Hello, I made a pair of these. here are some pics
http://groups.msn.com/wattpuppyclone
http://groups.msn.com/wattpuppyclone
DIY Watt/Puppy clones
Category: Speakers
http://users.nac.net/markowitzgd/david/david.htm
I always wanted to build my own loudspeakers. Finally i had some time and internet provided information previously unavailable. The only problem was picking the right one amongst dozens of available projects. I chose Thorsten Loesch DIY Watt/puppy clones made of wood , for the same reason he did. Both of us loved the sound of the original. I thought, it should be easy and cheap, but it didn't end-up to be so easy, nor so cheap. However, end result was a mix bag of success and disappointment.
I generally followed the instruction the the letter, until i was about to cut and assemble the David monitor (Watt) part of the speakers. The instruction calls for cutting the MDF in right angles, and filling the gaps with fillers and foam. It didn't sound right to me so i played with geometry little bit and calculated the angles to cut them so the sides could fit and slide right into each-other. Right kind of tools (nice table saw along with the numerous sizes of clamps, senders etc.) had to be purchased that inevitable added to the expense of the project. Briefly, i also lined the bottom and backs of the monitors with 1/8" thick lead sheet., layer of bitumen pads and 2" thick foam throughout. Thorsten plan called only for layer of bitumen self adhesive pads. Assembled with all the drivers in one speaker weighted over 40lbs, and dead upon knocking on any of the sides.
Woofer (Puppy) enclosure was easier, but on the long run gave me a whole lot more problems. But later about that. X-over parts are according to plan, but i couldn't;t resist not to try (at that time) hot topic of the DIY town AudioCap Theta, that i mounted on the tweeter part of crossover, along with recommended Ansar capacitors made in England. Goertz foil inductors for the mid and tweeters, Air Core for the woofers. Resistors were carbon comp Allen Bradley and North (North Creek). Silver plated 16g wire throughout monitors and 10g copper in the woofer section. Drivers are Focal 120TDX2 titanium-dioxide tweeters found in many hi-end speakers, for mid Seas CB17RCY and Peerless 8" woofers. Both, monitors and woofers are port loaded.
After initial excitement, i engaged into some critical listening, and found bass region to be at unsatisfactory level. Boomy and undefined bass was a sure reason to be concern about. Especially when the test disc exposed the speakers low end at only 40HZ. According to Thorsten he got them down to 28hz, which still makes me little skeptical. People at the Madisound advised that box of 50liters. (Thorsten plan requires box of 50liters. volume) is too big for the pair of 8" Peerless. Something between 38 and 42ltr would be ideal, according to Madisound.
I dissembled the woofer boxes and lined them with styrofoam blocks, to change the volume to 42liters. The results were obvious and good, and with some room treatment and better speaker positioning results were even better. However, seem to be a excessive output (50-60Hz) on some recordings. Note that i suspect my room has bad dimension ratio for room-mode distribution.
Now, good stuff! Midrange and highs were great from the start. I like solo piano works and was pleased that piano sounded BIG and crystal clear. Particularly leading edge of piano notes. No glassy hardness easily heard on lesser speaker. The sense was one of ease, and warmth. The soundstage is in back and appears that it exceeds in depth rather than width, however plentiful bass gives soundstage much larger and more expansive appearance. Same thing with voices and large orchestral music. I could see clearly into the concert hall, and pick-out (most of the time) individual instruments.
Good clean sounding speakers, that could give speakers in range between 2 - $4K run for its money.But only if you are into building things, as these speakers were not easy nor cheap to build.
