My dudes --
I'm really excited to finally start my own build thread. My first thread was about asking which components would go well with my NX-Studios. Well, I've got it all purchased and delivered. The last things I need to really decide on is:
- Speaker stands for the NX-Studios
- An equipment rack for the components
- Cording for connecting all my components
- Sound treating my room
This week I glued my two speaker cabinets together! Finished and it feels really exciting to see them both standing next to each other. I've got the NoRez cut out too. My main open items for the buildout is:
- Build the crossovers - I'm scared!
- Finishing the cabinets. I'm going to do a combination of white paint (front baffles only) and a light veneer on the rest of the cabinets (something like sycamore - my girlfriend LOVES sycamore - see picture below, I want something like this
- Wiring
Any solid stand that puts the center of the tweeter near the height of your ears when sitting will work. If the stand is hollow, you can add ballast like sand to make them less resonate and more stable.
The same is true for equipment racks. Solid, stable, and works with your equipment are the main criteria. Where you plan on putting your equipment in relation to the speakers is also something to be considered. If possible, equipment placed between the speakers is best kept close to the floor. Taller racks are best placed off to the side and/or at the back of the room. Keeping tall equipment racks out from between the speakers provides the best soundstage and imaging experience. Depending on how you use the system and the room, keeping tall things out from between the speakers may not be possible.
As for cabling, they need to be well designed and constructed. This includes good shielding for interconnects and power cables. Stupid expensive is not a requirement. If your equipment has the ability to be connected either balanced (XLR) or single ended (RCA), balanced will give the best performance as it keeps RFI/EMI interference from being picked up by the cables.
I wouldn't worry about sound treatments until after you have your speakers set up as best you can. Improper set up can cause a lot of room related issues. Proper setup can fix a lot of these. After you have fixed as much as you can with setup, then add room treatments to address the problems you have left.
I was scared of crossovers before building my first one too. Turns out they are not that hard to do and there is plenty of help here. If you're unsure of something, take pictures, post them here (with component values marked out to protect Danny's intellectual property), and ask questions before soldering.
DuraTex is not needed under paint unless you want the textured look of DuraTex in a color other than black or white. If you aren't after the DuraTex texture, then just use a primer/sealer then paint over that unless the product you use doesn't need a separate primer/sealer.
Do not put DuraTex under veneer. The veneer needs to be adhered directly to the MDF.
