DIY Soundgroup Zephyr build

[onebadmonte 235]

What's up homies? It's been a while since I've posted anything meaningful. Here is my latest audio venture. It's the Zephyr kit by the latest audio start-up, DIY Soundgroup.

 

A little history/search words about this kit. It's fashioned around the Econowave style, although there is nothing econo about this kit. It was designed by Jeff Bagby. And that's about all I know. 

 

My goals: 

1. To have a reference sound system so I know what to listen for when tuning my auto sound system.

2. Be able to achieve nutty ass rock concert levels.

3. Finally be effing cool.

 

Here is my start, wood!

 

 

Box sides coming together.

 

 

The kit came with a pre-cut baffle. The design calls for a double front baffle, so that meant I needed to cut a second baffle with matching holes. I started off by gluing gluing the second baffle on to the pre-cut baffle. To keep everything lined up I opted to dowel the two baffles together using my trusty but useless drill guide.

 

 

With the baffles glued I drilled some pilot holes for the jig saw.

 

 

My work with a jigsaw. :-0

 

 

A close up of my fine craftsmanship.

 

 

You didn't really think that was it, did you? Time to clean up the carnage from the jigsaw.

 

 

Viola, finished baffles.

 

 

A couple of close up shots.

 

 

 

More on the way.

 

 

[Shogen 325]

whoa!!!

[ssh 924]

Tuned in, I know this is gonna be good!

[Randal Johnson 544]

Nice

[Sencheezy 689]

You're cuts are so freaking good man.

[S.DeYoung 968]

I have purchased a few things from DIY sound group. Their products are awesome, cuts are perfect and those waveguides are top notch.

[S.DeYoung 968]

Great start, waiting for more

[Tirefryr 1,742]

Hurry up! 

[onebadmonte 235]

Thanks guys. More is on the way, you all just got to be patient with this old man.

[onebadmonte 235]

Here is a little update of my shenanigans.

 

A quick mock up of my high tech bracing.

 

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I figured I use a nice $2 terminal cup I picked up at the local Radio Shack on clearance on these speakers. In similar fashion to the cut outs for the baffle I started off with some pilot holes.

 

 

Since this time around I made a steel template at work to guide around the router. This is the "before" routing.

 

 

"After" routing.

 

 

With the rear panel done and glued in place I trued up all the edges using the same bit as on the router table, now just on a hand held router. Here is the box ready for a little trimming.

 

 

The end result, some crisp edges.

 

 

Although the sharp edges are nice I'm more of a round over kinda guy.

 

 

[Quentin Jarrell 671]

Get urself a Fukuda Jig Tool for those rectangle/square holes. You'll thank me later.

[mikey5472 16]

Nice woodworking there sir. I love good craftsmenship.

[supragod98 4]

I like your jig.  I made some on our CNC plasma.  Most of the time for square cutouts I just make a jig with strips of old MDF.  Works great and its basically free.

[frogcase2002 393]

What's the reason for cutting out with the jig saw first then router? Couldn't you have just used the router?

[onebadmonte 235]

What's the reason for cutting out with the jig saw first then router? Couldn't you have just used the router?

 

It's a heavy cut for my weak ass router to begin with, secondly once the drop breaks loose, it's in Gods hands on whether or not it kisses the router bit and goes flying in your face. O_o

[Tirefryr 1,742]

What's the reason for cutting out with the jig saw first then router? Couldn't you have just used the router?

It's faster and prevents burning up bits and makes for a better line.

[Notorious97200 339]

Nice !
I'm waiting for ...la suite        tuned in for more
Round edges gives a much better touch. Well done, sir.

[onebadmonte 235]

Nice !

I'm waiting for ...la suite        tuned in for more

Round edges gives a much better touch. Well done, sir.

 

Thanks. Things are a little slow going with school for the little one just starting. :\ The end is near, I hope.

[onebadmonte 235]

Here I start tackling the crossovers. Not sure about what best practices really are for these things. I've heard here and there that it's best to place inductors as far apart and have the axis of them perpendicular to each other. Like all things audio there are compromises to be made, available space being one of them. Manufacturability (is that even a word?) being another. Since I am not constrained by either, here is what I came up with.

 

I was able to snag some abs scraps from work as the foundation for my crossovers. Here I turn round scraps to nice rectangular boards.

 

 

Not much to show off in the assembly of the crossovers but I will mention that I opted for a steampunk / old school vacuum tube amp style point to point soldering technique.

 

Finished crossovers.

 

 

The compression driver crossover.

 

 

The woofer crossover.

 

 

Tata for now, exit stage right.

[nigel 148]

Looking awesome so far. Keep up the good work. And definitely keep those pics coming.

[ricksi30 923]

You're always up to something crazy cool! Looking good!

[onebadmonte 235]

Looking awesome so far. Keep up the good work. And definitely keep those pics coming.

 

Thanks. I'll get some more pics on the way soon.

 

You're always up to something crazy cool! Looking good!

Ha ha, thanks man. I just need to find a little more time to getting this project done.

[onebadmonte 235]

I'm back with another update on my endless built. This time around I opted to add a little automotive style sound deadener to the back side of the waveguides for a little piece of mind. I started off by making a paper template of the area to be covered.



With the template done I moved on to cutting the sound deadener.



Guess what I did next. Yep, I puts the sound deadener on the waveguides. Here's a little before and after all in the same pic.



With that out of the way I slapped the CD on the WG.



Thanks for watching.

[KyleBrown 121]

very very interesting, 

[jcarter1885 995]

nice looking drivers, what are they?