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Hivi 3.1A DIY Speaker With Sehlin Mod Review

7 ohms is fine for R1. I have a parts bin full of 6.8 ohm resistors, but for whatever reason, the closest thing Parts Express sell is 7 ohms. The difference is about 3%.

@HighFutility In general, the list seems reasonable. I don't like the 20 ga. air core for the 1.2 mH inductor. The 20 ga. air core will have enough added DC resistance to negatively impact the bass response. Ideally, there would be a 1.2 mH 18 ga. laminate core inductor like the IC181 that Parts Express sells.
There is another source that has something closer, jfcomponents.com

www.jfcomponents.com

Capacitor

18-160vY
www.jfcomponents.com www.jfcomponents.com

They will probably have the other values you need at a competitive or better price.
 
Mudjock said:
7 ohms is fine for R1. I have a parts bin full of 6.8 ohm resistors, but for whatever reason, the closest thing Parts Express sell is 7 ohms. The difference is about 3%.

@HighFutility In general, the list seems reasonable. I don't like the 20 ga. air core for the 1.2 mH inductor. The 20 ga. air core will have enough added DC resistance to negatively impact the bass response. Ideally, there would be a 1.2 mH 18 ga. laminate core inductor like the IC181 that Parts Express sells.
There is another source that has something closer, jfcomponents.com

www.jfcomponents.com

Capacitor

18-160vY
www.jfcomponents.com www.jfcomponents.com

They will probably have the other values you need at a competitive or better price.
Click to expand...
I am completely green. I welcome all criticism of my parts list and greatly appreciate your input. I will gladly replace anything you suggest, as I want the best listening experience.
 
I ordered the kit, planning to keep it simple and just do the Sehlin option 4 (thank you for your generosity in sharing this.)

Anybody have any thoughts on recessing the mid. driver to be flush with the other drivers/ baffle? It aesthetically bothers me ( a bit) having that one driver stick out. The mid-driver hole could be rabbeted easily enough. The tweeter and/ or mid-driver flanges would then have to be trimmed to sit together.

Curious why HIVI didn't just design the baffle to allow the drivers to not overlap. (Wharfedale EVO4.2 for reference.) There's so much speculation regarding the necessity of driver proximity, plenty of speakers that measure well with the drivers being fairly spaced apart.
 
I guess my thought is that this is the back of the same tweeter.
297-421_ALT_0.jpg

It would not have been difficult to make a rectangular, oval, or truncated faceplate instead of the big round one. Then the spacing between the mid and tweeter could have been kept small without needing to overlap the driver flanges and have the midrange driver surface mounted. I've seen the same tweeter sold with this faceplate.
57_68f50731-70d5-4d94-adf5-04844e2505a9.jpg
 
If going mod six, only three parts of the cross-over are reusable. The C4, L2, L3. Is this correct?
 
HighFutility said:
If going mod six, only three parts of the cross-over are reusable. The C4, L2, L3. Is this correct?
Click to expand...
That's correct, but if you have a reasonable way to measure inductance, it would be possible to unwind L1 from 1.5 mH to 1.2 mH.
 
So, I ran into a minor hiccup with the build. I ordered the unit in March and only got around to opening it recently. Does anyone have suggestions for stuffing, lining, or absorption? The box did not come with the supplied foam, and Amazon cannot help me since it's been several months past the 30-day period. @Mudjock graciously helped me with the modification for the crossover five mod. Will have photos shortly.
 
HighFutility said:
So, I ran into a minor hiccup with the build. I ordered the unit in March and only got around to opening it recently. Does anyone have suggestions for stuffing, lining, or absorption? The box did not come with the supplied foam, and Amazon cannot help me since it's been several months past the 30-day period. @Mudjock graciously helped me with the modification for the crossover five mod. Will have photos shortly.
Click to expand...
The foam for me I thought was white packing material, but it was indeed foam which when cut up almost exactly fit the speaker boxes.
 
lookstoomuch said:
The foam for me I thought was white packing material, but it was indeed foam which when cut up almost exactly fit the speaker boxes.
Click to expand...
I am aware mine came with none. It comes in slivers as wide as the cabinet internals. It would be pretty hard to mistake for packing material.
 
