Side and Rear Surround Build (3 way design)

I am about to start my surround build so I thought I would start a thread to track my progress. this is my first build so I am sure I will make some silly mistakes.

Driver selection

I selected same drivers as are used in very popular Holtz statements. I was able to listen to Jim's speakers and really like the sound of the mid and tweeters for both 2 channel and theater. I am also planning on replacing my 9nt's and CNT in the future with line arras and will be using the Fountek so it was a no brainer on Tweeter selection.

Tweeter Fountek NEOcd3 ribbon tweeter
Mid Tang band W4-1337SA
Woof Dayton RS180-4 (7 inch)

The cabinet design was inspired be the Triad Gold in room series.
The crossover will be designed voiced by Rick at Selah Audio. I will make the cabinets here and send one to Rick so he can do his black magic!

Total build cost ~$1500. will update once I am finished.

Below is a few renders of the final cabinet design and I will be starting the construction this week





One set of the Drivers are in route and should have by Tuesday. Should be a fun build and looking forward to the end product. I probably spent more than I needed to for surrounds but to buy the matching B&W surrounds was going to run me close 3K so I am still ahead in my books! Also these are custom built and will fit great into my colums

Jeff

Yes the dipoles are for the sides will be in my columns. The room isn't to large 16x18

I was going to go with 2 ways for the rear after talking with Rick we decide to go 3way for wider dispersion. I agree it is probably over kill but WTH. After hearing Jim's Statement Monitors I was sold on the Fountek and 3 ways for side surrounds


should get started on the cabinets tomorrow I just finished up the riser.

The bass driver in these are Dayton 7 inch and will be xo'd @ 80hz. I have a Rotel 1075 (5x120) that will be handling the surrounds and center. As for the fronts I just picked up the Emotiva XPA2 for the R & L. It is an awesome amp BTW

cheers Jeff

Not really the same drivers but that is about it. The Statements series have the open mid tunnel, which causes at least 18 inch wall placement. Jim had his mounted on some fancy mount and away from the wall.


I know right! I was at one point thinking about the Triads and liked the sound and the look is freaking cool IMO, so let them be born! I am sure these will sound great with the line arrays in the future!

Jeff

I know just over a 1000 bucks on the drivers. But what is done is done Hope to get started tomorrow.

Kind of a good story. When I was over at Jim Holtz's place checking out the statements we were chatting and discussing what I was going to do for my HT. I don't have the clearance for the Statements in the theater. He said if he were to do a theater only he would go with line arrays and Rick is they guy for LA's. Jim had a pair of pretty amazing LA's prior to the Statements. I had heard of Rick from another ASV'r Swithey as well. So I decided to talk with Rick on the LA's and I could not nail down a design so I decided to put the LCR on hold and get the surrounds taken care of kept Rick on board. He has been great to work with so far.

I am going to build some Statements but not for the theater.

Jeff

That is one mean looking cabinet! Like the curved top, is that bendy MDF?

Thanks Dennis, I am pretty new to all of all of this so no I did not know this. When you mean as close as possible you mean physically correct? is in the cabinet design, or am I missing something here.

I just met Jim, very very nice guy, and have only seen a pic of the LA's very cool looking and can only imagine they sounded great.

Gotcha, thanks!

Thanks, I am pretty excited in getting finished too! I one set of the drivers will be here tomorrow.

Well it has been raining here so I wasn't able to go pick up the MDF, so no progress darn it!

Stay tuned

Well I was able to get all the mdf chopped up. The first big project with the new table saw and man was that nice. I also used the new track saw on for MDF for the first time and it also made the cross cuts very nicely. I did cut them a tad longer and made the final cuts with the table saw. Here is the final cut list. I had many errors in the one I was using today and didn’t find the mistakes until I was dry fitting everything and some stuff didn’t fit




First I cut everything with the track saw getting everything into manageable chunks. The software I use for this is pretty slick and makes quick work of the lay out.



And after an hour or so I had this.


Then it was on to the table saw. This really took a lot longer than I thought it was going to take. But finally made that into this



After I made new pieces to fix my screw ups I was able to dry fit! The way I designed these are actually 4 woof enclosures that the dipole and monopole enclosures mount to. Last minute I decided to make the woofer enclosure taller and made a separate compartment to house the XO’s.

Side view woof enclosure


You can see the XO compartment in these



Back view


And the monopole dry fit should work out ok.



