[NXSTUDIO-DRUMMER]

One Copper foil inductor secured. Note: Intentionally rubber mounted, top and bottom of copper foil, to isolate vibrations. 

[NXSTUDIO-DRUMMER]

Wiring arrangement for drivers & crossover components












 

[NXSTUDIO-DRUMMER]

OAK GRILL FRAMES, Corner support gussets are made from spare poplar wood material, I had laying around shop.

I used oak shoe molding





]

These grill frames are extremly strong , preventing them from racking or twisting, even with the CNC channels cut out for rubber chord splines, to be inserted along side with the grill cloth.

[Tyson]

The wood center pins are very cool.

[NXSTUDIO-DRUMMER]

Magnets used are from this resource. https://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=D68PC-RB&cat=1


Color coded magnets, are a nice touch, preventing you from accidently crossing up the polorization of magnets when they are permantely installed, on the backside of grill frames, and on the backside of the front speaker baffle.


Shown below is the backside of front baffle corner.

ANSWER: The magnetic pull force between the wood front baffle and the opposing magnets is so strong it will hold the grill, once installed, on to the front baffle as you see in photo.


When you see this and think, damn, that's a lot of work, well this is the end result shown below, for motivation.






Finished front baffle, with no grill clip fastners. Clean appearance, with or without grill attached.









I veneered the front round-over's on the front baffles of my kit. I was able to accomplish with veneer that had no backing.

[Tyson]

Your crossover is actually very high performance, with those foil inductors and the Miflex bypass cap.  You are definitely better off spending any additional money on getting a badass amp to drive them.  The NX-Studio's are world class performers and will just sound better and better with high quality gear in front of them. 

[NXSTUDIO-DRUMMER]

I used these inserts on my speakers, However, I liked PeterJ's insert suggesstion better that what I used, for attaching speaker driver.

(Refer to PeterJ, and utilize his insert suggestions. They are really nice, I personally like the ones he uses even better than mine.

.

[Hobbsmeerkat]

I love the fact how easy it is to remove from the cabinet utilizing the knob. It is just below the woofer. So when I remove it to modify the crossover at some point, I'm good to go.  Tyson I'm waiting to hear the results from some of the other guys who have modified their crossovers beyond Danny's design. To see if it's worth the effort and cost. Right now I'm saving up to buy Danny's New Amp design, rather than spending more on crossover parts.

Danny was telling me this little amp is really nice sounding. Since I have a small listening room, I don't need any more than 15 watts. So it sounds promising. Have you by any chance listened to his new amp?

Thanks for the compliment, I appreciate all your feedback on here. I've learned much from your postings, based on your wisdom shared on AC!

I'm finally nearing the end of my burn in process at roughly 500 hours now.. I'll be taking them to Danny's listening room at some point soon to do some A/B testing to see how they compare to his stock pair..

But so far they've really been fantastic. A lovely sense of spaciousness and lots of great detail.
I've since had to return the Holo Spring DAC I was borrowing, so I'm back to my GraceDesigns headphone SDAC/AMP as the DAC for the time being.
Still sounds great, but definitely lacks some of the finer details ive gotten used to.
May look for a used model in the future and see if I can tweak/upgrade it with my own caps.

That said, i wouldn't really recommend doing what I did for 99% of users. You're really going to be spending a lot more money to eak out those last few bits of performance.
Plus it means you need to spend more on the wires, tube connectors a board, mini stands to put your crossovers on, etc.

The only thing i would consider for those that still want to push them a little further, I would recommend Path Audio resistors.
But you need a value they don't make so, you can get the ones that are closest to it. (Ex: dont make 6ohm? get 5.8 Ohm) it will save you $120 vs doubling up on half-value resistors like I did, and wont impact performance.

I do agree with Tyson that they get better the better the gear in front of them are.


The new GK chipamps are fantastic, and really sound killer when used with a tube preamp. Super clean with a very quiet noisefloor, allowing for excellent separation within the soundstage and imaging, especially when paired with a good DAC.
They're so clean tho that its hard to say that have a sound of their own. They just give you what they were given.

I know we're having more made, but the ongoing global supply/shipping issues are plaguing the person making them as well.
But they do have the added cost of needing a battery and charger to power them.

[NXSTUDIO-DRUMMER]

Concept I thought about for my front & top speaker grill frame

[Hobbsmeerkat]

Hobbs,
Thanks for the input on your Studio's, I know you spent quite a bit for the serious upgrade. It will be interesting to see, if the money spent, versus the percentage increase in performance, justify the efforts.  If I do upgrade later, I may consider the Path audio resistors. So your saying, buy two  5.8 Ohm values, to replace the 2 stock resistors currently on my crossover? My stock resistors have two different values. Therefore, I'm trying to get some clarity, for replacement for the different valued stock resistors.

If anyone else wants to comment on other high quality resistor manufactures suggestions, other than Path Audio, I'm receptive to alternative recommendations as well.

You and me both!

NOO!! lol I'm just using 5.8 ohm as an example so I dont name the actual values used in the kit.