I would agree with the denim options. It's what I use for most of my builds. The 1" thick Frost King should be about the right thickness for this application.
 
I can't remember which speaker project I used this for, but think it was enough for a pr.
$25 from Amazon, took almost a month to get though;
 
motomech said:
I can't remember which speaker project I used this for, but think it was enough for a pr.
$25 from Amazon, took almost a month to get though;
Click to expand...

As soon as they add "Sound Absorption" to the description they jack up the price. Look for Dacron Batting (1" thick) on Amazon and you'll find it cheaper and with One- or Two-Day shipping.

But denim insulation is better. The Frost King is marketed as 1 inch but in reality is 1/2" but it is still fine for budget builds. The Sonic Barrier 1 inch is better quality but also more expensive. If you're not trying to save a buck it is better, but not a big deal to go with something cheaper. Here is a comparison of the Frost King and 2 inch Sonic Barrier.
 
a4eaudio said:
As soon as they add "Sound Absorption" to the description they jack up the price. Look for Dacron Batting (1" thick) on Amazon and you'll find it cheaper and with One- or Two-Day shipping.

But denim insulation is better. The Frost King is marketed as 1 inch but in reality is 1/2" but it is still fine for budget builds. The Sonic Barrier 1 inch is better quality but also more expensive. If you're not trying to save a buck it is better, but not a big deal to go with something cheaper. Here is a comparison of the Frost King and 2 inch Sonic Barrier.
Click to expand...
I haven't actually used the Frost King, so that's a little disappointing. I still have a stash of the Ultratouch denim insulation that Menards used to carry. It will last me many years, but it's harder to know what to recommend that is still available. For the DIY-3.1, the standard lining is open cell foam and that's what the pair that was tested here used. I would think an inch of denim would be enough, but if what you've pictured is representative, then I would be trying to find a way to double it up.
 
HighFutility said:
Hey, I can confirm the frost king 1 inch is nowhere near 1 inch thick. I pruchased and returned it.

Would something like this work https://www.amazon.ca/LINENSPA-Upholstery-Foam-35-Density-Projects/dp/B087WL4JY8/ref=sr_1_13?crid=1C513KXTJJXTY&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.gFoCyChOuykNyx_31Zcxsh0sEcClN3lJMfiogFsjH0iS2aHmV4P_nbgCCKTd1yYU77FKFQu1awA8A1PIeYVJAFXBD9e2FL0fNXAyyrC4ppeX-yEoN-iznQ532Wd9Zo--k6zRgj2kDWQfnkBFNAn61hkiO2-HWqasyqtyJxWQWQimgsC1i231sj3E8xgDwZFXbUD90TT9gDSVYPHVIV3kuDXtAdZcgqJD13WIHAuDuJl9196K_3gYV49iyCPElEC4A1I-KKBwBElCHbUPSUtBoeDj5VM_i3zHwQLaQHRNsnI.Vsp0vhS4KghmUGZb9iGAAYO4QTDDaMH0pSLWy2Qs7Hs&dib_tag=se&keywords=dacron+batting&qid=1718625141&sprefix=dacon+batting,aps,98&sr=8-13&th=1

or would dacron batting be better https://www.amazon.ca/Polyester-48-Inches-Ounce-Upholstery/dp/B08KGWB2VT/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1I6OY8GD1QLWA&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.gFoCyChOuykNyx_31Zcxsh0sEcClN3lJMfiogFsjH0iS2aHmV4P_nbgCCKTd1yYU77FKFQu1awA8A1PIeYVJAFXBD9e2FL0fNXAyyrC4ppeX-yEoN-iznQ532Wd9Zo--k6zRgj2kDWQfnkBFNAn61hkiO2-HWqasyqtyJxWQWQimgsC1i231sj3E8xgDwZFXbUD90TT9gDSVYPHVIV3kuDXtAdZcgqJD13WIHAuDuJl9196K_3gYV49iyCPElEC4A1I-KKBwBElCHbUPSUtBoeDj5VM_i3zHwQLaQHRNsnI.Vsp0vhS4KghmUGZb9iGAAYO4QTDDaMH0pSLWy2Qs7Hs&dib_tag=se&keywords=dacron+batting&qid=1718625696&sprefix=dacron+battin,aps,104&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

