The Line Array Thread

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

I need to check the price of 5/8"'s baltic ply shortly...going to be picking up a few sheets for my living room speakers.

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

FEW sheets? god **** man, how much wood are u using?

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

One per side //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

Let's just say...these 5/8" cabinets are going to be more well-braced than most 3/4" ones //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

apparently so dang lol

 

[brandontw 10+ year member]

im poor

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

im poor

So am I...equipment rich, extremely cash poor //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I actually have a fair bit in my checking acc't, but 90% of it is earmarked for various things. Half of the payment on my new amp, new 4" drivers, box building materials, parts for the EL84 chassis rebuild, rent...lol.

 

[IamDeMan 5,000+ posts]

this still makes my tower almost 6'6":uhoh:

That is good then //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif My plan is to take it all the way to 7' in order to get enough volume to tune effectively. I am just using MDF and bracing like a mofo. Our style in the living room is industrial(black, metals, etc), no wood. So I think I can get away with a black textured finish to blend in with our black entertainment center. Then the wife insist I figure out a way to put some kind of grill on front HMMMM. I think she is going to just have to live with seeing the speakers.

 

[brandontw 10+ year member]

So am I...equipment rich, extremely cash poor //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif
I actually have a fair bit in my checking acc't, but 90% of it is earmarked for various things. Half of the payment on my new amp, new 4" drivers, box building materials, parts for the EL84 chassis rebuild, rent...lol.

im not even equipment rich if i ever have extra stuff i sell it to finance the next project.

 

[thylantyr 10+ year member]

i really like my pine board idea, but now you bring up the issue of a thick front baffle choking airspace, and a 1 inch baffle would be worse than a 3/4 inch, but i dont want to use crappy looking wood such as mdf or plywood becasue i want it to look nice.

I used crappy looking MDF and plywood in this line array project. The front

baffle is 3/4" MDF painted, the top/bottom/sides/back is standard home depot

3/4" oak plywood, $45 per sheet.

http://home.pacbell.net/lordpk/robarray/

If you stain the pine wood - Pine is a soft wood and absorbs stain like a sponge

and you can get inconsistent color distribution. Use a staining conditioner first or at least try the stain on some scraps to understand how it's going to work.

how much would it choke the speaker?

Some people chamfer 6" - 8" drivers on 3/4" wood to make sure there is no

turbulence {backwave compression}. The NSB on 3/4" wood is highly choked off.

Cut a piece of wood and see for yourself. It's like holding your hand on your

mouth trying to breath after you sprinted. /hehe

it still has breathing room, its not totally sealed off, but not a totally open area. would this really affect it noticably?

It will work but what makes the sound system great is paying attention to fine

details. 50 fine details can make it perform better than just slapping it all together. How picky are you on SQ?

1/2 inch would be pretty weak too wouldent it? im used to making front baffles thicker, not thinner.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

1/2 plywood would work if you do 4 3/8 - 4 1/2 ctc spacing. Problem I see is.

If you plan to rabbet the NSB hole, plywood will give you chip out and make

the front baffle look fugly. To minimize chipout, place some masking tape

over the wood where you will route out the rabbet. If you don't want to rabbet,

then you have to figure out if you need an air tight seal in your project because the NSB frame lip is a PITA to deal with if you don't have the proper tools.

Some people have used a file to chamfer the edge and then used silicone

to seal the driver.

P.S. i plan to space the speakers about 5/8 of an inch edge to edge. this still makes my tower almost 6'6":uhoh:

That will work.

 

[brandontw 10+ year member]

I used crappy looking MDF and plywood in this line array project.

yeah and it looks killer..i just wanted to use regular wood this time:crying:

If you stain the pine wood - Pine is a soft wood and absorbs stain like a sponge

and you can get inconsistent color distribution. Use a staining conditioner first or at least try the stain on some scraps to understand how it's going to work.

yeah i understand how stain works on pine..ive done it before...not the best but it often turns out pretty nice.

Some people chamfer 6" - 8" drivers on 3/4" wood to make sure there is no

turbulence {backwave compression}. The NSB on 3/4" wood is highly choked off.

Cut a piece of wood and see for yourself. It's like holding your hand on your

mouth trying to breath after you sprinted. /hehe

if i used 1/2 inch wood on the front, would it provide enough breathing room without chamfering?

1/2 plywood would work if you do 4 3/8 - 4 1/2 ctc spacing. Problem I see is.

If you plan to rabbet the NSB hole, plywood will give you chip out and make

the front baffle look fugly. To minimize chipout, place some masking tape

over the wood where you will route out the rabbet. If you don't want to rabbet,

then you have to figure out if you need an air tight seal in your project because the NSB frame lip is a PITA to deal with if you don't have the proper tools.

Some people have used a file to chamfer the edge and then used silicone

to seal the driver.

i have some 4 inch hole saws that i plan to try to use, yes i know it will pe a PITA and stuff but it is what i have.

How picky are you on SQ?

very picky im an audiophile who cant afford the equipment to fit my needs

By the way..thanks for sharing so much knowledge..your a life saver

 

[thylantyr 10+ year member]

very picky im an audiophile who cant afford the equipment to fit my needs

There is a different strategy. Save money to what you

really want. My project started 5 years ago - just to get what I want and I only

have 1/2 the tweeters and no mids, but I got ten woofers. By the time I'm ready

to build, the speakers will be rotted //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

Try 1/2" pine baffle without chamfer, what other option do you have unless

you buy more tools ?

 

[brandontw 10+ year member]

i have the wood bought, the holes cut now, and ready to be put together, im thinking of routing the inner edge of all of the holes to help with the air breathing. but i already feel that the .5 inch bridge between speaks is already pretty small...would it be worth it?

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

post pics, routed the rear of the baffle in that thin of wood and screwing into it may or may not be a good idea. pics would only beable to suffice.

 

[thylantyr 10+ year member]

post pics .... with two drivers installed {less screws} with a pic of the back ..

fyi, I made blocks of wood to reinforce the weak spots, pics here;

NSB rear chamber;

http://home.pacbell.net/lordpk/robarray/16.jpg

Closeup of the reinforcing block, one per driver. The front baffle is very strong with

these, but it requires more work.

http://home.pacbell.net/lordpk/robarray/17.jpg

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

nah i meant brandon, but tight setup //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif