# New CSS Quartet 10 sub kit build



## mmmducks (Nov 29, 2012)

Hi. First time builder here. We've got a family room where we watch tv and movies and listen to a bit of music. After a year and a half of our current setup it was time for a small upgrade. Have a panasonic panny plasma (awesome) and a low end Yamaha 5.1 receiver with the Cerwin Vega CMX 5.1 speaker set. Happy with the speakers, not happy with the sub. Main goals with this build are stealth, WAF, and an improvement in the bass area.

I looked at a lot of build threads and got some ideas and then started a thread to get some help in modeling something up. Mike P. was a great help in that. I settled on the CSS SDX10 Quartet kit with the two PRs and am building an end table out of it. I was going to originally use a port but space was an issue. My wife insisted it be as close as possible in size to the end table that is already there. So I took the standard design that is suggested (an 18" cube) and messed with the dimensions to come up with what I am building. What I came up with meets all of the WAF and space and stealth-ish requirements. The part that encloses the sub is 20x18x16 but the SDX10 and the two PRs are sunken in and the base and top are extended out beyond that. I plan on wrapping the middle part in an acoustic grill cloth. This should hide the drivers away from curious fingers as well as hiding all of the joints and shoddy construction and making the top piece the only part that needs fine attention to finishing (win-win-win). Amp will be externally located.

You can see my design and some construction pics below. I've got the box mostly built and have learned a ton already, including that building furniture is a lot different than slapping some framing together for walls/shelves/workbenches, etc. I do not have a drill press so I did my best to drill straight holes and get the threaded inserts in straight. I seem to have succeeded on the holes for the PRs but I messed up most of the holes, or the insertion of the inserts, for the SDX10. Looking for some suggestions on how I should correct that. Do I glue wood blocks behind the holes and just use screws? If the holes are straight and it was the inserts that I didn't put in straight should I perhaps try putting t-nuts in the existing holes and give that a shot? Any other ideas? Thanks.

Eric


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## Mike P. (Apr 6, 2007)

The build is looking good. Glue some plywood strips on the inside of the baffle, When you mount the driver avoid the predrilled t-nuts holes, you want the screws to bite both the MDF and the plywood.


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## mmmducks (Nov 29, 2012)

Thanks Mike. Another couple of questions then:

1. Is plywood preferred to a piece solid hardwood (oak) for screwing into?
2. Should I glue plugs into the old holes to seal them or put a bit of silicone in them perhaps?

Eric


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## Mike P. (Apr 6, 2007)

Plywood is more durable than solid wood for taking screws. Silicone is fine for filling the holes.


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## mmmducks (Nov 29, 2012)

Ok. Will do plywood then. Thanks Mike.


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## mmmducks (Nov 29, 2012)

Ok. Been a while but got her working. Got the plywood bits in for the screws. Siliconed up all joints and got some foam in there. Fired her up last night and rewatched the Pearl Harbor attack scene that I had just watched with the old sub. Major, major improvement. Holy macaroni what a difference. Very, very happy. My wife is going to sew up the grill cloth wrap for it ASAP and then I'll paint it in the garage when(if) it's hot out. Some pics below.

PS - is it wrong that I already want to build another one for the other end of the couch?


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## Mike P. (Apr 6, 2007)

Glad to hear that you are enjoying the sub. We look forward to your second build!


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## mmmducks (Nov 29, 2012)

Thanks for your help Mike.


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## Mike P. (Apr 6, 2007)

You are most welcome! That's what we're here for. :wave:


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