Cabinet Build for Gr-Research X-LS Encore kit

[Hari Iyer]

You bet it does. I'm actually perplexed as to why no one has written a detailed review about their speakers.:sad:

.

I understand your excitement as you have taken so much effort to get the whole project going and hats off to you for that. Had i brought these kits i would have worked 24 hrs and would have got them running before the meet because it would help in direct comparisons with other products/ brands and would have allowed the tweaks so easily with many valuable input from other FMs. Subjective listening is more important than measurements which at times would mask critical information.

 

[Hari Iyer]

I have to go and get it from magma.

This will consume atleast 2 to 3 hours given to Mumbai traffic

And then tear up a few old pillows to cannibalise the material,

This should take maximum of 15 minutes

fill up cabinets to taste

,

This should take another 15 minutes.

solder drivers

,

This should take a max of 10 to 15 minutes.

screw down drivers

An another 10 to 15 minutes.

start listening

An another one hour.

So the entire speaker should be ready withinn 6 hours. If you try hard on this weekend then it can be completed before Saturday. So chances are bright that they can be brought to the Pune meet if all goes well.

 

[captrajesh]

Subjective listening is more important than measurements which at times would mask critical information.

Can't agree more.:thumbsup:

the entire speaker should be ready withinn 6 hours. If you try hard on this weekend then it can be completed before Saturday. So chances are bright that they can be brought to the Pune meet if all goes well.

You are a great motivator Hari.:clapping:

 

[omishra]

Some more progress -

These braces are so hard, individually each holds weight of box.

Rounding of driver holes is to be done. But these small time carpenters straightaway refuse to do it. They say its to much time taking. Looks like I need to take dust-bath one more time.

You can see in above pics, the panels are glued tightly with pressure of Magma's speaker stand parcel over it (without pipes). There are no gaps in joint. Still one need to make that concave using silicon?

 

[quad]

Rounding of driver holes is to be done. But these small time carpenters straightaway refuse to do it. They say its to much time taking. Looks like I need to take dust-bath one more time.

Great going, Om.
Rounding of the hole should be done using a router. There are shops which do
wood carving - designs on doors etc and they have routers. My neighbourhood
guy has a roundover bit. Also kitchen cabinets or furniture vendors have
a router with the right tool. It takes just a few minutes.
The better places have a routing table - not the hand held router, and that does a much
better job. Search around - I am sure you will find them.

 

[omishra]

Great going, Om.
Rounding of the hole should be done using a router. There are shops which do
wood carving - designs on doors etc and they have routers. My neighbourhood
guy has a roundover bit. Also kitchen cabinets or furniture vendors have
a router with the right tool. It takes just a few minutes.
The better places have a routing table - not the hand held router, and that does a much
better job. Search around - I am sure you will find them.

Thanks Quad, actually those guys are in different area and take time to adjust there schedule. So I completed it manually today within 2 hrs. Remaining day went after family matters and other appointments.

This is progress so far -

Steps one, two and three... the panel inner edges are smoothed.

This is closeup of final result.

Silicon sealant applied for better though there were no gaps. Still I want peaceful sleep.

 

[omishra]

Little more progress by this weekend.
- One pair was lined with Tar-felt-tar layers (~3-4mm in total). Its quite heavy and killed the ringing in the box panel. Now boxes are dead silent with external tapping. Weight gained by each box is approx 1.5Kg (1 Kg Tar and 2 Kg Felt for pair).
- I am using No-Rez in remaining two boxes. It is worth of money. I took small time to cut and paste the panels. It sticks very hard and could not be peeled off. Panels are dead silent for vibrations and external tapping. Not a single 1/4" wasted. All completely used up. See bottom panel is empty for X-Over and other panels are fully covered.

See below pics before Polyfill stuffed and No-Rez cutouts are yet to be attached.

Now looking at X-over for Sonicap upgrade and wiring judgements. Bottoms of Boxes will be hosting this parts covered with polyfill material.

