Speaker building
- Thread starter sebr023
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sebr023
Member
Wow! Amazing work. Yeah, not in my price bracket too. Haha. These speaker are 200$ cad a pair for the kit. Not including the box of course.Terrific project
From the design standpoint I love the all the geometries and reveals you've got going on! I think the finshed effect will be really nice.
I'm also impressed (and also not a little envious) with how you are making great use of 3D printing your process.
On a side note my brother-in-law actually makes really cool audio amplifiers that use old-school valves. I've always admired them but could never afford one LOL https://www.lampizator.com
Did you got the chance to hear the amp? How are they?
Thanks. First project I ever model in fusion 360 was overnight sensation DIY speaker from Paul’s. A very well known speaker designer. Never got the chance to build them tho, but that was a cool project to start learning 3d cad.
Thanks for the kind words. I like making things my own. Sometimes that’s time consuming. But in the end, I think it worth it to have a more personalized finished product!
I’m also 3d printing round port. Including a bracket, and a removable part to install after painting.
Since then, I've added a pocket so the port flange is recess and flush with the back pannel
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Packard
Member
Making a speaker seems easy. After all it is just a box made from MDF. (Usually) the joinery is just butt joints and glue plus wire brads. The real test is if the audio engineering works out.
In any case, your workmanship is well above par.
I do think that many speakers are covered with speaker box covering materials (carpet, fabric, veneers) to avoid the issues that paint MDF raises.
Pre-pandemic, I considered MDF an ideal material for painting. The older sheets had smooth calendared (run through mirror finish rollers) surfaces which would not raise grain as long as the surfaces were not sanded.
The stuff I see now has a surface that looks like it was sanded with 80 grit paper. It definitely will result in raised grain.
For the machined edges, I used grain filler intended for open grain wood floors. I apply it with a rag like rubbing on shoe polish. Very little sanding is required after the filler has dried. It does not matter which color match you use, as the paint will cover it. My first coat of finish is usually SealCoat (shellac) so I avoid raising the grain.
The “good lumber” distributor near me no longer carries MDF. He said that he can’t make money on the good stuff and he won’t sell the stuff that Home Depot and Lowes sells.
In any case, you might want to look into the vinyl speaker covering materials in the link I showed. Using it skirts around all these issues, but will look more “factory”.
I hope they sound as good as they look.
The earlier link was mostly carpet and felt. This link is for vinyl products, which though less practical, look a lot better:
In any case, your workmanship is well above par.
I do think that many speakers are covered with speaker box covering materials (carpet, fabric, veneers) to avoid the issues that paint MDF raises.
Pre-pandemic, I considered MDF an ideal material for painting. The older sheets had smooth calendared (run through mirror finish rollers) surfaces which would not raise grain as long as the surfaces were not sanded.
The stuff I see now has a surface that looks like it was sanded with 80 grit paper. It definitely will result in raised grain.
For the machined edges, I used grain filler intended for open grain wood floors. I apply it with a rag like rubbing on shoe polish. Very little sanding is required after the filler has dried. It does not matter which color match you use, as the paint will cover it. My first coat of finish is usually SealCoat (shellac) so I avoid raising the grain.
The “good lumber” distributor near me no longer carries MDF. He said that he can’t make money on the good stuff and he won’t sell the stuff that Home Depot and Lowes sells.
In any case, you might want to look into the vinyl speaker covering materials in the link I showed. Using it skirts around all these issues, but will look more “factory”.
I hope they sound as good as they look.
The earlier link was mostly carpet and felt. This link is for vinyl products, which though less practical, look a lot better:
Stevenski
Member
Looking good! 
I really am not an audiophile but even I am blown away by the quality of sound. Then I go home to my little Bose bluetooth speaker ....
Yes, many times. He has an amazing listening room in his office and home with sound dampening on the walls etc etc, He also makes his own speakers.
I really am not an audiophile but even I am blown away by the quality of sound. Then I go home to my little Bose bluetooth speaker ....
luvmytoolz
Member
I was reading through this properly and I'm blown away that a company providing a CNC service can't produce round holes?
Wt?
Wt?
One of my home made "valve" amps.
Audio stuff is a self perpetuating disease.
Speaker building was my gateway to Festool.
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luvmytoolz
Member
Beautiful setup!
sebr023
Member
That’s why I don’t design my speaker yet. I’m okay at designing okay subwoofer (I made a table with 2: 15 inch subwoofer). But speaker are another level. There’s so many proven design out there, speaker or subwoofer.
I think my next speaker related build would be a 21 or 24 inch subwoofer for the room to add to my two 15inch.
I’ll take a look at the link you send. Not sure I want them to look like “factory” tho. Not sure if it’s a good thing. Also, with all the angle/ round over, chamfer and reveal, not sure vinyl would be easier to apply.
