[azryan]

Thought some people here might like to see what a half finished set of Alphas looks like.

Danny has been very helpful in answering any question I had, but the kit's so easy to build there really were no 'problems' to deal with.

Anyone who wants Alphas, but thinks this project is too big and thinks they should stick to maybe making a 'smaller' speaker first I think will be missing out.
You can do it!

I only used a cheap circular saw ($30) and a $2 fine tooth blade also. Smooth cuts and perfect right angles. It's a breeze.

5 sheets of MDF is about $100, plus a jug a' wood glue ($13), and I bought a spare sheet of MDF that I didn't end up needing, but you might want to buy just in case ($20) and had to rent a truck at home Depot to lug the wood home ($20 for 75 min.).

It was very easy and fast to cut everything out -though I haven't gotten to routering out the driver holes yet (that should be no prob either though).

(Sadly) I can't afford the actual kit yet, and just wanted a project to mess around with for a few (or many) months till I had the dough.

But about a week after I bought the MDF I'm sitting here w/ all the parts cut out and half finished cabinets!!

I didn't expect it to be so easy!!!

Kinda sad to see these empty cabinet, but kinda funny it went so fast!

So anyway... thought some of you might like to see some shots of the progress to get an idea of what it looks like.

Basically similar to the pics Danny already has on the GR site, but oh well...

http://home.earthlink.net/~azstrehlow/mdf.html

[doug s.]

hey ryan, i really like that garage floor!  i have a floor in my garage, somewhere...     keep us posted...

doug s.

[Danny Richie]

Looks good man.

I look forward to seeing you take this project to completion.

Please continue to post pics as your project progresses.

Oh yea, and we have a special going on those Alpha's right now too. This week and this week only 10% off plus free shipping.

Just kidding.

[Ravi]

Danny, you're so cruel    

I have to cry a tear for my audio addicted friend,

In all seriousness, great work, and you seem like you'll finish these with no problems.

I've heard these babies at John Chapmans house, and with classical, they're really something to behold.  You're gonna love 'em!

[jonwb]

Wow!  Isn't this depressing... there you are with enclosures coming along nicely and no kit.  And here I am with the Alpha kit sitting in my basement with no time to finish my enclosures (since Thanksgiving '02)!!!!      

Jon

[Danny Richie]

Hey you two should get together or something...

[jonwb]

Hey you two should get together or something...

yea, maybe between the two of us we could each end up with one speaker!  I heard (through one ear) that mono is making a comeback.  

Ryan, keep up the good work.  From what I heard at Gary Dodd's place it'll definately be worth it!!!  The few, the proud, the Alpha owners oh, I almost forgot, the keepers of very understanding wives!

BTW, Danny that MTM Criterion (D____ something or another) looks beautiful.  (kinda short though )

[azryan]

Thanks everybody ('cept Danny!! You're cruel man, cruel! hehe)

Jon, yeah, we should figure something out together- hehe.

I'll send you a mirror (for finding the reflection points) and you send me a fancy comb (filter).  I think that's how that old story goes???

I remember you saying you had the kit, but just thought you just didn't post any progress pics. Guess we're in the opposite ends of the same boat. Dang.

I don't remember anyone else posting cabinet photos?

BTW, my wife digs the Alphas. Not crazy about the cost, but same goes for all our other gear. She appreciates it when I get stuff though and she can hear the diff.

[audiojerry]

azryan,
You should point out to your wife all the benefits:

this project has kept you home and out of trouble,

you are acquiring tools and improving your carpentry skills, which will enable you to do a alot of 'honey-do' projects for her,

if you get the hardware for the cabinets, listening to those wonderful speakers will keep you home future nights.

maybe then she will appreciate your effort more and give you the green light to complete the projects.

My philosophy always is, if you are going to get something anyways, get it now. A year or two from now, the money that you spent on the speakers will still have the same net result on the balance sheet, so why wait?

[azryan]

I actually don't have the money, and that's really the only probelm my wife sees in finishing these Alphas too.

We pretty much only spend what we have. I know that's kinda a strange concept to most  people when being buried in plastic debt is considered perfectly normal.

Maybe Jerry, you could give me a zero interest 2 year Alpha kit loan? hehe

The last spare money we spent went into a retirement IRA. Not doing that isn't something that balances out down the road in a year or two... or at least it shouldn't.

I've got some sonotube subwoofers to sell so hopefully that will work out and fill up the Alpha jar. We'll see..

I'm still perfectly happy (mostly) w/ my Newform 645's (ribbon and ScanSpeak carbon/paper cone hybrid crossed @ ~1000Hz), so it's not like I'm dying to have something so totally different in the form of the Alphas -though I do expect the Alphas to be better in hopefully every way -though I worry about directionality in the freq. range above the width of the Neo8's -which is ~9kHz on up in that 1.5" wide planar.

Other than that I expect the true line source cone array of the Alphas to better mate to it's 65" planar line than the ScanSpeak cones mate to the 45" ribbon (though they mate very well IMO -esp. when seated).
Plus the benefit of higher eff. and FAR higher power handling.

