Yet more AR.com DIY speaker questions [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

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kexodusc
08-09-2004, 03:54 AM
I had a few days off last week and spent a good deal of time towards building myself some new stands, and finally starting the AR.com DIY's. I'm just about done, the cabinets take alot longer to make than you'd think, but the nice veneer I've got picked out should be worth it. My first dry run of the speakers yielded some very pleasing results...I haven't done a head-to-head with my Paradigm Studio 40's or 20's yet, but I can tell this it's going to be very interesting when I do...but that's for later.

Anyway, I'm already a few steps ahead of myself and I'm anticipating building a few more of these and incorporating them into a home theater setup.

I've read all the posts here, and I understand Solen in Canada offers shielded Peerless drivers equivalent to the ones called for in the Ar.com design...has anybody actually used those in this design? How'd it go?

Also, I understand that MCH and a few others here have tried making a center channel speaker...Anybody else have any ideas how to go about doing this?

If not, how does the BIC America center channel sound beside these? I'd like to have a perfect match to go with the AR.com's. I haven't heard it, but I'm a bit skeptical that this little speaker is going to sound as nice as the AR.com DIY's. Especially at the price you can have it for...if it does, why would anyone bother with the AR.com DIY's and just use a few BIC America speakers with Ed's crossover mod?
Perhaps you can all understand my apprehension about replacing a $600 center speaker with a $200 (or less) dollar speaker. I'm not so naive to think price is the determining factor, but I know of nobody in my area that carries BIC America speakers and I haven't heard them for myself. I certainly wouldn't want to sacrifice any sound, especially if the AR.com DIY's replace my $800 Paradigm's as I suspect they might.

BTW, I've also got Wayne J's PeeCreek speaker on the go, I'm a bit more doubtful of the tweeter used in that design, but I can't wait to do a 3 way comparison of Ed's, Wayne's, and Paradigm's speakers.

Beckman
08-09-2004, 01:23 PM
[QUOTE=kexodusc]Also, I understand that MCH and a few others here have tried making a center channel speaker...Anybody else have any ideas how to go about doing this?

If not, how does the BIC America center channel sound beside these? I'd like to have a perfect match to go with the AR.com's. QUOTE]

You can make an additional speaker identical to the first two and use it as a center channel.

kexodusc
08-10-2004, 04:14 AM
It gets rather difficult to do this because the speakers don't use shielded drivers...if I can find a shielded equivalent tweeter and woofer, then I may be okay...I'm exploring this avenue right now.

Thanks.

poneal
08-10-2004, 01:21 PM
he recommended the BIC center with his mod or build another AR.Com for your center speaker. I too am in the process of building these monitors (5 of them). Unfortunately, I messed up the flush routing for the vent not only on 1 back but 4 before I got it right. Dummy me kept adding instead of subtracting before I realised my mistake. I sure do like the circle jig from PE for flush mouting though. Make's cutting circles a breeze. I will not be done for a few more weeks though. I still have to glue, recut the rear baffles I messed up, stain, clearcoat, etc. My crossovers from Madisound just came in today (the latest mod ones for the increased midrange performance and adjustable resistor for the tweeter). I'm really anxious to listen to them, but it will be a few more weeks until that happens. I'll take some pictures and let you know how mine come out.

kexodusc
08-10-2004, 02:31 PM
Best of luck, Paul...I'm planning on building 4 at least probably 6 altogether...I'm leaning towards the BIC center. From what I've learned, there isn't a comparable magnetically shielded equivalent available anywhere.

Just wondering, are you using the polyfill as per Ed's instructions, or did you get ambitious like some others and buy the acoustic foam from Parts Express or something?

I wondered about the circle jig from PE, my good friend has a great woodshop full of tools and has been gracious so far. I'm thinking for the next 2 pairs it might be a good investment. Especially for someone like me who is mediocre at best at this sort of thing.

BTW, is this your first DIY project?

poneal
08-11-2004, 09:31 AM
I used maple plywood instead of mdf though. Ya the jig is great. I have flush mounted all my speakers, ports, and speaker terminals. Ed suggested that the drivers be flush mounted so I just decided to flush mount everything.

kexodusc
08-11-2004, 09:52 AM
Interesting, what made you decide to go with the maple plywood? Easier finish? Or tons of extra plywood hanging around at home? Have a stain color picked out, or will you paint? I've settled on a nice cherry/mahogany color.

