JBL Speaker Project
- Thread starter Duffinator
- Start date
My LE14A subs should be up here in the coming week.
powerman
Super Member
Duffinator
Spin The Black Circle
Thanks for the link. Have you used any of these on a vintage looking speaker before and if so which color do you recommend?
jackgiff
Well-Known Member
Sample of grille cloth on the way.
I mailed the cloth sample today. It might feel too much like plastic to you, but it is great cloth and easy to work with. It comes in several different colors if you don't like the black/brown. Plus it is very open, so it doesn't block the sound your drivers will produce.
The source is Antique Electronics Supply, and their website is <http://tubesandmore.com/>. They have 39 different patterns and colors for antique radios, and 16 for guitar amplifiers. I would almost bet they have something you will like. You can even order samples (first two are free) since actual cloth may look different than pictures on the web.
My Altec Santana's which Zilch referred to are done with the cloth I sent you. I love dark colors, but not everyone does. Your mileage may vary. Anyway, when you finish with the grilles, please post another picture of two of them. They are very nice.
I mailed the cloth sample today. It might feel too much like plastic to you, but it is great cloth and easy to work with. It comes in several different colors if you don't like the black/brown. Plus it is very open, so it doesn't block the sound your drivers will produce.
The source is Antique Electronics Supply, and their website is <http://tubesandmore.com/>. They have 39 different patterns and colors for antique radios, and 16 for guitar amplifiers. I would almost bet they have something you will like. You can even order samples (first two are free) since actual cloth may look different than pictures on the web.
My Altec Santana's which Zilch referred to are done with the cloth I sent you. I love dark colors, but not everyone does. Your mileage may vary. Anyway, when you finish with the grilles, please post another picture of two of them. They are very nice.
Duffinator
Spin The Black Circle
Jack, thanks I'll let you know when I receive it. I looked at your pictures and that cloth might just do the trick.
OP, thanks for the offer. I need two pieces about 24" x 28".
OP, thanks for the offer. I need two pieces about 24" x 28".
onepixel
.
Sorry...I didn't post pics last night. I was doing Happy Birthday Part II with the guys. I killed a few brain cells.
I think I have enough to cover your speakers.
Duffinator
Spin The Black Circle
Got your package today, thanks a bunch. That cloth is of better quality and has less plastic in it than what I bought at PE. But the PE has a bit more of a vintage look to it but it will be difficult to work with for sure. I may order some of this cloth but in a lighter color.
After playing around with some pieces of 3/4" x 3/4" hardwood stock I have I think what I was planning to do for the grill frames will work. I'll just need to use the router I borrowed to trim up a few spots to fit along one of the woofers. Stay tuned.
onepixel
.
I finally remembered. Thwo pieces at 25 1/2" x 36". When you stand back and look at it as a whole it looks pretty nice. I put a white and black piece of paper behind it. That's where you see the color difference.
O.K., Duff, you've had your new speaks playing for a week, now, and presumably, opportunity to hear your eclectic favorites through them. May we have benefit of a more comprehensive review now?
In particular, are there any performance characteristics which may warrant attention when you bring them down for measurement and tweaking, so I can be thinking about how they might be improved?
In particular, are there any performance characteristics which may warrant attention when you bring them down for measurement and tweaking, so I can be thinking about how they might be improved?
Duffinator
Spin The Black Circle
Abridged: Great. Comprehensive: They sound great.
O.K., here's the checklist:
Open
Spacious
Detailed
Solid
Deep
Musical
Articulate
Tight
Defined
Accurate
Dynamic
Warm
Revealing
Realistic
Pounding
Powerful
Clear
Airy
Transparent
Smooth
Refined
Euphonic
Punchy
Romantic
Exciting
Natural
Vivid
Trustworthy
Loyal
Brave
Clean
Reverent
:
Spacious
Detailed
Solid
Deep
Musical
Articulate
Tight
Defined
Accurate
Dynamic
Warm
Revealing
Realistic
Pounding
Powerful
Clear
Airy
Transparent
Smooth
Refined
Euphonic
Punchy
Romantic
Exciting
Natural
Vivid
Trustworthy
Loyal
Brave
Clean
Reverent
:
Duffinator
Spin The Black Circle
I'm just messing with you. If I get some extra time this afternoon I'll post a more detailed review. But I'm' not going to discuss how romantic they make me. 
The original plan was to use 1" baffles but they won't fit. You can't really see if from the photo but there's a recessed lip and only 3/4" will fit. I'm also planning on doing some cross bracing in the cabinets but that will be the last step. I'm not sure exactly how I'm going to do it yet. Battens were also suggested for the sides. These are standard Barzilay kit cabinets and while a nice kit they are not quite up to current speaker cabinet bracing standards.
Hey Duffinator, Those are beautiful.
if you want to use 1 - 1.5" thich baffles, just offset the edges at 3/4" with a dado...
Duffinator
Spin The Black Circle
Thanks. Easy for you to say but my woodworking skills are very limited. But I'm going to cut grill frames out of MDF using the router I borrowed so it will be the second time in my life that I've ever used one! But I'm learning.
Duffinator
Spin The Black Circle
OK Zilch here goes.....keep in mind that I mostly listen to rock/pop/punk with some classical throw in to keep me honest. I have not listened to any classical music with them yet but now that I'm writing about it I'll do so over the next couple of nights.
