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DIY audio: what are you building?


Paul Spencer

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Might be an idea to remember those drivers you cannot recall, before making "statements" 

The original statement was more about the assumption that WinISD was the only way to model speakers. 

 

It has historically been pretty much as reliable as any other sim, but only recently have i seen some sims that were off. A warning to those using the most recent versions perhaps.

 

dave

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4 hours ago, 125dBmonster said:

Might even get a thread of it's own Linc, this job

Aim for today is to get the 3 sheets of 18mm MDF to laminate together and at least get them marked out, maybe even sink the router into them.

Port is 350mm wide x 100mm high by around 100mm long pending final RTA Measurements

Job is material intensive like no other speaker box/s I've made using at least 2 full sheets of 18mm MDF and 5 sheets of 25mm ply :mellow: 6 hundred skins easily will go into just the box materials..

Little scared that once together, will need 2 good blokes to move them, castors and handles will be mandatory for these I feel, so will be (back of enclosures) bottom/top corner protectors.

You can get mdf up to 50mm or so thick Matt... if you don't want to laminate your own. 

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9 hours ago, 125dBmonster said:

Might be an idea to remember those drivers you cannot recall, before making "statements" 

Generally hard evidence ( photos/screen shots) accompanies posts in this DIY Thread or, it didn't happen.

 

Hey Matt @125dBmonster,

 

Dave @planet10 has many runs on the board, being one of the most experienced wide range speaker enclosure designers on the planet :)

 

Cheers,

 

Matt

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10 hours ago, planet10 said:

It has historically been pretty much as reliable as any other sim, but only recently have i seen some sims that were off. A warning to those using the most recent versions perhaps.

Hi Dave, there could be some truth there only really use it because its reliable and easy. Will keep a look out though as I do tend to down load it as required, which is not that often.

 

7 hours ago, acg said:

You can get mdf up to 50mm or so thick Matt... if you don't want to laminate your own. 

Hi yes can get that locally but need to order it in.

In this case it's a little easier to do and better result. Had an idea of laminating the 2 sheets together is to make it stronger than 1 thick sheet.  Using epoxy 24 hour cure to get a nice tight grip between the laminated.

The surface the driver sits on is much better for reliability over time. 

 

1 hour ago, Sub Sonic said:

Dave @planet10 has many runs on the board, being one of the most experienced wide range speaker enclosure designers on the planet :)

:) all cool but would be better if (any) evidence is put forward, to back the theory :thumb:

 

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  • 3 weeks later...


  • 2 weeks later...

Experimenting with dome tweeters and waveguides, cut the end off one of those dayton JBL clone waveguides and used acetone + dissolved ABS plastic to 'weld' them together.

 

Ended up stronger than i expected, with a nice frequency response too. Not sure what i'm going to use them for..

 

wg2.thumb.jpg.328527117d79cbaa027f38fb678d555d.jpg

 

 

wg.JPG.04d49551b61041638ec60e9cf9bad1ab.JPG

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Experimenting with dome tweeters and waveguides, cut the end off one of those dayton JBL clone waveguides and used acetone + dissolved ABS plastic to 'weld' them together.
 
Ended up stronger than i expected, with a nice frequency response too. Not sure what i'm going to use them for..
 
wg2.thumb.jpg.328527117d79cbaa027f38fb678d555d.jpg
 
 
wg.JPG.04d49551b61041638ec60e9cf9bad1ab.JPG
Would make a decent 2 way project mate.
I've been playing with a similar idea. Tweeters have just arrived, just designing an 800hz horn to match them.
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  • 2 weeks later...

Here is a list of tubes I have used in DIY tube amps, preamps, phono amps and headphone amps etc. I was wondering what other tubes others have used and in what.

 

Tubes; 12AX7, U7, T7. 6T9, 6EM7, 6N7 and 6SN7, 807, EL84, EL34, 300B, 6AS7, 6080, UX-171A and JAN6418. 

 

Tubes I Intend to use in future projects; 211, 6C33C. I have the tubes just need the time. 

Edited by mwhouston
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I’m currently in the process of rehousing and modifying an old 90’s Bitstream DAC. It a QED Digit. Started off just by swapping the opamp. Just impressed with the improvements, so I decided to see how far I could improve this component. Currently investors swapped most of the Caps, upgraded the voltage reg, split the power supplies. Running two Positron power supplies, one of the digital side, one of the analog. Got rid of the coaxial input, interfaced a USB to I2s bridge. Upped the clock from 44.1 to 48khz. Rehoused it in a nice aluminium case and I’m just about to finish it’s balanced output stage. Sounding worlds better than the original. ea14d1318585b0a8d899666a984a15ac.jpgb37d088aa6707a255a6db513bd50f1bf.jpga32afa69d25b2fdba24aca4250d6f387.jpg

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On 2/10/2018 at 7:12 PM, Benjet said:

I’m currently in the process of rehousing and modifying an old 90’s Bitstream DAC. It a QED Digit. Started off just by swapping the opamp. Just impressed with the improvements, so I decided to see how far I could improve this component. Currently investors swapped most of the Caps, upgraded the voltage reg, split the power supplies. Running two Positron power supplies, one of the digital side, one of the analog. Got rid of the coaxial input, interfaced a USB to I2s bridge. Upped the clock from 44.1 to 48khz. Rehoused it in a nice aluminium case and I’m just about to finish it’s balanced output stage. Sounding worlds better than the original. ea14d1318585b0a8d899666a984a15ac.jpgb37d088aa6707a255a6db513bd50f1bf.jpga32afa69d25b2fdba24aca4250d6f387.jpg

Where did you get the case from? Or is it the original?