Both my previous build ( the subwoofer, and a left center and right channel from CSS AUDIO) were both birch plywood. But thought I’d go a bit on the cheaper side for this since I had 6 to bike with matching stand.
I didn’t provide the mdf. The cnc shop provided it, but I’d guess it’s on par with Home Depot stuff.
sebr023
Member
Bose has nice stuff too haha. I had head phone for 10 years from them.Looking good!
Yes, many times. He has an amazing listening room in his office and home with sound dampening on the walls etc etc, He also makes his own speakers.
I really am not an audiophile but even I am blown away by the quality of sound. Then I go home to my little Bose bluetooth speaker ....
I have an ikea symphonisk in the bathroom, and an ultimate ears wonderboom for a portable speaker. Not all speaker needs to be hi-fi.
These are worth 200$ / pair. That’s nothing on the world of audiophile.
I’d love to ear that amp/speaker and room. I’ve yet to listen to a tube amps
sebr023
Member
Don’t know.
One time my 3d printer made oval round. But I had a loose axis.
I gave him a week to respond and i even mentionned the loose axis so he can trouble shoot. He never mentionned that he would fix his machine and offered to cut the panel again. I said I would fix them. He offered to reimburse me, which is nice.
sebr023
Member
Buying tool to make speaker, and making speaker to do some woodworking and buy tools haha. I know what it is!
Thats mainly what I do with my tool. Every other thing I’d think of making my gf prefer to buy them from ikea to save time.
Beautiful amp! Did you make it? I bet it sound amazing
Crazyraceguy
Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2015
- Messages
- 5,511
There is another alternative for sealing cut edges. Ordinary drywall spackle works fine too. It takes a little more effort than some of the other methods though. It's also a bit messy, since you essentially have to smear it on with your hands. It does dry quicker than some others and sands very well.
sebr023 - Curious why you opted to cut your driver recesses with templates instead of a circle jig for a router?
I've used this M-power CRB7 for years with very good results. Have to make a few test cuts but easily get to about 0.25mm tolerance in driver cutouts. It's been pretty handy for some other stuff too.
www.rockler.com
I've used this M-power CRB7 for years with very good results. Have to make a few test cuts but easily get to about 0.25mm tolerance in driver cutouts. It's been pretty handy for some other stuff too.
M-Power CRB7 MK3 Multi-Function Router Base
The CRB7 MK3 arms your router with the ability to cut fully micro-adjustable dadoes, mortises, circles, and indexed grooves for faux paneling and shelving systems.
www.rockler.com
sebr023
Member
Mainly because the holes were cnc cut but were not perfectly round.sebr023 - Curious why you opted to cut your driver recesses with templates instead of a circle jig for a router?
I've used this M-power CRB7 for years with very good results. Have to make a few test cuts but easily get to about 0.25mm tolerance in driver cutouts. It's been pretty handy for some other stuff too.
M-Power CRB7 MK3 Multi-Function Router Base
The CRB7 MK3 arms your router with the ability to cut fully micro-adjustable dadoes, mortises, circles, and indexed grooves for faux paneling and shelving systems.
So having existing holes, I thought the template were easier to fix the holes.
The circle jig you linked is nice. First time I see this one. I have a milacraft I got for when I only had a Triton router. The triton is now in my makeshift router table, and I don’t really like it.
Cheese
Member
FWIW...I don't use MDF very often but when I do I always apply a coat of Zinsser BIN Shellac primer for the 1st go-around, then very, very lightly hand sand the surface with 400 grit and then apply a 2nd coat of Zinsser. After that it's business as usual, I've never found Zinsser to raise the grain and I find it's a joy to use if you want an absolutely smooth, paintable surface on MDF.
Nice job on the speakers, I like the radiuses and the relieved areas. They will look nice once painted as long as the paint is not applied too thick.
I love
the idea of 3D printing templates for routing difficult areas. I never really gave any thought to purchasing a 3D printer but your examples have really made me think otherwise...I thank you for that. 
Unfortunately or fortunately, that has also made me rethink that I need to reconsider learning Fushion. I started that adventure 2 years ago and then life got in the way. As a side note, I purchased a new Shaper Origin in 2018 and have still not used it except to update the software yearly...and that's nothing to be proud of. 
The Fushion education should change the Origin debacle.
Nice job on the speakers, I like the radiuses and the relieved areas. They will look nice once painted as long as the paint is not applied too thick.
I love
the idea of 3D printing templates for routing difficult areas. I never really gave any thought to purchasing a 3D printer but your examples have really made me think otherwise...I thank you for that. Unfortunately or fortunately, that has also made me rethink that I need to reconsider learning Fushion. I started that adventure 2 years ago and then life got in the way. As a side note, I purchased a new Shaper Origin in 2018 and have still not used it except to update the software yearly...and that's nothing to be proud of. The Fushion education should change the Origin debacle.sebr023
Member
I also have a shaper origin, than I barely used. I used it for both my speaker project et subwoofer. Haven’t use it on this one.FWIW...I don't use MDF very often but when I do I always apply a coat of Zinsser BIN Shellac primer for the 1st go-around, then very, very lightly hand sand the surface with 400 grit and then apply a 2nd coat of Zinsser. After that it's business as usual, I've never found Zinsser to raise the grain and I find it's a joy to use if you want an absolutely smooth, paintable surface on MDF.
