My ADS 5.1 HT Project

[Spiceman50]

Every thing looks so different on a micro level. I'm looking at this stuff (select the gray tone so you can see the pattern) https://acousticalsolutions.com/product/acoustone-stretch-fabric/

Edit: I contacted them and asked if they could send me a swatch.

Garry~

 

[GD70]

Every thing looks so different on a micro level. I'm looking at this stuff (select the gray tone so you can see the pattern) https://acousticalsolutions.com/product/acoustone-stretch-fabric/

Edit: I contacted them and asked if they could send me a swatch.

Garry~

Hey Gary!
Hope they sent it and hope it's a perfect match!
Let us know!
Glenn

 

[Spiceman50]

I sure will Glenn. thanks!

Garry~

 

[Spiceman50]

Hey Gary!
Hope they sent it and hope it's a perfect match!
Let us know!
Glenn

Well, unfortunately its not an exact match. Not even close actually. Will say it's a beautiful fabric. Very tight weave, and a slight stretch. Clearly one of the highest quality I've seen so far of any of the fabrics I've collected.

 

[GD70]

Well, unfortunately its not an exact match. Not even close actually. Will say it's a beautiful fabric. Very tight weave, and a slight stretch. Clearly one of the highest quality I've seen so far of any of the fabrics I've collected.

Too bad. The search continues!
I'll be getting an extra set of 910 grills at the NY Metro gathering on 9/16. The fabric looks to be in great shape, probably a bit better than mine. Also grabbing a set of recapped crossovers. I'm really curious if there will be a noticeable improvement when swapped.
Glenn

 

[Spiceman50]

Too bad. The search continues!
I'll be getting an extra set of 910 grills at the NY Metro gathering on 9/16. The fabric looks to be in great shape, probably a bit better than mine. Also grabbing a set of recapped crossovers. I'm really curious if there will be a noticeable improvement when swapped.
Glenn

Oh nice!!!! .... Maybe if the grills are nice enough, you won't mind trying that fabric spray you mentioned earlier on your current grills? I'm currently on the hunt for the grill cloth Richard So sent me the link to via Ebay. The manufacture is Milliken. Great news on the Crossovers! ... Hope that works out well for you Glenn. Will they come with the Bi-Tri and Meter modules?

 

[Spiceman50]

I became a Fanboy listening to a pair of 1230's belonging to @Squirrely. He had them hooked up to a Dynaco tube amp and an AR preamp. They were buttery beyond words. @Nerdorama is pumping his 910's with some pretty flashy tube gear, and although I've deemed his 910's sticky dome midrange my favorite of the ADS drivers, it could very well be his tubes that caught my ear.

Sorry it took me a bit to get back to some of these, work .... arghh. I would love to hear the L1230's on a tube amp. I keep my eye open for one locally via CL but until I can get a return air vent installed in this room, the added heat is just too much. Although the room is 25 x 25 Between my computer and the large TV plus the HT equipment I have, it can get quite intense in here.

 

[Porkloin]

Sorry it took me a bit to get back to some of these, work .... arghh. I would love to hear the L1230's on a tube amp. I keep my eye open for one locally via CL but until I can get a return air vent installed in this room, the added heat is just too much. Although the room is 25 x 25 Between my computer and the large TV plus the HT equipment I have, it can get quite intense in here.

I never realized how much heat an LCD can throw off until just the other day, and I've got them all over the place.

 

[GD70]

Oh nice!!!! .... Maybe if the grills are nice enough, you won't mind trying that fabric spray you mentioned earlier on your current grills? I'm currently on the hunt for the grill cloth Richard So sent me the link to via Ebay. The manufacture is Milliken. Great news on the Crossovers! ... Hope that works out well for you Glenn. Will they come with the Bi-Tri and Meter modules?

Maybe the ebay fabric Richard recommended is the charm!
I have the bi & tri-amp cards as well as the LED cards. Some day I'll try bi-amping these.
I'll pick up the fabric spray regardless, should make them look like new.

 

[Spiceman50]

I never realized how much heat an LCD can throw off until just the other day, and I've got them all over the place.

Same here, my TV is a 65" plus I have a high end Gaming rig with a 30" 2k monitor. I used to run 2 Nvidia 870 video cards which is pretty much two hair dryers pumping out tons of heat. I replaced those cards with a 1080ti card and it cut my heat output by at least 75% from the Video Cards but it still gets pretty warm in here.

