# I.S.C.T. - 'Hearing Music The Way The Artist(s) Intended It To Be Heard'



## UpperCut (Feb 8, 2016)

Hi there,

I wanted to contribute with some of my own DIY handy work once I found this forum section and its invitation to do just that! Well, I’m sure that my design ideas will not please everybody and most likely raise eyebrows as well, but never the less I like very much to think out of the square and with that look at thinks in different ways to improve and beautify if possible. So here are my latest DIY build ups from ideas I worked on intensely about 12 years ago.

OK, here is my first design I always wanted to build except that it got a little bit more involved because when I was preparing to cut my slices I realized in one cut actually three (3) other were included. So this is a build up of a speaker enclosure in four (4) sizes 1, 2, 3, & 4 like bookshelf, automotive car, automotive van, and well yes no.1 I leave that to your own imagination, but I mite say it myself HiFi & Automotive maybe?
(I’m sure if anybody has read that far down that surely will stir the pot!)

Before I go into the details a little bit more I like to mention that at this stage I build the size 2 & 3 and I’m heavily into building size no.1 presently. The overall sound quality on both finished enclosures types (no. 3 sealed with a 300 Watt 6x9 Infinity speaker 46 Hz to 23th Hz – and no. 2 with a 6x9 Lanzar 1200 Watt 60 Hz to 21th Hz with a 10” Passive Radiator) with everything right from the start of the running in period was very promising, and after one (1) week wave generator & two (2) weeks music program it is quiet breathtaking to listening to either type, but out of different reason.

As you maybe will have noticed this design is of course build with I.S.C.T. - 'Innovative Slice Construction Technique', and it is ONE design shape yet 'AS IS' and can be used in 3 different application! Like Imaging / Reference & Subs.

Let’s start with no. 1: Sub with single or dual PR's from 8" to 12". Speaker chassis can be also 8", 10" & 12" as this building technique offers volume adjustment! WORK IN PROGRESS! and definately a Hi-Fi item as the weight alone (around 40+ Kg) would make it diffucult to use in an automotive application. About the internal volume I would at this stage say that it lies between 30 & 60 Litre / 1.05 to 2.1 cubic foot.

Next up no. 2: I assume best suited for ... well, very wrong! as I have used these now in a Hi-Fi & automotive set up, and I'm smitten with its performance! yet of course need some more measurements for really judging, but they sound great if not better then the system I sampled with. Usefull for 6x9, 6.5" & 8" with PR(s) - (presently AS IS shown in my Images they are running around 40 Hz). I always claimed myself that 6x9 speaker chassis were underestimated and are I mean if you find a good one can be used in many different settings!

Next up no. 3: Great performing set up especially with these Ifinity which seem to be good speaker chassis (factory specs 46 Hz).

My idea also was to 'Artistically Enhance' my build ups so that is why I made the side panels exchangeble! The MDF wood carving is in its raw stage as it is presently with an Artists to be finished off! I use also leather carving inserts Etc. lots of ideas as you can see!!! rgs UpperCut


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## ajinfla (May 10, 2009)

Welcome to the forum, looks good. Perhaps you can share some "during" build pics to see how it all came together.

cheers


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## UpperCut (Feb 8, 2016)

ajinfla said:


> Welcome to the forum, looks good. Perhaps you can share some during build to see how it all cam together


Hi there, of course I will elaborate as soon as I have this large no.1 assembled some more! at the moment I’m covering side panels and PR decoupling rings, and I still wait for the main covering material which should arrive by the weekend so YES ASAP with pleasure!!! Rgs UpperCut


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## robbo266317 (Sep 22, 2008)

Welcome aboard and thanks for joining us here at HTS.

-Bill


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## UpperCut (Feb 8, 2016)

robbo266317 said:


> Welcome aboard and thanks for joining us here at HTS.
> 
> -Bill


Thank you neighbour! rgs UpperCut


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## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

Interesting design ideas. But what does it have to do with how the artist intended the sound to be heard?


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## UpperCut (Feb 8, 2016)

lcaillo said:


> Interesting design ideas. But what does it have to do with how the artist intended the sound to be heard?


