[corndog71]

Great job!  Those look terrific.

Are you sure it's not your own hearing?

I would highly recommend ATS Acoustics panels for the first reflection points.  They make an immediately noticeable difference.

[Peter J]

Nice work Brad! Whatever time it took was worth it.  Walnut's one of my favorites...even like the smell of it, (does that sound weird?).

 Could you tell us what sort of finish you used?

[mono-tubeleosis]

Looks outstanding Brad.  Love the bases.

[bprochford]

Could you tell us what sort of finish you used?

Of course.  I used Watco Danish Oil on the veneer, a 75/25 ratio of Dark Walnut to Natural.  After letting that dry and cure for the recommended 72 hours, I applied 6 coats of Mixwax Wipe-On poly in a satin finish.  I applied the poly with a foam brush, let it sit for a few minutes, and wiped off with a clean cotton rag. 

Between the first two coats of poly, I sanded with fine steel wool. Between coats two through four, I sanded with #000 steel wool, and between the final two coats I sanded with #0000 steel wool.  No sanding, obviously, after the final coat.

[bprochford]

Are you sure it's not your own hearing?

What?

These days that wouldn't surprise me in the least.  I'm finally realizing what a decade of rocks shows in basement bars without hearing protection in my 20s means to my 41 year-old ears.

[bprochford]

So I'm still trying to figure out the slight volume/presence discrepancy between speakers. I've determined that it's nothing upstream of the speakers, so at least we know that.  The speakers sound great, full range, no frequency suck outs, so I'm fairly sure there are no problems with the crossovers.

So, that leaves the build itself.  Both speakers are lined with No-Rez, and stuffed with Acousta-stuf. If I put more stuffing in one box than the other, could that contribute to a shift in actual or perceived loudness between speakers?  I'm searching online but coming up short on answers.

[Danny Richie]

So I'm still trying to figure out the slight volume/presence discrepancy between speakers. I've determined that it's nothing upstream of the speakers, so at least we know that.  The speakers sound great, full range, no frequency suck outs, so I'm fairly sure there are no problems with the crossovers.

So, that leaves the build itself.  Both speakers are lined with No-Rez, and stuffed with Acousta-stuf. If I put more stuffing in one box than the other, could that contribute to a shift in actual or perceived loudness between speakers?  I'm searching online but coming up short on answers.

Nothing else in the speakers can reduce the volume across the board. Try swapping the speakers left to right to see if it is a room related effect.

[bprochford]

Nothing else in the speakers can reduce the volume across the board. Try swapping the speakers left to right to see if it is a room related effect.

Thanks, Danny.  I swapped the speakers left for right again and have had them playing for a few days. I think you're right and that the problem is room related. 

In a "normal" room, what's the freq vs. dB graph supposed to look like?  I took some VERY rudimentary measurements (Octave app on the iPad, pink noise track, built-in iPad mic) and it seems like my bass response drops almost 24dB for the two octaves below around 140 Hz.  That said, I could also be making my measurements improperly.  I've included a screen cap of the graph, if that helps.  Is my room a giant bass sucker?

I thought that for the most part, the graph should be fairly flat to about 40 hz, then start rolling off.

 

[Danny Richie]

You are not trying to measure both speakers at the same time using the same mono signal are you?

[HAL]

Does the Octave iPad App correct for the iPad microphone response? 

[jparkhur]

You could never get a good graph with the mic you are using don't believe what u see

[bprochford]

You are not trying to measure both speakers at the same time using the same mono signal are you?

That was the output from both speakers.  Sorry, I'm new to this.  Here are the separate channels.  After reading HAL's and jparkhur's posts though, and doing the research I should have done before posting, I'm sure that the rolloff is due to the iPad's mic response.  It seems to roll off pretty radically right about where we're seeing the rolloff in these graphs.  Thanks, Danny.

 
  

[bprochford]

Does the Octave iPad App correct for the iPad microphone response?

I don't think so.  Good call.  I did some more digging and it looks like the iPad mic rolls off right about where I'm seeing it in these graphs.  Thanks, HAL.

You could never get a good graph with the mic you are using don't believe what u see

You're right, it's the iPad's mic.  I'll see if I can figure out how to run one of my proper mics into the iPad and try again.  Thanks for your help and patience.

[jparkhur]

ipods, iPads are all built for the human voice and have built in roll off.  I made the same mistake and just went and bought a good mic to see what i though i was hearing.  a good investment.    I am glad that i am not the only one making mistakes and learning from them.  Lots of good info in here with failures and mistakes by all.      We only get better through sharing our trials and tribs