Nice job on the speakers, I like the radiuses and the relieved areas. They will look nice once painted as long as the paint is not applied too thick.
I love
Thanks, can’t wait to see them painted too. I think they will look nice. Of course I’ll take extra care of both applying too think of paint! Maybe I’ll shoot them using my cheap-o Wagner “air less”.
I’ll follow you recommandation on sanding the zinserrr with 400 grit. I sanded it use 180 in my test.
Packard
Member
I think that MDF is the preferred material for speaker boxes because it is acoustically inert. That is, the flat panels will not resonate and make ghost tones that will overlay the pure acoustic tones.
Tone boards (like the front and rear panels on a guitar) need to resonate to project a bigger sound. But I believe you do not want to introduce a new sound board in a speaker boxes.
Lots of information about speaker box design:
I have no idea if this guy knows what he is talking about, but he has an assured delivery, diagrams, white type on black background (to make reading difficult) and calls himself an “Instittute”.
But it reads like he knows what he is talking about. Probably worth reading (if you can get past the white type on black background).
Tone boards (like the front and rear panels on a guitar) need to resonate to project a bigger sound. But I believe you do not want to introduce a new sound board in a speaker boxes.
Lots of information about speaker box design:
I have no idea if this guy knows what he is talking about, but he has an assured delivery, diagrams, white type on black background (to make reading difficult) and calls himself an “Instittute”.
But it reads like he knows what he is talking about. Probably worth reading (if you can get past the white type on black background).
Cheese
Member
Before MDF was introduced for speaker enclosures, Wharfedale used wood panels filled with sand in the middle to dampen and eliminate any resonances. I had a pair of Wharfedale W60D speakers in the 70's and at the time they were considered to be cutting edge as far as box/material design went.
Unfortunately, the individual speaker components from Wharfedale themselves were not cutting edge and better speaker components from JBL soon took over. It was also around that time that JBL introduced using MDF for speaker enclosures.
Packard
Member
My “top shelf” Radio Shack speakers (which I still have and are pretty good, but not really excellent) we’re purchased circa 1975. They are pretty (real walnut veneer) over 5/8” particleboard.
I don’t know how particleboard compares to MDF acoustically, but cost-wise, not a huge difference. So I guess particleboard was used interchangeably.
Physically, big speakers.
My 25 year old Tivoli Audio radio has remarkably nice sound out of an appropriately 4” speaker and a 5” x 10” x 8” box. Those are appropriate dimensions and I will update when I locate the radio.
That radio is the reason I think acoustic engineering plays a big role in how a speaker sounds. A radio that small should not sound that good.
Addendum:
Still in production, and smaller than I remembered. Updated dimensions: 4.5 x 8.375 x 5.25 in
And apparently they have added blue tooth, which mine does not have.
tivoliaudio.com
I don’t know how particleboard compares to MDF acoustically, but cost-wise, not a huge difference. So I guess particleboard was used interchangeably.
Physically, big speakers.
My 25 year old Tivoli Audio radio has remarkably nice sound out of an appropriately 4” speaker and a 5” x 10” x 8” box. Those are appropriate dimensions and I will update when I locate the radio.
That radio is the reason I think acoustic engineering plays a big role in how a speaker sounds. A radio that small should not sound that good.
Addendum:
Still in production, and smaller than I remembered. Updated dimensions: 4.5 x 8.375 x 5.25 in
And apparently they have added blue tooth, which mine does not have.
Model One BT
Imagine the ideal radio.With a tuner that brings clarity to many of the weakest stations and Bluetooth, the Model One radio begins with a handmade wood cabinet that is both beautiful and the ideal acoustically inert housing. With just three knobs, it is the antithesis of today’s ever more...
tivoliaudio.com
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AstroKeith
Member
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2020
- Messages
- 265
About 10 years ago I tested the resonance of MDF vs Particleboard ('chipboard' in the UK).
For smaller panels there was little difference, but above 1/4 sqm the particle board was more 'dead'. It is clearly not as dense as MDF and this seemed to be the key. I could get a 1/2 sqm panel of MDF to resonate at low audible frequencies.
These days with modern drivers and acoustic engineering the enclosures are smaller and so the difference is moot.
For smaller panels there was little difference, but above 1/4 sqm the particle board was more 'dead'. It is clearly not as dense as MDF and this seemed to be the key. I could get a 1/2 sqm panel of MDF to resonate at low audible frequencies.
These days with modern drivers and acoustic engineering the enclosures are smaller and so the difference is moot.
