Whatever happened to DCM's Steve Eberbach? - Page 34

Wow, that's gorgeous

The tops are next.

Below is one of the tops, again as it came out of the paint booth; you can see the slight orange peel noticeable in the reflection.



After block sanding with 1500 grit to level the orange peel, then with 2000 grit then 3000 grit (all wet sanding), this is what the top looks like after a few passes with the heavier compound and corresponding pad. At this stage, I using a rotary buffer (wheel spins on one axis like a grinder) as opposed to a DA (dual action which spins but also in a small orbit) because it cuts faster but more risky of burning through the finish. You can see the shine starting to come back.



Here after a few more passes.



Finished with the first step, but needed to have the excess compound wiped down.
Because the polishing steps are progressive (working down to a finer finish), you need to be careful not to cross contaminate the compounds and appropriate pads.

God bless you, Jamie. They're looking very good at this point. Even with my wood shop, I doubt I'd have the same results as you.

Thanks for the compliment.

Here are some shots of the top after using the finer compound and pad.







And last, after applying the synthetic wax.

Competition grade paint job!

Thank you.

Now comes the fun stuff, final assembly.




Here’s the backside of one of the fluted side pieces showing the “MOD-EEZ CONCEALED PANEL FASTENERS”. The tops are held on with the same clips.





A close up of one of one of the clips.





This is showing one of the new fluted sidepieces next to the one on the original TimeWindow Seven for comparison.

Here’s the left speaker on its side waiting for the side pieces to be installed. The bottom end is propped up with a pillow to make it easier to add the base afterwards. I decided to do the final assembly in the HT because they’re to heavy to more around much from the work shop and lighter and easier to handle without the trim. The slots in the fabric are where the posts are for the MOD-EZZ clips.



After installed.


And then the base.

Finally the finished product.

Here are a few full shots of the right speaker temporarily in front of one of the large side wall Schroeder Diffusers.

And a few gratuitous close-up shots.

Here’s a close-up of one of the new signature plaques and spectral balance control decals.

As mentioned before, these two items took way more time then I originally imagined.

First, the art work very involved for both. I used CorelDraw, which first I had to learn how to use.

Second, I had to figure out how to physically make them.

The original plaque was etched (ether chemically or electroliticaly) and not engraved. No one did it locally; I did it electroliticaly with a lot of trial and error.

The new plaque.




The original spectral balance control decal was metallic gold lettering silk-screened on semi-gloss black vinyl. Again, no one did it locally. After I finished the artwork, I had a local printing shop print the image on a clear transparency. Then I applied a self-adhesive metallic gold vinyl (used in vinyl lettering) to the backside, then used a light spray adhesive to mount it to the terminal cup.


The printed clear transparency and self-adhesive metallic gold vinyl before being applied a to the backside.



After applied.



Finished product.



Original, with knobs removed for comparison.

Lastly, here are a few pictures for overall comparison.

One of my original TimeWindow Sevens.




The clone and the original.





Which one’s the original and which one is clone?

It’s been a lot of work, more money than I expected, but worth it. The project was very satisfying and a challenge both in the technical and skill levels for me. I very happy with the results, and yes they sound incredible.

I would like to thank everybody here for their support and compliments, and mostly Steve Eberbach for originally designing the TimeWindow Sevens and his input on this project.


Edited by Jamie Hauser - 11/8/12 at 4:36pm

From a fellow woodworker, a job well done. Wish I could hear them. Who am I kidding. I wish they were in my living room...cherry veneer, of course.

astounding, congrats on an incredible job and all the info and assistance you have given to us all.

Now, how much you want for the originals?

Jamie, I saw a thread about your project on the Polk Forum and came on over to take a look.

You did a sensational job on your creation of these "clones"

You have exceeded the originals. What attention to detail.

Congratulations on a job done better than the factory!

I really love all the work you put into the 'Piano black" finish.

I'd be curious as to how the two match up to one another sound-wise. Any way to show us the comparison?

As far as how the clone matches up to the original sound-wise, they’re as good if not slightly better. It could be the polypropylene capacitors in the clones as compared to the Mylar (polyester) ones in the originals. Everything else is identical. The drivers are new in the clones, which I wouldn’t think would make much of a difference. The electrolytic caps have been replaced in the originals with the same used in the clones. As far as showing, I did use REW V5 to check the frequency response on the clones for checking the crossovers. I swapped out one the crossover with one of the originals for comparison and the response matched perfectly.



Here is a comparison using REW showing the clone on top and original on bottom. Keep in mind that these measurements were taken in different rooms, different times and at different levels. I was able to pull both measurements from different files and combined them here. I believe the difference in room responses would account for the slight variations. I've never done a direct comparison. That would require testing one, then removing it and replacing it with the other in the same place. Frankly, these bastards are heavy enough that you don’t what to move them around much. Maybe if I get bored or ambitious I might someday.