HF: They are very open and spacious. I'm amazed as to what I'm hearing in songs that I never heard before. The detail and clarity coming from the speakers is not something I'm used to. Cymbals and high hats really come through, so much so that on several occasions I had to wonder what the sound was. These are my first "Horn" loaded speakers using compression drivers (see pictures earlier in the thread) that I've used owned but I doubt they will be my last. I was of the opinion that horn loaded drivers were bright and shrill, mostly from listening to less expensive speakers. Not these or anything else I've heard at ZilchLab. They sound very natural and image well with a solid sound stage that presents depth to the music. The highs are so solid and clear that I haven't even touched the l-pads yet. Since there is a thread about accuracy in speakers I'd say the HF's are about as accurate as I've ever heard. I was originally going to use the BMS drivers but after hearing the 2452H-SL's I quickly changed my mind.
MF: Excellent with acoustic guitars sounding like they are in the room. As I already mentioned to Zilch I was listening to Led Zeppelin IV the other night and was very impressed listening to Going to California. Sounded like Jimmy and the boys were lined up across the stage right in front of me. Realistic and natural sounding. :yes:
LF: The upper bass is not as detailed as I've heard from some of Zilch's other creations or from the Revel F52 floor standers I heard over the weekend (these retail for $6,500 a pair). Zilch has suggested that I upgrade to some different JBL woofers but that's not in the budget for now. But it is still very solid with no boominess at all. Very clean sounding with the ability to hear each note from a bass guitar without thinking it's all the same note. These speakers hit surprising low (even though I know they are tuned to 30 Hz) and have usable bass lower than I expected. I have no problem rattling things in the room at moderate to high output levels. Very powerful bass considering the "vintage" LE14A's.
There is room for improvement here and I believe this is the area where we will be able to tune them further this weekend. Keep in mind that there is virtually no dampening material inside as well and I have not done anything to stiffen the cabinets yet. I did hear some rattling (a vibration) from the speakers sitting on the stands I made and I might use some Velcro to more securely attach the stands. I might even drill holes in the bottom of the cabinets and bolt them together. I'll post pictures of the stands when I take them to Zilch's this weekend. Maybe even some buck shot in the bottom of the cabinets as well.
One thing I would do differently next time is set them up to bi-amp. Zilch suggested that I do that but I originally thought it wasn't necessary. But after looking at several pairs of other speakers I own I should have done it anyway. It's easy enough to correct should I decide to do so later. I'd also build cabinets from scratch. These were a bit limiting since I wanted the ability to return the Barzilay cabinets to their original configuration down the road. Maybe I'll build new cabinets next summer.
Overall I'm quite pleased with my first speaker project but there's still a lot more to learn.
HF: They are very open and spacious. I'm amazed as to what I'm hearing in songs that I never heard before. The detail and clarity coming from the speakers is not something I'm used to. Cymbals and high hats really come through, so much so that on several occasions I had to wonder what the sound was.
These are my first "Horn" loaded speakers using compression drivers (see pictures earlier in the thread) that I've used owned but I doubt they will be my last. I was of the opinion that horn loaded drivers were bright and shrill, mostly from listening to less expensive speakers. Not these or anything else I've heard at ZilchLab. They sound very natural and image well with a solid sound stage that presents depth to the music. The highs are so solid and clear that I haven't even touched the l-pads yet. Since there is a thread about accuracy in speakers I'd say the HF's are about as accurate as I've ever heard. I was originally going to use the BMS drivers but after hearing the 2452H-SL's I quickly changed my mind.MF: Excellent with acoustic guitars sounding like they are in the room. As I already mentioned to Zilch I was listening to Led Zeppelin IV the other night and was very impressed listening to Going to California. Sounded like Jimmy and the boys were lined up across the stage right in front of me. Realistic and natural sounding. :yes:
LF: The upper bass is not as detailed as I've heard from some of Zilch's other creations or from the Revel F52 floor standers I heard over the weekend (these retail for $6,500 a pair). Zilch has suggested that I upgrade to some different JBL woofers but that's not in the budget for now. But it is still very solid with no boominess at all. Very clean sounding with the ability to hear each note from a bass guitar without thinking it's all the same note. These speakers hit surprising low (even though I know they are tuned to 30 Hz) and have usable bass lower than I expected. I have no problem rattling things in the room at moderate to high output levels. Very powerful bass considering the "vintage" LE14A's.
There is room for improvement here and I believe this is the area where we will be able to tune them further this weekend. Keep in mind that there is virtually no dampening material inside as well and I have not done anything to stiffen the cabinets yet. I did hear some rattling (a vibration) from the speakers sitting on the stands I made and I might use some Velcro to more securely attach the stands. I might even drill holes in the bottom of the cabinets and bolt them together. I'll post pictures of the stands when I take them to Zilch's this weekend. Maybe even some buck shot in the bottom of the cabinets as well.
One thing I would do differently next time is set them up to bi-amp. Zilch suggested that I do that but I originally thought it wasn't necessary. But after looking at several pairs of other speakers I own I should have done it anyway. It's easy enough to correct should I decide to do so later. I'd also build cabinets from scratch. These were a bit limiting since I wanted the ability to return the Barzilay cabinets to their original configuration down the road. Maybe I'll build new cabinets next summer.
Overall I'm quite pleased with my first speaker project but there's still a lot more to learn.