I was saying don't worry about getting the exact listed values, cuz Path Audio doesn't make those exact values. Get the values that are closest to the ones on the schematic.

DM me if you want to know the exact values to look at getting.

[Tyson]

That's along the lines of what I was thinking too Tyson.  That chip amp Danny is offering, I'm seriously considering. Although I love the sound of tube amps. I want to keep the budget about $1,500 or less. I'm looking at https://ankaudiokits.com/ too. If memory serves me correct, you've built a tube kit amp?

I heard the chip amp at Danny's and I like it but I'm a tube lover at heart.  I did bring an Elekit 300b amp to Danny's, he loved it so much that he bought one too.  I've never heard the ANK amp you linked but to me it looks VERY interesting and it probably sounds great.

[Hobbsmeerkat]

There's definitely something to be said for natural fluidity & tone that tubes bring to the table, and I've really been digging my tube preamp + chip amp combo. 

[mkrawcz]

I always need a tube in the chain. Lately I also like a tube preamp with a SS chip amp. That just seems to be the magic combo with the NX series speakers. 

[mlundy57]

I'm using hybrid (tube input stage / SS output stage) preamp and monoblocks. Very nice 

[NXSTUDIO-DRUMMER]

I'm on to something, here! 

[NXSTUDIO-DRUMMER]

CNC groove to accomodate screen door rubber spline to accomodate grill cloth. I highly suggest only building the grill frame out of hardwoods, it will machine better, when CNC is used. Softwoods will not fair well and split. With my build, I used oak. Corner gussets are made of spare poplar wood pieces I had laying around shop.

One suggestion, I would suggest, make the trianglar gussets a little larger than mine. Mine are 1 1/4" dimension at corners. If you make them larger, you could benefit by changing the drill points at the rear baffle (referring to 5th photo above on this page, showing rear baffle with holes drilled at corner of rear baffle). This moves the holes further from the two corner edges, to allow a little more shaking room. Follow me? Exact reason one should not do this without a drill press.
 

[NXSTUDIO-DRUMMER]

WORKS LIKE A CHAMP!
 If I should ever accidently get a tear, or want to change color of grill cloth, simply remove the spline, add new grill cloth, and I'm off to the races. Looks a 100% better than staples too. I am going to put a black rubberized coating on the frame to minimize resonance. Insert spline in CNC section to prevent coating from entering the channel for grill cloth and spline. Preventitive measure that could change tolerances.








The screen spline chord I used was from this manufacturer. Here is their link:  https://www.phifer.com/screening/diy/sizing/
Note: what ever size you choose, take in consideration when doing the CNC work on grill frame, the tolerances required to properly seat the spline chord and grill cloth matereial in the channel. Obviously you want it to be seated into the channel, holding grill cloth material nice and snug.

[mkrawcz]

May I ask what tube preamp are you using?  Are you using the Chip amp Danny's carrying?  Great to hear your feedback. Thanks! 

I have  a PS Audio BHK preamp and a Schiit Freya+. I have one of Danny’s chip amps, a Folsom 7293, Neurochrome mod-686, and a mod-86V3 in progress. Danny’s chip amp is a Folsom design using TDA chips, they have a transparent, dynamic, yet warm sound to them.

[NXSTUDIO-DRUMMER]

Waveguide need to be sanded and sealed, using product below, prior to painting. Eventually, the entire front baffle will be primed and painted black.




Some people strongly contest sealing the inside of a speaker cabinet. Their entitled to their opinion, saying it's a waste of time. Seriously it takes very little effort and time. Just me, I'll always take the higher level of build quality than the average Joe. I think my build reflects it as well.

A benefit I know for a fact, sealed wood versus unsealed?  NoRez will in fact adhear better period! Think about sealed closed woodgrain, versus open pore woodgrain. Sealed surface always provides literally more contact surface, than open unsealed wood, bottom line. I'll challenge anyone on that fact.  Example, 3M tape being attached to a glass versus a sponge, pretty obvious which will fair better in the long haul staying adheared to. I'm not insinuating that NoRez won't stay adheared to a unfinished cabinet for the long haul, probably could. But I'll bet anyday, sealed versus unsealed will definately hold up longer. If your already sealing the outside of your cabinet anyways, why not do inside at the same time? This is a tiny speaker cabinet!   My response to those who believe it's a waste of time?  I value my time and value any product I fabricate or assemble and finish, never settling with mediocracy, based on what the market place does. Let alone care what others think!




Balancing a cabinet typically, is only required if you live in a environment that has high humidy.
When I retire and move south, my speakers will be able to handle higher humidity conditions. Obviously their are other benefits I mentioned above as well. Do as you please either way, I'm happy with my results.

[corndog71]

Passive preamps give a little better transparency depending on the choice of attenuator.  But they often lose dynamics and can sound soft or a little lifeless.  A lot also depends on your cable runs.  With a passive preamp you want to keep your interconnects as short as possible.  Definitely don’t recommend if you have long cable runs.