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Audio First Designs | Fidelia kit DIY build

@gabo4au really unfortunate about the screws and foam, i had the correct amount and heads were alright, but the foam was slightly narrower, i also used some extra foam just in case.

but all-in-all if it everything came together and sounds nice, i guess not the biggest faults, still this is essentially qc issue, that could be improved.


what measurement software are you using bdw, i'm using rew, but i can't get it to show DI and such..
Screenshot 2026-08-02 at 21.22.53.png
 
@gabo4au really unfortunate about the screws and foam, i had the correct amount and heads were alright, but the foam was slightly narrower, i also used some extra foam just in case.

but all-in-all if it everything came together and sounds nice, i guess not the biggest faults, still this is essentially qc issue, that could be improved.


what measurement software are you using bdw, i'm using rew, but i can't get it to show DI and such..
View attachment 548842

I use REW also. But then export the graphs and import them into VituixCad to get the spinorama type info. In VC, you just set up one "driver" which isn't really a driver it's the whole speaker. Then import all the files from REW, then in the "crossover" section of VC, you just connect from your source to your one driver without any components. That will then show you the graphs for everything you measured.

Yes, the QC issue.. I was also informed that they were moving to a new location during the time my order was being processed. That probably has something to do with the errors. Love these speakers!
 
FYI on measurements
 
I finished my build of the Fidelia speakers. So thought I would come here and give my opinion. Which is, of course, not worth much :)

The good - The speakers are as good as advertised! Paired up with a good sub, in the listing room they were purchased for, they sound fantastic. The room is about 350 sq ft, with vaulted ceiling, and good acoustical treatment on all walls. My sub is actually a bit of overkill, an HSU ULS-15 Mk2. I could have easily gone with something smaller, but I had this one and it's fantastic. I'm powering them with a Wiim Ultra Amp and setting subwoofer delay and applying some very minimal room correction EQ. I'm not using the Wiim "roomfit." I tried it, but did not like the results. I'm using REW and doing the "moving mic" method to get some average readings across the room and applying two general filters to offset a bit of room effects.

The bad - Well there really isn't much bad. But for the sake of other potential buyers, I'll just point out a few very picky things. There were two of the screw packets that were missing screws. One packet was not really a problem as they give you "one extra" screw in each packet to try to prevent these errors. So one packet was one screw short, but in reality it just had the correct screws. One other packet was actually "two screws short" so I didn't have enough screws. Fortunately this was the packet of screws for attaching the crossovers to the back panel, so finding another screw for that purpose wasn't difficult because it didn't have to actually match the other screws. Another screw problem though was a bit more challenging. The hex head screws for the woofers (we call them allen heads in the US) were of fairly poor quality. By poor quality, the hex heads were not formed very well. A couple of them were difficult to tighten because the hex wrench was a "sloppy fit" in the screw head, and a couple others the hex head wouldn't fit in at all as they were too tight. I wound up ditching the screws all together and replacing them with some nice black phillips screws I had in my shop. I was also short the two small pieces of foam for inside the back. Again, I fortunately had some foam I had used for other speakers so I was able to easily resolve that problem.

I did send Audio First an email asking about the missing foam as that was immediately noticed. But never got a response. However, I've had some challenges with email spam lately and their response could have gotten accidentally discarded, so maybe they did respond. I could have come here or other places and PM'd Harry to pursue a response, but the problems were so minor and easily fixed on my part, I did not bother with it.

I finished my speakers with "pure tung oil" which is a finish I'm partial too. It does take a long time to cure, so it's not for everyone.

In the end, I have a brilliant pair of speakers that, to my ear, sound about as good as it's possible for speakers to sound. Here are a few pictures.

View attachment 548817View attachment 548816View attachment 548818View attachment 548820View attachment 548821View attachment 548822View attachment 548819View attachment 548815View attachment 548824View attachment 548827

NOTE: The CTA-2034 chart was measured in my shop. The large anomaly around 200-300hz is a room mode and not actually there. Many of the other crazy bits in the chart are also from room reflections. But overall you can pick out some of the signature parts in the charts if you compare it to Erin's spin data.

Hi gabo4au,

Very happy to see your build and I am glad that you like them!

I actually couldn't find your email. Thank you for sharing and letting me know about the issue, and very sorry about the inconvenience.

For the small acoustic foam - They are used to cushion the bass reflex port tube and fill up the empty space, so without them, things will not be in the right place and they will be rolling around inside, and I wouldn't have sealed the package. So I am surprised that they are missing... (But I am not gonna say the chance that it happens is 0). I am glad that no parts are damaged from the look of it, and you have something to replace them.

But for the missing screws, my bad. I was in the rather hectic process of moving office over the past two months and am still reorganising everything; I dealt with kit orders in between, but I must have mixed the unfinished screw packets with the completed ones, based on what you described. Sorry again that you have to sort it out yourself; tomorrow I am going to check through my stock again and make sure it won't happen in the next kit order.
 
Hi gabo4au,

Very happy to see your build and I am glad that you like them!

I actually couldn't find your email. Thank you for sharing and letting me know about the issue, and very sorry about the inconvenience.

For the small acoustic foam - They are used to cushion the bass reflex port tube and fill up the empty space, so without them, things will not be in the right place and they will be rolling around inside, and I wouldn't have sealed the package. So I am surprised that they are missing... (But I am not gonna say the chance that it happens is 0). I am glad that no parts are damaged from the look of it, and you have something to replace them.

But for the missing screws, my bad. I was in the rather hectic process of moving office over the past two months and am still reorganising everything; I dealt with kit orders in between, but I must have mixed the unfinished screw packets with the completed ones, based on what you described. Sorry again that you have to sort it out yourself; tomorrow I am going to check through my stock again and make sure it won't happen in the next kit order.

No worries at all. I actually had some foam that was pretty much exactly the same as what was there for the big pieces, and the Youtube assembly instructions pointed out the size of the pieces. So I think I got them pretty much exactly the same. It's not worth shipping a few pieces of foam and a screw all the way from the UK!! I've built a few speakers, and many other things, so I have pieces and parts all over the place!

I did think the missing foam was a bit weird, but I checked the package many times to make sure I didn't miss them.

I ran a small company for years and totally understand the "moving office" thing. It gets crazy. I hope you're doing well and things are moving forward for your company. Cheers!
 
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