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- Nov 20, 2008
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Looking a bit like something from a cheesy horror film, this is actually sound-absorbing wool before it was stuffed inside the cabinets:
Your going to get a lot of pleasure building your own speakers, especially if the sound is right for you. Thanks for sharing this with us so keep it coming.
stop, stop, stop for pity's sake, how much longer is this going to go on for. they are 30 year old speakers, there's got to be something better in life than looking at b+w pictures of old speakers.
- Nov 20, 2008
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No-one's forcing you to look, and have you ever seen how a speaker is made before?
I shall see if I can find some extra pictures, just for you!
I shall see if I can find some extra pictures, just for you!
the trouble is i cant tear my self away from it, i made some about twenty years ago, i think they are still in the attic, i think i'll go and take some photographs of them, only jokin, carry on.
so big and sort of round it was, and what's this in the bottom,,,, a pair of speakers. so mr cribbins said.
Mr Mucus:so big and sort of round it was, and what's this in the bottom,,,, a pair of speakers. so mr cribbins said.
Makes a nice change to get a light hearted response to a tongue in cheek post. Quite a few would have got narky,cheers mr mu it made me smile.
Electroman,this realy is a cracking change from the norm. Personaly i think the b/w shots add to the history of this thread,if you get my drift.
Makes a nice change to get a light hearted response to a tongue in cheek post. Quite a few would have got narky,cheers mr mu it made me smile.
Electroman,this realy is a cracking change from the norm. Personaly i think the b/w shots add to the history of this thread,if you get my drift.
- Nov 20, 2008
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idc:
Keep going ElectroMan, you are posting a bit of hfi history. I have not seen the inside of a speaker before. Do you know if there has been much development over the years, or are speakers still pretty much the same now as then?
I'm not much of an expert on speaker tecnology, but I would guess most of the development has been in driver design, and the principles of speaker cabinet construction have not changed much. Having said that, I think there are some interesting 'rounded' cabinets these days, and I'm not sure if any transmission line speakers are still in production, presumably because other ways been found to get deeper bass (including subwoofers)? I'm sure someone on this forum could enlighten us on this?
Anyway, here is today's update:
This is one of the speakers on its front (speaker plinth to the right), with stuffing inserted. Pieces of white net curtains were used to keep it in place where necessary!
The rear of the cabinet has two bitumous felt panels applied, and you can just make out the leads going through the back panel and into the stuffing on their way to the crossover.
'Transmisssion line' speakers use a convoluted internal chamber to increase the bass output. The 'exit point' of the chamber in the speaker above is actually at the top of the front baffle (which will be clearer in a subsequent photograph).
IMF and TDL were two British speaker manufacturers who specialised in TL loudspeakers. If you want to know more, this is a useful source.
Keep going ElectroMan, you are posting a bit of hfi history. I have not seen the inside of a speaker before. Do you know if there has been much development over the years, or are speakers still pretty much the same now as then?
I'm not much of an expert on speaker tecnology, but I would guess most of the development has been in driver design, and the principles of speaker cabinet construction have not changed much. Having said that, I think there are some interesting 'rounded' cabinets these days, and I'm not sure if any transmission line speakers are still in production, presumably because other ways been found to get deeper bass (including subwoofers)? I'm sure someone on this forum could enlighten us on this?
Anyway, here is today's update:
This is one of the speakers on its front (speaker plinth to the right), with stuffing inserted. Pieces of white net curtains were used to keep it in place where necessary!
The rear of the cabinet has two bitumous felt panels applied, and you can just make out the leads going through the back panel and into the stuffing on their way to the crossover.
'Transmisssion line' speakers use a convoluted internal chamber to increase the bass output. The 'exit point' of the chamber in the speaker above is actually at the top of the front baffle (which will be clearer in a subsequent photograph).
IMF and TDL were two British speaker manufacturers who specialised in TL loudspeakers. If you want to know more, this is a useful source.
I have been reading this thread from the beginning, great thread, keep the pictures coming.
It's just a shame we can't hear what the speakers sound like.
It's just a shame we can't hear what the speakers sound like.
- Nov 20, 2008
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Mr Mucus:thats where i left my wig
Here's a crossover, pinned to the bottom of the cabinet. The wires coming out are to the bass driver.
Here's a crossover, pinned to the bottom of the cabinet. The wires coming out are to the bass driver.
To answer the question, yes transmission line is still used in some small, expensive (i.e. not "bookshelf") speakers such as B&W and PMC.
