[Vapor Audio]

I talk with people all the time that just don't get it.  They don't understand all the fancy words on our website, and how that translates into a better enclosure.  I'm not implying they're dumb, just that what is obvious to me isn't necessarily so to someone else.  So I wanted to share a sequence of pictures to demonstrate a bit just what all goes into the making of a Cirrus cabinet. 

After cutting on the CNC machine of all the cross-section slices, we stack them.  Each top/bottom end cap is filled with about 5 pounds of our Inversaion Layer material mixed with epoxy.  Once the epoxy sets we attach them to the cabinets, but not before also filling the void in the walls with Inversion Layer material as well.  Also before attaching the end caps, the entire inside of the cabinet is thoroughly sealed to prevent any movement of the wood.









Once assembled, we do a rough sanding using a long bar sander to keep the surface flat, and then apply a THICK layer of a material that I'll never ever tell what it is.  People have been fighting with the problems stacked ply cabinets cause for a long time, now that we've figured it out we're not giving away our secrets 



After this material is cured, we have to sand again with the long bar sander.  Stacked ply cabinets will be uneven no matter how clean your cuts from the CNC are.  This material, and sanding in this way, evens out the high and low points to create a smooth surface for veneer. 





I hear all the time, "why don't you make your cabinets simpler".  That holds no interest for us, plenty of people out there are making square MDF boxes.  If what we're doing isn't clearly unique, and clearly better, than I don't even want to bother.  And I think we certainly have accomplished that. 

[Berto]

That's kool seeing how they are built. Demonstrating is always more beneficial for the the layman.

When I first heard the Cirrus after hours at Axpona 2014, I turned to Fred aka Gopher and he looked at me, and we're both like wow!

There is a tremendous amount of magic and rightness to that speaker. That's really the best way I can put it. If there is a better monitor out there, i'm yet to hear it.

[Vapor Audio]

That's kool seeing how they are built. Demonstrating is always more beneficial for the the layman.

When I first heard the Cirrus after hours at Axpona 2014, I turned to Fred aka Gopher and he looked at me, and we're both like wow!

There is a tremendous amount of magic and rightness to that speaker. That's really the best way I can put it. If there is a better monitor out there, i'm yet to hear it.

Thanks man! 

And the Cirrus is about to get better still.  This build will be the first of the all-new Cirrus, we have a new woofer from AudioTechnology that has a stronger motor with even lower inductance and higher sensitivity.  And we'll be using the larger 140-15D RAAL in the Cirrus as well, which is a significant step up from the mid-size RAAL 70-20XR.

[dpatters]

Great post Ryan!! This gives a clear and detailed explanation of the labor intensive process
that goes into your builds.

Don P.

[Tomy2Tone]

Do you still offer the natural look like the pic on your website? The "secret" layer you apply to the sides seems to darken the ply. Does this lighten in color once dry or do you prefer to veneer over this anyway?

Looks impressive, love to see what the new Cirrus will look like with the new drivers.

[toddc2]

WAHOOOO!!!! Thanks for the post Ryan, this is really cool.

Just curious, are the CNC cuts in the caps and top/bottom of the cabinets for some kind of biscuit joint?

Todd
 

[Vapor Audio]

Do you still offer the natural look like the pic on your website? The "secret" layer you apply to the sides seems to darken the ply. Does this lighten in color once dry or do you prefer to veneer over this anyway?

Looks impressive, love to see what the new Cirrus will look like with the new drivers.

Yes, we offer the bare ply look instead of veneer as well.  In that case we just don't apply the secret sauce, instead a whole lot more sanding has to be done to get the surface dead flat on it's own.  I'm surprised that bare ply hasn't been more popular over the years.

[Pete Schumacher]

WAHOOOO!!!! Thanks for the post Ryan, this is really cool.

Just curious, are the CNC cuts in the caps and top/bottom of the cabinets for some kind of biscuit joint?

Todd
 

Those slots in the walls are where the inversion layer material is filled.

[toddc2]

Those slots in the walls are where the inversion layer material is filled.

Got it, like a warm blanket inside the cabinet wall. That's a really interesting construction technique. From Ryan's original description, I thought you were filling the larger voids in the cabinet. Thanks for the clarification!

[csmgolf]

Ryan, how much sensitivity will be gained with the new woofer? Also, will the larger tweeter allow the speaker to play like a larger speaker (i.e. scale the images/stage larger)?

[KLH007]

That's kool seeing how they are built. Demonstrating is always more beneficial for the the layman.

When I first heard the Cirrus after hours at Axpona 2014, I turned to Fred aka Gopher and he looked at me, and we're both like wow!