I'm in the process of renovating this room and will install a return air vent to help exhaust the heat. Still, if I see a good price on a tube amp locally, I'll still consider it. Winters coming up and I can always open a window!

 

[Spiceman50]

Maybe the ebay fabric Richard recommended is the charm!
I have the bi & tri-amp cards as well as the LED cards. Some day I'll try bi-amping these.
I'll pick up the fabric spray regardless, should make them look like new.

That would be so sweet if you do get to the point were you can Tri amp those. Excited to see the day in a video in your other thread. The fabric Richard recommended is not expensive so I just may buy a yard of it instead of going through the hassle of trying to find a source that would send me a swatch. I must have about 3 yards of different material and several swatches in my quest, I'll be sure to update this thread if and when I can or do find a match.

 

[GD70]

That would be so sweet if you do get to the point were you can Tri amp those. Excited to see the day in a video in your other thread. The fabric Richard recommended is not expensive so I just may buy a yard of it instead of going through the hassle of trying to find a source that would send me a swatch. I must have about 3 yards of different material and several swatches in my quest, I'll be sure to update this thread if and when I can or do find a match.

 

[Spiceman50]

I finally found some time to get on the speaker grill for the Center. I still have to fit the grill cloth. I'm on the search for an inexpensive sewing machine ... as the design for the grill pretty much require's some sewing. Time is not my friend this year. This project is the easy one, the hard one will be getting the Surrounds covered.

I never could find and exact match @GD70, hard as I tried. I'm going to just go with Richard So's recommendation and use the stuff he suggested. I have to get the tweeter and midrange covered. I've got lint on them now from a towel I used to protect them from my room re-modeling. (face plant).

 

[GD70]

I finally found some time to get on the speaker grill for the Center. I still have to fit the grill cloth. I'm on the search for an inexpensive sewing machine ... as the design for the grill pretty much require's some sewing. Time is not my friend this year. This project is the easy one, the hard one will be getting the Surrounds covered.

I never could find and exact match @GD70, hard as I tried. I'm going to just go with Richard So's recommendation and use the stuff he suggested. I have to get the tweeter and midrange covered. I've got lint on them now from a towel I used to protect them from my room re-modeling. (face plant).

View attachment 1060435 View attachment 1060438 View attachment 1060442

I sure they will look fabulous when your done. I love your mid enclosure! Looks totally factory made!

 

[Spiceman50]

Thank you Glenn. In as far as I'm so proud of the work, I'm also so very happy with how it sounds. I've learned a lot though the process, both in terms of what I've read though this site as well as wood working. And funny as it sounds to me ... math. I chuckle over my thoughts as a 15 year old so many years ago, wondering why I would ever need to know fractions.

 

[Spiceman50]

Can I ask you a really dumb question? I am thinking of building an "Epi" center channel for an "Epi" HT set up. I do not believe ADS ever made a center and I know Epi didn't either. Might I ask how you counter sink your drivers? I assume you cut the driver holes and use a router to counter sink them? How did you get it so perfect?

I can't ever remember being asked a dumb question (wife questions excluded) Yes, I routed them by hand. However, I kind of free handed them after tracing the pattern and have learned how to do it better since. Pencil in the pattern, then with a chisel, tap it it along the edge to give you that very sharp and professional edge. Then you wont have to come so close to the edge with your router. If this doesn't make sense, Please don't hesitate to get back with me. I LOVE assisting!! Honestly MrZutra, I really wish I would have asked that question myself before I started. Free handing a router around the edge was .... a real pain.

Edited:
Painting .... because the MDF will soak up the paint, I used several coats of KILZ as a base. The wood will soak that up filling in the micro holes. Sand between coats to get a very smooth texture. This will absolutely be your secret magic to a super smooth and professional paint job in the end. As pictured, you can use regular wall board paste (Spackling). I used the pink so I could tell when it was completely dry. Sand smooth and look for any holes or improfections. No matter how small dab the speckling over the hole, then sand off the excess when dry. Don't worry, the speckling won't crack over time. It will absorb the lacquer and become hard.

 

[Goggle1824]

It's nice looking work Spiceman.

 

[Porkloin]

Can I ask you a really dumb question? I am thinking of building an "Epi" center channel for an "Epi" HT set up. I do not believe ADS ever made a center and I know Epi didn't either. Might I ask how you counter sink your drivers? I assume you cut the driver holes and use a router to counter sink them? How did you get it so perfect?