I dont think its quite as fashionable as it was in the 70's when it was a newer idea. Still it has its uses, though it can (IMHO) slow down/delay the bass somewhat.
I still have a build your own speaker book which my dad bought me from Maplins about 20 years ago - lots of graphs!
I'd like to build a small set one day, possibly reverse engineer something more exotic - if that's not illegal/immoral!
I dont think its quite as fashionable as it was in the 70's when it was a newer idea. Still it has its uses, though it can (IMHO) slow down/delay the bass somewhat.
I still have a build your own speaker book which my dad bought me from Maplins about 20 years ago - lots of graphs!
I'd like to build a small set one day, possibly reverse engineer something more exotic - if that's not illegal/immoral!
- Nov 20, 2008
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ashworth_rich:To answer the question, yes transmission line is still used in some small, expensive (i.e. not "bookshelf") speakers such as B&W and PMC.
I dont think its quite as fashionable as it was in the 70's when it was a newer idea. Still it has its uses, though it can (IMHO) slow down/delay the bass somewhat.
Yes, I've just seen an ad for PMC in the latest WHFSV, and it does mention 'Advanced Transmission Line tm'.
ashworth_rich: I still have a build your own speaker book which my dad bought me from Maplins about 20 years ago - lots of graphs!
I'd like to build a small set one day, possibly reverse engineer something more exotic - if that's not illegal/immoral!
Probably an infringement of copyright or something, but it would certainly be interesting.
Here's the front of one of the speakers as it nears completion, with all the stuffing and drive units in place.
The open transmission line chamber at the top is protected by a piece of grill material *. Velcro strips have been applied to the front edges (yes, we had Velcro back in those days) to attach the front grill.
(* The white rectangle bottom left is my attempt at making a name badge for it!)
I dont think its quite as fashionable as it was in the 70's when it was a newer idea. Still it has its uses, though it can (IMHO) slow down/delay the bass somewhat.
Yes, I've just seen an ad for PMC in the latest WHFSV, and it does mention 'Advanced Transmission Line tm'.
ashworth_rich: I still have a build your own speaker book which my dad bought me from Maplins about 20 years ago - lots of graphs!
I'd like to build a small set one day, possibly reverse engineer something more exotic - if that's not illegal/immoral!
Probably an infringement of copyright or something, but it would certainly be interesting.
Here's the front of one of the speakers as it nears completion, with all the stuffing and drive units in place.
The open transmission line chamber at the top is protected by a piece of grill material *. Velcro strips have been applied to the front edges (yes, we had Velcro back in those days) to attach the front grill.
(* The white rectangle bottom left is my attempt at making a name badge for it!)
I've always wanted to build some Linn Isobarik DMS mock-ups...yours look amazing though! Did you keep them long/how good did they sound? (edit: That KEF driver is the dog's!)
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They sounded pretty good to me, although my previous speakers were bookshelf types (can't remember the brand). Certainly the bass was amazing! I eventually gave them to a friend ...
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And here it is with the grill partly attached:
This was some quite stiff speaker grill cloth (more like thin wood) stuck onto a simple wooden frame. It wasn't easy to glue it on to the frame, and it had a great tendency to come unstuck in places.
The grill wasn't all that transparent, sonically speaking, so I usually used the speakers with the grills removed.
I did eventually paint the front baffle to tone down the glare of the raw chipboard!
This was some quite stiff speaker grill cloth (more like thin wood) stuck onto a simple wooden frame. It wasn't easy to glue it on to the frame, and it had a great tendency to come unstuck in places.
The grill wasn't all that transparent, sonically speaking, so I usually used the speakers with the grills removed.
I did eventually paint the front baffle to tone down the glare of the raw chipboard!
They kinda remind's me of some KEF concerto speakers i had from the early 70's in fact it looks like the same bass driver! The concertos' where ace, really BIG sound.
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The Kef Concerto's were really nice, and I believe they used the same Kef B139 bass unit.
Here is the first speaker I finally finished:
(The crease you may be able to make out is on the photograph, not the speaker!)
The sides and top were covered with vinyl plastic - I really ought to have used proper veneer, as there were a few air bubbles in places.
Here is the first speaker I finally finished:
(The crease you may be able to make out is on the photograph, not the speaker!)
The sides and top were covered with vinyl plastic - I really ought to have used proper veneer, as there were a few air bubbles in places.
Very interesting article ElectroMan; well done. I think the mag should publish it as there must be lots of people out there interested.
However, I did offer a DIY story to the mag when building my own cinema, from scratch, on a small budget, but they didn't show any interest.
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