For years some of the best speakers were made with plywood so you shouldn't have a problem, especially since these aren't too big.

poneal
08-11-2004, 10:43 AM
I didn't want to veneer so I went with plywood. The sides are all mitered to 45 degrees so that none of the plys will show. I will stain it a vermont maple since I have that laying around and then clearcoat it with polycrylic or lacquer (haven't decided yet) but I do have the polycrylic laying around so that will probably be the choice. The hard part is putting it together with all those miters. Everything wants to slip. I think I have a plan to fix that though.

My first project was a subwoofer. Used the Dayton MK II 12" Titanic subwoofer in a sealed enclosure powered by an old kenwood amp (20+ years old). I use my receiver to send the lfe/sub signal to the amp for 60hz a below.

My second project was a three way using stock crossovers and some old speaker cabinets I had laying around. They came out medicore at best sound wise. Really shrill highs so I placed a parallel 8ohm resistor in and that tamed it a little. The bass is nice using those 8" peerless CC subwoofers.

After I finish this project, I'm going to take the tweeter and midrange and make some computer speakers out of that 3 way. Not sure if I will make stereo subs out of the 8" CC's or not. To far into the future.

Later, Paul.

kexodusc
08-11-2004, 11:02 AM
I built my folks an MKIII using the PE amp, but I made my own cabinet and finished it with the black vinyl that PE sells...It's not so bad looking. I might redo the finish someday, but they're happy.

I'll have to buy a digital camera to post some pics of mine when they're finished too...could be awhile, works getting pretty busy and I'll hit the road alot. The fiancee is getting mad I don't spend enough time with her too, and with NFL season just around the time is in short supply.

Good luck.

MCH
08-11-2004, 12:24 PM
Poneal:
For clamping up the cabs with 45 degree corners get yourself some strap clamps. I use them often. I first used them on my Octagon sub cabinet and it helped tremendously with the assembly. I've since used them on rectangular boxes and they are a must have. The straps I bought at Canadian Tire. They came with right angle metal corner pieces to help with squaring up.

I might add that my shielded version of the AR.diys work great. The MTM style and also the TM version.

Swerd
08-11-2004, 12:50 PM
The hard part is putting it together with all those miters. Everything wants to slip.
For a similar problem I just bought these
http://www.eagle-america.com/html/catalog/productGroup.asp?id=334181

They are a poorman's version of those more expensive cabinet maker's clamps that keep things square during glue up.

kexodusc
08-11-2004, 02:40 PM
MCH, was it you that used 2 crossovers in the MTM design for the center channel?
Do you recall the part numbers from Solen?

poneal
08-11-2004, 03:33 PM
Thanks, you just gave me an idea. I was using 90 degree angles galvanized L's to clamp a side at a time. I have 8 of these so i can clamp up a whole box at once since i have one of those straps. I thought it was going to take me like 2 weeks to glue up 5 boxes. Thanks for the tip. Paul

poneal
08-11-2004, 03:34 PM
Ya, I was even poorer. I got .48 cent 90 degree galvanized L's from home depot. :-)

MCH
08-12-2004, 07:41 AM
Yes it was me that made the MTM version of the AR.diy. The crossovers are the same as for the regular speakers. On the MTM I used an additional crossover utilizing the midrange section for the other extra woofer. I have two pairs of connectors for the center speaker (I guess you could say biwired); one pair for one woofer and the other pair for the other woofer and tweeter. That is where the 2 crossovers come into play. This setup comes in handy if you want to experiment with the sound with one woofer disconnected.
Note the MTM cabinet is split with equal volume for the woofers (the same volume as required in Ed's design). The speakers I got from Solens. The part numbers are: woofer - 176WR26T08 (831975 Peerless #) shielded and the tweeter - 100DT26WT06 (811978 Peerless #) shielded. The crossover parts are the same as Ed's design.
I also made a regular design (TM) using the shielded speakers for a center channel for my nephew (this was a package of 5 speakers and a Tempest sub). I couldn't tell a difference in sound (nor could he); but then I'm not an audiophile. I just love listening to music with these speakers. When I built a pair of these speakers for my sons they raved about them and still tell me how wonderful they sound. I built a complete set for a brother (6 of Ed's speakers and a Tempest sub) and he feels they sound better than his Paradigm Ref. 80's, he says they sound more natural.


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