[Ron]

  Attached are some pictures showing a recent X-LS Encore build that I did for a fellow Audio Circle member using .5 cu-ft Parts Express cabinets
in high gloss black. Also, I installed the Sonicap, Mills, and No-Rez performance upgrades. I was pleased with how they turned out not only in appearance and in sound quality too.

[lacro]

Ron,
Those look awesome Great job! Did you have to add braces to the PE boxes? I guess I should pull mine apart and do the crossover upgrades I get that the caps can make a difference, but do the Mills resistors make a noticeable difference? Now that winter has set in, maybe I can find time to do the upgrades, and get back to working on my center channel project

Lacro

[NeilT]

Looks great Ron.
How did you get the grills to fit over the woofers?

I used a dremel tiny drum sander to carve it out.

[Ron]

Larco -  I did not add any additional bracing. The MDF in the PE cabinets is not as dense as MDF made in this country; however, once I installed the No-Rez and the Acousti-Stuf damping they sounded just as good as cabinets I have previously built from scratch.  The Sonicaps make the most improvement, but the Mills resistors do seem to provide a more stable sound stage and image. My recommendation is to go with both the Sonicap
and Mills upgrades.



NeilT -  In order for the grill frame to fit over the woofer flange, I used 3/8" diameter x 3/16" high neodymium disc magnets glued to the existing grill magnets at each inner corner of the grill frame. I secured the disc magnets to the existing magnets using just a drop of Gorilla glue. The added neodymium spacer magnets work perfectly which eliminates having to notch the inside edges of the grill frame.

[NeilT]

Great idea and it looks good.

Neil

[bdp24]

That doll gives me the creeps

[aemarcha]

Ron,

  If I am not mistaken, these are the ones you built for me.  You did an excellent job.  Now I am looking for a subwoofer to replace the Janis.  I'll be posting for suggestions in another thread.  Thanks again for everything you did.  And they sound awesome!  The more I listen to them, the more they open up.  I was of the opinion that a break-in period was not necessary.  Boy was I wrong!

  Feliz Navidad!

[Danny Richie]

I built out a set of those a few weeks back. And every time I listen to them I can't believe just how good these things are.

And I added a set of tube connectors to the back panel that are paralleled to the standard binding posts. Switching between the two is a blast. It is hard to believe there is that much difference in the sound from just the connectors. But the difference is quote surprising.

[Ron]

 Danny, did you build these out with the stock crossovers or upgrade them with Sonicaps and Mills? I agree with you  that they are very nice sounding speakers.

[Danny Richie]

Danny, did you build these out with the stock crossovers or upgrade them with Sonicaps and Mills? I agree with you  that they are very nice sounding speakers.

Sonicaps and Mills...

[mlundy57]

Since the stock boards have the poly caps bypassed with Gen II Sonicaps when you upgrade to Sonicaps they would still have the Gen II bypass caps correct?

[Ron]

   The answer is yes. I have built a number of XS-LS Encores with the Sonicap and Mills performance upgrade. They definitely raise the Encores performance level and well worth the added cost.

[mlundy57]

Ron,

I agree about how well the upgraded crossovers sound but have never heard the stock version. When I built my X-LS Encores I didn't use the circuit board. I built the crossover networks out like N-Series kits with point to point wiring, Erse XQ inductors, Sonicaps (bypassed with Gen II's), and Mills resistors. Normally when you get the Sonicap upgrade for these kits they are not bypassed but I like the way it sounds which was why I was asking about the bypass caps on the PC boards.

I offered to build my stepdaughter, niece and nephew a pair of X-Series speakers of their choosing as a Christmas present (to be delivered when I get them built). Their choice of style, color and finish.  My stepdaughter wanted the X-LS Encores, my niece and her husband wanted a pair of X-MTM Encores and my nephew and his wife wanted the X-Omni's but didn't have the room to get them at least 3 feet out from the wall so they chose a pair of X-MTM Encores also.

I had originally planned on building these with the stock crossovers, especially when two of them chose floor standers, but am seriously considering the Sonicap and Mills upgrades for the stock boards (NoRez and Acustastuf are a given for all of them).

Mike

[Ron]

Mike,

  I have built a lot of crossovers like the N-series kits with point to point wiring too, but not for the X-LS Encores. Crossovers built with point to point wiring are generally  better than crossovers built on PC boards. Since I have
never had the opportunity to compare both types of crossovers side by side I don't know how much if any audible
improvement it would make. Maybe Danny could answer this question best.

Ron