DoggieHowser Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 It's supposed to be a DIY project but it sure looks like a factory where the speakers were being built I am curious where he got the Nautilus tweeter from though. He didn't seem to fabricate that in the video. And are the B&W kevlar midrange and woofers available from third party suppliers? I always thought these were exclusive to B&W I also wonder if the real thing is built on similar lines.
hochopeper Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 (edited) Seems odd to do a replica project like that ... still cool though!! There is this vid of the 800series diamond speakers construction from B&W too - http://blog.bowers-wilkins.com/sound-lab/film-the-making-of-an-800-series-diamond-loud-speaker/ Later on I'll see if I can find some links to other extreme DIY projects just for fun. I usually have more admiration for guys who have done something unique and put some design thought into their project, seems really odd to do a replication of a speaker and use the B&W drivers and everything. Some of the B&W spares are available for replacement parts I believe - http://www.bwgroupsupport.com/parts/partslist-bw provide this for the USA, I'm not sure how to source the same locally, they aren't cheap though so most DIYers wouldn't bother with them. Edited January 4, 2013 by hochopeper
Atlas Gouverneur Posted January 5, 2013 Posted January 5, 2013 thanks for posting that up! very interesting to watch the transformation.
sweefu Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 Just incredible. Where might I find some more videos or builds like these ones?Cheers.
planet10 Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 All that effort and he compromised by building it out of MDF. Sad dave
DoggieHowser Posted January 6, 2013 Author Posted January 6, 2013 I don't know if he could have gotten the curves if he wasn't using MDF. I read that B&W helped him with the project and it does seem the original was also using similar materials.
planet10 Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 Exactly the same technique could be used with plywood or other materials. The B&W bass enclosures are all plywood, the mid & top are "plastic" dave
DoggieHowser Posted January 7, 2013 Author Posted January 7, 2013 Ps The original used some pressing machine to get the curves. A custom built press I think. Don't know how he could have done it otherwise.
planet10 Posted January 7, 2013 Posted January 7, 2013 There is an impressive video somewhere on the B&W site of the construction. IMO, MDF is an unsuitable material for building high quality speakers. dave
DoggieHowser Posted January 7, 2013 Author Posted January 7, 2013 Yes hochoepper posted the link. As I said it's a custom press of different layers of plywood. But the internal components look like MDF/HDF type material.
DoggieHowser Posted January 7, 2013 Author Posted January 7, 2013 Apparently B&W used to use MDF for the 800 (series 1). The new one uses ply but there is still MDF used in the cabinets.
Atlas Gouverneur Posted January 7, 2013 Posted January 7, 2013 I went through the build thread and these cost him $9000US just for the drivers and cross overs... So $30k isnt really that bad at all to buy this years model. I would choose MDF over plywood myself, homogeneous resonance properties and higher density.
planet10 Posted January 7, 2013 Posted January 7, 2013 MDF over plywood myself, homogeneous resonance properties and higher density. The former is what affords MDF to ooze a continuous time smeared low level signal that kills the DDR. Density is not something one looks for in itself. Givn 2 panels with the same stiffness & thickmness, the lighter one is generally better. dave
Atlas Gouverneur Posted January 7, 2013 Posted January 7, 2013 you are right. A combination of increased mass and lower modulus of elasticity lowers the resonance frequency. i take back what i said.... he should have chosen ply
DoggieHowser Posted January 7, 2013 Author Posted January 7, 2013 b&W too I guess what do they know about speaker design?
lusk Posted January 7, 2013 Posted January 7, 2013 I went through the build thread and these cost him $9000US just for the drivers and cross overs... So $30k isnt really that bad at all to buy this years model.I would choose MDF over plywood myself, homogeneous resonance properties and higher density. And if you consider labour of 450 hours and working weekends you would be almost at just buying a pair. Pretty impressive build although building his own design would have been better.
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