[Blues Fan]

So I bought NX-3 Towers, (without flatpack) and have the cabinets about done.  I applied a coat of sanding sealer to the inside of the cabinet all surfaces while the back is off so that the No-Rez will adhere to the cabinet walls, sticking something raw MDF is like sticking to dust.

Next will be mounting the drivers.  Then assembling the crossover network with those big capacitors.   I prefer to put the crossover inside the cabinet, bur where can it go so it doesn't block airflow, etc?   

[Wigand]

Really looking forward to this as no one did a thread on this jet. Hoping for a lot of pics

[yamaha626]

Well on the old N3 build, it was between braces D & F
https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=108845.0

[Blues Fan]

I took lots of pics during NX-3 Tower cabinet construction. Someone let me know how to post pics and I will.   When assembling the crossover will need to mount them on a big perfboard or something.  Is it best to avoid big metal terminal points?  I got the optional (giant) capacitors, and it looks like 3rd order filters?  A bunch of coils and caps.  first idea was to put the low pass section at the "bottom" of the main cabinet, and the High pass section below in the transmission line, but I need to work up an actual size plan on a piece of cardboard and see where I can place it.

Alternate plan would be to get more tube connectors, bring leads out for the woofer(s) and a set for the planar tweeter and house the crossover in a box behind the NX-3.  This ideal when adjusting the crossover, but I don't think I will need to get at these, but if back and front are glued on I would never be able to access the lower HP section, so I may have to have a removable panel?   Still thinking it.

I built my NX-3 with 3/4 MDF, cutting each piece to precise dimensions listed.  This is for simple butt joints.   I used Gorrila Glue, coating both surfaces and the clamping it secure for an hour or more,  I got to buy a Jasper circle cutting jig for my router and made the cutouts and recess for tweeter flange real easy and clean.

I don't trust MDF glue joinery, so after everything was assembled (except the backs) I drilled and installed 40 dowels in each cabinet to add structural strength.

[JCarney]

I don't trust MDF glue joinery, so after everything was assembled (except the backs) I drilled and installed 40 dowels in each cabinet to add structural strength.

Awesome! Overkill, gotta love it.

JCarney

[Blues Fan]

Found a video where Danny builds a crossover for the Encore,  He layed out the caps and coils like on the schematic and twisted leads together and soldered the leads well once all connected.  Then he tied down everything with zip ties,  No terminals, driver leads come right off the coil or cap and soldered.  Not pretty, but no terminals of various metalurgy in the signal path and quite compact.

I made up a 1/4" plywood crossover board 4.5" x10" and used up most of the real estate.   Big honking Sonic Caps and thick gauge coils.  For location on the older NX minitower Danny prefers the crossover mounted on the back wall low behind the lower woofer..  This looks good for "airflow" and short leads to all drivers and the tube connectors.  I am getting anxious to here these NX-3 speakers in my room!

[Rifleman455]

I'm starting an NX-3 pair, too, and I have a question about cabinet round-overs.
The NX-3 plans don't say anything about front-panel roundovers.  It's little brother, the NX-Bravo, does mention a "3/8" roundover on side edges, top and bottom edges optional."  I plan to add 1/2" to 3/4" roundovers to the side edges of my NX-3, but wonder if I will get improved performance by rounding the top edge as well.  Those who watch the GR videos understand the importance of baffle diffraction so the rounded top edge makes sense, but I was thinking of wrapping a single sheet of veneer along one side, across the front and along the other side: if I round the top edge I won't be able to do this.  If the top rounded edge if important, then I could use solid hardwood on the side and top edges, round them over, and butt flat veneer on the panels to cover the cabinet (not in that order, though.)

Does anyone have an opinion you'd like to share?

Thanks!

[Peter J]

I'm starting an NX-3 pair, too, and I have a question about cabinet round-overs.
The NX-3 plans don't say anything about front-panel roundovers.  It's little brother, the NX-Bravo, does mention a "3/8" roundover on side edges, top and bottom edges optional."  I plan to add 1/2" to 3/4" roundovers to the side edges of my NX-3, but wonder if I will get improved performance by rounding the top edge as well.  Those who watch the GR videos understand the importance of baffle diffraction so the rounded top edge makes sense, but I was thinking of wrapping a single sheet of veneer along one side, across the front and along the other side: if I round the top edge I won't be able to do this.  If the top rounded edge if important, then I could use solid hardwood on the side and top edges, round them over, and butt flat veneer on the panels to cover the cabinet (not in that order, though.)

Does anyone have an opinion you'd like to share?

Thanks!

Roundover above tweeter to minimize diffraction is theoretically real, but I doubt most folks could decern a difference in a real-world setting without test equipment. Within reason, I've come to pay more attention to what pleases my eye, but that's me.
As you're planning cabinet roundovers, pay some attention to where your woofer flange lands on cabinet. On X-LS Encore 5/8" would be close to interfering. 3/4" would have the flange sticking out over roundover I suspect.

Scroll down a few messages for an illustration.
https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=150120.60

[Rifleman455]

Roundover above tweeter to minimize diffraction is theoretically real, but I doubt most folks could decern a difference in a real-world setting without test equipment. Within reason, I've come to pay more attention to what pleases my eye, but that's me.
As you're planning cabinet roundovers, pay some attention to where your woofer flange lands on cabinet. On X-LS Encore 5/8" would be close to interfering. 3/4" would have the flange sticking out over roundover I suspect.

Peter, I agree that the most radius I can do on an X-LS Encore is 5/8" because it uses the M-165 woofer with a 7-1/4" outer frame.  The NX-3 towers use a pair of M-130 woofers that have 6-5/16" outer frames.  On the 8" baffle, they leave room for a 3/4" roundover without interference.  The NX-3 is a MTM (or WTW?) arrangement, so maybe the top roundover matters less than the side roundovers?  There are bumps in the frequency response below 2kHz that may be related to diffraction when compared to the NX-Bravo and X-LS Encore.

Unfortunately (?) for me, I'm a member of a DIY audio group and have been shocked to hear, for example, the differences caused by changing only AC cables in a member's system. (Hopefully, I won't get flamed for saying that.)    While it dismayed other members, it made me laugh.  Yes, things like these make audible differences in well-built systems but I get to decide if I want to make the investment to reach that far along the performance asymptote.  Some members with good systems found that they started hearing things like air handlers in the studios if they dropped the noise floor far enough, and it started distracting them from the music.  I plan to use the NX-3s as my speaker reference in hopes that bad things I hear are not because of the speakers.

I get what you're saying, and I get to decide if I want to pursue too many roundovers or make it simpler to build and view my cabinets. Unless someone like Hobbs or Danny say that the upper roundover is important, I can spend more time and money trying to improve my listening room instead, which is in dire need of improvement! 

[goggle1824]

I don’t think it will be Hobbs, he hasn’t been around or on the forums for a somewhat alarming amount of time. I hope everything is ok with him and his family .

I really miss his energy and contributions here.

And my apologies, no thread hijack intended. Please return to your regularly scheduled thread discussion. 😇

[Rifleman455]

Danny just replied in an email and said, "You do not have to round over the top edges."
So I'm good to go with a square top edge!