5/19/New subs
Old subs
5/3/11 All pics rehosted at AVS
4/15/11 pics are not working will update to new host
I'm proof positive you shouldn't buy a projector before your walls are up
So about a year ago Chucky's QSC 2150 clone thread I had built up a set of D3's, unicc's and D2's and I replaced my dual sealed sub setup with a THT. While the THT was really awesome I started to notice then my speakers would distort a bit when pushed hard and I had been looking for a little bit more so I purchased a bunch of waveguides
At this point though I deviated from what the original QSC-2150's were built to for two reasons,
1)I didn't see much of an advantage to a ported design since these things could extend down to 80hz at 97db according to winISD. As pointed out in MK's thread by LT there isn't much advantage to ported with an 80hz crossover(I believe he said something to that extent)
2)more importantly I didn't have a AT screen so that will come in later.
So sealed vs ported
Not seeing much of an advantage at 80hz, only 3 db down from the ported with a max of about -6db at 60hz.
So I decided to built sealed speakers but I was uncertain about shelling the 1500-1600 for all three speakers so I built a center channel in a horizontal WTMW configuration and ordered the parts. I figured that since it was a three way designed crossover would be sound fairly close in a horizontal and vertical configuration, it may not be ideal but I figured the waveguide would make up for any issue that I may hear. So I built it up and it sounded absolutely amazing, I couldn't believe the amount of detail that I was hearing in a lot of listening spots. The next day I ordered the remaining parts and a couple of days later the biggest package I saw arrived on my doorstep. I couldn't believe how big it was
So I built the boxes with arauco ply because it was so much easier to deal with compared to MDF and added a horizontal brace in the middle. I was taking a risk using the arauco vs the MDF but I figured the brace would make up for the lower density of the arauco. When I was done with them they passed the knuckle test
Crossover installed
I stuffed these with some r25 insulation. I am still reading through the stuffing thread but I cut the insulation to about 14-16" long for each cavity.
These things were huge, and you can see my unpainted center channel in the back.
So I was pretty happy at this point and I sit down to slowly start these in and my heart just drops at the next point....
They sound like absolute crap. The highs were all muted and the mids just sounded tinny.
I checked the exterior connections, everything was tight and looked rite but I couldn't figure it out. So I pm'd chucky to ask if he had run into this issue and his suggestion was to recheck everything so I checked the center channel and the speakon connector.
I then go to check the left and right connections only to find this
And it should look like this
bonus terminal plate shot
After that they sounded absolutely wonderfull, I couldn't believe how much detail I was now hearing. I could hear Cash plucking the strings during folsom prison, individual mechanical noises during transformers, and the horns, horns just sounded so much better. It feels like there is just one giant speaker in front of me now when I toed them in.
I realize I haven't put rock up or even put a border on my screen but I am just enjoying my theater way to much. Also since I have two extra waveguides I am going to build some surrounds with them.
Old subs
5/3/11 All pics rehosted at AVS
4/15/11 pics are not working will update to new host
I'm proof positive you shouldn't buy a projector before your walls are up
So about a year ago Chucky's QSC 2150 clone thread I had built up a set of D3's, unicc's and D2's and I replaced my dual sealed sub setup with a THT. While the THT was really awesome I started to notice then my speakers would distort a bit when pushed hard and I had been looking for a little bit more so I purchased a bunch of waveguides
At this point though I deviated from what the original QSC-2150's were built to for two reasons,
1)I didn't see much of an advantage to a ported design since these things could extend down to 80hz at 97db according to winISD. As pointed out in MK's thread by LT there isn't much advantage to ported with an 80hz crossover(I believe he said something to that extent)
2)more importantly I didn't have a AT screen so that will come in later.
So sealed vs ported
Not seeing much of an advantage at 80hz, only 3 db down from the ported with a max of about -6db at 60hz.
So I decided to built sealed speakers but I was uncertain about shelling the 1500-1600 for all three speakers so I built a center channel in a horizontal WTMW configuration and ordered the parts. I figured that since it was a three way designed crossover would be sound fairly close in a horizontal and vertical configuration, it may not be ideal but I figured the waveguide would make up for any issue that I may hear. So I built it up and it sounded absolutely amazing, I couldn't believe the amount of detail that I was hearing in a lot of listening spots. The next day I ordered the remaining parts and a couple of days later the biggest package I saw arrived on my doorstep. I couldn't believe how big it was
So I built the boxes with arauco ply because it was so much easier to deal with compared to MDF and added a horizontal brace in the middle. I was taking a risk using the arauco vs the MDF but I figured the brace would make up for the lower density of the arauco. When I was done with them they passed the knuckle test
Crossover installed
I stuffed these with some r25 insulation. I am still reading through the stuffing thread but I cut the insulation to about 14-16" long for each cavity.
These things were huge, and you can see my unpainted center channel in the back.
So I was pretty happy at this point and I sit down to slowly start these in and my heart just drops at the next point....
They sound like absolute crap. The highs were all muted and the mids just sounded tinny.
I checked the exterior connections, everything was tight and looked rite but I couldn't figure it out. So I pm'd chucky to ask if he had run into this issue and his suggestion was to recheck everything so I checked the center channel and the speakon connector.
I then go to check the left and right connections only to find this
And it should look like this
bonus terminal plate shot
After that they sounded absolutely wonderfull, I couldn't believe how much detail I was now hearing. I could hear Cash plucking the strings during folsom prison, individual mechanical noises during transformers, and the horns, horns just sounded so much better. It feels like there is just one giant speaker in front of me now when I toed them in.
I realize I haven't put rock up or even put a border on my screen but I am just enjoying my theater way to much. Also since I have two extra waveguides I am going to build some surrounds with them.