Hello, this is my first post here,
but I have already learnt a lot from these pages and I would like to thank you, Steve, Palomino, Geno and others.
I started this spring with open baffle. I made plywood frames and added panels made from cardboard, this way changes are easy. My first widebanders were the 6.5 Alnicos I borrowed from my Omegas. Bass is the ubiquitous 15A, driven by 2 Rythmik plate amps from an abandoned project. Even the first attempt was a great success, the Omegas were formidable performers in the baffles and bested the ultraexpensive vintage Altec 755 in a contest.
Then the Crystals replaced the Omegas, and this was and still is a game changer: I have had Planars, Logan CLS and Monolith, and still own Edgarhorns, I have heard Siemens, Western 15 in Germany, but never in my life I have heard something like this:
High speed and low distorsion is hard to believe, and I have just 2 Watts as well. 2nd best now are my Omegas, fantastic speakers, but a bit pricey, especially when you have a look at the tiny chassis with their mini magnet.
Next steps will be tuning the room, finding the final baffle and probably replace the bass, keen to hear Geno's findings!
I have already made barrel baffles according to Geno's with just the Crystals in it. I have learnt a lot from these and would like to share this in my next post, I have yet to find out how to post pictures!

Here is the first baffle, 15A and Omega

Geno's barrels made from SWAP (cardboard, very light, extremely stiff) as well.
Geno's size is brilliant! I am going to tell you why, I think he has not done it yet.

Your's are bigger than Geno's, and I have learnt the lesson from him and Randy:
When we evaluated my rectangular 1m (39") tall baffles, I noticed that my visitors did not take a seat for most of the time. In the evening I found out, that the sound stage is really much bigger, wider, when I was standing, so it dawned on me and I reread Randys remarks about baffle size:
"The low profile allows the speakers a holographic sound stage that floats above the baffles."
When I sit, my ears are about 80cm above the floor, and the stage floats above
1m, just above my head! Then I made Geno's barrels, which are 82cm high,
to verify barrel size and height:
there is a huge stage streaming to you, the waves are not blocked by the baffles any more, so if you are really into stage and image, there is no alternative.
I was so impressed, that I modified my rectangular baffle.
I have also learnt, that the barrel shape gives a slightly wider stage than the rectangle, but the height is more important.
So everybody can do the test, if there is lots of space behind the baffle or many diffusors.
You can see my lowered baffle, the frame is still the same. Even in Geno's baffles there is no problem to fit a 15" and the Crystal.

Welcome Rolls. Randy gets the credit for the design - not me. All I did was scale his up to the largest size that I thought my room would accommodate. I did realize that the driver needed to be kept fairly low to the floor to help with the bass, but, like i said, the credit goes to Randy. And, of course, Steve too for deciding to try and make them bigger and thicker. I'm glad you are experimenting with different sizes and shapes, and that you have found one that works for you.

Hi Pal. For the time being, I've just replaced the drivers in the baffles I got from Randy, with the new Lii 12" bass drivers. I'm still experimenting with how to best connect them. At present, I'm driving them with a Dayton 100W plate amp, but plan to follow your lead, and get a Crown very soon. I'll need a little more power. Thanks for your help with this.

BTW, if you guys are interested in a guaranteed wrap around your head soundstage song, try this:

https://tidal.com/browse/track/67329600

Not my favorite track by any means but sections of the the song loop around behind your head.

I think you will need some horsepower to keep up with the Crystals.  

I have not tried the AEs without the crown yet.  Wondering is wiring the voice coils differently would have much impact.  I just don't know much about the subject.

Another

They sure look like the AE drivers.  Basket, magnet, cone, etc

Still loving my BB's made from 2 layers of 3/4" MDF, widest sound stage ever.  I'm now starting the hardwood version.  It will be prettier than the MDF and will hopefully sound even better.  Using 1.5" birch butcher block from Home Depot.








One question for Steve:  Did you glue the base and front feet on, or they just held in place by the lag bolts?  What size lag bolts did you use?

Thanks

Dan

Dank,

Will you cut two out of that one piece?  It doesn't look long enough.

The main piece of butcher block was cut in half (37" high each), then I took a 5" strip off the side and glued it onto the bottom, using biscuits.  This produced two pieces 42 x 34:





A smaller piece was bought just for the base.  That was cut up and is awaiting gluing.




(There is an extra piece of scrap in the last picture...I may throw it or add it to the top of the base but will not put it where it is in the picture.)

Archie,
I like the appearance of the chrome grills against your black baffles.

Brian

Thanks guys.  I went back and forth on the chrome.  I was afraid it'd look cheesy. I have more peace of mind now.  I have a young cat and I've been nervous he'd get curious.  

Dan, I see you cut through one of your biscuits.  Doh!  He, he, I did the same on my baffles.  

I predict they will be gorgeous.

LOL!  Yeah, I live a bit more in the past here.  BTW, the Disc Washer fluid is a concoction of Photo Pro and distilled water.  The fan is a deionizer (an idea that gratefully came from Jeff of Arabica) so dust isn't much of an issue.

This is what I got.  I was extremely lucky and paid only about $70 delivered for a brand new one.  They are very expensive generally.  This one is the cheapest on ebay right now.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Desco-Ionizer-Model-No-60505/153446270565?epid=14016223...

Thanks guys!

Cool! Thanks, Dom!

Archie..... yes the deionizers are definitely the way to go since they are ALOT quieter than my IQ air unit.  I do like that the deionizer takes the charge off the dust and allows your to blow the particles off the LP’s.

I normally run them at like speed 2 or 3 throughout the day if I am not listening to music.  When I have music playing… I will bring it down to level 1 OR 0 if it’s critical listening.   At the highest level,  I only use when I am not home since they basically act as wind tunnels and are definitely very loud.  

The trademark is burned into the wood.

Wow...nice

Steve..... wow!!  Talk about a work of art!!  Love the logo burned into the wood!!