[Charles D]

Gr-research desktop mini speaker build



Thanks to modern day CNC the seams in the flat pack were so small that just rolling on a thick primer coat was enough to hide them. I decided I liked the white color so I left it.



BTW:
Danny mentioned designing a LGK tower speaker but I haven't seen them offered yet.

[Hobbsmeerkat]

Were still developing the LGK 2.4 towers. We got the 2nd test tower just last week. We'll be testing it out soon.

[Rikard Ekval]

Here is my build of XLS Encores.
After watching Ron (NRD) talk about Mike's incredibly beautiful build and how good they sound and then seeing the component choices and watching Danny's upgrade videos, I ordered a kit at the end of 2020.
I was convinced that these are superb parts and sound quality that should beat the rest.
Bought a Sealed Sub Servo kit with PEQ370 as well, so I would get a really good 2 channel system.


 


Danny's XLS drawings are easy to follow, but I didn't  wanted a square speaker. I wanted something with curved sides, like ATC. Since I don't know how to calculate volume on a curved speaker, I had to take the simple method. Paper tape measure!
I knew what the dimensions of the front baffle should be and the placement of the speakers. Also I knew the inside measurements from Danny's original drawing.
Found ATC's original dimension drawing. Manufacturer a long arm for my router. Made some tests and got a nice curve that fits as a template.
Made templates from thin mdf for the Encores and Sub.


 


Then IKEA's paper measuring tape comes out. Put it on my templates and get the inner volume, horizontally for the speakers. Cut the template and everything is ready for cutting . Routing.
Also made a brace for the Encore, which made me add 12mm (1/2 inch) to the height.



I had to kerf the sides on the inside, so I could bend them. Lots of wood glue in the kerfs/slots.

In the build I added a small space/cavity in the back of the cabinet, 12 mm (1/2 inch) which I then filled with clean sea sand (500 ml/16 Oz)  when the speakers were done. To dampen some of the cabinet's resonance, in case of.
Maybe overkill for a small bookshelf speaker, but I did it anyway.

 


 

Under the motherboard and on the brace, I used something like Dynamat. The rest of the cabinet got NoRez. Fiberglass behind the woofer.


 
 


The subwoofer was filled with NoRez and a sheet of fiberglass.

Both cabinets feels like a stiff box when doing the knock test. Solid.

The Encores weighs 10 kilos/22 lb.
The Sealed Sub weighs 45 kilos/99 lb.

They do sound great and they are playing at least 5 hours a day at low volume and when I turn up the volume (wifeys away) then they really sing beautiful. No Regrets.

[MJH]

My new X-LS Encores in mesquite. Bookmatched fronts. Not happy with the finish means a do-over but oh well. Gonna listen to them first

.

[corndog71]

My new X-LS Encores in mesquite. Bookmatched fronts. Not happy with the finish means a do-over but oh well. Gonna listen to them first

.

Looks pretty nice to me. Well done!

[Northa40]

New at posting here, so if it ends up in the wrong spot, sorry in advance.  These are my version of the X-LS Encores. I purchased these at GR Research last September while visiting friends in Texas. It was great to meet Danny and Hobbs. I was there early in the morning and they graciously fixed me up.   It is the basic kit built with a flat pack and binding posts from Parts express. I used NO REZ in this build and rounded the tops of the front baffle. The paint/coating is automotive paintable gravel guard. My thoughts were that the gravel guard would help suppress resonances. Pretty happy with the build.




Sorry, no idea why these post sideways.

[g3rain1]

New at posting here, so if it ends up in the wrong spot, sorry in advance.  These are my version of the X-LS Encores. I purchased these at GR Research last September while visiting friends in Texas. It was great to meet Danny and Hobbs. I was there early in the morning and they graciously fixed me up.   It is the basic kit built with a flat pack and binding posts from Parts express. I used NO REZ in this build and rounded the tops of the front baffle. The paint/coating is automotive paintable gravel guard. My thoughts were that the gravel guard would help suppress resonances. Pretty happy with the build.



he build.

Why does it look taller than a typical Encore? Like there's an inch extra space below the woofer.

[Northa40]

Yup they are. I built them using the cabinets from Parts Express. I kept the placement of drives consistent with Danny's plans. These cabinets are 0.06 cubic feet larger. The cabinet width is the same as the Danny's plans.
The Denovo cabinets are 8 1/2 x 16 x 11 while Danny's cabinets are 8 1/2 x 13 1/2 x 12.
My thoughts were that 0.06 cubic foot difference would not cause any major change. So far I'm very satisfied.

https://www.parts-express.com/Knock-Down-MDF-0.56-ft-Bookshelf-Cabinet-300-7064?quantity=1
 

[EdwardT]

X-LS clad in Padauk

[daopi]

X-LS clad in Padauk

Nice job with the finishing!

[KTS]

EdwardT
Beautiful veneer job! It looks like you were able to complete without bearing marks, did you sand them out or do do have a process that keeps them from developing? I have veneered several speakers and the bearing marks are my arch nemesis. Again wonderful veneer job and speaker build!

Thank you, Kelly

[EdwardT]

EdwardT
Beautiful veneer job! It looks like you were able to complete without bearing marks, did you sand them out or do do have a process that keeps them from developing? I have veneered several speakers and the bearing marks are my arch nemesis. Again wonderful veneer job and speaker build!

Thank you, Kelly

I used an acid brush to fill the marks with water and after three or four applications the veneer swelled to original level. I didn’t scrape or sand until the last pass of water had dried for a few days, and I didn’t sand in between. I’m referring to red pads for sanding here, not paper, and gray pads for applying the polyacrylic (polyurethane made the test sample too dark.)

[KTS]

Thank you, much appreciated!!

[Dmartens121]

[bhassel]

looks great!

[Danny Richie]

Beautiful work. 

[bhassel]

Looks great! I have a question though. In several of the builds above I see basically a top bun, burger and bottom bun kind of setup. Is the burger acoustic material or just wood?

This gives me some motivation to get my Studio's started.

Bob

[EdwardT]

Looks great! I have a question though. In several of the builds above I see basically a top bun, burger and bottom bun kind of setup. Is the burger acoustic material or just wood?

This gives me some motivation to get my Studio's started.

Bob

In my case it’s Fat Dots from Herbie's isolationing the speaker from the stand.

[mlundy57]

In my case it’s Fat Dots from Herbie's isolationing the speaker from the stand.

+1 Herbie's are what I use under my speakers also.

[Dmartens121]

I also used Herbies between the stand and speakers.  The stands are sand filled with custom built Home Depot vibration isolation levelers.  I used pressure activated cherry veneer which turned out very nice.  Kudo’s to Danny and his team - these totally disappear with well recorded music.  I love watching friends mouths hang open when they hear them.