Hi there,
Thanks for your reply! It would be very easy to understand IF I would be able to convey to you or for that matter to many body else not just in the printed word but physically the difference in the sound reproduction these units make!!!
I mean we all naturally like to think about our own if bought or build off in a way that these are especially good yet in this case there is not much what I could refer to except been an audiophile since the early 90th and have listen to and owned many very good systems (including building them as well) but even after many years of researching and intensely working with all of this – these little puppies have proven me & my years of studding audio in some little detail and listening for hours quiet wrong! and as said before impossible to convey by the printed word. 
We have been too eager to take a lot of what was or is said about enclosures for granted as you can see very well in the non existing advancement of the same yet in the electronic side of it we are leap years ahead.
These enclosures are build ups to ideas I was working on around 12 years ago yet now building them gave me opportunity to include newer items which I worked on over the years (like Resonance and damping options Etc. etc.) I mean I.S.C.T as a Sandwich construction technique is nothing new yet never readily used in a way like rectangular coffins even so possibilities in design & development are endless, but not used as much as they need commitment – meaning they are a lot of work say the least.

rgs UpperCut


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## UpperCut (Feb 8, 2016)

To no. 1:
I mentioned that the volume of the enclosure would lie between 30 & 60 Liter, but this one as on the Image is AS IS between 33.5 & 36.0 liter presently. I'm not sure as yet which of my two (8" Swan / Hi-Vi 8 Ohm from Canada or the 10" Boss 4 Ohm automotive driver) as these are drivers I have at the moment in that size so I assume it will be the 10" first as I'm still looking for a suitable 12" at the moment for running & testing.









The next Image shows outer and inner decoupling rings A) left side white outer speaker decoupling ring & an inner ring both for the 8". Middle one is a 10" outer ring again & an inner one this time with threaded rubber nuts. The third set are both inner decoupling mounting rings for two 12" PR's.









This Image now is showing the two drivers I will use, and as well as two more options of using the exect same enclosure as above in a different way!










Well, that is it for today but more will come ASAP - some of the main items are getting covered at the moment!

rgs UpperCut


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## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

Well, the work looks very nice. Have you made any measurements that comparatively demonstrate the advantages to all of the effort that goes into this type of build? Do you have a more conventional cabinet of the same volume to compare the performance of the same drivers in, for instance?


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## UpperCut (Feb 8, 2016)

Hi again,

I have been not able to play around with enclosures if it came to building for a few years now, but consistently worked on my developments throughout! Due to my job I had as an English prestige car restorer I was not able to do so yet since mid of December I’m in early retirement due to and accident caused by somebody else and so .... what would you think was the first thing I got back into.

I had worked during my off time on my four developments I had for some time, but since a couple of days I included a quiet new one and so I have five (5) now four still to be build as one is the one on this thread. Three of them fully designed & developed to the 'T' with anything and everything. 
One which is new needs work yet the number five is actually the big one which incorporates everything I ever learned and build, but that is really a very big one not only in size & weight but also very expensive.

Now again YES to advantages simple because if you understand me more you will find that I’m taking month of time to simple work out everything on an enclosure, but again I know which driver I want and with that I have researched these and with it everything I could find. So I do not myself need to have a more conventional cabinet as this type of work has most likely been already done by others which have all the needed data available. The problem with I.S.C.T. is calculations which are enormously complex in the beginning, but to check each and everyone of them is so easy – in my case I use water and with that I can be as precise as I need to be. 

To my believe I work in a way that I build / tune the enclosure towards perfection to the chassis not the other way around. The fine tuning & testing I found is easy in the end IF TAKEN ENOUGH TIME IN THE BEGINNING to develop.

Rgs UpperCut


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## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

What data do you have that you are using to inform your design?


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## UpperCut (Feb 8, 2016)

lcaillo said:


> What data do you have that you are using to inform your design?


Hi again,
Sorry, but not quiet exactly sure what you are asking???

rgs UpperCut


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## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

You said you have all the needed data...What data is that? So far, I see a very nice looking design, but no actual data nor design reasoning.


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## Savjac (Apr 17, 2008)

This thread is kind of confusing. I do not really see anything relating to the thread title. 

I hope further discussion makes things a bit more clear.


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## UpperCut (Feb 8, 2016)

lcaillo said:


> You said you have all the needed data...What data is that? So far, I see a very nice looking design, but no actual data nor design reasoning.


OK, there could be some shortcomings on my part with exactly that understanding what you are asking (me Foreigner) and in particular which one of the three you referring to, but I will try to answer this.

*******

If I may I like also ask a question with regards to my new development:
Have you ever heard or got knowledge of – Semi Closed / Vented Enclosure Arrangements like for example in a MTM configuration???

*******

No.1 is under construction!