There is a tremendous amount of magic and rightness to that speaker. That's really the best way I can put it. If there is a better monitor out there, i'm yet to hear it.

Berto, Did you hear the White or Black Cirrus? I heard the Joule Black at 2014 RMAF and was floored at how good they were, one of the top 3 rooms I heard. The new Cirrus seems to be similar to the top module of the Joule Black?

[Berto]

Berto, Did you hear the White or Black Cirrus? I heard the Joule Black at 2014 RMAF and was floored at how good they were, one of the top 3 rooms I heard. The new Cirrus seems to be similar to the top module of the Joule Black?

I'm not sure to be honest. Ryan could certainly answer this. He had modded them for a customer who was picking them up at the show, so they they were well broken in.

I never heard the Joule black yet.  I am dreaming of the day Ryan takes pretty pics of a pair for moi. A pair that will transport me to the venue/studio, and allow me rock out with a shit eating grin from ear to ear. Let it be said, let it be written, let it be done

[Vapor Audio]

Ryan, how much sensitivity will be gained with the new woofer? Also, will the larger tweeter allow the speaker to play like a larger speaker (i.e. scale the images/stage larger)?

The new woofer is around 1db more sensitive, maybe 1.25.  That doesn't sounds like much, but it's essentially 30% more efficient ... that's significant.  I believe the bigger RAAL will translate into scaled up images, at least in the Joule it does.

[Factorz]

As a Cirrus owner this is really cool to see. I think the Cirrrus from Axpona being mentioned were my pair and I have to agree they are sweet! Ryan will current Cirrus owners be able to have their speakers converted to the new design?

 Also let me know on those grills when you get a chance. Thanks.

[dpatters]

I'm not sure to be honest. Ryan could certainly answer this. He had modded them for a customer who was picking them up at the show, so they they were well broken in.

I never heard the Joule black yet.  I am dreaming of the day Ryan takes pretty pics of a pair for moi. A pair that will transport me to the venue/studio, and allow me rock out with a shit eating grin from ear to ear. Let it be said, let it be written, let it be done

Berto - If you are ever near central PA you would be welcome to come listen to the Joule Black. Mine are the pair from RMAF 2014.

Don P.

[Pete Schumacher]

As a Cirrus owner this is really cool to see. I think the Cirrrus from Axpona being mentioned were my pair and I have to agree they are sweet! Ryan will current Cirrus owners be able to have their speakers converted to the new design?

 Also let me know on those grills when you get a chance. Thanks.

I personally doubt that current Cirrus owners will be able to upgrade their current speakers to the new version.  The crossover will be different as would the baffle so it's a major change.

If you really want the new version, the best path would be to sell the originals and buy the new ones.  And we'll probably still sell the original Cirrus as is because as you know, it's an awesome monitor already.

[toddc2]

Hey, it's been pretty quiet lately in Vapor land! Any update on this cool Cirrus build?

Todd

[Pete Schumacher]

Hey, it's been pretty quiet lately in Vapor land! Any update on this cool Cirrus build?

Todd

Lots of builds underway at this time, the Cirrus among them.

We have a custom 3-way Perfect Storm Black  nearing completion, a set of Joule, 3 sets of Perfect Storm monitors, two pair of Cirrus White, Nimbus, Aurora, Stiff Breeze, to name some of them.  We'll get pictures of all of them soon and update the threads accordingly.

[UpperCut]

Hi there, I have followed this thread with tremendous Interest as I'm a sworn in believer of the slice construction technique yet I see that 'toddc2' had ask on the -  3 Sep 2015 - a question about the on-goings in Vapor land, and the immediate reply on the same day on the Cirrus build was (and how could it be different very professional and market orientated - all in all very positive and sugar coated - yet today a good 5 month later I could not find anything of what was promised so very eagerly 'We'll get pictures of all of them soon and update the threads accordingly' so I ask myself does anybody know about anything new or was this thread just another ploy to glorify ......
kind regards UpperCut

[GentleBender]

Hi there, I have followed this thread with tremendous Interest as I'm a sworn in believer of the slice construction technique yet I see that 'toddc2' had ask on the -  3 Sep 2015 - a question about the on-goings in Vapor land, and the immediate reply on the same day on the Cirrus build was (and how could it be different very professional and market orientated - all in all very positive and sugar coated - yet today a good 5 month later I could not find anything of what was promised so very eagerly 'We'll get pictures of all of them soon and update the threads accordingly' so I ask myself does anybody know about anything new or was this thread just another ploy to glorify ......
kind regards UpperCut

I'm not in the loop, but I know Ryan had surgery and St. Louis area had a ton of flooding. Not sure if those events are the reason for no follow up. I enjoy watching things come together on this thread as well.