New kit, Neo-2X

Trafford · « **Reply #80 on:** 8 Jul 2008, 05:56 pm »

Would No-Rez do a better job and have more consistant results?

Danny Richie · « **Reply #81 on:** 8 Jul 2008, 09:40 pm »

I would really rather not have No Rez or anything else stuck to the front of the baffle. I'd make the baffle to the dimensions that it was designed on and the response will look great, and looks great in any direction.

Trafford · « **Reply #82 on:** 9 Jul 2008, 12:26 am »

Understood. 8.5" it is.

KenShelton · « **Reply #83 on:** 10 Jul 2008, 10:40 pm »

Check my driver cut-out dimensions

My Neo-2X kit had no directions for cutting the holes in the front baffle, so I got the directions here: http://www.gr-research.com/pdf/Neo-2X%20box.pdf, but--

The tweeter countersink seems to be too small and too deep. The O.D. needs to be 5-1/8" to fit the ring on the Neo 3 PDR, and the countersink depth seems to be 3/16" for a flush fit with the top surface of the face plate...unless you need the countersink 1/4" deep, below the rim of the face plate, to allow for a smooth overlap of the ring on the M165X.

Also, the tweeter cut-out needs to be 4-1/4" to clear the four corners on the Neo 3 PDR behind the face plate.

Are my measurements right?

Which countersink depth?...3/8" for a smooth appearance, or 1/4" deep for overlap clearance (I don't think that skinny gasket will take up much space?)? The photo in the first posting of this thread seems to show the tweeter standing slightly proud of the baffle.

I will make a full size mock-up of the front baffle from junk wood to be sure everything fits right...the way I do woodworking, it's measure twice, cut thrice----

Any tips on making the last bit of a cut with the Jasper circle jig on a plunge router, except to be careful? When the circle is finally cut through, there is no guide remaining to keep the router cutter in its groove, and it could gouge the outside of the cut, the good part.

Everyone knows when making concentric cuts, like the tweeter cut-out, make the outer cut first, then make the inner cut? If the inner cut is made first, your center guide is gone! (I learned this years ago cutting gaskets.)

KenShelton · « **Reply #84 on:** 10 Jul 2008, 10:41 pm »

Stuffing?

When No-Rez is used, should some poly stuffing be added to the enclosure? How much?

Danny Richie · « **Reply #85 on:** 10 Jul 2008, 11:17 pm »

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The O.D. needs to be 5-1/8" to fit the ring on the Neo 3 PDR, and the countersink depth seems to be 3/16"

My dial caliper (I just whipped it and a tweeter out) looks to be right at 5.11". I get .25" on this one to make it flush with the front of the baffle. Just the outer edge gets flush then the rest of it comes a little further forward just by the shape of the face plate. It does need to be flush so that the woofer frame will smoothly overlap it.

Quote

Also, the tweeter cut-out needs to be 4-1/4" to clear the four corners on the Neo 3 PDR behind the face plate.

Yes but it leaves very little meat left for the screws used to mount it. Make it 4" and then just notch out the corner areas to slide in past it.

Quote

The photo in the first posting of this thread seems to show the tweeter standing slightly proud of the baffle.

The outer most edges are flush with it.

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When the circle is finally cut through, there is no guide remaining to keep the router cutter in its groove, and it could gouge the outside of the cut, the good part.

It will be fine. The outer most cut comes first as you have noted. So when you get tot he inner most cut and cutting it all the way through you won't be able to hit the outer most edge because the through hole is so much smaller.

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When No-Rez is used, should some poly stuffing be added to the enclosure? How much?

Yes, just fill the entire enclosure with a very loose layer of poly fill and try to keep it back from the woofer by a couple of inches.

KenShelton · « **Reply #86 on:** 10 Jul 2008, 11:52 pm »

The O.D. of the tweeter ring seems to be just a hair under 130 mm, so 5.11 is right. That makes for a 5-1/8" cut on the circle jig*, and maybe I can tighten it a bit if there's much slop in the circle jig mounting holes. (*4-9/16" pin hole on the circle jig when using a 3/4" bit in order to have the 5-1/8" cut and the right width of countersink.)

A 1/4" countersink puts the surface at the middle of the screw holes, and that's just where the woofer rim overlaps in your photo. If I have any exposed wood, I'll color it with a black felt-tip marker. The outer edge of the rim looks like 6 mm, 2.36".

I sure wish our country used the metric system. Once one has worked with it, it is soooo much simpler than our fractions, as well as being in step with the rest of the world.

Hank · « **Reply #87 on:** 11 Jul 2008, 12:13 pm »

Hi guys, sorry for disappearing for a week. I have a list of excuses:
Playing two concerts the holiday weekend.
Snowed under at work with big projects going into production and helping lab projects and international conference calls (at night

).

