[penguinpages]

New to audiophil building.  Use to make car audio boxes DYI.. but now older.. wizer.. and doing RTM on theory.

Making "new office" and trying to design built in cabinets that look good but also include the speakers

I have two first questions

Box design for xStatik box has braces "C".  But unlike the base box posted Servo Sub Kit Box https://www.gr-research.com/uploads/1/2/6/6/126601004/singleservo.pdf  it does not denote it as cut out brace, so assumption is it is fully isolation of air space.







Can someone clarify if that is the design where the lowest space is "empty" and just to provide elevation off floor for optimal directional axis?


Second question: 
With smaller room and wanting to take advantage of "open baffle design", I am attempting to use this speaker combination, but with the cabinet surface being now an extension of the baffle, I expect this will shift the acostical design parameters of the crossover,  as well as the box being 18" from the wall.  I have plans to treat the wall but I also know it will come down to getting a mic and running some tests.  I am reading through "Sound Reproduction Third Edition" ... but not gotten enough practical experience in room to box design to know.

In designing the cabinet my concern is the design into a cabinet.

Will negate any/all advantages of  open baffle design?

<see attached options>

[Peter J]

There is no separate chamber at the bottom of cabinet. The entire box is used as a sealed cabinet. As far as I know the only GR design that has such a space is the X-SLS Encore.

 I'd venture that integrating this with adjacent cabinetry would significantly limit the entire design. If I were looking to do as I think you're suggesting, the NX studio paired with a separate bass cabinet similar to bottom section of X-Static would be more viable, although it would put you in the designer's chair.

I can understand wanting to integrate speakers for space and aesthetics, but there are compromises that you'll surely have to accept. Even more so with open baffle designs.

[penguinpages]

It clicked .. I noticed annotation that "part C" was to have 2 x 5.5" cutouts  That joins the space within sealed section of box.  That means both lower drivers share common air space.


I think  the option now is "side" by side. 

Here is quick diagram of one side.   Open to suggestions or comments.

[Early B.]

I'll be blunt -- this design will sound awful for too many reasons to mention. Listen to Peter.

[Tyson]

With that type of placement you're better off with box speakers, preferably something designed to be on-wall or in-wall.  OB speakers are the worst design style to use like this.

[penguinpages]

Thanks for quick response.  I know you noted "so many issues"... but itemizing a bit more of the majors would be helpful.

My guess.. based on my limited reading would be

1) Open baffle needs ability to "tune" delay off reflection such that it can match resonance of room.. in a fixed placement that is not an option and I would be fighting design.
2) Open baffle needs more space for frequency delay off wall as reflection surface ... mechanics of timing to reflex
3) Front baffle would be "too long" on one side and tuning  again.. in fixed would be hard.


I was going to make a mockup to test timing with baffle "to wall" an distance from wall... but as noted.. maybe this is a rathole.   I was going to pursue open baffle to help with closed room "boom" issue.. Giving stage presence without fighting closed box issues.

So I guess If I go closed box.  NX-Studio would be good option, but they have been out of stock several weeks now.  Other concern is will they have the "presence of volume with clarity" ..  I was going "XStatik" to make sure I would not have issue of building this all out and end with it being under powered for output.   

[RDavidson]

"In designing the cabinet my concern is the design into a cabinet.
Will negate any/all advantages of  open baffle design?"

Your intuition is correct.

As others have suggested (advised), you'd be better off with a direct radiating design not a direct + reflective open baffle design. Will your idea work to produce sound? Yes. Will it produce the best sound for your application? Very highly unlikely.

[Peter J]

Penguin, after looking at you drawing, I'm going to suggest that you abandon the notion of open baffles in this situation.

Metaphorically, pounding square pegs into round holes typically only produces boogered up pegs and holes.

[penguinpages]

Agree on open baffel...  I have never done one.. but reading made it sound like a good fit.... But..... 

What I am not clear on is when I go close box design.   

X-MTM Encore  vs X-LS Encore Kit...  trying to understand deltas... 


I also have a design issue where all porting must be out the front (directionally the same as the speaker).  I don't have a space constrain issue, just an end "astetic one" where it passes the wife veto test:   <roll eyes but.... does not veto that it looks like a nerd room>

I have her punch list of 'drawers and hiding mechanics as well as cables etc..    But the rest..  I want loud and sweet!

