Currently running an old Onkyo receiver that can muster up 110w/channel all chanels driven.
Many an argument with wifey during design and construction! Why is it taking so long (12 months design phase, 4 week build) why is it costing so much (over $3k in materials), why didn't you just buy a set (because anything remotely similar off the shelf is worth more than her car) LOL. After it all was done and they were broken in, the first time they got cranked was on the 1812 and Star Wars opening theme (she hates classical and Star Wars!) it didn't help me much either. But then we watched Jurassic Park with them all plugged in and borrowing a sub I built for a mate and they got the tick of aproval finally.
Yep, 5.1, although I havent built the .1 part yet. The place I'm renting at present I can't even use the rear speakers let alone a 65L sub due to space constraints.
The centre and rear speakers are rear ported and the mains are a hybrid ported/transmission line design.
The drivers are a combination of Peerless, Vifa and Scanspeak with passive crossovers designed to suit. Tasmanian Oak veneered mdf boxes. Currently running an old Onkyo receiver that can muster up 110w/channel all chanels driven.
Many an argument with wifey during design and construction! Why is it taking so long (12 months design phase, 4 week build) why is it costing so much (over $3k in materials), why didn't you just buy a set (because anything remotely similar off the shelf is worth more than her car) LOL. After it all was done and they were broken in, the first time they got cranked was on the 1812 and Star Wars opening theme (she hates classical and Star Wars!) it didn't help me much either. But then we watched Jurassic Park with them all plugged in and borrowing a sub I built for a mate and they got the tick of aproval finally.
Just 45 degree bevels on all pieces. MDF is porous enough that with enough glue it seeps into edge joints and provides a decent bond, plus there is substantial internal bracing holding it all together.
Plus being a ported box, internal air pressure will never get high enough to blow the box apart.
Plus being a ported box, internal air pressure will never get high enough to blow the box apart.
Cheese
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Ya thanks for the answers, just curious about how both of you constructed the boxes. I was way into speaker construction almost 50 years ago.
And then I got into motorcycles...and then I got into cars...and then I got into photography...and then I got into handguns...and then I got into.............
And then I got into motorcycles...and then I got into cars...and then I got into photography...and then I got into handguns...and then I got into.............
Holmz
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I looked at the parts and fiddled with the Zeta and worked out how to do the biscuits at 45...
(Half the reason for the boxes was to work out veneered MDF for the bathroom cabinet.)
It is probably easy - but the beard was stroked for a few minutes anyhow.
(Half the reason for the boxes was to work out veneered MDF for the bathroom cabinet.)
It is probably easy - but the beard was stroked for a few minutes anyhow.