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Product Weakness: bass-heavy
Product Strengths: wonderfully warm, rich rendering of timbre, deep soundstage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Pass Aleph 3
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Cary SLP-50
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Dpa 1024
Speakers: clones
Cables/Interconnects: Discovery 123
Music Used (Genre/Selections): classical/piano/opera
Room Size (LxWxH): 24 x 12 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: Rigid fiberglass on wall
Time Period/Length of Audition: 3 yrs
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://users.nac.net/markowitzgd/david/david.htm
I always wanted to build my own loudspeakers. Finally i had some time and internet provided information previously unavailable. The only problem was picking the right one amongst dozens of available projects. I chose Thorsten Loesch DIY Watt/puppy clones made of wood , for the same reason he did. Both of us loved the sound of the original. I thought, it should be easy and cheap, but it didn't end-up to be so easy, nor so cheap. However, end result was a mix bag of success and disappointment.
I generally followed the instruction the the letter, until i was about to cut and assemble the David monitor (Watt) part of the speakers. The instruction calls for cutting the MDF in right angles, and filling the gaps with fillers and foam. It didn't sound right to me so i played with geometry little bit and calculated the angles to cut them so the sides could fit and slide right into each-other. Right kind of tools (nice table saw along with the numerous sizes of clamps, senders etc.) had to be purchased that inevitable added to the expense of the project. Briefly, i also lined the bottom and backs of the monitors with 1/8" thick lead sheet., layer of bitumen pads and 2" thick foam throughout. Thorsten plan called only for layer of bitumen self adhesive pads. Assembled with all the drivers in one speaker weighted over 40lbs, and dead upon knocking on any of the sides.
Woofer (Puppy) enclosure was easier, but on the long run gave me a whole lot more problems. But later about that. X-over parts are according to plan, but i couldn't;t resist not to try (at that time) hot topic of the DIY town AudioCap Theta, that i mounted on the tweeter part of crossover, along with recommended Ansar capacitors made in England. Goertz foil inductors for the mid and tweeters, Air Core for the woofers. Resistors were carbon comp Allen Bradley and North (North Creek). Silver plated 16g wire throughout monitors and 10g copper in the woofer section. Drivers are Focal 120TDX2 titanium-dioxide tweeters found in many hi-end speakers, for mid Seas CB17RCY and Peerless 8" woofers. Both, monitors and woofers are port loaded.
After initial excitement, i engaged into some critical listening, and found bass region to be at unsatisfactory level. Boomy and undefined bass was a sure reason to be concern about. Especially when the test disc exposed the speakers low end at only 40HZ. According to Thorsten he got them down to 28hz, which still makes me little skeptical. People at the Madisound advised that box of 50liters. (Thorsten plan requires box of 50liters. volume) is too big for the pair of 8" Peerless. Something between 38 and 42ltr would be ideal, according to Madisound.
I dissembled the woofer boxes and lined them with styrofoam blocks, to change the volume to 42liters. The results were obvious and good, and with some room treatment and better speaker positioning results were even better. However, seem to be a excessive output (50-60Hz) on some recordings. Note that i suspect my room has bad dimension ratio for room-mode distribution.
Now, good stuff! Midrange and highs were great from the start. I like solo piano works and was pleased that piano sounded BIG and crystal clear. Particularly leading edge of piano notes. No glassy hardness easily heard on lesser speaker. The sense was one of ease, and warmth. The soundstage is in back and appears that it exceeds in depth rather than width, however plentiful bass gives soundstage much larger and more expansive appearance. Same thing with voices and large orchestral music. I could see clearly into the concert hall, and pick-out (most of the time) individual instruments.
Good clean sounding speakers, that could give speakers in range between 2 - $4K run for its money.But only if you are into building things, as these speakers were not easy nor cheap to build.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product Weakness: bass-heavy
Product Strengths: wonderfully warm, rich rendering of timbre, deep soundstage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Pass Aleph 3
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Cary SLP-50
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Dpa 1024
Speakers: clones
Cables/Interconnects: Discovery 123
Music Used (Genre/Selections): classical/piano/opera
Room Size (LxWxH): 24 x 12 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: Rigid fiberglass on wall
Time Period/Length of Audition: 3 yrs
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
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