BillFitzmaurice.info

Hi all,

Relatively new to the forum, getting ready to start my first build, a home theatre setup with 2 x 4 speaker SLAs as fronts, a 6 speaker curved SLA and 2 surrounds. Bought the plans for all at New Year and thought I'd create a build thread to show progress and beg for advice when it all goes catastrophically wrong. I’ll probably build a Tuba 18 to go with this and already have the plans. I also have the plans for the David stereo floorstanders and hope to make those eventually.

This is the first time I've tackled a project like this so any help is warmly appreciated. I've checked other build threads and have studied the plans again and again.

So:

Drivers bought - went with https://www.pollin.de/shop/dt/NTgxOTUzO ... _100D.html as recommended by Bill in this thread http://www.billfitzmaurice.info/forum/v ... =5&t=24010

Tweeters - http://www.pollin.de/shop/dt/MDI3OTUzOT ... ttro_.html I know the drivers I have should be fine by themselves and this will make the build cheaper and easier but I want to include the tweeters so I can play with my soldering iron and build the crossovers.

Crossover parts purchased from Falcon Acoustics.

Plywood bought from Beers.

I've used an app on my iPad called Optimise to do a cut list and I’ve already marked off all the cuts and started to make some sawdust. First thing I have learnt, I can't draw/cut straight lines. Good job I've got an electric sander for trimming.

My plan is to build the fronts first as they look easiest. I can then listen to music on them in the garage whilst I build the centres and surrounds.

That's all for now, I'll try to update this regularly.

Got my popcorn ready!
Enjoy your build!

DJPhatman wrote:

I don't recall Bill ever saying that.

Chris_Allen wrote:I don't recall Bill ever saying that.

Wrong meme...



The intended meme. My bad...

O Noes.

Ha, I didn't think videos of me sawing wood would be all that interesting.

I can provide some pics though, just need to resize them as they're above the 200kb limit at the moment.

Hoping to get some work done today as well so will update with progress and pics.

Burg wrote:Ha, I didn't think videos of me sawing wood would be all that interesting.

I can provide some pics though, just need to resize them as they're above the 200kb limit at the moment.

Hoping to get some work done today as well so will update with progress and pics.

Are you kidding?......that's saw porn baby

Burg wrote:Ha, I didn't think videos of me sawing wood would be all that interesting.

Scott Brochu wrote:Are you kidding?......that's saw porn baby

Saw porn? I'm sure I don't want to Google that.

Got quite a bit done over the weekend, and completely changed my original plans. After studying the David plans a bit more I realised some of the recommended speaker specs were the same as the Tuba 18 and SLA mid drivers. So I decided to buy more drivers and use the ones I currently have as an experiment. The benefit of this means I can knock together some practice cabs and not have to worry too much about them looking nice.

So the plan currently is:
2 x 6 driver SLAs using the McGees I already have (these will live in the garage), 2 x 4 driver SLAs, 1 curved SLA using DYNAVOX DY103-9A and this tweeter http://www.pollin.de/shop/dt/MDI3OTUzOT ... ttro_.html, 2-3 surrounds using the McGees.
1 x Tuba 18 using the Dayton Audio DCS205-4
2 x Davids using the Dayton Audio DCS205-4, DYNAVOX DY103-9A and SoundLab 1" Dome Tweeter

I anticipate this taking approximately forever.

In the mean time, some pics of progress so far.

Here's where I'm up to with the 6 driver SLAs; building one at a time.

Looks pretty rough, my saw isn't cutting very cleanly so I'm going to get some thinner blades for the next one. Also, some of the angles etc are a bit off and I'm hoping some heavy sanding will correct this. My first experience of PL type glue was an interesting one, it started to bond much quicker than I was expecting so the final fit was a bit of a rush. I used screws as fasteners and think I'll try using clamps and some proper jigs for the next one and trim the parts to fit a bit better prior to glueing. I only installed the drivers so I could test it out and temporarily wired this up to the stereo last night with a false back and it already sounds amazing to my ears. I'm going to remove the drivers for finishing and then reinstall them with gaskets etc in a straight line.

Hopefully I'll get this finished and the second 6 driver SLA built next weekend as I'm away with work this week.

Little steps at a time is still progress. You've made a fair amount of progress.

Slow and steady wins the race.

Where did you source the Daytons from?

Loudspeaker freaks, on back order. Not 100% confident they will ever arrive but I've placed an order and they've taken my money so let's see.

I hope those wizzer coned fullranges work out. I tried Dayton ND90 in a array without tweeter. They sounded sweet enough by themselves, but in the array the sweetspot narrowed down to a few millimetres!