They're Aliiiive!! N3's in Cherry.

Plund · « **on:** 21 Apr 2010, 07:05 pm »

For obvious reasons, I believe I need to call these my new "GRN3 ver EBAG4.ST" speakers...and yes, I am like'n them alot! I have been occupying much of my spare time the past months getting these to the "finished" stage. My 7 1/4" worm-drive skil-saw and sanding block have been actively engaged...I see why someone saw the need to invent "the Tablesaw".

I am very appreciative to the many of you who share your skill and expertise in this forum...you emboldened me to attempt a number of firsts. i.e. Raw veneer is cool stuff...when held up to a bright light, you can see through it! It really does stick very well to MDF when ironed-on with "Heatlock". My apologies to some of you purists...I felt a need to color the Cherry veneer a bit with some alcohol based Dye. The picture shows them to be a little lighter than they actually are. I chose to finish using Shellac, another first, which was wiped-on. I think the Shellac did accentuate the natural beauty of the figured cherry.
How do they sound? I used to think the speakers I built long ago sounded pretty good (MTM configuration of 8" Eminence woofers and SEAS dome tweeter). Now, in comparison to my N3's, my old speakers sound boomy, muddy. The N3 bass can't reach quite as low as my old ones, but I like the N3 bass much better because it is tight. As
I type, listening to James Taylor, "October Road", the intrument's sound much more accurate than I am used to. Danny, thanks for creating such an awesome design! I am undecided if my next build will be the Servo-sub or an N3s center.

ebag4 · « **Reply #1 on:** 21 Apr 2010, 07:11 pm »

Very nice job Plund!

Best,
Ed

NeilT · « **Reply #2 on:** 21 Apr 2010, 07:21 pm »

Beautiful, love the cherry.
Servo Sub Next, you will have no regrets.
Neil

Ron · « **Reply #3 on:** 21 Apr 2010, 07:32 pm »

Your new N3's look really great! Nice work. What performance upgrade options did you use? I plan to build a pair of of the N3 sealed if I can sell my Neo 2X's.

dgshtav · « **Reply #4 on:** 21 Apr 2010, 07:45 pm »

Congrats on your build! They are very Beautiful!

We want pics from the side too!

persisting1 · « **Reply #5 on:** 21 Apr 2010, 07:49 pm »

Wow

I agree. More pictures!!!

jtwrace · « **Reply #6 on:** 21 Apr 2010, 07:57 pm »

Quote from: NeilT on 21 Apr 2010, 07:21 pm

Beautiful, love the cherry.
Servo Sub Next, you will have no regrets.
Neil

+2

roymail · « **Reply #7 on:** 21 Apr 2010, 10:50 pm »

I like these "singing towers"

(sorry couldn't resist due to a striking similarity).

Beautiful job!

What are you driving them with, and can you tell us what these speakers do well in your room? I know it's subjective, but go ahead anyway.

Can the port be on the front or back side? Thanks for posting the pics.

mlbrand · « **Reply #8 on:** 21 Apr 2010, 11:05 pm »

Very well done!

After building my sealed N3's I can appreciate how good these must sound, especially with more bass in the tower form!

JackD201 · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 Apr 2010, 12:02 am »

Simply beautiful. If they sound even half as good as they look, I'm sure you're enjoying a little slice of heaven over there. Good job. Good job.

sl_1800 · « **Reply #10 on:** 22 Apr 2010, 12:54 am »

Very nice job.

dBe · « **Reply #11 on:** 22 Apr 2010, 03:19 am »

