GR Research X-CS Build

[josephjohnt]

Thanks to the efforts of our captain and support of others, I could participate in group-buy for the drivers. First I was thinking of tagging along someone for the build. But after seeing multiple people trying it, I thought of giving it a try.

I started the build with X-CS as it was a single piece. I sourced 18mm MDF from the nearby shop. Cut it using a skill circular saw, soon realized that making right angled cuts was very very difficult. I tried sanding the sides to make them proper and that wasn't helping too much. The small plane I got from the nearby hardware shop proved to be useless as the blade didn't retain its sharpness even for couple of minutes. In the whole process the rectangles were getting smaller than the prescribed dimensions (guess I was expecting wood cutting to be like paper cutting, so didn't leave any margins for error). Finally I ended up trimming the edges with a router to make them proper. Thanks to the circular jig from FM thatguy, I could make the speaker holes properly.

The progress was slow and after several months of wait I have put it together on sunday. I haven't finished it, would do that later. It was a great learning experience and for those near ones who thought I had gone crazy, finally I have something real to show.

Criticism and suggestions are welcome. I need to learn much more to complete the rest 4.1

Impressions - haven't played it much yet. I can't compare it with another one as this is my first center. But this sound better than my current bookshelf. The build pictures are here X-CS - a set on Flickr

Finally a heartfelt thanks to this community for the support, inspiration and learning.

 

[omishra]

This is great effort, waiting for finished product
Great build.

 

[santhosh]

Very nice build Joseph. What material have you used to line up the inside of the cabinet? Is that open cell foam?

 

[captrajesh]

Great effort. :clapping:

I have a query. Have the dimensions in Danny's diagrams been adhered to? I'm asking because in the pics, the box appears too squarish when compared to pics of other builds.

 

[denom]

Good job done Joseph! Cannot see any mistakes made in those pics
Looking fwd to rest of the build with lotsa pics
I bet these will sound great as a pair of MTM BS too

Keep going on with the rest of the build....

 

[Rgn1]

Looks great Joseph, congratulations!
Thanks for the pictures, I can show it to my carpenter as a guide.

Good that you were able to source clamps in India . So does that mean you did not use nails for the joints?

Nice round overs, on the woofer holes and braces too. Want to understand is there is there any advantage of rounding over braces edges or if it was for looks alone. My carpenter is whining when I mentioned the round over for the woofer holes saying its MDF, very finicky, might chip/break off etc. etc. So I am now looking for a workshop with a router or else will force him to do it manually

And what finish are you planning?

Congrats again and Enjoy!

Very nice build Joseph. What material have you used to line up the inside of the cabinet? Is that open cell foam?

I think it should be the No-Rez Lining that we got from GR Research along with the group buy.

Cheers!

 

[spirovious]

Congrats,looks powerful.

 

[josephjohnt]

This is great effort, waiting for finished product
Great build.

Thank you. Finishing will take time as i want to build the rest too.

Very nice build Joseph. What material have you used to line up the inside of the cabinet? Is that open cell foam?

Thank you. Its the NoRez sheet from Danny.

Great effort. :clapping:

I have a query. Have the dimensions in Danny's diagrams been adhered to? I'm asking because in the pics, the box appears too squarish when compared to pics of other builds.

I don't know if i interpreted Danny's diagrams wrongly, otherwise i have adhered to it. But the precision is not to mm.

 

[josephjohnt]

Looks great Joseph, congratulations!
Thanks for the pictures, I can show it to my carpenter as a guide.

Good that you were able to source clamps in India . So does that mean you did not use nails for the joints?

Nice round overs, on the woofer holes and braces too. Want to understand is there is there any advantage of rounding over braces edges or if it was for looks alone. My carpenter is whining when I mentioned the round over for the woofer holes saying its MDF, very finicky, might chip/break off etc. etc. So I am now looking for a workshop with a router or else will force him to do it manually

And what finish are you planning?

Congrats again and Enjoy!

Cheers!

I haven't used nails, just glue as suggested for the joints. The clamps were bought from Goodwill.

I am not sure if there in an advantage in rounding over braces. I saw that being done in the pictures in audiocircle forums and followed that. Round-over with a router is very easy and I haven't chipped anything. But if it is tried with a normal chisel, MDF chips. The corners can chip very easily when it hits against another surface or when pieces fall down. Nowadays most of the carpenters have a router.

 

[exljp]

I am not sure if there in an advantage in rounding over braces. I saw that being done in the pictures in audiocircle forums and followed that. Round-over with a router is very easy and I haven't chipped anything. But if it is tried with a normal chisel, MDF chips. The corners can chip very easily when it hits against another surface or when pieces fall down. Nowadays most of the carpenters have a router.

I rounded off the woofer hole with a chisel on MDF and it did not chip off. . Since I could not get a Carpenter, I had to do it myself.

 

[omishra]

I rounded off the woofer hole with a chisel on MDF and it did not chip off. . Since I could not get a Carpenter, I had to do it myself.

I too have done it myself. It did not take that much time.
Its here

Also see rounding of braces here

That rounding of edges make freeflow of air avoid swirling around and without producing newer artifacts inside cabinets. This is same way as power mods do inside car engine's exhaust system.