My data is that of available specs of chassis used with data of what I could work out to use like volumes etc. I have here two enclosures no.2 & no.3 which as you have seen have two 6 x 9 chassis presently so with that technical info is rare like hens teeth as these are automotive chassis. My data is that of collecting data and using my experience.

I could have used simple for this build up in no.3 - 6.5 speakers or in no.2 - 8” or 10”, but I was more interested in at this stage finding out how 6 x 9 would work, and so from the design point of viewing the shape that is easier as you can see two main angles 30 & 40 degree on them, and either side is able to accommodate different speaker chassis and that with of course different results to the beaming of the natural audio angles of 0, 15, 30, 45 … degree. No.3 is great for Imaging if it comes to using that type in a van were as no.2 is similar yet by far-far more intensive and if it comes not only to power over the whole spectrum with extreme precise, clear and such detailed reproduction and not to forget the extended bass with reproducing music of areas like lower midrange & higher – lower bass which I never ever heard before on many of my available music program if CD, SD Card or USB etc. I don’t have any options to Vinyl. 
My intention was to try to prove if right or wrong when it came to the angles and the reproduction of these angles just like if I have Toe-In or / and use negative camber on an enclosure everything was theoretical and it looked all quiet promising but the outcome was overwhelming.

Design reasoning is simple to me personally ‘if I understand this right’ making changes from what is truly not working or not working as everybody would wanted it to be - yet is kept alive as development is expensive and why spend money …. Over the years there were some attempts to make changes especially from the DIY community globally, but I’m aware that that is not easy and never was to swim against the flow!


Rgs UpperCut


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## UpperCut (Feb 8, 2016)

Savjac said:


> This thread is kind of confusing. I do not really see anything relating to the thread title.
> 
> I hope further discussion makes things a bit more clear.


I surely can’t promise you that at all as everything different & new does not hit the spot at first glance!!! 
It needs open mindedness and to step away and even out of the square to see to comprehend and understand.
You can't (at least I do not) expect something like this what needed me personally years to figure out to be the next revolution and acknwledged imidiately!!!

Sorry forgot:
The header does relate to this thread very much.
But as mentioned before it is not possible to convey such great difference without hearing it as well as in this case feeling it!


Rgs UpperCut


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## Savjac (Apr 17, 2008)

UpperCut said:


> I surely can’t promise you that at all as everything different & new does not hit the spot at first glance!!!
> It needs open mindedness and to step away and even out of the square to see to comprehend and understand.
> You can't (at least I do not) expect something like this what needed me personally years to figure out to be the next revolution nd acknwledged imidiately!!!
> 
> Rgs UpperCut


I do apologise Uppercut if you were offended, I merely meant that the responses thus far presented do not seem to support the Hearing Music The Way the Artist intended heading. I note you are trying to discuss or present the way you build speakers or at least subwoofers I think.


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## UpperCut (Feb 8, 2016)

Savjac said:


> I do apologise Uppercut if you were offended, I merely meant that the responses thus far presented do not seem to support the Hearing Music The Way the Artist intended heading. I note you are trying to discuss or present the way you build speakers or at least subwoofers I think.


Hi again,
By no means I found you mentioning what you did offending! I have left that behind me a long time ago and I’m aware very much that what I’m doing raises eyebrows and is stirring up the normal easy way of looking at audio. I had these discussions already 10 or more years ago as I like to think and question things as well. 
Now this header is having a great meaning to me and it is related to much-much more then I have stated so far – sorry for your confusion on that, but in time it will become clear yet nobody really has ask the right question yet – only the normal once and that been as normal and nice yet very doubtful about it!

Now to the last sentence these enclosures are Imaging / Referencing & Sub woofer enclosures in a form of usable (not all) in Hi-Fi & automotive application!

Rgs UpperCut


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## UpperCut (Feb 8, 2016)

As per the above write up here a few new Images to be shown what happen on the weekend.

The body part has been covered with charcoal artificial leather! The decoupling ring is only used presently to mould into the cutout.









Side view 1: The colour scheme is related to our New Zealand indigenes people which use Black, Red & White in there Art! I have used charcoal instead of solid black as the main colour as black comes with the PR’s & most speaker chassis. All colours are artificial leather.


















Nothing as yet is trimmed still all quiet raw, but a view of some of the structual.


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

Looks great!


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## UpperCut (Feb 8, 2016)

And again as per the above write up here a few new Images to be shown what happen after the weekend.

