D-MAN Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Hi Guys, I have blabbered about this in the past, but now I have pics of these brand-new DIY pups in cherry (although, again, not quite finished). Different design, intended to be easier to build without degrading any performance - suprizingly, bass performance INCREASED! Better than I could hope for... They need grills, but here's the woodwork! 3/4" cherry ply veneer with zero voids (this stuff is beautiful). Same drivers (from my previous prototypes) and same location, same gear, same crossover, etc. These SPANK my previous design both in performance, looks, and ease of building. Bass response is quite improved. The K33E's really love these. Better than I had expected, as I pulled a few fast ones; suffice it to say that I read that it shouldn't be done, but it was the only viable solution to the problem. I researched other patents for indications that it could work and came to the conclusion that it should be attempted, although I could find no bass horns using the same technique, as I read somewhere that it should not be done. I wasn't 100% sure that it would work at the time. I was so happy with this design from a building standpoint, I applied for a patent on it. Should publish (they didn't say "issue") in Dec 2005. I should say that if it wasn't for PWK and his work, these would not be sitting in my home. Pics to follow in subsequent posts. DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted January 7, 2005 Author Share Posted January 7, 2005 pic of the top as received from the cabinet shop ; had to drill for connectors through access panel. DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted January 7, 2005 Author Share Posted January 7, 2005 with the access panel removed. DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted January 7, 2005 Author Share Posted January 7, 2005 top with connections in place (part express). Hated to do it to that finish! dm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 DMan, Beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boom3 Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Howz about a diagram of how the horn is configured? Beautiful finish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted January 7, 2005 Author Share Posted January 7, 2005 Detail front/top (sort of). dm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted January 7, 2005 Author Share Posted January 7, 2005 With top cabinet (sans grills). Please ignore the ply bracing, as that it just to hold the horns (up). dm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted January 7, 2005 Author Share Posted January 7, 2005 rather bad picture of the whole thing sans grills. Note the rather expensive-yet-useless British Rosewood screwdriver holder to the right. dM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted January 7, 2005 Author Share Posted January 7, 2005 Bottom detail, hopefully you can see the outline of my original prototypes - the new ones are a bit smaller and sound better, too! These stick out 30-3/4" from the corner. That's around 2" farther into the room at the "peak" than a Klipschorn. Not bad for a top-loader! These are 32-1/2" wide edge-to-edge, so 1 inch wider at the front than a Klipschorn, for comparison. DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted January 7, 2005 Author Share Posted January 7, 2005 The thing I need is a grill frame and of course, grill cloth. Since I haven't built them yet, I put the original prototype grill frame in place, just to get an idea - it doesn't fit, of course. The results are less than good, I think that black isn't going to cut it... dm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted January 7, 2005 Author Share Posted January 7, 2005 Down the hatch! ready to connect the wires and seal it up. Used felt (thats the green) for a gasket. That's a K33E. dm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frzninvt Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Very nice! Beautiful woodwork, love the cherry finish - stunning! If they sound as good as they look you have an awesome set of speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 wow! who made the cabinets (I might have him make my tops, since I will need the same thing someday) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted January 7, 2005 Author Share Posted January 7, 2005 When I fired the first one up, I knew I had a winner. Compared to the previous prototypes that I had built, the bass was definately punchier and more "solid" for the same driver! It went just as deep, just as loud (maybe a tad more loud), but was alot punchier. So it was immediately clear that at least the K33E preferred the new design over the previous design, which I had thought was pretty good and followed all of the horn design "rules". Technically, they should sound pretty much like a Khorn. I've heard 2004 Khorns in a store, so pretty much the same. Different throat structure, and different folding, and different proportional ratios, same exponential expansion rate and cross-sectional areas. Same throat area, same mouth area (well pretty close any way). I expect that it sounds pretty much the same as a Khorn. It's major benefit and reason for being is that it allows several configuration advantages that the Khorn does not. I'd love to hear both in the same room, though! You know, just to be sure. I will say this, it takes less parts to build than a Khorn, and the parts themselves are easier to make (i.e., no compound miters). It takes a bit more wood, though. But the looks sort of remind me of a Vitavox. I thought that "form follows function" could help, so I left things as close to function as possible, as that could keep it relatively clean looking. But it still looks like a Vitavox to me! Maybe the perfect grill cloth could save it!? DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted January 7, 2005 Author Share Posted January 7, 2005 ---------------- On 1/7/2005 1:30:30 PM Colin wrote: wow! who made the cabinets (I might have him make my tops, since I will need the same thing someday) ---------------- Ouch! so you could tell it wasn't me, huh? LOL Yeah, ok - I had a furniture/cabinet maker do these for me from my untested plans, as I (and evidently you, too) knew that I could not pull off the quality that I wanted. The total for both pair, upper and lower cabinets came to $3000. Top frame is solid cherry (except the one ply part in the top back). He said if I had more built at a time, we could do better overall. So did I get screwed? DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted January 7, 2005 Author Share Posted January 7, 2005 ---------------- On 1/7/2005 12:37:17 PM boom3 wrote: Howz about a diagram of how the horn is configured? Beautiful finish ---------------- It generally follows the same folding structure as the Jubilee, especially the prototype in the Jubilee paper, except the horn mouth is like the Klipschorn. It is a 40Hz fc horn design. The throat is different than both, and is more like the Klipschorn than the Jubilee, and also there is a single throat unlike the Jubilee which has 2. The unique throat structure is what give it the angles on the front of the cabinet. I had some trepidation about trying this approach, but after one listen, it is clear that it works great. I will venture that it MIGHT (I say again- MIGHT) produce tighter and punchier bass than a Khorn while retaining the 40HZ fc, I can't be absolutely sure, as I have no testing equipment, but listening "tests" are all affirmative in the improvement in the bass department. Also, it seems to be able to pass more upper and mid-bass frequencies (which I beleive) gives it more punch. The low end is improved also. I won't venture that it goes lower, but it certainly is punchier at the low end. I know that you guys expect that I would giove it glowing reviews because I designed it, but, really, IT KICKS! DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m00n Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 D-Man... you cheezer, you had be believing that YOU built these. . They are very beautyful for sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted January 7, 2005 Author Share Posted January 7, 2005 ---------------- On 1/7/2005 3:02:13 PM m00n wrote: D-Man... you cheezer, you had be believing that YOU built these. . They are very beautyful for sure! ---------------- Hey, I DID mention the cabinet shop up on one of the earlier pic posts! Even I forgot about that! Don't I wish that I could build stuff this nice - I'd quit my lousy job today if I could... DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted January 7, 2005 Author Share Posted January 7, 2005 Even the sides and back reflector are finished! This is a bonus, I didn't tell him to do this, but evidently when he sees that expanse of fine cherry veneer, he has to finish it! I told him that they are normally painted black and/or are covered by a grill cloth. I guess the moral of this story is hire a furniture maker; they end up making a piece of furniture instead of speaker cabinets! dM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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