My 604 project update. Oh my gosh, it's enormous.

[pete1729]

After a time out for some high octane drama, I'm back at it. The cabinet is finished and ready for the 604d.

Some internal bracing.

 

[pete1729]

The finished cabinet.

 

[pete1729]

It's enormous.

 

[pete1729]

Cypress veneered plywood case. The trim is salvaged heart pine from my house. It was a cut off stud. Shellac finish.

 

[BmWr75]

Beautiful wood work.

 

[mvandyke]

Looks good. What crossovers are you putting into the speaker box?

 

[pete1729]

Looks good. What crossovers are you putting into the speaker box?

I'm going with an external crossover. I have the original N1500b with new capacitors, I'll start with that.

I am also most of the way through fabricating a Markwart designed crossover with some midrange frequency EQ built into it. The Markwart XO was designed for the 604e, but it looks like the N1500 with the 30923 circuit added to it.

I have a 604e project underway in another location.

 

[homebrew]

Very nice work. I built a cabinet like that for a client several years ago. Something that large is difficult to work with because it is so heavy. You deserve kudos for pulling it off so well.

 

[Lucky Pierre]

Big speakers are good speakers

 

[pete1729]

Well, here it is. I'm driving it with my Bell 2521 mono receiver. I'm using the N1500b crossover which has newer caps in it. It sounds great and feels like it has tremendous potential.

The Bell has been recapped, but I know it has some weaknesses. I'll finish the Markwart XO in the next couple of days along with my Rek-O-Kut B12 which is getting some new parts. Then I might run it with one channel of my Mac 240.

As it is though, it sounds very good. The bottom end is present, yet still delicate and defined. The HF is maybe a bit brittle, but I think the new XO will take care of that. The midrange is natural and sweet.

Most telling is that my S.O. is accepting the relatively elephantine cabinet in our front room based on the way it sounds.

 

[opnly bafld]

Most telling is that my S.O. is accepting the relatively elephantine cabinet in our front room based on the way it sounds.

Only one probably helps.

 

[Lux Man]

Very nice job. The miter corners look perfect! Huge yep- I just built a similar size sub.(9.5cu') Very few logical and aesthetically pleasing places to put something that big.

 

[pete1729]

Very nice job. The miter corners look perfect! Huge yep- I just built a similar size sub.(9.5cu') Very few logical and aesthetically pleasing places to put something that big.

Track saw, biscuit joiner, and a ferocious adherence to good layout and fabrication practice.

 

[Bicyclist]

Really beautiful

 

[pete1729]

OK, then. This is a complete success. I have an ideal space, which certainly contributes. But this sounds better than I had hoped it would. The delivery of sound is as direct as the way an experienced bartender delivers a Manhattan.

A bunch of 50's jazz, and 60's R&B, but Blues from Skip James made her cry a little.

I'm going to finish the Markwart XO and drop it in, but I'm glad I went with an external crossover and kept the N1500 intact. That might be all I need.

 

[pete1729]

Yesterday and today I spent an unreasonable amount of time replacing the motor in and otherwise tuning up my Rek-O-Kut B12. I had the idler wheel resurfaced by Terry's Rubber Rollers. I dropped a new motor cap into it as well. It still takes about a minute to come up to speed, but once warmed up it registers a .25% rms wow.

The rig, which is primarily meant to play 78's, 45's, and mono LP's, does that admirably.

The Bell 2521 had its tubes checked this spring and the phono section is remarkably quiet. Arguably quieter than my Marantz Model 7 (!)

However what really got me was listening to streaming YouTube music. Listening to Skip James was emotional. This rig really sounds best when the rest of the world is quiet.

Anyhow, maybe tomorrow I'll get the improved XO done.