Budget is is under $3k...  (amplifier not included as I have a pair of Yamaha and PV amps.. that will do until I can slide past wife phase II)

Open to suggestions.

PS: Room treatment I am reasonable on... coffered ceilings with absorbing tiles and wall hanging tiles and carpet / couch.

[Early B.]

I also have a design issue where all porting must be out the front (directionally the same as the speaker).  I don't have a space constrain issue, just an end "astetic one" where it passes the wife veto test:   <roll eyes but.... does not veto that it looks like a nerd room>

I have her punch list of 'drawers and hiding mechanics as well as cables etc..    But the rest..  I want loud and sweet!

Budget is is under $3k...  (amplifier not included as I have a pair of Yamaha and PV amps.. that will do until I can slide past wife phase II)

Open to suggestions.

Keep it simple -- buy the best in-wall speakers you can find within your budget and be done with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6HIv-AGUpE

[RDavidson]

Keep it simple -- buy the best in-wall speakers you can find within your budget and be done with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6HIv-AGUpE

+1 Buy speakers that are fully engineered and made to work for your application. Regardless of ports on front, do you think she'll like the drivers showing or were you going to make grills or do something to hide them? I fully understand the desire to build something, but in-walls are the way to go where good sound and WAF is concerned.

[penguinpages]

" Regardless of ports on front, do you think she'll like the drivers showing or were you going to make grills or do something to hide them?"

1) I get to design it.. I can use entire wall .... just so long as it has drawers and cabinet and "looks nice". 
2) She knows speakers will be showing.  I don't intend to have grills on them.  This is the movie / audio room. 
3) Yes.. it will be way too loud..

This is as much my toy room as anything else.

I just trying to accommodate as much as possible her ascetic concerns.   I don't want to go "in wall" as those are "kit speakers" and looking for more high end and flexible.  Cabinet build is easy.  My difficulty is picking the best speakers where I can, putting in effort to make the system, get the best quality for the price.  That is why I have enjoyed GR-Research and his approach... I am now just trying to put it into practice, and leverage his research and support GR by purchasing what he recommends as it seems to align with research I have done elsewhere.

I am finishing the room rebuild, with treatment... and need to pick the speakers to then design box around them.. and around that .. the rest of the cabinet(s).  Open to voice of experience here.  If their are "start here... for this reason"   That helps a lot.   Such as what was provided above.  But now that that design is out...  back to drawing board for next option.

[Tyson]

The NX-Studio is what you want.  It's designed to go up close to walls and has limited bass and a sealed midrange driver for this reason.

Looking at your drawing, sealed subs would be a good option next to the speakers, just like you have it here.  If you put a sub next to each speaker that's 2 subs and it's a good solution.

If you can have more subs in the room, then a 3rd and 4th sub will get you even better/smoother bass in your room.

[FullRangeMan]

Always good follow the Golden  Ratio In the enclosure.

[Early B.]

The NX-Studio is what you want.

One more thing -- the built-in sub idea runs a great risk of being boomy as hell. Instead, build a separate sub and a cubby hole for it on the wall for when you're not listening. That way, the wife is happy because the room remains uncluttered and you get the flexibility of moving the sub around for the best sound. You can do the same thing for your NX Studios or whatever monitors/floorstanders you eventually choose. Bottom line -- placement is vital. If you limit yourself to building a "wall of sound," nothing you do will sound good.

[JLM]

Your objectives seem to be contrary to each other:  good sound versus built-ins.  Irregardless of type of loudspeaker design midrange/treble is best produced away from walls, say 3 - 5 feet.  Suggest reading Floyd Toole's "Sound Reproduction" to learn how loudspeaker/subwoofers behave in-room.  In it he recommends multiple carefully placed subwoofers (in corners or midway along walls) to tame inherent in-room bass peaks/dips. 

Your challenge obviously isn't cabinet building, but understanding the essence of modern loudspeaker design.  The best designs come from companies with deep R&D and manufacturing roots, companies like Dynaudio, Genelec, or until recently Harmon (JBL/Revel).  They manufacture in-house and use the latest methods for design, testing, and measurement.  A one man shop can't hold a candle against such heavy weights.