[Muttley1127]

I'm married, dad to 7 and Pop's to 8, retired construction project manager, {BS Industrial Engineering - MS in Construction Science/Project Management}, 65 y/o. My 1st component system was a Heath Kit amp and separate tuner at 13 years old, with a Realist turntable and speakers I made in junior high woodshop class. Fast forward 50+ years I still have my early 90's Macintosh component system in my den and still using (re-coned) 4 BOSE 901's. I know it's not a 5.1 but it still sounds amazing. We don't even have Blue-ray. My wife and I are more apt to have music playing than TV. I have vinyl dating back to 1967 when santa brought me my first "record-player" at 10 - and over 300 pieces to date.

During the 80's and into the early 90's before the internet. For at least 10 years, I had subscriptions to [and read cover to cover] both Stereo Review and Hi-Fidelity magazines. But, I lost touch with audio technology over the 25 years or - life, kids, career, cancer, retirement, etc. I did however keep that woodworking passion from junior high and high school and for 50 years have become what I call myself a Self-taught Woodworker {after 6 years of woodshop classes in junior and senior high school}. I have designed and built our own home - twice, replicated late 1800's French Provincial furniture pieces, made baby bedroom furniture for my grandchildren to building every piece of furniture and cabinetry those two homes to making simple hardwood boxes with hidden hinges and "puzzle" locks.

I spend an incredible amount of time in my home office drawing (I use AutoCAD) woodworking projects and listening to music. Music and it's cathartic healing properties is my coping mechanism to health issues. Now to my reason for being here.

I am going to build myself some fine-furniture and sound quality bookshelf speakers for my PC, finally. And a subwoofer. Which I play through a $50 Facebook Marketplace purchased ONKYO HT-490 AV Receiver. USB out to SPDIF in. Don't see any reason to replace it, just the speakers and sub I know can be better, and of course more cosmetically pleasing to the eye.

Here's the kicker

MDF is not allowed in my shop or my home - just  the "sawdust" exponentially more hazardous than real wood is reason enough. Heck, the only plywood I use is Baltic Birch and I'll veneer it with real wood veneers depending on what species, color, grain I [or a customer] wants. I no longer use butt joints - maybe in the 7th grade woodshop class - which I see all over YouTube "speaker builds".

So, my dilemma is to go against the grain of a true audiophile (pun intended) and use a dense hardwood like Hickory, Pecan, Hard Maple, or white oak and design locking joinery that'll counter any wood movement due to the natural moisture loss over time of wood and changes in relative humidity. Living 25 miles inland from Galveston and the humidity of southeast Texas doesn't help my cause. Fortunately my shop is climate controlled therefore the boxes would not see a change in moving from the shop to my office. I also, have considered giving the interior surfaces a polyurea coating prior to assembly [it's elastomeric (flexible)].

I am binging on this board and Youtube playing catch-up on the driver and crossover designs. Learning more and more every day the last month or so. And after watching all 9 episodes of the X-LS build late last night, I'm even more stoked to get on with my design.

I mean no offense to MDF or those that use it. For me woodworking is an artform, which requires the use of - well - wood. It would be like making a Gumbo with a store bought jar of Roux, sacrilegious.  Wish me luck.

[Blackmore]

Welcome to AudioCircle

[ArthurDent]

Greetings & Welcome to AC Muttley     You might try touching base with Lou Hinkley @ Daedalus, his speakers are all solid wood. He's a gentleman, and might share some of his experience. Their website  - https://www.daedalusaudio.com/

[Phil A]

Welcome!

[JLM]

Welcome!

Your real challenges won't be MDF alternatives, it'll be proud papa syndrome and design ignorannce.  Suggest sticking with furniture and contact Pat McGinty at Meadowlark for some nice looking, well designed active loudspeakers that use some of the best available components.  Time to get out of the analog world and consider possible upgrade to your listening room (most need vast improvements).

