Hi Darren,
I started cutting MDF based on the Zalytron website info. but at the same time I also had some informative discussions with the designer at Orca. As it happened I timed things nicely so I was first on the line for some new cabinet designs. These are still not on the website but my build is pretty much according to those plans. One of the clear improvements of the newer design is the pair of brace shelves between the tweeter and the cones. The internal volume has also been changed as has the Xover point and the Xovers. The re-cutting of MDF was a slight hitch but worked out without too much loss.
I have placed the drivers offset in the baffle to reduce baffle step. I could have placed them in the narrow face of the cabinet which might have been of advantage for imaging but I guess it's 6 of one, half a dozen of another
. Alan Hulsebus was of the opinion that the current trend to narrow faces had more than a little element of fashion in it and maybe I like to be unfashionable.
The port is part of the longest slot but the rest do not go right through. I can't quantify their influence on the sound but I can see as much for them as against.
The drivers are slightly recessed for several reasons. The total thickness of the speaker baffle is near 2", consisting of 1" of MDF and ~3/4" of Huon Pine [attached by the ss inhex screws you can see and a few internal ones you can't]. I wanted to protect the drivers. I didn't want to cover the whole face with cloth. I didn't want the open-look drivers with fasteners. What I've done is to use a very fine mesh [termimesh] stainless steel screen sandwiched between the MDF and the Huon Pine. It is more transparent than cloth and essential in my environment for a number of bizarre reasons
.
As to the potential horn loading ... again I'm unbale to quantify it's influence but my guess would be that they are a bit short to do much for the frequencies involved. Maybe others with experience would care to offer an opinion.
Tell you what ... they sound great
jules