Just a raw / coarse assembly to figure out the rest of items to be ordered Etc. and I'm still waiting for the speaker chassis to arrive so here just a fitting with substitutes chasssis!

rgs UpperCut


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## Lumen (May 17, 2014)

lcaillo said:


> Interesting design ideas. But what does it have to do with how the artist intended the sound to be heard?





Savjac said:


> ...the responses thus far presented do not seem to support the Hearing Music The Way the Artist intended heading. I note you are trying to discuss or present the way you build speakers or at least subwoofers I think.



Thank you for sharing your build, Uppercut. You have some very handsome cabinets there! But I also have to agree that your title does not describe your discussion - except for "I.S.C.T." which you defined in your opening post as follows:


UpperCut said:


> ...As you maybe will have noticed this design is of course build with I.S.C.T. - 'Innovative Slice Construction Technique', and it is ONE design shape yet 'AS IS' and can be used in 3 different application! Like Imaging / Reference & Subs.



You do seem to describe what you mean by "Hearing Music The Way The Artist(s) Intended It To Be Heard." in a later post...


UpperCut said:


> .
> The header does relate to this thread very much.
> But as mentioned before it is not possible to convey such great difference without hearing it as well as in this case feeling it!


As Savjac mentioned, your posts describe your build, but say little of how it relates to the artists' music. I think we all understand you are saying your speakers must be heard to be believed. Can you please tell us about some of their sonic characteristics? Do you have any measurements you can share?


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## UpperCut (Feb 8, 2016)

Hi there,

Thank you very much for your reply and question!

I could say YES & NO …. But as I only got back into DIY enclosure building end of Dec 2015 I’m still working on so many things to find all my recorded knowledge from around 12 years ago when this my last design, and which was actually developed in quiet some detail. I worked on this with good equipment to find mostly the measurements of what difference it was making physically with the use of decoupling items, shapes & modeling internal areas etc. with models so not finished or completed enclosures. As well as that my findings were more of a static nature and on hard copies like hand drawn graphs which I created from that data.
I have still a lot which I have to go through like computer hard drives & hard copies from that time which has my information even so I have to say most of it is outdated and of course would not apply any longer as I have - yes - used the design (as a build up) but also have improved the methods of Resonance dispersion & internal & external dampening techniques! and again Etc.
I always do build ups first to find anything & everything to improve make fewer mistakes and in general have all improvements included there and then. 

At this point I have started using newer techniques which I developed in the last year for the inside & outside of enclosures a dampening techniques which I believe are a very large factor in this amazing turn around experienced in the reproduction, reproducing such clean, clear, precise & detailed sounds with even more amazing bass extension and with it to my claim to this header ‘Hearing music the way ……’. 

Anyway, I’m sure that more and more data will emerge and I will be happy to share that as well. Unfortunately I do not have certain software programs any longer and most of all any of my equipment which I had to leave in Europe then, but I was thinking to get that send over to NZ in the next few month. It will take time for sure, but be ensured that there is a lot more were this or these came from!!! 
And may I include this 'all quiet different in view' from what was offered until now.

Rgs UpperCut


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## UpperCut (Feb 8, 2016)

Hi there again,

Just picked up the 'Artistically Enhanced' painted side panels from the Artist. New Zealand Maori Art & Colours as a lay in for the side panels intended for no.2 enclosure!


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## UpperCut (Feb 8, 2016)

Hi there again,

This build of a Sub Woofer for 12 Inch, 10 Inch or 8 Inch chassis with single or dual 12 Inch Passive Radiators has gone on over a few months now, but finally the Art work was finished and I can run it now.

Of course like always build with the I.S.C.T method for good measure, but this time the weight is a little over powering (47 Kg) so not that easy for one person to move around. Presently I have still have not ordered a suitable 12 Inch driver as I’m not sure which one to get out of the vast pool of chassis suited, but most of all one I like.

Anyway, when I started building this monster a few month ago I was at two minds about if to use 1 or 2 Passive Radiators and so I decided on two yet make room for the single one as well which means as much as that when I would want to use just one PR I would exchange the side panels to solid once or would use wood carving in them etc.

rgs UpperCut 

PS: *Maybe an item to mention to this particular build would be that the Art plate is actually not only a cover for the hole for a single PR, but also is used for the fine tuning of the enclosure volume once the final driver is chosen (unfortunately I have no Image of that), but at the moment it is shaped and about 4 Inches thick reaching into the compartment.*


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