[jsalk]

Philip wanted a pair of HT3's.  As to what finish, he indicated that he was a "philistine" in terms of woods and veneers and preferred just plain black.

So we built a pair of HT3's in basic black, but added a little pearl to the finish.  In bright light, you can clearly see the sparkle added by the pearl.  In normal light, much like the light that will likely be in Philip's room, they appear to be black.

Here's a picture...



Happy listening Philip!

- Jim

[ctviggen]

Very nice.  I like the "color", too!  This would be the style I would get (though I'd get some internal upgrades, like better caps, etc.).   Any idea how reflective these are?  Do you think this style or a wood style would disappear better in a dimly lit home theater room?  In other words, if these are placed near a 110 inch screen, would black or wood be better in terms of the amount of light the speaker would reflect? 

[jsalk]

Very nice.  I like the "color", too!  This would be the style I would get (though I'd get some internal upgrades, like better caps, etc.).   Any idea how reflective these are?  Do you think this style or a wood style would disappear better in a dimly lit home theater room?  In other words, if these are placed near a 110 inch screen, would black or wood be better in terms of the amount of light the speaker would reflect? 

The final topcoat was satin laquer.  The only thing less reflective would be dull lacquer. 

I suppose the best situation would be to have a wood with some deep grain structure and seal it minimally so as to not fill the grain.  Then use a dull topcoat.

Since we normally "grain fill" all of our finishes, they may be dull, but may reflect light because they are so flat.  In other words, if viewed from the side, even though the finish is not glossy, they still appear to be shiny.  No filling the grain would break up the light better.

Next to that, using a velvet textured finish would probably work as well (although it might look a little strange).

- Jim

[ctviggen]

Thanks for the info.  Well, I think that set of speakers looks great (and would go with my all-black sound trap "decor").  I was initially wondering if you'd see them with reflections, but come to think of it, I have black speakers now and don't notice them during a movie.  So, if (and when) I ever move to a front projection system, I think I wouldn't notice the speakers, either.

[jsalk]

Phillip called yesterday.  He said his personal policy was to never post on forums.  But he asked me to pass along his comments with regard to reflectivity.

His former B&W 803's were cherry and reflected too much light for home theater use.  That is why he opted for black cabinets.  He said that although the surface of his HT3 cabinets is very smooth, it is simply no longer an issue.

He also commented that since he got the HT3's, he was no longer thinking about what equipment to replace next and is just enjoying the music.  He then added a comment I found quite surprising.

He said that he was listening to a wider range of music these days and that last week-end he was listening and Nat King Cole was in the room with him.  This shocked me because I was sure I heard that Cole had passed away many years ago.

I have always thought that the HT3's produced a very natural and realistic sound stage.  But this borders on miraculous! 

- Jim

[drmike]

hey jim,
what is the best type of paint to use to get a satin black finish.
thanks,
drmike

[jsalk]

drmike-

hey jim,
what is the best type of paint to use to get a satin black finish.
thanks,
drmike

I don't know if this is the best or not.  But what we do is shoot sealer coats until the surface can be sanded totally smooth to 400 grit.  We then spray the cabinet with black lacquer-based stain.  We follow that up with about 5 coats of gloss lacquer and one final coat of satin lacquer.  Use of the gloss keeps the finish clear, while the final satin coat provides the desired gloss level.

We can use this same process and add a little pearl powder to the initial gloss lacquer coats to produce a black "pearl" finish.

I hope this helps.

- Jim

[texas steve]

drmike-

hey jim,
what is the best type of paint to use to get a satin black finish.
thanks,
drmike

I don't know if this is the best or not.  But what we do is shoot sealer coats until the surface can be sanded totally smooth to 400 grit.  We then spray the cabinet with black lacquer-based stain.  We follow that up with about 5 coats of gloss lacquer and one final coat of satin lacquer.  Use of the gloss keeps the finish clear, while the final satin coat provides the desired gloss level.

We can use this same process and add a little pearl powder to the initial gloss lacquer coats to produce a black "pearl" finish.

I hope this helps.

- Jim

Wow jim, those would match my Pear Black Harley Street Glide!!!