Quote from: Plund on 21 Apr 2010, 07:05 pm

For obvious reasons, I believe I need to call these my new "GRN3 ver EBAG4.ST" speakers...and yes, I am like'n them alot! I have been occupying much of my spare time the past months getting these to the "finished" stage. My 7 1/4" worm-drive skil-saw and sanding block have been actively engaged...I see why someone saw the need to invent "the Tablesaw". I am very appreciative to the many of you who share your skill and expertise in this forum...you emboldened me to attempt a number of firsts. i.e. Raw veneer is cool stuff...when held up to a bright light, you can see through it! It really does stick very well to MDF when ironed-on with "Heatlock". My apologies to some of you purists...I felt a need to color the Cherry veneer a bit with some alcohol based Dye. The picture shows them to be a little lighter than they actually are. I chose to finish using Shellac, another first, which was wiped-on. I think the Shellac did accentuate the natural beauty of the figured cherry.
How do they sound? I used to think the speakers I built long ago sounded pretty good (MTM configuration of 8" Eminence woofers and SEAS dome tweeter). Now, in comparison to my N3's, my old speakers sound boomy, muddy. The N3 bass can't reach quite as low as my old ones, but I like the N3 bass much better because it is tight. As
I type, listening to James Taylor, "October Road", the intrument's sound much more accurate than I am used to. Danny, thanks for creating such an awesome design! I am undecided if my next build will be the Servo-sub or an N3s center.

Very nicely done. I love cherry, especially curly cherry. I like how it changes with time. Photochromic woods are very cool. The shellac finish is old school and the best way to finish woods like cherry. I use shellac a lot in my woodworking to pop the grain. You did a great job with a worm drive and a sanding block. Better you than me on that one...

Speakers that we build just are more satisfying than ones from a store, huh?

Dave

Danny Richie · « **Reply #12 on:** 22 Apr 2010, 06:10 pm »

Great work!

I love the look.

roymail · « **Reply #13 on:** 22 Apr 2010, 08:05 pm »

Front or rear port... does it matter?

Danny Richie · « **Reply #14 on:** 22 Apr 2010, 10:14 pm »

Quote

Front or rear port... does it matter?

With the transmission line terminating in the rear you have some flexibility to alter the output by moving it closer to or further from the wall.

With the transmission line terminating in the front then you get what you get, but it does allow you to place it closer to the rear wall without coupling effects. You can however add a foam layer in the bottom of the transmission line opening to deepen and soften its output if needed.

chip · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 Apr 2010, 12:03 am »

Those look very nice - great job on them!

Outofthewoods · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 Apr 2010, 12:48 am »

Incredible job man!

Did you go with the stock N3 kit?

Ruben

Plund · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 Apr 2010, 10:51 pm »

Quote from: Ron on 21 Apr 2010, 07:32 pm

Your new N3's look really great! Nice work. What performance upgrade options did you use? I plan to build a pair of of the N3 sealed if I can sell my Neo 2X's.

Ron, I stuck with the standard N3 kit which does have sonicap bypass caps. I was very tempted to upgrade to the mills resisters and sonicaps but needed to draw the line somewhere. I did dampen the cabs with No-rez and Acousta-stuf fill. I was wanting to use a 3/8" roundover, as I think you do, but did the simpler sharp corner instead. I was afraid I would overextend my extremely basic veneering skills.
I agree with Dave...Curly Cherry has a very nice look...I will post a few more pics when I return home from attending my son's college graduation.

Light-Echo · « **Reply #18 on:** 25 Apr 2010, 12:55 am »

Very nice Plund!

What material and finish did you use for the baffle? And what is the radius on the bottom?
Also, what did you use for the base?

I've been collecting the pictures of the N3 builds I really like. Yours is the newest addition.

I'll be doing the squared off cabinet also as the baffle will be rounded off and will serve to minimalize diffraction issues.

Thanks for posting your pics!

Dave

Light-Echo · « **Reply #19 on:** 25 Apr 2010, 01:00 am »

By the way, what did you use for cabinet treatment, ie No-Rez and...?
I will be using the No-Rez but I wasn't really thinking about stuffing it with poly fill or such. Should I?
(I'm doing the transmission line build and I wondered what difference it would make).

Thx
Dave