What exactly do "kit versions" involve?

Tonto Yoder · « **Reply #20 on:** 21 Oct 2003, 11:08 am »

What a coincidence--Michael Fremer "groks" too!!
In the Nov. Stereophile, Fremer mentions an e-mail from Halcro designer Bruce Candy: "but I'm afraid that only a long prison sentence will give me sufficient time to completely grok what he wrote."

John Casler · « **Reply #21 on:** 21 Oct 2003, 05:24 pm »

Quote

Also, I'm planning to build my VMPS speakers using 1/2" MDF covered with 3/4" 13 ply Baltic birch. Is it too much, not enough? What are your thoughts? I'll also be using internal dampening material (Dynamat Extreme type, egg crate foam and polyfill. Is there anyting I'm missing?
Thanks for your inputs.

Hi Andrikos,

You may want to check with Brian, but I think one has to be aware of "cabinet volume" when adding certain internal materials other than the soundcoat and polyfill.

He could tell you if it would have any negative impact on bass response.

Andrikos · « **Reply #22 on:** 21 Oct 2003, 11:51 pm »

Hi John,
Thanks for your input.

I will definitely keep the cabinet volume the same, even when adding the polyfill that apparently "increases" perceived volume by about 7% (not sure about the number).
I'm assuming some instructions come with the kit to this effect.

Thanks again...

rkapadia@ROOP · « **Reply #23 on:** 22 Oct 2003, 03:14 am »

Andrikos,

I'd be wary of the egg-crate foam. It's been measured and documented online (though I don't know the source off the top of my head) to asymmetrically dampen certain frequencies. It does look and feel like an ideal material, but measures terribly.

Kind Regards,

Rup

Andrikos · « **Reply #24 on:** 22 Oct 2003, 03:57 am »

Thanks Rup,
I'll scratch it from my list of damping materials.

James Romeyn · « **Reply #25 on:** 22 Oct 2003, 04:30 am »

My favorite kit story from when I worked at the VMPS plant was a guy calling who had purchased ST/R kits several years earlier. He never built them. Meanwhile, his cats had converted the huge empty cabinets into cat comfort zones. He was calling to get a new copy of the instructions, which had been lost. Except for the smaller, less complex models, I'd never recommend kits unless you had built several speakers already & were familiar with normal construction, wiring & crossover practices. My $.02.

nathanm · « **Reply #26 on:** 22 Oct 2003, 04:39 am »

Did the cats know they were living in the "high rent" district?

James Romeyn · « **Reply #27 on:** 22 Oct 2003, 11:57 pm »

Don't know, but they sure liked all the real estate in there! Those old SuperTower/Rs were as big as some refrigerators, with low bass output to match. I was in a townhouse at the time, with a drug dealer living in the unit across one of the two shared walls. He was benign, quiet, cheerful, never caused any trouble, his aquaintences were nice too, never any kids over there. He never complained about the noise, so I was especially happy he was there. The ST/Rs were on the wall we shared. One day I'm cranking it especially hard, all kinds of music. I was a bit embarrassed, but what the hay! Later a friend of his was out in front & I apologized about the loudness. He said no problem, but a big picture was driven right off its hook on the wall we shared. Beware people when you see "VMPS" plastered on huge cartons being delivered into a neighbor's house!