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#1 build
18K views 52 replies 21 participants last post by  RTS100x5 
#1 ·
I just completed these L C R 3 way speakers for a client... I only had 2 weeks to meet the deadline so forgive the lack of timeline assembly pics .... I also built 2 sub cabinets as well, so this morning is the first day I havent been covered in sawdust, wood glue and spray adhesive ... I chose MOREL / Dayton drivers based on many reviews and budget (ALL Morel drivers are 20% off this month on PE :clap: ) and came up with this 3 way WMTTMW design... The budget was $3000 and I came in just under that including drivers, wood et all....

SO having stayed up til 12 last night to finish out as my deadline for install is Friday... The initial listening test last night with my Denon receiver and a Marantz SACD player surpassed even my highest expectations.... I will post more listening review after the install on Friday ... so here they are
 

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#4 · (Edited)
Looks awesome, are you going to make some of those black cloth covers for them next?

Are there any special internal structures for those? Is air volume a factor behind the mids?

Idk what hit me but I've been trying to learn everything audio for months but haven't taken the time until now to even question home audio mids / highs.

Edit: What kind of crossovers did you use?
 
#6 ·
The client likes the look so much that there are no plans for a cover at this point .. Also used as main material to cover was a nice stretch velveteen from local fabric store.. The intention was to copy the projector screen border felt.. It was a very close match and inexpensive.. $35 for enough to cover all 3 speakers...but is difficult to work with so dont say I didnt warn you...

Volume for the mids was calculated into the structure and i used poly-fill to dampen the sound a bit,,,Same with the woofers... recommended Volumes for internal structure are given on the manufactures web page...

Crossover is a Dayton 3 way @ 625 / 5k but im working on a custom xover ....

The velveteen finish turned out very well but wrapping that around the ends proved too difficult so I just capped the ends with a 3/4 and rounded off the edges....leftover black paint from the subs ....

You may have noticed that there is a toe in / front angle built in .. This is due to the length of the front wall in the Theater room which is very wide and since these are replacing the in walls LCR which are also too far apart L vs R .... They will also cover the holes left by the inwalls .. Conveniently i can use the holes to put bracing inside the walls to support the new On walls...
 
#9 ·
The subs are JL Audio 13W3 4ohm... tuning at 30hz and driven by a new CROWN XLS 1500 Drivercore...

Funny Ive allready installed these in the media room where the new speakers are going... When a played a test tone @ 35hz all the sconce light fixtures and movie poster frames started rattling reeealy bad ... so we had to go around and gorilla glue all the glass fixtures to the metal frames and velcro all the movie poster frames to the wall :rofl:
 
#22 ·
Your absolutely correct... We were comparing similar designs like the Martin Logan Edge which retails for $1650 each and the Atlantic Technology IWTS-30 LCR @ $1370 ea... :spend: And those prices did not include 2 13inch subs .... So it didnt take alot of convincing to go DIY ... And I will put my design in a shootout next to theres all day long :flex:
 
#16 ·
So today was install day for these massive on wall speakers.... I had originally planned to sink them into the walls but after discussing that idea we dicided it would be a massive mess to cut all the drywall out and studs where necessary - specially for the center channel... They do look awsome mounted on wall if I do say so myself.. They match the screen border in texture, color and beveled profile....The client was very happy.... A hard days work made alot easier with 2 ideas.... I made a stand to hold the speakers up while I bolted them to the wall...Second was, after removing the original in walls I screwed 2x8 blocks to the inside of the drywall ... This gave me plenty of support to bolt the speakers to by removing the woofers and sinking 1/4 x 3 lag bolts through the speaker cabinet into the 2x8 blocks behind ... :D
Install went smooth and without a hitch...
 

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#21 ·
I have't the eqipment to measure the actual room response as of yet.... The Daytons are a bit directional and this also figured into my design with the toe in angle and left right as opposed to stacking them top bottom in the tweeter design of the CC ... now the sweet spot is right up the middle of the 2 row seating and sounded just as good in either row but obviously this system sounds best mid room (15ft) .... I plan on trying some bass traps and absorption panels after the speakers get broken in as there seems to be some pretty significant reflections .....
The weight of ea speaker was about 90 lbs...
 