I also randomly stumbled upon this https://www.amazon.ca/AKTRADING-CertiPUR-US-Certified-Replacement-Upholstery/dp/B07KKNGBKS/ref=sr_1_7?crid=HTSDQZLJRPUU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.FuFNH12QYAUbhl69PjlTuY8e_br3nVIZI5CZtBzph86Q5iFfqkOwoVqoWw8CsSS2Xy0VrWtoqa0wfHbk0dMg5polPe-fWDuFvCHA2JXrCmped48YQxpKyffc2aL3UMX6WK1Eb8w-PgclEqcDJSIkJDZYnJsXswCPSLtNxQpi6eYkTZdiED-jfsEcsJWuo9K8-WhOFcXqS1yPkHD2Vw6d9fjgfdVv9mBHW3eCtbQGGbNLtr9IgAsOsfGxgxhXZXW_nmNEPZxv4cQVUJVzPoDJiAU6fH3tbyXt6PikGac5Idw.tifTbVWyLvic28Cb9X4KmmVjDhfMl9gCLeAmQijNsJE&dib_tag=se&keywords=batting+1inch&qid=1718625656&sprefix=dacron+batting+1inch,aps,211&sr=8-7
Click to expand...
Dacron batting works somewhat. It's best use is for increasing the apparent volume of a sealed enclosure. One needs a fairly thick piece to damp unwanted port output, but some have luck putting a handful or two behind the woofer. Foam needs to be open cell foam to work well. To be sure to get that, do your Amazon search on "Acoustic Foam" and you'll find a number of reasonable choices. Rock wool is available through some home improvement stores and was the best thing around before denim insulation.
 
Mudjock said:
Dacron batting works somewhat. It's best use is for increasing the apparent volume of a sealed enclosure. One needs a fairly thick piece to damp unwanted port output, but some have luck putting a handful or two behind the woofer. Foam needs to be open cell foam to work well. To be sure to get that, do your Amazon search on "Acoustic Foam" and you'll find a number of reasonable choices. Rock wool is available through some home improvement stores and was the best thing around before denim insulation.
Click to expand...
I found this, and it seems like it will get the job done.


Thanks for all your help @Mudjock
 
Just an FYI, I just received the https://www.amazon.ca/BXI-Soundproofing-Foam-Insulation-Acoustic/dp/B091N7HLMW/ref=sr_1_14?crid=1CKSAJZUUXDTU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.OdxnufyUd1p70HwHWTcr8Kzd-eZEPLLLcujBD7MGXoRyfIIMOvoIU7KTJ8pmYbGFP-dtftk2eK6eiyF4Gp5LXevkd94Qw3Dz6siS8eTmp-y7umMdEAv-rI3J8KxxEZ5x4ewp4zbD-813ULA3x-VM9jBHXdGpnVfHBSLxxE0FX3J-O18y-wC_0cUTtQRU6StCEItewhNXKGbWCuG6M3s2T5Wa5Z3ZBxMG8fR-rhhC-7JKw2PG1TIvvL6ESmtfH23IR_xSnyZyyxYA6aI9y5g9XeEfbMbv4XmGDMqRIHUxyyo.bBjDdUinywQ6bGJL4NbSkMzNpEH7atsPxXac8Y4Gs4Y&dib_tag=se&keywords=acoustic+foam&qid=1718716903&sprefix=acoustic+foam%2Caps%2C105&sr=8-14

It seems you get your money's worth; the rubber bottoms are 2-3mm thick, and the roll weighs slightly more than ~1400 grams.

The two pieces im using for the bass driver weigh in at 335 grams for the left and right panels.

448486707_1670993073693333_1225079739731642717_n.jpg
 

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Not directly related. Wanted to build a HiVi 2.2 and see if I could customize it and similarly finish it to my 3.1s. Seems like its no longer in production.
 
I've been following the Swan Hivi 3.1A DIY speakers for a while, and saw yesterday that they were on sale on Amazon for $288 w/free shipping. I decided to pull the trigger on them, supposed to be delivered Sunday. Now to determine precisely which crossover mod to go for ;)
 
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