Anyway:
I'm assembling a pair for someone now, and will post photos (yes, I WILL figure that out when I get time

)
I recommend the tweeter through-hole be 4 1/8", and even at that, the tweet's inner plate and screws will require a relief cut in the MDF as Danny noted. I used a round file and it was a simple fix. I set my router at just shy of 1/4" for the tweet countersink and it seems okay.

OOPS! I messed up one baffle, so will need to order a new one. First, I covered the baffle front with blue painter's masking tape, but my Jasper jig tore it up, leaving wads of it and adhesive all over. I got it all off, but there were several chips out of the paint around the tweet countersink outer edges AND some circular scratches on the finish! I checked my jig bottom surface and found no jagged edges - seemed smooth. A puzzlement! I bought a roll of clear contact shelf paper - adhesive backed - and put it on the second baffle. It didn't tear and protected the surface fine. I'm still worried about the severe edge chipping on the first baffle. Maybe a symptom of a dull bit, but I sharpened it before starting. I suspect my router is worn - it wobbles a bit on the two plunge posts. More to investigate.
Anyway, I'll post photos of the crossover and construction stages, hopefully Saturday.
Back to the grindstone...

Hank · « **Reply #88 on:** 14 Jul 2008, 03:35 am »

Okay, I will attempt to post a photo:

pbrstreetgang · « **Reply #89 on:** 14 Jul 2008, 04:20 am »

Hank, You got these together? Any word on sound?

Hank · « **Reply #90 on:** 15 Jul 2008, 02:28 am »

Yes I do, and they sound great! I'm used to the mid-woof as it's the one in my RAV-6 towers - still great midrange presence and since that's where 98% of music is, it's so important. The ribbon tweet: I was concerned when I first unpacked them, as they don't weigh much. My first ribbons were Al's modified Arum Cantus tweets: about a pound of magnet per tweet. I don't know the difference in construction between the Arums and the BG's, but no matter, the BG's are FINE. When I got the crossovers done, I put the speakers together temporarily to listen for any wiring errors/component problems. I put on a bit of jazz, then the JVC XRCD2 remaster of the Fritz Reiner/Chicago Symphony "Scheherazade" and let it run through all four movements to give the drivers/crossovers a little work out. Then I replayed the fourth movement. The stratospheric high notes on the solo violin were right THERE. Not that I'm a fan of lots of high violin notes, but it sounded like a violin. Lots of tweets don't sound exactly like a violin up that high. "Jazz at the Pawnshop" was up and the instrument soundstage was right on and that excellently engineered album came through in all the detail you can expect from a good recording.
The mid-woof works, I discovered the "light" BG ribbon works, and the two are a nicely integrated, complementary meal from the great chef, Danny.

And, I WILL figure out how to post photos. My Dixieland band rehearsal just finished and I will post a photo or two, then order a new baffle from PE to replace the one I screwed up, and then go listen to some more jazz.

pbrstreetgang · « **Reply #91 on:** 15 Jul 2008, 02:46 am »

Awesome Hank! The Tweet is AFAIK like a small Maggie, And sounded super dyniamic with a touch of sweetness in the OB7 and LS9s. The surface area is much more than a typical dome and sure works well. I live up north now so maybe we can see each other a bit more.

Hank · « **Reply #92 on:** 15 Jul 2008, 03:41 am »

Okay, I'm going to try to post a photo

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally!!

aaron smithski · « **Reply #93 on:** 15 Jul 2008, 03:45 am »

Hank · « **Reply #94 on:** 15 Jul 2008, 03:47 am »

And another, showing one of the steel reinforcing straps I installed (construction adhesive and screws):

Hank · « **Reply #95 on:** 15 Jul 2008, 03:50 am »

And, the crossover:

Hank · « **Reply #96 on:** 15 Jul 2008, 03:52 am »

Somebody stop me!

The screw-up:

Hank · « **Reply #97 on:** 15 Jul 2008, 03:55 am »

Okay, using the Contact clear vinyl to protect the paint. Thd circular marks on this baffle are not scratches, but adhesive:

Danny Richie · « **Reply #98 on:** 15 Jul 2008, 03:55 am »

You should have used the 3M tape.

Hank · « **Reply #99 on:** 15 Jul 2008, 03:58 am »

I did on the one that messed up. The Jasper jig caught it in several places, balling it up, leaving adhesive all over and then the paint was scratched. I think all the jig hole edges caught the edges of the blue painter's tape. Normally our 3M tape works great, but in this case, the Contact shelf liner worked.