[bprochford]

After many months, my N3 towers are finally finished.  They're hooked up and making beautiful music.  Their sound is open and smooth, and their soundstage quite deep.  I'm really very pleased with how they turned out. 

I've one concern that I'm hoping I can get some feedback on from the circle.  I've noticed that one speaker is quieter than the other.  It doesn't even come across as less loud, but more like less presence, or less liveliness. I ran some rudimentary tests with a dB meter and a pink noise track, and the difference between speakers is about 1dB.  The problem certainly isn't glaring, but it is noticeable.  The speakers are positioned properly, hooked up to my integrated correctly and I've already switched them, right for left, to determine that it's a speaker issue and not an amp/cable/source issue.

So, I'm sure I goofed somewhere, but now I need to figure out where. I thought I was fairly balanced in my addition of Acousta-Stuff, but maybe put more in one than the other.  Would this affect the balance like this?  Other ideas?  Any thoughtful help would be appreciated.

For now, here's some photos of the finished N3s.  Thanks.

-Brad
 
 
 
 
 
 

[jparkhur]

Tests:

Did you switch inputs on amp to see if it is the issue?

Did you switch cables (speaker) to see if they are the issue?

Could it be the crossovers?  I don't know on this one.  Could it be a slight difference in the way you soldered the crossover?




Did you try different sources/amps to see if the issue is not in the speaker, but somewhere else.

Lets cross off the variables to see where the problem is to fix it for you.....  Let us know

[jparkhur]

Sorry..


Great looking speakers and stand mounts..    Very nice build... congrats..

[HAL]

Do you have a balance control on your preamp? 

If you bring the level up on the low channel does it sound the same as the other channel?

[Nick77]

Really nice build, love the walnut veneer and outriggers. 

Might have to copy those outriggers. 

[rklein]

Very nice!!   Congratulations on your diy build.

Randy

[Danny Richie]

Wow, nice looking speakers!

Looks like you have a lot of upside potential when you start treating that bare wall behind the speakers.

The only thing in the crossover that can reduce output (but everything still plays) is if you didn't get the cap and resistor that is in the shunt leg of the woofer circuit connected. But that will only make it down in output from about 700Hz to 2,5kHz.

Swap cables around to make sure that it isn't being caused by something else.

[persisting1]

Congrats on the build.  They look really nice 

[Rclark]

I had a similar problem when I first finished my GR Insignia mod speakers. One side was 6dB down. Or at least, would fade to that, then make a crackling sound on both sides.

 I thought it was the crossovers, because they were my very first DIY build, and they aren't exactly lookers, but it turned out to be my amp.

 Speakers sound awesome, btw. I'm going to get around to review them eventually. Excellent first speaker, excellent speaker period.

 So check your amp. Easy way to check, try other speakers, see if same problem.

[rockdrummer]

So when you said you swapped speakers I assume you mean it followed the suspect speaker.

Due to furniture in my room I get a different vibe from my right side. It changes when I move the problematic chair.

They always say better speakers reveal more from upstream.  They do look nice though!

[Rclark]

Yeah, if you swap to something known, and they also lose spl, the it isn't the N3's.

.. a small part of me regrets not going through and building these N3's for myself!

[Randall Kepley]

Brad those look GREAT ! ! ! You should be very proud of your build, cant help you much w/ the techinical issues but your towers look great my friend. R.K.

[gijogeo]

Beautiful speakers Brad. I'm assembling an N2X kit and seeing your speakers, already itching to buy the N3's. Hope you get the issue sorted.

[bprochford]

Do you have a balance control on your preamp? 
If you bring the level up on the low channel does it sound the same as the other channel?

I can adjust the balance on my integrated, and the issue is somewhat relieved, but there still seems to be a frequency discrepancy.  It's really subtle, but it's there.  Almost as if one of the speakers is a little darker or more muffled than the other.

Looks like you have a lot of upside potential when you start treating that bare wall behind the speakers.

I'll need permission from my wife on room treatment, and she's already been so supportive and sweet about the new giant towers, but I agree, the room needs some help.

The only thing in the crossover that can reduce output (but everything still plays) is if you didn't get the cap and resistor that is in the shunt leg of the woofer circuit connected. But that will only make it down in output from about 700Hz to 2,5kHz.

Thanks, Danny.  If  there were a disconnect between the cap and resistor, would the reduced output be really noticeable, or fairly subtle?  Everything sounds really nice, just a little unbalanced between the two speakers.  I'm not noticing any extreme differences.  Just enough to bug me.

So when you said you swapped speakers I assume you mean it followed the suspect speaker.

The problem did follow the speaker, and is the same whether I'm playing LPs, CDs, or streaming digitally.

Thanks everyone, for the kind words.  I had a great time building these and if I can provide any help to anyone else doing the same, by all means let me know.

[bprochford]

Really nice build, love the walnut veneer and outriggers. 

Might have to copy those outriggers. 

Thanks!  If you want more detailed photos of the outriggers, just let me know and I can snap a few more and publish them here for you.

[jeffh]

Great job on your build 

[Danny Richie]

If  there were a disconnect between the cap and resistor, would the reduced output be really noticeable, or fairly subtle? 

Pretty noticeable in that range.

[Nick77]

Thanks!  If you want more detailed photos of the outriggers, just let me know and I can snap a few more and publish them here for you.

Thanks, just curious if you had any listening experience between having the speaker resting on the floor vs having them elevated? Any notable differences?

Are they secured to the speaker?

[eclein]

Really sharp looking speakers, great job!!! I'd have one probably shorter and one that didn't make music at all if I built them...LOL!!!!

[bprochford]

Thanks, just curious if you had any listening experience between having the speaker resting on the floor vs having them elevated? Any notable differences?

Are they secured to the speaker?

Popular opinion is that spikes on speakers or speaker stands decouple the speaker from the floor and the room, thereby reducing the audible artifacts of room interaction.  The speaker is vibrating less of your room, when it's on spikes.  On the four or five sets of speakers I've had in my system over the last 20 years, I'd agree that there's an audible difference.  Bass is tighter, and the low-midrange seems smoother.  I've also noticed an increase in soundstage width and depth.  If you have carpeting, the spikes allow a solid connection with the wood subfloor beneath.

The outriggers I built are attached to the bottoms of the speakers, yes.  I first drilled hex drive threaded inserts into the base of the speakers (these):
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=364&filter=bolt
Then, I attached the outriggers by using connector bolts through holes drilled into the outrigger and threading into the inserts:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=368&filter=bolt

I'll take some photos tonight for you to show you what I did.