One Column completed and...

[SCOOTERDOG]

Well I completed on of the columns tonight and installed it into The Grand Carriage Cinema.

Everything fit perfect. I took 3 pics 2 of which are dark. The dark

ones are because all the lights are off except the columns. The one pic

I took with the flash is kinda bright, o'well you guys know.

This first one is really dark but shows the sconce

[SCOOTERDOG]

ok here is the 2nd one. This is also really dark. I tried to get close

enough so you could see the Heresy. The next pic is with a flash

[SCOOTERDOG]

Ok here is the last one shot using a flash. The outside is the same

color as the ceiling and the inside of the column is the same color as

the walls.

here u go

[PrestonTom]

That has a very cool effect!

Good Luck,

-Tom

[Tom Adams]

Hey scooter - Are you planning to cover the Heresy in some manner? No offense, but what you have there looks awfully unfinished. If you're dead set on incorporating the Heresy into the column, I would make almost the entire front face of the column out of some type of speaker cloth such that it looks like a cloth panel (hope that makes sense). Like I said....not trying to be critical, just giving honest feedback on esthetics.

OTOH.....the integrated sconce thing is cool.

Tom

[SCOOTERDOG]

Tom,

Actually its funny you mentioned that. I just

ordered some gray speaker cloth from parts express for the front. Not sure how

it will look but for the cost I'll try it. Also in defense of the column, it

looks completely different in the room. The flash really made it bright in the

room, even with all the lights on is still some what subdued. Also keep in mind

these in their current state are very plain. I plan on adding something on the

sides, perhaps some movie reels. I thought about originally building them out

of oak but felt it would not fit in with the decor. Keep in mind when I finish

all 3 phases it still will only be the finished construction. After thats all

done will come the decorating...When will the madness stop

scooter

[Speedball]

A speaker 'IN' a column, never thought of that and it will certainly protect it from any damage. The lighting inside is a pretty neat idea too. Shows you have an imagination incorporating different materials and methods. A flash from a camera can really mess up what something is like in person.

Nice Scooter, hope it works out for you.

[SCOOTERDOG]

Thanks Speedball,

Yeah the flash did not due justice to the look. However, as Tom pointed out It is a bit odd looking to have an oak speaker flush with the gray. I went to the fabric store yesterday and bought a little bit of gray acoustical fabric and covered the heresy, it dooes look a lot better being gray. I'm not in love with the fabric I got, but for now it's ok until I get the stuff I ordered from Pparts Express which I have used in the past.

[Tom Adams]

Ok.....at the risk of having a used Heresy speaker grill thrown at me......

I guess what I was trying to say was that for esthetics reasons only, I would make an entire panel out of the grey (a contrasting color would break things up quite nicely) cloth. That panel would start let's say 4" below the sconse and stop maybe 4" from the floor. It's width would be the width of the column minus 2" from either side. That way there would be no hint that a speaker resided in the column. The cloth panel would become just another architectural element of the room.

Tom

[SCOOTERDOG]

Yeap...Tom

I'm toying with a couple of Ideas and one is exactly as you described, were on the same page. Given that I am also toying with some art decco type stuff on the columns as well. I may change the look several times before I am completely happy.

Oh the madness continues

[IndyKlipschFan]

Geeze Tom..... lighten up!!!

Scooter.... LOOKS GREAT!!! Very proud of you here..

Many years ago when people had the bi speakers in colums beside you a lot of people did this.. (One fires front one fires back) But your "dead on" as an idea here.. Especially, because you can put the column exactly where you want it.. seats too... and home run your in the sweet spot... just as you "planned" it to be.

[IndyKlipschFan]

And one more thing.. In a Dark room it pretty much dissapears too.

[Speedball]

Scooter,

Don't know if your any good with a miter box saw but a small wood molding (half round or clover leaf) molding could be a "divider" between the fabric and wood. Simple 45 degree cuts is all it would take.

A lot of people figure using a dark paint requires one or two coats at the most....wrong. Amazing how many coats of dark paint it takes to cover an existing color.

Keep up the excellent work, most people don't know what a column is, let alone build one!

[SCOOTERDOG]

Speedball,

I have a nice compound miter saw and thought about this last night. I

may do this and paint the trim the same color as the wall. Stuff like

that is cheap to do. In Fact a may have enought trim just lying around.

First thing is to get the second column completed this weekend. I ran

out of perforated metal so I had to buy another sheet today. Man that

stuff gets expensive at 35 bucks for a 2x3 sheet.

[j-malotky]

I am interested to hear what it sounds like compared to a Heresy on a stand. Let us know.

I have never had any luck building speakers into walls to hide

them. The bass responce always suffered. That was always

building them into the main wall. I usually build in a shelf with

some air space arround and behind the speaker, then cover the whole

thing in cloth to hide. Maybe with this being in a column inside

the main wall might sound better?

Would be interested in hearing it.

I always love seeing the inovations we all come up with[]

JM

[SCOOTERDOG]

JM

They sound Great!

I took great care in building these and to make sure they are vibration free. I

didn't want in audible cabinet noise, this was my original fear. The goal is to

provide not only a place to mount the heresy's but a system that would incorporate

2 other elements.

1. Speaker placement

2. Lighting element

3. Diffusion

Ok lets talk about #3

When I say sound diffusion I am speaking of an acoustical treatments. The

columns are in a form of a raw state. Albeit they look great. Part of the plan

is to add something like an Auralex diy for the sides and front bottom. It has

to be attractive but serve a purpose.

When I built the columns I went in knowing they had to be completely vibration

free and not add any of their own sound so as not to color it. Every board has

been glued instead of nailed to reduce the chance of any vibration. Insulation

was folded and stuffed into the bottom before gluing the shelf down. Then I

added two folds to the top below the shelf that has the light fixture. I feel no

noticeable vibrations at all in the column. I think this is a cool way to go

for a speaker like the heresy since it is a sealed enclosure anyway.

Who knows what the next evolution will be

scooter

[Speedball]

Isolating that speaker or anchoring it down in some way makes a lot of sense, gluing the framework and using fiberglass insulation to deaden the sound makes sense too. I would guess just having the speaker sitting on a flimsy lightweight shelf inside a hollow cavity would do baaaaad things to the overall sound of the speaker.

[j-malotky]

Scooter - Very good. []

Over the years your work has been an inspiration of ingenuity. Keep up the good work and keep us posted.

JM

[SCOOTERDOG]

Thanks guy's!

I finished the second column today. I just have to install it in the morning, get it wired up and secure.

I Still got a long way to go, but at least now I have a working HT. Now

I just have to move on to the stage. Thank goodness my son is coming

home for the holidays. He is eager to give me a hand will I am at work.

Should have the stage wipped out by the 1st.

I'll keep you posted.

Scooter