I can't ever remember being asked a dumb question (wife questions excluded) Yes, I routed them by hand. However, I kind of free handed them after tracing the pattern and have learned how to do it better since. Pencil in the pattern, then with a chisel, tap it it along the edge to give you that very sharp and professional edge. Then you wont have to come so close to the edge with your router. If this doesn't make sense, Please don't hesitate to get back with me. I LOVE assisting!! Honestly MrZutra, I really wish I would have asked that question myself before I started. Free handing a router around the edge was .... a real pain.

Edited:
Painting .... because the MDF will soak up the paint, I used several coats of KILZ as a base. The wood will soak that up filling in the micro holes. Sand between coats to get a very smooth texture. This will absolutely be your secret magic to a super smooth and professional paint job in the end. As pictured, you can use regular wall board paste (Spackling). I used the pink so I could tell when it was completely dry. Sand smooth and look for any holes or improfections. No matter how small dab the speckling over the hole, then sand off the excess when dry. Don't worry, the speckling won't crack over time. It will absorb the lacquer and become hard.

I'm sure it would be a bit of work, but I've heard of guys using the drivers in question and router bushings to make jigs, kind of like the "butterfly inlay" template kit that Jasper sells. Not everyone has Spicey's hand/eye coordination.

 

[Porkloin]

Quoted from @dogwan in an earlier thread:

t can be done with a Router and an Inlay Bushing set. I like the Whiteside set.

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/09...uYJVP_X85GkZEzoAgjXbonHGSu6LvEFH10aAjS88P8HAQ

It would be a multi-step process. But, once you've made the template you would be good to go.

Here's how I would do it.

1. Start with a 1/2 piece of MDF big enough to serve as a template.
2. Use a circle cutter to cut a round hole large enough for the bulk of the driver to sit in it with the odd shaped flange sitting directly on the MDF. Temporarily screw the driver to the MDF.
3. Cut some spacers the same thickness as the flange of the driver (you want something for the router base to ride on) and use double stick tape to put them around the driver flange. Leave enough space between the spacers and the outer edge of the driver for the router collar and bushing.
4. Route around the driver using just the brass collar (not the additional bushing) and the supplied special bit. Only go 1/2 way through the MDF. Have a helper use either a vacuum or an air hose to keep as much of the sawdust away from the driver as possible.
5. Remove everything from your template.
6. Use a jigsaw to cut away the bulk of the MDF inside the line you just routed.
7. Now use a flush trim bit to route flush to your original line.
8. Now you have a template. If you use the same bit in the collar, but with the extra bushing you will route an exact replica of the driver flange that you used as a guide (the bushing offsets the position of the cutter the same distance as the distance from the outside of the collar to the bit).
   
   
9. You could at this point use the setup to route another piece of MDF so you only have to use a flush-trim bit (with a top bearing) to cut your inset.

Hope that made sense. Once you've used an inlay set a couple times it makes a lot more sense.

Obviously, if you can get your hands on an extra dead driver you don't have to worry about the sawdust as much.

 

[Spiceman50]

Time to get back to my project. Took this week off to get'er done. Got the grill work done, again, thanks goes to @MATT0404 for providing me with some pics to get a visual on the front side of the grill box. As I've mentioned before, at this point I will seek an upholsterist (sp?) to do the Grill Cloth (I recognize my limitations). Stitching is required and best left to those who can do it better'n me. Mistakes, yes ... I've made a few. But it's been fun. Not completely done yet but close. After I get the grill cloth put on, I'll send the drivers to Richard to refresh them with some new domes. First, I'm going to enjoy these for a bit. When I get the Grill's done, I'll post finishing photos and do a Youtube highlighting them. I will also send the grill box for the center speaker to have that professionally covered as well. I did it myself ... and learned some things just have to be hired out.

I got the 1/4 x 1/4 steel rod from Home Depot. One rod covered one box. I had to add another bottom on the speakers to give me the room to mount the correct size wood trim. In my first attempt, I failed to remember I needed some distance for the Bottom Grill Support. Otherwise, the support would have covered part of the Woofer just above the trim. This caused me to have to strip down the paint on the speakers. I will be pulling out the Insulation in the boxes and replacing it with another "better" material. The insulation was from the L810's I started the project with. For humor, I included my work bench table top before I started and for reference, and just how cluttered it gets during the process.