#20 ·
Also wanted to give mention to the screen and projector ...Its a SCREEN INOVATIONS 133'' in Lunar Grey which had a small defect on the original shipment but they quickly sent a new screen to replace at no charge and were very curtious....how often do we see that in the industry ??
The projector is a JVC X55 IDLA with 4k eShift technology .... It was calibrated the morning of the speaker install and looks AmAzing....the 3D is also the best Ive seen yet ...:cool:
 
#26 ·
Congratulations on such an amazing build it looks wonderful. I have also been running a jl 13w3 powered by a dayton spa 500 but now know I need to make a twin and change the amp lol. What receiver or pre/amp are you customers using for the lcr's out of curiosity? What program did you use to determine your cabinet size?
 
#27 ·
The AVR is a YAMAHA RX-A2010 and a CROWN XLS 1500 on the subs

Volumes were taken from the manufactures website

This was the first time I had used the CROWN amp for LFE....So far its been very satisfying....The LFE on this project is well - the look on peoples faces when they hear that monster walking down the street in PACIFIC RIM says it all .....:unbelievable:
 
#28 ·
Yes your are absolutely correct the lfe in Pacific Rim may be the best I have heard. I bought it after I read Mike Edwards review here and glad I did. So my next question for you is were you smiling ear to ear along with your customers during your demo after the install, or were you able to stay composed lol. No seriously though I know you said this was your first custom build but how did you decide on the jl's for the subs? Don't get me wrong I love the one I have and will be changing my amp and adding another, just wanted to here someone else's opinion on them.
 
#29 ·
I actually had them for almost 2 ½ yrs... bought them on sale for half price and was going to use them in my car at the time. Of course when I went to test them on my own sound system they sounded so good, my car never even saw them once...A month before this install I had replaced my beloved JL's with the new Dayton Ultimaxx 15's just because I had some time and money.. So the JL's were just sitting there begging when I made the custom 3 ways for this guys HT and it I just put 1 and 1 together since I knew the guy only had some awful sounding Polk subs... I wasn't going to let the glory of my 3 ways be muffed by some cheap subs.... So I got on JL's webpage and got the vented volume / cabinet specs.... I would up with a tuning of about 35hz and the boxes weighed so much it took 2 of us to carry them downstairs to the media room at client #1..They sound so solid and have so much impact in that large room that frankly I was floored....
He really didn't think they would make much of a difference compared to the Polk's.... YA... when we first heard them at 3/4 volume with DEADMOU5E playing we both just started laughing :rofl2: ....HA then I was like watch this... and put on my BASS MECHANICS cd with a sweep tone from 80 down to 10 hz ....we thought the glass in his expensive light sconces was going to break...and the movie posters were nearly bouncing off the hooks as well :hsd: .. so gorilla glue on the sconces and 3/4 inch Velcro on all the movie posters :rofl: The CROWN xls1500 is a huge + for the $399...:T
So everyone who comes over to client#1's house is asking " WOW what kind of speakers are those fronts and what kind of subs are those?" :D So Im hopefully going into the speaker building business full time soon :D
JL Audio subs were my first sub where I was asking myself ' hmm its so tight and clean sounding :bigsmile: I didnt realize how crummy my subs were before... All I can add is when you build your box brace it well and then add another layer of 3/4 mdf on the outside !
 
#32 · (Edited)
As of now the surrounds are VISUAL PERFORMANCE VP67 LCR but we have plans to upgrade them to match the LCR's....we're kinda giving his checkbook a rest :spend:

The BASSMEKANIK cd Ive had since 2001 when I used to compete is DB Drags... I couldnt find a link to it but many of their cd's have sweep tones and are the Ultimate subwoofer test and demo's :hsd:

found it

http://www.amazon.com/Sonic-Overload-Bass-Mekanik/dp/B000007OFN
 
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