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Jubilees: Alternative Package


PrestonTom

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Hey Guys: I have mostly completed the wrapper for my Jubilees and they are no longer the industrial look that most Jubilee owners have.

 

Let me warn you that if you insist that speaker cabinets must look like speaker cabinets or that black grill cloth is mandatory you are not going to like this thread. If so, then move on or the subsequent photos will only irritate you and create bad feelings. There is no need for that.

 

The strategy is to think of the all the possible cosmetics for the Jubilee as falling along a continuum with traditional speaker cabinetry being at one end and the other end being more akin to disguising or hiding these big beasts behind something like a Japanese room divider or shoji screen. I am toward this end of the continuum. You have already been warned that this approach is not for everyone and you may get irritated with what follows.

 

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Edited by PrestonTom
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What was I thinking?

 That is easy. The Jubilees are big speakers and there is no getting around that.  

My goal was to be able to walk into the listening room and not have your first thought be: "there is a huge pair of speakers over there". When I walk in, yes, I see the speakers but it is not over whelming. 

 

Others might want to borrow on this idea and incorporate this into their own room design. 

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So how was this done? That is simple.

 

First make a box for the K-402 horn (the big one). The foot print should be about an inch or two larger than the foot print for the Jubilee bass bins. This will allow you to bolt a panel (sheet of 1/2 inch plywood) to each side of the "tweeter box" and not have it rattle against the bass bin. 

 

Second, make a platform for the bass to elevate it a couple of inches. Attach carpet underneath so the bins can slide on the floor.

 

Third, the front grill is actually the difficult part. I made mine with a gentle curve that follows the front edges of the bass bin cabinet (take a birds eye view from the top) and is a few inches deep overall. The sides are straight and extend a few inches beyond the width of the cabinet (with the attached side panels). Again, the front piece (grill) is wider enough so it does not touch the side panels. It simply rests (hangs) on the top of the tweeter box.

 

Go to Joann's Fabrics (with your significant other) and find a light cloth with a bit of stretch. The choice of cloth can help blend the structure to match the wall or decor. I did a mock up with black cloth and it was just too much for a small room. Remember, I did not want the first reaction when entering the room to be "OMG there huge speakers over there". Staple the cloth to the front grill piece and do this so the staples are hidden from the front and sides . In my case there is wood trim attached over row of staples to hide them. I put this trim in the back so the grill would not look like a picture frame. In my case I also attached/bent a piece of maple (1/4 inch stock with tung oil finish) to add a finished look to it.

 

I hope this inspires some to take a look at the Jubilee and seriously consider them for their own home without getting bent out of shape by raw, industrial cosmetics. The construction is fairly simple and can be done any average DIYer. 

 

Good luck,

-Tom

Edited by PrestonTom
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Those are very nice IMO Tom. (Is your real name Tom?)  I have always (well at least since I've known about them) dreamed if I had a pair of Jubs I would do something similar.

Thank you.

My real intent to is to get others to take the plunge and get Jubilees. Drink the kool aid and order some today.

 

Right now a new pair of Jubilees can be shipped to your home and cost less that the new Klipschorns (even with the crossover and simple cosmetics).

 

Yes, they do sound better. I have owned both.

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My real intent to is to get others to take the plunge and get Jubilees. Drink the kool aid and order some today.

 Roger that. i just don't know if in my situation if there will enough time and/or money in this life to proceed.

 

There never seems to be enough time or money, but I do enjoy listening to good music through fantastic speakers. 

I remember when I lived in Los Angeles that robbing liquor stores provided many with a good way to make quick money. Hmm, just a thought.

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That's a great design answer to your question on making "large" speakers disappear, kinda sorta. I like it and the light fabric

makes them a bit more likeable to the uninitiated. Very cool --

I must confess that when I was originally toying with various ideas, I did consider something other than a light fabric. Joann's Fabrics had a leopard skin print. I guess it would not have made the speakers blend in, but it would certainly have made a statement

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Looks like I forgot one. 

 

The room is about 11 ft wide and 27 ft deep. One half is listening room and the other half is my office/study. The ceiling is low, about 7.5 ft tall. If you have ever done a basement re-model, you know why the ceiling is so low.

 

Okay, so were the huge Jubilees the first thing you noticed. Did it take at least 300 milliseconds to notice them? You see my point. It is not easy hiding the big beasts.

 

 

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I like it!  What caught my eye more than the light fabric was the wood trim.  Tastefully done!

 

Might even show it to the wife.

 

(grunt grunt)  I ain't skeered to walk into Joann's fabric alone...

 

(I usually hold her purse while she's shopping....  I'll drape it around my neck like a horse feed-bag.  I've had many women (and sometimes a couple guys) make a comment about liking my purse....  I smile, thank them and say "it matches my shoes!" and we all got a chuckle)

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"Real men don't need pretty speakers...real men are okay with basic black"  (attrib. Bruce Feirstein)  :P

 

Nice job, Tom.  Perhaps one shot around the back of the speaker might make it more visible how you connected it together...?

 

Chris

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