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Deep End DIY - My first speaker project


acg

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Oh to be so busy and in demand with work!  Absolutely no time for anything me related for the past couple of months but some big events at the farm are now out of the way (even including a little bit of rain - who would'a thought?) and the consulting is starting to get get through the super high pressure zone (where I needed 10 days in a week) and into just high pressure (where seven days in a working week is fine).  I'm worn out and absolutely itching to finish building some stuff!

 

This morning I've been thinking about whether or not I am what would classically be termed an audiophile. 

 

I love listening to music, sure, and I have invested in a turntable and ancilliaries largely because it is inconvenient, un-modern and an engineering marvel, but also because it gives me access to much more music, especially the older classical recordings.  So here I am, with no time to finish my acoustic system let alone the phono stage I need to get the records playing but in the meantime I have purchased about 200 records that I cannot play for a while.  About half of them are classical with some in a bulk lot with many unfamiliar titles and composers that I am yet to explore, but I am looking forward to broadening my horizons nonetheless.  The other half are the mainstream artists and albums that I have absolutely love and listen to on high rotation in my digital setup, and with some of these I've gone the extra yards to get original pressings in excellent condition, and even multiple copies of a couple of albums with different mastering.  The albums I've chosen are ones that I would be more likely to play when the modus operandi is relaxation, enjoyment, immersion and perhaps with a stiff drink or two.  

 

Good news is that I have negotiated with my wife so that we spend most of the Christmas break at home this year so I will/should/hope to be able to spend a couple of weeks just getting stuff finished.  That's not far away...

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Audiophile / audiophool it's a fine line between seeking the holy grail, and out and out insanity. There have been times I have been on both sides of the line. Everyone's definition is probably different, but I would probably deem anyone who takes extraordinary length to achieve this audio nirvana as being an audiophile.

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21 minutes ago, Silent Screamer said:

I feel like I am reading a 1000 page thriller and someone has ripped the last few pages out... It's like how does it end? how does it end?

@acg may have 'writer's block' atm.....? It seems there are extenuating circumstances though!?

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6 hours ago, Silent Screamer said:

lol I think it is more about not having the time to write the last few pages, but it doesn't help the suspense anxiety I'm feeling :D 

 

 

...that you're feeling Paul?  I've gotta look at these beasts each day and restrain myself from just dropping work and jumping back into the audio.  The days remaining to my Christmas break are reducing but not fast enough for me!

Edited by acg
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On 10/10/2018 at 5:06 PM, davewantsmoore said:
On 10/10/2018 at 10:15 AM, acg said:

a turntable

I knew this thread was doomed....

 

:no:;):D

I'm hoping in this day'n' age there's some antibiotic for the 'black death'. Perhaps some nearby soul with 'medical training'?

 

While the little voice in the back seat pleading "are we nearly there" risks succumbing to old age, let's for a moment rejoice that acg apparently has a life outside true reality (speaker building).

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On 15/10/2018 at 5:50 PM, acg said:

 

 

...that you're feeling Paul?  I've gotta look at these beasts each day and restrain myself from just dropping work and jumping back into the audio.  The days remaining to my Christmas break are reducing but not fast enough for me!

Yeah must be 100 times worse for you. I am finally moving forward on my sub. Slackness has passed and desire to get something done is returning.

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I did see that Paul.  Personally, I think it will be a tight race as to which is the "mother of all subs"...

 

 

1498769362_TwoDesigns.jpg.b2cb27b10bbc93767e3f31092c9691b8.jpg

(they are big, big cabinets!)

 

or...

 

1599408397_Twoup.thumb.jpg.ca5ef556ef2b1b73eed3fc6cef54c9ac.jpg

 

I'm 6'1" tall and with one arm outstretched I can just make it to the top of those Bass Cannons.  They weigh 400kg+ each side.  If not the mother they sure are the aunty or a distant cousin.

 

PS:  all in good humour Paul, I just felt a need to post something and haven't actually done any "work" so I thought I might start a whimsical debate.  Yours probably is bigger than mine...

Edited by acg
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Think our's are both mothers... These guys are the GRAND DADDY!

 

4 x TC Sounds LMS 5400 Ultra, 8 x TC Sounds 18" VMPs, 2 x Crown I-Tech 8000's

 

Make my wimpey 1 x TC Sounds LMS 5400 Ultra, 2 x TC Sounds 18" VMPs, 1 x Crown I-Tech 9000 look like a centre speaker...

 

 

 

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Conrad Heatsinks

 

Just a shout out to show my appreciation to these guys ^^^.  This morning I called them up to order some big heatsinks for a SS amp I have started building at night.  Their prices are excellent and service has been great every time I've used them and today was no different.  We were talking about production of the heatsinks and he mentioned that they are coated right at the end, sometimes the day that they go out and that most of what they sell is machined in some way before hand.  Me with my thinking cap on asked if it was possible to run a rebate 4mm deep in the top and bottom of each heatsink so that I could tap a few holes into the rebated surface and screw 4mm thick plate directly to the top and bottom of the heatsinks such that the top of the 4mm plate sat flush with the top of the fins of the heatsink.  Yep, no worries Anthony, that will be $5 each heatsink but it will ship tomorrow rather than today.  Bloody awesome!  Saves me a heap of time manufacturing something myself plus it will look excellent because the rebate will be coated black rather than remaining the silver of aluminium.  Top job.

 

The SS amp I have started on is a 25W Class A that I will use to run the ML1's.  I've had an amp on loan here while I build my big speakers and although there is no call from the owner to send it back I am very mindful that I it has been with me for a long time and that the big system will not be complete anytime soon.  I am using a soft start circuit at the front end of that amp which may help my startup protocol problems with the DSET's, so fingers crossed I can get them fired up properly so that project can roll toward its completion as well.

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20 hours ago, BioBrian said:

I do like the human side of things. This is a great thread for that.

 

There has to be something going on Brian...when nothing is being built haha..oh.

 

Well, there is this SS Class A amp, but that is not really the point of this thread, and that is half a day of building (so far) in the past how many months?

 

2054018289_Astart.jpg.b93d3831c89a675976844955d116fff7.jpg

 

I am talking with clients about me taking January off and them not hearing from me till February.  If that happens then woohoo, I think some horns will be honking.

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1 hour ago, acg said:

nothing is being built haha..oh

There's only one thing better than honking, and that's the build-up to it ?. But sometimes this build has been way higher than my level of tantric can cope with.

 

Not suggesting anything, but I happen to be a master in the art of procrastination, so tend to pick up on the subtle signs now and again. 5 weeks before my 'leaving' exams (5th Form, for us in the late '60s) I started building an amplifier... Bit of deja vu there. But the vinyl thing really has me worried. People seem to get on the merry-go-round and never get off...

 

Our difference is that you actually do something in the little diversions. Lots and lots, very quickly. It's fun keeping up - I hope we don't have to hope till New Year for the next fix though.

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18 hours ago, BioBrian said:

 

But the vinyl thing really has me worried. People seem to get on the merry-go-round and never get off...

 

 

It is a bit addictive.  My wife is trying to ban me from buying any more records but well, what can she do?  The way I see things I am already booked up for a full year of work in 2019 and if I don't enjoy the time that I have to myself and my family then I don't see the point of putting in such big hours earning the $$ in the first place. 

 

The vinyl thing has come on a bit strong.  I have a mate in town here that has a simple vinyl setup and it is very enjoyable to listen to and absolutely sh&ts on his modest streaming setup @Rabbitzilla.  I do have a very good digital setup, absolutely top shelf, and I do wonder in the long run whether the vinyl can consistently match it sound quality wise, but I am certain that I will get much pleasure from both.   @Tax played for me a version of Dave Brubecks album "Time Out" on 45's that blew my mind...never heard anything like that from digital...never...thank's for that mate, you ruined me!

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@Litespeedthat is a USSA-5.  It is push-pull 25W all Class A.  Depending on the power supply and how it is biased it will go into AB at some stage, but generally only for a few more watts.

 

There is a thread about it here.

 

This is a link to the designers website.

 

I've not heard one yet but I think it should be acceptable.  There are some out of production FET's (of course) and a few other things that will have to be tracked down separately but I had no issues finding these parts and could let you know where I got mine if you like.  The build can be as expensive as you like depending on the parts you throw into it and you may be able to box it all up for not much more than $1k or you can go all crazy with the fancy bits and case and pay more than twice that much.

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27 minutes ago, Litespeed said:

@acgUnderstanding this is a little off-topic - what model DIY SS amp kit is that? I've been thinking about building something and that dual-mono setup looks pretty good.

Thanks.

I've got a set of "Amp Camp" mono's from Pass (yet to actually build, of course!!).  Have a look at those....(they sell out really quickly, but tend to return when new batches are available)

https://diyaudiostore.com/products/amp-camp-amp-kit?variant=7072933085218

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13 minutes ago, Mat-with-one-t said:

I've got a set of "Amp Camp" mono's from Pass (yet to actually build, of course!!).  Have a look at those....(they sell out really quickly, but tend to return when new batches are available)

https://diyaudiostore.com/products/amp-camp-amp-kit?variant=7072933085218

 

Just be careful what speakers those are used on...5-8w and 0.8R output impedance ain't enough for most modern speakers.  It is a nice simple amp though and should sound good when used in the right circumstances.

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