# First Speaker attempt



## JackF999 (Jan 30, 2013)

Hope everyone is fine and happy, covered in sawdust, smeared with glue, and wrapped in speaker wire.
Let me tell you, I’ve always wanted to build a Linkwitz speaker ever since I saw his Phoenix design.
However the lack of time and money, courage and such prevented me from attempting this project.

I salute all of you who have completed one of his designs. :clap:

I have chosen to build a Pluto clone ( that I know I can’t call a Pluto ) called Ixion ( a trans-Neptune object).
To begin ( I’m still working on fine tuning the measurements ) is a rough idea of this attempt.

I want to use the basic physical tube design but exchange the ASP electronics with a MiniDSP.
I also want to wrap the PVC tube in a square casing of MDF with veneer like the one shown on the Pluto gallery. I would use something like PE Sonic Barrier to isolate the PVC tube from the MDF casing, probably just on the bottom and top of the PVC pipe gap with the MDF casing.
I would have to use stacked MDF as a baffle for the Seas woofer and also to transition to the square MDF casing.

I just received a shipment from Madisound containing the two Seas woofers and two Aura tweeters.
(Yes to the same address the Umik-1 was to be delivered … nuf said )

I’ve got my eye out on Ebay for a Carver m300 100w amplifier for around $150 and I hope to power the tweeters with a 35w Dynaco tube amp I’ve had for 10 years.
I might need more power but this is what I’m planning for now.
( Well first I’m going to… shock of all shocks… use my Logitech z-5300 as a test amp )

This will be my first attempt at DIY speaker building, but I’ve heard so much about the Pluto design sound and think Mr. Linkwitz is a brilliant and innovative designer.

I could just get sidetracked by the remodel of my house, but I’m determined to get this done. :unbelievable:

I have waited close to 15 years to build a Linkwitz speaker design. And have waited probably the same time to get my hands on a microphone measurement tool like Umik-1. Tried to buy a Clio on Ebay for $300 ish ( that would retail for somewhere around $600 new ) but another guy sniped it for $5 over my bid with like 15 seconds till the end. Deep sigh and Oh well……. :huh:

Thanks go out to first of all Mr. Linkwitz for the great design, people like Gainphile and Davey and MiniDSP, and of course REW for providing technical inspiration and all DIY speaker people everywhere…….. :clap::clap:

Thanks for reading.

Any assistance you could provide would be icing on the cake. :wave:


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

Sounds ambitious, exciting, fun, and I will be watching your progress. Keep us posted.


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## JackF999 (Jan 30, 2013)

You wouldn't believe how fast the diagonal dimension grows
when trying to encase a circle with a square......

Now, I know from Mr. Linkwitz and many others on the net
that a tube is very strong and doesn't have vibrations like
a box.

This makes me think I could use a thin isolated layer of 1/4 mdf
from Home Depot to encase the PVC tube.

To build a case around the tube I could use some nice stiff
fir 1/2 shoe molding, glued and clamped using my little
air nailer. I could then use my big hog 1/2 Hitachi router
( Yes I know its clumsy and a smaller one could be better )
to chamfer the diagonal down and still have 1/2 glue/nail
surface to hold it together.
I would never use 1/4 mdf for a box that would contain
pressure from a speaker, but I think I could pull this off.

Any input on this ?

I plan to use semi-soft foam at the bottom and top as isolation
spacers and the I could also use pillow foam to stuff the rest
of the voids.

This would allow me to veneer the sides, but I would have
a black painted stripe on each corner.
Might look nice......

I thought about the mounting of the Aura tweeter...

I think Mr. Linkwitz used the plug the tweeter into a large
coupling for convenience and to offer DIYers a very stable 
mounting.

I think I'm going to use plain PVC and some black latex
caulk to glue the tweeter flush and then when everything is
honky dory I will mask off the tweeter front and spray the
tube with a small crackle finish..

Am I crazy or what ????//

You decide,...


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## JackF999 (Jan 30, 2013)

Hmmmmmmmm....

Maybe nails as clamping and a big hog Hitachi router bit
wouldn't necessarily be a good thing..
unless they were temporary, since the case wouldn't 
(shouldn't) see pressure.

I need to use a longer piece of PVC tube and use round
mdf circles to make up the difference on the bottom since
I won't be needing the space for the ASP and the height
needs to be the same as in the Pluto design....

I'll use 3 glued layers of mdf for a base and the mdf circles
could also provide a firm solid platform for the PVC tube
to attach to.


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## JackF999 (Jan 30, 2013)

I've been listening to an old pair of Spica TC-50s hooked up
to my Logitech Z-5300 for the subwoofer. ( what a cheapskate, huh?)
( I've been using the Z-5300 for home theater with my projector
and the 110" DIY screen I built with painted Walmart bed sheet and 1x4 inch frames)

Anyway, I built SuperChunks from 3 pieces of 1/4 inch quarter round fir
and used 1" foam and foam can insulation to put them together.
Their pretty light but hold up the R30 insulation well.
Two Owens Corning 1" foam sheets for 14.00 dollars each 3 cans of low expanding
blue foam, one roll of R30, one roll of R13, one king size bed sheet from Walmart 8.00
dollars, and two full sheets from Big Lots produced.....

2 superchunks 24" x 24" x 17" for the corners, 2 side reflecting absorbers for the 
primary reflection points, 1 absorber the middle front wall and 1 for the back rear wall.

This made those little speakers sound much better in the midbass.
Sounds just hang in the air between the little TC-50s.

I'm far from a golden ear. I took a net hearing test and I can only
hear up to 14khz, since I'm 58 and "a man has to do what a man has
to do" when using power tools all his life without ear protection.

Now I know why I didn't like much bass,... It was all mudddddddd.

Below 100hz I know I need panel absorbers, but I can't afford them
now. 

If these Pluto clones sound better I'll be in Audio DIY heaven............

Thanks for reading......


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## JackF999 (Jan 30, 2013)

Just bought 2 5 foot length of foam core PVC from Lowes.

I bounced the foam core and then the solid core on the concrete floor.

The solid core sounded very solid and had a higher frequency ring.
The foam core sounded muted and dull at a distinct lower frequency.

Don't know if it matters that much but the foam core was $6.00 dollars
cheaper. Bought the foam core for $9.56 plus tax.
I probably will need less than 3 feet so I will have at least 2 feet to build
some other tubilicious, tubtastic, etc...... little speakers using mabye
the HiVi speaker Zaph likes, don't know for sure.
Little mini me Plutos. hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I'm going to order some cheapies from PE to test the miniDSP crossover
before I commit the $95 dollar SEAs or the Aura tweeters.


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## JackF999 (Jan 30, 2013)

I've used this site http://www.aqua-calc.com/calculate/volume-cylinder to calculate
the volume of the Pluto from Mr. Linkwitz.

Added 27" x 4" for the main tube
to 4.5" x 2" for the PVC coupler ( This could actually be a little smaller diameter)
to 5" x 2" for the wooden staves around the coupler 
and got 7.39 liters. 

This is for a http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.co...estige-l16rn-sl-h1480-5-aluminum-cone-woofer/

[img]http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/images/products/h1480-specs.png[/img]




















I think this is pretty close to what I've researched from other clone
builders.


Anyone out there who could verify my dimensions ?


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