 

Cheers,

 

Alberto

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Where did you get the case from? Or is it the original?
 
Cheers,
 
Alberto

856307a2817322a720cf26c9bfa5f7c0.jpg
AliExpress, awesome cases. Come in several different sizes and really inexpensive.
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13 hours ago, Benjet said:


856307a2817322a720cf26c9bfa5f7c0.jpg
AliExpress, awesome cases. Come in several different sizes and really inexpensive.

Thanks!

 

I have to start to bookmark them... I keep asking the questions over and over again. How about delivery times? Shipping seems a bit steep for just standard.

 

Cheers,

 

Alberto

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Thanks!
 
I have to start to bookmark them... I keep asking the questions over and over again. How about delivery times? Shipping seems a bit steep for just standard.
 
Cheers,
 
Alberto

Don’t look at shipping, just the delivered price. I got both those cases delivered for $158. In my mind that’s great value. These are really well made and quite heavy. They even come with the power socket, rubber feet and plenty of screws. Shipping was about three or so weeks.
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Just finished a Jean Hiraga Le monster. Yes all 8W of it. It is a pure class A symmetric amp. Two FETs upfront split the signal then two more stages Amplify each half. DC amp right through. 

 

I bought the brds. 20yeats ago and populated them but that's where it stopped. A SNA friend brought over his super Hiraga and it sounded excellent and thus I've finished mine. Just 80,000uf of smoothing/storage where many whole farads are recommended. 

 

No hum and plenty of good deep and forcefully bass. Sound stage through my 19ltr 2-ways is exceptional and sound stage fully sick 3D.  Needs a few days burn in but enjoying the music big time.

 

image.jpeg

Edited by mwhouston
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Mark, what semi's did you use? What output semi's? Most of the originals very hard to find now. I built this amp with substitutes (from Speedy Spares Kensington) quite a few years back, great amp. It might still be out there doing the rounds of amp buyer/sellers. No doubt you didn't go down the truck battery supply option!

regards Ian

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6 minutes ago, Ian McP said:

Mark, what semi's did you use? What output semi's? Most of the originals very hard to find now. I built this amp with substitutes (from Speedy Spares Kensington) quite a few years back, great amp. It might still be out there doing the rounds of amp buyer/sellers. No doubt you didn't go down the truck battery supply option!

regards Ian

Really built this to sell but had the brds and wanted to hear it complete. No batteries for me. All modern equiv. semis; BC550, 560, 2SK256, 2SJ103, TIP3055 and 2955. 

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Hi all thought I'd share my first audio DIY project, a pair of granite speaker plinths.

 

After coming into some money last year I treated myself to a pair of Bowers&Wilkins cm8 s2s in shiny black piano gloss.  I loved them.  A few nights after setting them up and spiking them level to the carpet my small cat decided to jump on them.  Somehow she managed to knock one of them over into the wall and a glass hifi rack (they weigh 18.5kg each).  The first two images show the damage.  

IMG_20171016_095649.thumb.jpg.62aabf1a3fd537e58baf0b7f77cffd3c.jpg

 

IMG_20171016_095622.thumb.jpg.1affd9679c86f452deb07b2eb34a0de3.jpg

 

Angry and frustrated I ended up blaming myself for not using the plinths provided.  So I set them up with the plinth and spiked them level to the carpet.  A few nights later it happened again.  The same speaker fell into the rack and wall again.  It hit at the exact same spot so the damage got worse but at least it was in the same place.  So after having them out for less than 2-weeks I boxed them up till I could fix them and find a solution.

 

4 months have gone by, I've since moved.  In the meantime I sent the speaker to be repaired and I ordered a slab of granite and had it cut to size.

 

The granite is 40mm thick and each piece is 270 x 400. Which is about 10mm wider and 100mm deeper than the b&w pair.  I positioned the excess at the rear.  I had the stone mason cut, polish and bevel the granite and also drill holes so it could be bolted to the speakers.  Third picture is the naked stone top and bottom.

 

IMG_20180219_153528.thumb.jpg.75fdbafbe691782b647d6188c0a2eb26.jpg

 

I then dressed it with 6mm thick neoprene rubber top and bottom (they're now on hardwood floors).  Fourth picture.

 

IMG_20180220_144834.thumb.jpg.ea5bc998f165efed40857aea55bb7947.jpg

 

The end result is a plinth that looks good, suits the speaker, and at 14.5kg each, has lowered the centre of gravity enough that my cat can't knock it over!  Haven't set the rest of the system up yet but they should sound good too.

 

IMG_20180220_153308.thumb.jpg.72c8b0f60451f7b72c00e13f5a82a2e7.jpg

 

IMG_20180220_153330.thumb.jpg.eff045a099bba6fe6483dc7d21da68e3.jpg

 

The cost if anyone is interested:

Slab (lots more than I needed) $480

Cut, polish, bevel and drill $170

Rubber $66

Rubber adhesive $9

Bolts and washers $10? (can't remember)

 

So total is $735 and a few hours work. A bit steep but cheaper than a new speaker.  Would have only been $255 if I sourced some stone off cuts but I got impatient.

 

*forgot to take a picture or weigh the original plinth before boxing it up but I'd guess it's around 1kg.

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