[mgalusha]

Planning to start the Abbey's this w/e?  What subs do you have in mind? 

I actually started last Saturday when they showed up. Much too cold outside so I put down a drop cloth in my listening room and started putting the cabinets together. Since they used pocket screws assembly is easy and accurate but of course the pockets have to be dealt with.

There was minimal bracing for the cabinets so I made a lot of sawdust and cut up some larger cross braces and a lot of stiffeners for the sides of the cabinets from some oak stair treads a friend gave me a few years ago. I am going to put the stiffeners in somewhat randomly so that the resulting sections are of different sizes and consequently different resonances. Hopefully this will work well but is makes sense in my fuzzy little mind. I also chose to replace the MDF cleats the back screws to with the same oak. Very stiff and won't strip out if I remove/replace the back more than once.

I'm using Scott Faller's "stubby" stands except made from 1.5" maple butcher block for the top/bottom and 4" dia ABS pipe, which will be sand filled. They should be very sturdy, dense and heavy. Those are cut and ready to assemble as well, just need to pick up some washers. The ones I had were just a little off.

As for subs, depending on available funds I am considering building three of the Rythmik/GR Research servo subs. This would likely be overkill, especially according to Earl, but I kind of like overkill - such as those chokes. I would love something like that to use in my OTL, it needs them on the HV rails and something like those would be great. 'Course that requires a new chassis as there is just no room.

mike

[JoshK]

Very cool.  Take pictures as you go and share! 

This thread is great therapy for the addiction.   First step to recovery is admission.  My name is Josh and I am a tube addict.

[satfrat]

Very cool.  Take pictures as you go and share! 

This thread is great therapy for the addiction.   First step to recovery is admission.  My name is Josh and I am a tube addict.

Hi Josh.

[brj]

Mike, are you planning on programming your tweaked out Behringer to work with the Abbeys as well?

A fully active, room corrected, system with tubes on the waveguide tweeters, beefy SS or Class D on the woofers, and multiple servo subs.... wow, would that be a rig!

(A really nice Tripath on the tweeter might be an interesting comparison too...)

[JoshK]

Some more pics of progress made yesterday...

Karna power supply blocks got a paint job.  Its hard to see in this picture but it is textured metallic black.  Looks pretty cool I think.



My teres plinth got primered as I intend to paint it black lacquer.


Last weekend I added a 1.25" roundover to the abbey-clone baffles.

[whubbard]

Josh,
What did you make your platter out of?

-West

[JoshK]

My platter was made by Teres back in the day when they serviced the DIY crowd.  They use to sell components.  My motor, bearing, platter all came from Teres.

[whubbard]

You painted the acrylic platter?

-West

[JoshK]

No, the platter and bearing are not pictured.  What you see is just the plinth.

[mgalusha]

Mike, are you planning on programming your tweaked out Behringer to work with the Abbeys as well?

A fully active, room corrected, system with tubes on the waveguide tweeters, beefy SS or Class D on the woofers, and multiple servo subs.... wow, would that be a rig!

(A really nice Tripath on the tweeter might be an interesting comparison too...)

Only took me three months to see this.  At this point I'm not using the DCX on the speakers but I might experiment someday I am whacking at the subs tho. All the wood is cut and I assembled the front/rear panel sandwiches today, so I can start putting the boxes together this week. Hopefully they will turn out semi decent, a fine woodworker I am not.

[Wayne1]

My first DIY project just for ME is pretty much done.



I did awful things to an old pair of New Larger ADVENT speakers.

I replaced the tweeter with a JBL waveguide. The compression driver used is a Selenium D220Ti.

The crossover has migrated to an external box. There is a variable L-Pad used to control the level of the waveguide.

VERY nice sound for very little outlay of cash.

[mgalusha]

I had the pleasure of hearing Wayne's UltraHacked Advent/JBL/Selenium combo today. Stunningly good for almost no money. 

My first DIY project just for ME is pretty much done.



I did awful things to an old pair of New Larger ADVENT speakers.

I replaced the tweeter with a JBL waveguide. The compression driver used is a Selenium D220Ti.

The crossover has migrated to an external box. There is a variable L-Pad used to control the level of the waveguide.

VERY nice sound for very little outlay of cash.

[brj]

I have to agree... I heard them last week and was impressed!  I'm really curious to hear how the other (overbuilt) cabinets sound when done...

Wish I'd known you guys were connecting - I would have dropped off those "unhappy balls" for you to borrow, Mike!

[mgalusha]

Wish I'd known you guys were connecting - I would have dropped off those "unhappy balls" for you to borrow, Mike!

It wasn't really planned, I came by to pick up an amp.

[Wayne1]

Thanks for the comments, guys 

I am becoming more impressed with these DIY/hack job Advents every day.

I have read comments that the Selenium compression driver can be harsh. Not in this application.

These speakers may not have quite the transient reproduction capability of my VMPS, but they are a bit easier to listen to.

Warmer. The CD waveguide presents a wide image that can be listened to across a large area. No real sweet spot.

I HIGHLY suggest that anyone who has, or can get, a pair of New Larger Advents, consider this build. They ARE that good.

The overbuilt cabinets brj mentions are a pair of Whardale W60D built in the '60s. They used 7 lbs of sand to fill the back panel.

The veneer is all English Walnut. I am just about done with refinishing them. When I get the time, I will mount a waveguide in place of the mid and tweet cutouts. I received a pair of re-foamed Advent woofers today to use in this project.

These speakers have a very retro look to them.