 

[harsh247]

what do u use to glue the panels together??? no nails???

 

[omishra]

what do u use to glue the panels together??? no nails???

No nails, I used hard wooden toothpicks and the glue! After drying the joints, next day I drilled thin holes across joining panels and put more glue into holes. Then hammered tight fitting toothpicks in it. Next day it hardened as expected. Now I can sit over it and work on other box.

 

[Rgn1]

I see that the bottom panel is clear of Tar Sheets and NoRez to take in the crossover board..

Was the insides of the front baffle also covered with Tar sheets/NoRex or was it restricted to inner side the side panels, back panel and Top panel? If so, would be grateful if you can upload a snap of that too.

Cheers!

 

[harsh247]

No nails, I used hard wooden toothpicks and the glue! After drying the joints, next day I drilled thin holes across joining panels and put more glue into holes. Then hammered tight fitting toothpicks in it. Next day it hardened as expected. Now I can sit over it and work on other box.

what glue?

 

[omishra]

I see that the bottom panel is clear of Tar Sheets and NoRez to take in the crossover board..

You are correct! It would be filled by X-Over board and I will put some polyfill over it.

Was the insides of the front baffle also covered with Tar sheets/NoRex or was it restricted to inner side the side panels, back panel and Top panel? If so, would be grateful if you can upload a snap of that too.

I already posted pics of smooth inner edges of front baffle. Front and back panels are double stacked. Hence they do not resonate. Air waves from driver cores are striking more at 3 nearest sides - L/R side and back panels. If those are absorbing all waves then front do not get any reflected wave. Its not in direct path to air waves generated from driver cone. So no layer of inner side of front baffle.
From top-bottom, only one absorbing surface is sufficient to kill standing wave. I already covered top side and bottom will also be lined with Polyfill over crossover board, as precaution.

 

[omishra]

what glue?

Original Fevicol, the generic wood glue in 1/2Kg pouch.

 

[Hari Iyer]

Are any cross-over details available, viz, order, cross-over freq, topology etc. will be interesting to know.

 

[captrajesh]

Are any cross-over details available, viz, order, cross-over freq, topology etc. will be interesting to know.

Check this: SmallSpeakerShootout2007Part1

 

[navin advani]

Now looking at X-over for Sonicap upgrade and wiring judgements. Bottoms of Boxes will be hosting this parts covered with polyfill material.

Did the crossovers come mounted on the PCB? Wow that is a neat job! in any case for speakers (and tube amps) I prefer hard wired connections to PCBs.

 

[omishra]

Did the crossovers come mounted on the PCB? Wow that is a neat job! in any case for speakers (and tube amps) I prefer hard wired connections to PCBs.

Yes It came mounted of good epoxy PCB with wide tracks and damped from below. Looking at the weight of solid copper, I won't take risk of loose parts. Connections through PCB are high current tracks wider >10mm. Also after mounting they are secured with some transparent glue. I can add extra point-point solid wire links below PCB, but looks like overkill.

 

[omishra]

Stuffing added into each box of Sachin. This is approx 250gms each. Old pillow sacrificed. Holding more 250 gm for covering remaining crossovers.

Other two boxes with no Rez finished from inside, waiting for external finish and all 4 boxes are going to carpenters workshop and then proceed towards polish guy.

 

[denom]

It will be very interesting to note diff in sound between the 2 sets if any, 1 with no rez & the other with old pillow stuffing
Pls keep us posted on this aspect Om

Thanks!

 

[omishra]

It will be very interesting to note diff in sound between the 2 sets if any, 1 with no rez & the other with old pillow stuffing
Pls keep us posted on this aspect Om

Thanks!

Sure! I am also interested to see how it differs. Because so far no-rez and tar-bitumin-tar with polyfill made same impact on panel. But No-Rez saved lot of time while working and neat. Now how it reflects into sound quality, that I am curious.