And the Alphas look bad ass, whereas no one will ever give the Newforms a prize for good looks (though the ribbons look really cool in person IMO, but overall yeah... they look like goal posts).

The CSS woofers in the Alphas are supose to be 'kinda sorta' knock offs of the Scan Speak 8545's in my Newforms, so overall I'm guessing the sound will end up being somewhat similar more than a whole different animal... but who knows right?

Funny too that the Alphas will actually be shorter than my current speakers and subs.

[JoshK]

Ryan,

Not to get too off-topic but I/we are the same way.  No credit-card debt, only spend what we make less regularly scheduled investments and savings. Those who have high credit card debt in todays economy are walking on tight ropes methinks.  

My father in law never even had a single mortgage in his life while owning a few homes.  He built them himself and went as he accumulated the money.  That is pretty rare indeed and my wife and I have decided on the mortgage route.  Especially since 500+ sqft one bedroom apartments in Manhattan start at around $350,000 + $700/mo in maintenance.  

My father-in-law tries to get everyone he knows to read this book called Rich Dad, Poor Dad which I find a bit trivial but does argue some good points.  The main point is that if you make money to consume you will always be working really hard and always live a poor lifestyle (some exceptions for sure, but on a relative basis is pretty much correct) whereas if you use your money to make you money and only spend the earnings on that income you'll be rich and live a much better lifestyle.  Easier said than done but I have taken some of that to heart and am looking to use my investment knowledge to buy up medical offices and rent them out to doctors here in Manhattan.  

Anyway, sorry for the tangent....keep us posted on your alpha building!

[ronnieferrell]

OT: [soapbox]

azryan- AMEN brother, to your way of thinking!:) My wife and I have never carried a credit card balance, ever! In fact, my credit card pays me anywhere between $15 and $60 a month to have their card. It is a 1% cash back card and I put all of my works computer purchases on it, which is reimbursed and paid off in full each month with no balance.

I am not in the minority that says "don't spend more than you make." I'm in the smaller group that says, "don't even spend what you make, spend less!"

Congrats on starting an IRA! Max your yearly contribution  to that puppy out before getting the Alpha kit if you can! WAY more important than a set of speakers.

Another great book to read is "The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy"

Sorry for the OT. I just get excited when I here of others actually being responsible with their finances...

[/soapbox]

Oh yeah, The enclosures look great! Keep us posted on the progress!

Ronnie

[Marbles]

The MND is a good book, another very good one is:  Rich Dad, Poor Dad.....

[azryan]

That's great to hear more people out there who don't try to live in debt!

And don't worry about it being off topic... my half finished Alpha cabinets are just sitting here collecting (their own) dust, so there'll be a looong gap till more photos! hehe

It cracked me up last week... my uncle a very successful/rich doctor from L.A. comes out here to visit and tells me after he pays down some of his cards he's gonna start looking into maybe finally buying a house.

He's about 45 and has been renting half a duplex for all of his adult life.

Then he proceeds to kinda 'jab' me for not really making much money or having a big time career like he does.

I wanted to say...
-"Hey dummy, you should be Swimming in dough, and here my wife and I are owning our own house and had a huge downpayment on it 'cuz we both worked and invested (oh praise the 90's stock market!!) most of the money we earned working crappy minimum wage jobs in junior and high school, and you're babbling about credit card debt and probably trying to put the absolute minimum down on a house!?"

Instead I think I said something like "Yeah, that sounds good."

Everyone w/ kids... please teach them to invest and that the bigger the down payment on a home the better. Every dollar is worth three in the long run, and you'll always need somewhere to live! Hard to find a more practical effective investment IMO.

I suppose we should probably stop this money talk though 'cuz it is Danny's forum about his speakers. I don't want to mess that up for him.

[ronnieferrell]

The MND is a good book, another very good one is:  Rich Dad, Poor Dad.....

JoshK also referred to this book. I'll have to check it.

Ronnie

[wshuff]

Somebody I know saw this thread and had a few comments I thought I'd share:

"Wow, that's REALLL impressive! You can make boxes.
Amazing! Can you rub two stick together and make fire next?" hehe "How 'bout walking AND chewing gum at the same time!"

 

I thought it looked like a good start.

I remember my days without debt fondly.  My divorce, this hobby, and a general downturn in the local ecomony have pretty much wiped me out, and I don't know if I'll ever dig out, but I'm thankful for what I've got.      Oh well, I'm in the process of importing my own little South American doctor, so that may help.    In the meantime, I just try to enjoy the ride...

Hey, these emoticons are fun!

[Hank]

Yes, it can be done (took me two months of spare time, but you can save a lot of money DIY-ing).  I built Danny's personal pair that are on his web site.  They're on the second page of my crude web site:
http://www.geocities.com/hankbond1/index

[Danny Richie]

Hank did a really nice job with them too.

I highly recommend his cabinet building services.

[drphoto]

I take it Danny sells the plan seperately? I'm thinking about this myself....build the boxes....and buy the kit when finances allow.

[Danny Richie]

If you would like to get started building a pair of these just as azryan did then I will be glad to send you out the cabinet plans free of charge.