X-Statik Build

Hollis Prince · « **Reply #20 on:** 29 Jun 2021, 12:01 am »

The whitewash stain has now dried and it's VERY white. It looks like white paint. So I guess I'll be sanding the baffles the same way I had to sand the enclosure.

subsonic1050 · « **Reply #21 on:** 29 Jun 2021, 12:14 am »

Quote from: Hollis Prince on 28 Jun 2021, 11:57 pm

Great eye subsonic! You're right, it's double sheet of 3/4" MDF for the entire baffle. The internal volume of the enclosure remains the same because I used the same dimensions for top, bottom, and sides. Imagine that the entire enclosure just moves back 3/4". All the dimensions/angles are the same. The only difference, like hawkeye mentioned, is the 6.5" drivers have another .75" of baffle. The interior baffle has a .75" radius. Also the alignment between woofers and tweeter remains the same.
I thought about this a lot before getting started. I just could see no reason to not make the entire baffle 1.5". It's stronger, more rigid, and easier to construct this way. And I also have seen several other X-Statik builds with 1 1/2" baffles.

Yes, I like the way you constructed it better than the way it is drawn on the GR Research site. I think I will modify my own plans to construct them the same way.

Hollis Prince · « **Reply #22 on:** 29 Jun 2021, 11:12 pm »

I got the whitewash stain sanded back today, and I pulled off the blue tape. I think they turned out pretty good, especially considering I was just winging it lol

hawkeyejw · « **Reply #23 on:** 29 Jun 2021, 11:15 pm »

That’s a cool effect!

Hollis Prince · « **Reply #24 on:** 30 Jun 2021, 12:07 am »

Thanks! To be honest it didn't turn out like I imagined it would. All I knew was that it too white. It was just stark and boring and none of the expensive walnut veneer was showing. I might as well have just painted the MDF lol. But I think it looks good. It looks much better in person, more deep and rich.
Next step is lacquer. I also need to paint/stain the base plate. They haven't been shown yet. They're just a couple of pieces of MDF. Then assembly!

corndog71 · « **Reply #25 on:** 30 Jun 2021, 12:32 am »

The baffle looks like reclaimed wood. Very cool!

Hobbsmeerkat · « **Reply #26 on:** 30 Jun 2021, 12:35 am »

Dang! Those are looking great!

Hollis Prince · « **Reply #27 on:** 5 Jul 2021, 01:07 pm »

Hollis Prince · « **Reply #28 on:** 5 Jul 2021, 01:13 pm »

^ Four coats of brushing lacquer. It could use some wet sanding and buffing, but honestly I'm getting kinda burned out. I couldn't even try to calculate the number of hours I've worked on this set of speakers lol! A lot of time was used fixing rookie mistakes and watching how-to videos and stuff.
I'm almost ready to assemble! I'm so excited to hear these speakers! I've never heard open baffle speakers before! Super stoked! Wish me luck that I've assembled the cross-overs correctly and the speakers will produce sound!

hawkeyejw · « **Reply #29 on:** 5 Jul 2021, 01:43 pm »

They have a cool reclaimed wood sort of look, honestly I think they look good without refining the finish over and over. I say assemble and listen!

Hollis Prince · « **Reply #30 on:** 5 Jul 2021, 02:16 pm »

Thanks brother!

Hollis Prince · « **Reply #31 on:** 5 Jul 2021, 02:19 pm »

The lacquer is pretty smooth, but if you get in the light just right they have that orange peel/brushed kinda look to them.

Hollis Prince · « **Reply #32 on:** 5 Jul 2021, 02:21 pm »

Wow that picture makes them look pretty rough lol

Once you step back it looks perfectly smooth.

Tyson · « **Reply #33 on:** 5 Jul 2021, 04:35 pm »

The textured look of the sides looks better with the weathered fronts than something perfectly smooth would, IMO.

Hollis Prince · « **Reply #34 on:** 22 Jul 2021, 10:10 pm »

Here's a couple of images of the finished product. Although the finish turned out different than I expected, I do really like the way they look.

hawkeyejw · « **Reply #35 on:** 22 Jul 2021, 11:41 pm »

They look cool! How do they sound so far?

Hobbsmeerkat · « **Reply #36 on:** 23 Jul 2021, 12:37 am »

Those look absolutely fantastic!

Hope you enjoy them as much as I have!

AlexH · « **Reply #37 on:** 23 Jul 2021, 01:00 am »

I have a fair amount of woodworking experience and the X-statik, although not super difficult, it still is not an easy build. You did very well. You should be proud of your accomplishment. Plus I know the are going to sound great. Congrats.

Hollis Prince · « **Reply #38 on:** 25 Jul 2021, 01:29 pm »

Thanks so much guys! I've got countless hours in this build so that really means a lot! As soon as I can get the cash together I'm going to build an X-Voce. It should go much faster if I've learned from my mistakes lol. And I made a lot of mistakes!

I just got them all hooked up and running in my living room. I haven't yet listened to a lot of different stuff, but what I have listened to sounds phenomenal! I included a picture of how they're set up at the moment. I have a Marantz SR5011 receiver running everything. I have an old Tube Works - MosValve amp running the subs. The X-Statiks are 39" from the back wall. I hear absolutely no smearing. Of course really the only thing that is actually open baffle is the two midrange drivers. The tweeters have a sealed back.
You can see in the picture a couple of bookshelf speaker builds using my old Boston Acoustic car audio speakers. They actually sound amazing too. But the X-Statiks and the two 10" subs sound so great! The sound stage is magnificent and they truly disappear into the room.
I have a seven month old Australian Shepherd that gets into everything, if you're wondering about the fence and the curtains tucked up and away.

DannyBadorine · « **Reply #39 on:** 25 Jul 2021, 02:32 pm »

Those look great! Give them some time and they will sound better as the drivers settle into the box.