Very impressive. Any chance of Mr. Eberbach himself listening to them for his opinion?

After a two year search, I finally found the DCM Soundscape center speaker I've been looking for. Pristine condition, too. Thank you, small-town Pennsylvania.

Hello!

I was referred to this thread by flyng_fool. I have had a pair of floor standing DCM TimeFrame TF-600s since the early 90's. They are in great shape and still sound good. I have been contemplating selling these bad boys and putting the money towards a really nice sub since my current set-up uses in wall speakers.

Any idea what these guys would sell for, or if there is even still a demand for them? I have read on various other forums that DCM speakers are no longer made, or maybe they, are - but not the same manufacturer? Should I hold onto them?

I'll put a couple pictures up.

Thanks!

In the pics they aren't plugged in or anything. I got curious after reading up on these a bit more, so I connected them (mine do not have the spring clips, rather the binding posts).
They sounded good, but not like I remember. So, I held my ear close to the tweeters. I didn't hear anything coming out of any of the tweeters on both speakers. There is one in front and two in back, and I didn't hear any of them. I wouldn't even know if those parts are available for replacement, or if something happened internally with the wiring. Not sure where to go from here.

In the pics they aren't plugged in or anything. I got curious after reading up on these a bit more, so I connected them (mine do not have the spring clips, rather the binding posts).
They sounded good, but not like I remember. So, I held my ear close to the tweeters. I didn't hear anything coming out of any of the tweeters on both speakers. There is one in front and two in back, and I didn't hear any of them. I wouldn't even know if those parts are available for replacement, or if something happened internally with the wiring. Not sure where to go from here.

Welcome. You have an excellent set of speakers. DCM was sold and the name is still around but the product is very different. The model you have is highly regarded amongst vintage audiophiles and though they don't sell for much (comparatively) they are still sought after. Your wouldn't be so desired with no tweets working. These can be replaced, but exact replacements are no longer available, they are also kind of a pain to work on (again, comparatively). If I were you I would keep these and repair them as they will sound better than just about any in-wall speaker you could be using. Your room appears to be pretty narrow which will degrade the overall sound you are able to achieve no matter what speaker you use. Room treatments should greatly help with side wall reflections. Either way, good luck and if you do sell and happen to be any where remotely near upstate SC let me know.

Steve lives near Ann Arbor. He's a member of the same audio club that I belong to, and we see each other from time to time. Heck of a nice guy, heck of a smart guy.

The story about DCM is a sad one. AFAIK Steve no longer has any formal association with them.

Thanks! You have been very helpful.
Any idea where I can get replacement tweeters? Is this something that you'd recommend sending in to a pro, or can an amateur like me figure it out? Know anybody in the Chicago/n/w Indiana region that does this kind of work?

You should try reading some former posts for two reasons: a). the type of replacement tweeters were mentioned and b). get a deeper appreciation of the DCM brand. You might also PM Jamie, our resident DCM guru. He might be able to point you in the right direction.

^^ Cool, thanks. Will do!

Optimus,
There are several useable replacements to be found and these can be found at most driver suppliers. Exact replacements however, are no longer available to my understanding as DCM used available drivers and then modified them to meet their specifications (again this is my understanding of the situation). By looking, the tweets appear to be most any standard Mylar tweet with the same or similar faceplate. however no one knows the original specs on the tweets that were used for these either before or after DCM modified them. That is why I say no exact replacement is available. We don't even have an impedance curve to use to aid us in locating a suitable replacement that would react to the crossover in a similar fashion. A downfall is that the tweets are limited in size due to their mounting on the screens over the mid drivers. I have tried a couple of different units other than the basic mylar design in hopes of possibly getting a better or at least as good of a sound without major crossover modification. So far my favorite of the ones I have tried is a Tang Band 1" cloth dome. I don't remember the model # right now but it was only slightly deeper than the original DCM unit and the faceplate had the same screw spacing but was elongated on the ends. The width was correct, I trimmed the ends square and it fit great. The nominal impedance was the same though again I am sure the overall curve was probably very different. It sounded a little cleaner than the original but overall didn't blend as well as the original into the design as a whole. I know I am rambling but I guess part of my pint is that it is kind of hit and miss. some of the replacements suggested earlier in this thread are no longer available and some were simply recommended because they physically fit but may not have been an electrical match.
If you are handy you can probably swap them yourself. The sock is the biggest pain. Good luck.
Edited by Mr. Bubbles - 1/25/13 at 8:10am

Thanks again. I've been trying to get caught up on reading all the posts in this thread. I'm at page 25 of 34! I am pretty handy, but still learning. The more I think about it, the more I am interested in repairing these bad boys. But, I want to make sure I understand exactly what I am doing first. I am sure that very soon, I will be asking you all very many questions!