[Muttley1127]

You are absolutely correct. "Proud Papa Syndrome" is a real thing with most artisans and creative personalities. We are arrogant, especially those of us with MENSA I.Q.s with advanced educations. We are also "problem solvers". Science, Math, Physics excites me.

I guess what I am saying is that I am willing to sacrifice a little audio quality and my sense of hearing for my sense of sight. Plus there's the sense of smell and touch when working with wood [even taste comes into play]. Once done I will have memories of the creation process. The satisfaction that "I made them" every time I hear them, touch them or see them. I have to have a balance for all the senses in every creation and design.

As for as my design, I am an engineer and confident that I can get from point A to B. There are refineries, polymer plants, wafer fabs, and higher ed buildings with my stamps on the drawings in three disciplines, as I am a PE in Electrical, Mechanical and Structural. Reading and interpreting driver specs and plugging them into formulas isn't rocket science. I'm not building a sound system for a concert hall, afterall. It's a pair of bookshelf speakers for my PC in my home office. I have to be a realist and identify what's important to me. Since December 2018 I have beat prostate cancer. Survived Aspiration Pneumonia (literally died 3 times - shocked back - during the 5 hour surgery to drain my lungs - 25 days hospitalized). I live with the chronic pain of Small Fiber Sensory Neuropathy in my hands and feet. Plus the swollen lower legs from Deep Vein Thrombosis which makes me an extreme high stroke risk (top 1%). According to my Pulmonologist, a severe case of the flu, another bout of pneumonia or COVID will kill me.

When it comes to my making the analog to digital conversion. My little brothers, the PhD Aerospace Engineer or the Director of Asia Operations for a major U.S. microelectronic/semiconductor mfg. hae been on me for years to change my way of thinking. Heck, every major floor standing tool I have in from the late 50's. In 1984 I bought out a 40 year old cabinet shop, kept what I wanted and sold off the rest. They are all cast iron and have the original motors.



I would never trade any of them for any table saw, drill press, planer, jointer, band saw, etc. manufactured today. My PC is so old it won't run Windows 11 or AutoCAD 2022. I'd rather cut dovetails with a chisel and marking knife that a router and jig. CNC? Not in my shop.

But, that's why I am here, and subscribed to multiple audiophile YouTube channels, to educate myself so my design is as accurate as it can be. Like momma always told us, "if you're paying attention you'll learn something new every day."

[JLM]

If you're looking for a desktop loudspeaker solution you should start off looking at what the recording/mixing studio folks use (those who make your recordings).  The vast majority use active monitors (using low voltage feeds into sophisticated crossovers that sends signals to separate amps for each driver), a superior method to passive loudspeakers.  Amps matched to drivers with signals dedicated to both.  Prices for good ones start below $400/pair (JBL 305 Mk2 or Kali LP-6).  The Kali IN-6 uses concentric tweeter/midrange for $700/pair.

Did you look into Meadowlark?  Beautiful cabinets, active design, using some of the very best drivers with room correction software.  Pat started out passive, with advanced transmission line cabinets and good drivers, but eventually saw the light.  You are arrogant if you think you can get within 10% of sound quality of someone like that who has been dedicated to doing it for decades.  Are Meadowlarks perfect?  No loudspeaker is perfect.  But they're close to what is currently achievable. 

Again I'd stick with furniture and furnishings.  Most rooms are the weak point of any system.  You could build some nice diffusion panels (quadratic much preferred).  And BTW I was a licensed engineer too, doing structural, environmental, and healthcare work.  And had open heart surgery a year ago and recently Covid.  I've been into stereo/audio for 50 years.  You've been busy you're whole life and deserve better than DIY sound. 

[morganc]

Most of the DIY types here are on the GR Research forum.  I have the NX Studios and they are great and have had the Super Vs in the past and have heard the Other NX series as well.    They are also Texas based.  Lots of fine workmanship examples on their circle.  I’d start there.  They also have smaller and easier builds as well and a great support staff.  I’d post or call them.