I think I will center the woofer to the total ht versus in the woofer compartment. Still playing around with that. I also need to make the dipole baffles and planning on doing that tonight I will also get some glue on some stuff

I do! But will wait until I can get at my pics Should have cabinets done by Wed-Thursday!


But since I am posting. I am thinking about making the sides of the monopole taller so the fornt baffle is flush with the woofer baffle. What do you all think? I haven't guled that up yet. I am going to mock that up tonight to take a look as well.

First I would like to take a sec to say what a joy to use the Dewalt 621 and the dust collection system.



There is no dust to speak of in the shop or on me! The peice of half inch that the router is sitting on is the disc's I cut for building a template for cutting out the Fountek ribbons. I decided to create template and get an aluminum template made (water jet) so I can cut these with ease and precisely now and in the future. As I mentioned before I plan on doing some line arrays and should speed up the process when I am cutting out 16 founteks

I spent some time getting the dipole baffles right. I did end up decreasing the front edge by about an inch. Also figured out and cut the angles for the 3 pieces, the first time!




You can also see the Tang Band is cut and the flush mount for the Fountek are cut.

The woofer baffles are cut, of course the first one is a bit off and have to deal with the flush mount shoulder as the diameter is a bit short . I need to get a rabbiting bit and baearing set to try to fix, otherswise I will make a new one. 2 of 4 shown below.



I started to setup the monopole baffles to cut and forgot that I had made these 1.5 thick so I got that glued up and will finish the speaker holes tomorrow. Hoping the template will be done too.



Well all and all feeling ok about my first build but would certainly do some things differently next time.

Like I said hope to have some boxes under clamps tomorrow night.

cheers

thanks! Actually it is but is just laminate. It has wore pretty good wasn't sure how it would hold up but hanging in there.

Thanks Jim I am trying! and you know this insanity is all your fault or at least your Statements

I stopped after work and grabbed my template but doesn't have the right clearances with the router collar. I will work on rev 2 but want to get moving. So I made a paper template traced it and cut it out with my rotozip. Seemed to work OK, messy messy! Of course when I test fit the ribbon was not straight so I made some adjustments and now it is very close not having enough meat for one of the screws Tips anyone? I am going to give it another shot cutting a circle and notching, a new template, something! all on test stock. This is kind of a pain, and the thought of 16 of these with the Arrays makes ill

Jeff

Edit: was just looking at FroDaddy's and I have the right idea I just need to cool the jets and get this right! but tips are always appreciated!

I have made a template, a negative of my first idea, drilled a 1/8" hole in the center and now I can use the jasper jig hole and pin for the template trace it on the backside square it up and cut it with the jigsaw. I have no clue why I was struggling with this This will work but I want to get some "thinner" blades first.

Jeff

Hey Steve! Missed your post my bad. But thanks for the encouragement. I know what you mean by the wasted time. I hate when I have to redo stuff . Thanks for stopping!

Jeff

I have made some progress but may have to take a huge step back Will explain that at the end. But the positve is I have figured out a bunch of stuff making these freaking cabinets. A very wise experienced speaker designer once told me he was a "reluctant" cabinet builder. I think I am getting his drift!

I made a template out of oak to trace and cut out the ribbon tweeters. I used the Jig pin to line up and use a sharpie to outline ( this tempalte is a tad small) and cut the outside of the line.




I tried the first one with the jig saw and it worked but took time and was messy.I am getting pretty spoiled with the dust collection So I did the rest free hand with the router. I used a piece of scrap to hold everything down.




After the first one I learned where the jig was off and could compensate and the rest fit first time.



I used my Kreg jig to assemble the dipole baffels worked great actually and these are solid.

.

And finally have one of the woofer enclosures under clamps.



So now for the kick myself in the Ass news! When mocking up the dipole I noticed the front is not flush as designed.



I have now clue where the diconnect is as my drawings are on my laptop which is at work.....Ugh I can build out the back but further investigation the drivers may not have enough depth. I am at a loss of words as I have the drawings and all the clearances where checked And the other crapper is I totally spaced rounding over the back of the driver openings. So I can trash the single woofer enclosure and build a new one or do not round over the openings. Not sure what to do. But with 1100 bucks in drivers I am thinking I will take a big step back and redo most of this!

Swithey this takes the freaking cake on mulligans! This is the biggest Opps I have done on any project in a long time.......

So I am having a beer and determining what to do. I am off tomorrow but I may just play golf!

Jeff

router jpg