[Kaiju2189]

Hey all looking to see if anyone has some best practices for constructing new boxes for my XLS Encores. They are currently housed in some fantastic boxes provided by Perter Rawlings. Great flatpacks!

I would like to build new boxes with a solid Walnut front baffles. I would appreciate any best practices for things like cutting the recess/ opening for the tweeter, best joint for the front baffle that will allow for the round overs on a solid wood front.

I have some wood working experience building some end tables, desks, and the beautifully hand crafted, temporary, 2x4 speaker stands in the picture below, but I am no Mike Lundy. I have the basics, table saw, plunge router, miter saw, jig saw, etc. Any advice would be amazing.

Recently started using the Encores as my primary speakers. They took over the job from some older Spatial Audio M3 Holograms that I am selling. The M3's were a little too big for my room and i fell in love with how the Encores completely disappeared in my room. I just needed to pick up a small REL sub to fill out the bottom end.

[g3rain1]

Here's a great video showing the driver hole cutting process start to finish using a router and circle jig. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UcmFiz0_SI  Be sure to round over or chamfer the back side of the cut out.

BYW your sound treatment would be more effect if you raised it up a foot or 2 to get it more in line with the tweeters and your ear. And is that a lightsaber on the bottom shelf?

[czechm8]

Good questions!  I've used a Jasper jig for many years on a hand-held router to cut very precise recessed speaker openings.  Works best if you stick a sacrificial board underneath your baffle with double-sided tape so your cutout wont move as you cut all the way through the top piece (Jasper jig uses a central pin).
With regard to the joinery used to attach your baffle to the box........I sometimes use a 1/4" rabbit to gain some glue surface area, or simply use a but joint - then round-over with a 3/8" bit.  Many times I cut a thin kerf into the outside face of the box.  This gives a nice demarcation/transition from the battle to the box and you don't have to worry about any misalignment issues.  Looks nice too if you paint that kerf black before you put a finish on the hardwood.

[czechm8]

Here's a pic of my shop speakers that shows the idea of the kerf that separates the baffle from the box.

[Kaiju2189]

Thank you for the replies. This is helpful. John Heinz is so good. Love his channel and he’s that is a Graflex flash handle with the mods for A New Hope lightsaber. The advice on raising the diffusers did make a difference. I stuck a couple of cans of paint under them. I am was looking at the GIK “foam” type diffusers to mod and be able to place over most of my TV for serious listening. If they work well I may order 4 more to place on the wall beside the tv or build and mount some additional diffusion there.

Also thanks for the rabbit advice. I was considering strongly goi g that direction instead of a straight butt joint. Also love the kerf. I did something similar on my little stand that holds my amps/dac. I was thinking of inlaying a different wood in that recess possibly.

I’ll some pic if I am successful. Or maybe even if it is a total disaster just for the comedy.

[Peter J]

When combining solid timber with MDF there's always concern about the inevitable differential movement between the two. The kerf creates a shadow that does a nice job of concealing this. Used in commercial furniture production quite a bit.  There's still some movement risk but this would be your best bet visually, IMO.

[mlundy57]

I also use a Jasper jig when cutting openings with a plunge router.

For the carcass (sides, top, ans bottom), I cut the sides to the exact dimensions, 10.5" x 12". The tops and bottoms are cut to exact width, 10.5" but I cut the width slightly oversize at 8.625". This is to allow about 1/16" overhang of the sides. Once the carcass is glued up, I use a flush trim bit to make the edges of the tops and bottoms flush with the sides.

With butt joints, I use corner clamps and cut spacers that are 7-1/2" x about 3" to keep the parts square and the inside opening correct at 7-1/2". You can use brad nails to help hold the pieces in position before applying clamps.

Butt joints are the easiest to cut but locking rabbet joints, while a little more complicated to cut, make glueup and keeping things square easier. This joint is sometimes referred to a quarter, quarter, quarter or half,half,half joint. As mentioned, YouTube has a number of videos on how to cut this joint. Stumpy Nubs is one that comes to mind. If you go with locking rabbet joints for the carcass, DO NOT cut the top and bottom pieces over size. All four sides of the box must be cut to their actual size or the inside dimension will be off.

For the baffles, I cut all four sided oversize by 1/8" - 1/4". This allows a little bit of adjustment room in case the boxes don't come out completely square. I glue these on as butt joints and use a flushtrim bit to smooth everything out once the glue dries.

The reveal already mentioned is a good touch.

Mike

[mlundy57]

And to make sure credit is given where credit is due, Peter’s skills are far and away beyond mine.

[Kaiju2189]

Mike. You and Peter are legends. Peter’s build videos are great!

Mike I saw an “interview” of you in your room at the show in TX. Love the Otica MTM on the double troubles.

[mlundy57]

Another thing, when you glue the sides up, glue the center brace in at the same time. It should fit tight with a slight amount of tension to brace the sides. You won’t be able to install it with that tension if you glue the sides up first then install the brace.

[mlundy57]

Mike. You and Peter are legends. Peter’s build videos are great!

Mike I saw an “interview” of you in your room at the show in TX. Love the Otica MTM on the double troubles.

Those are end game speakers for my room size.

[jmimac351]

Recently started using the Encores as my primary speakers. They took over the job from some older Spatial Audio M3 Holograms that I am selling. The M3's were a little too big for my room and i fell in love with how the Encores completely disappeared in my room. I just needed to pick up a small REL sub to fill out the bottom end.

Hi there, what are the dimensions of your room?  I am trying to visualize a space that I can create in our home and I think the width might be the same as yours.

[Kaiju2189]

My room is about 11’6” wide x 19’ deep. That’s a 65” tv for reference. I am still working on positioning the speakers.  For now they are just shy of 4’ out into the room measuring to the back of the speakers. Sitting in my couch puts me about 6-7’ or so from the speakers with enough room behind me that I am thinking about building some more diffusers.

[jmimac351]

My room is about 11’6” wide x 19’ deep. That’s a 65” tv for reference. I am still working on positioning the speakers.  For now they are just shy of 4’ out into the room measuring to the back of the speakers. Sitting in my couch puts me about 6-7’ or so from the speakers with enough room behind me that I am thinking about building some more diffusers.

That's great news.  The space I can create is 11'W x 24'L x 9'H.  I think it will work very well for my 2 way speakers, but the look of the width is something I wondered about. 

Thanks for sharing.

[corndog71]

I just want to throw it out there that the X-SLS (tower version of X-LS) is another option and provides more bass.  I’ve had both and prefer the towers.