March Audio Sointuva Construction Questions.

[Ktacos]

Hello, I plan to construct a two way bookshelf speaker using the dayton sig180 and wg300+dx25. I've made a prototype MDF box and developed a passive filter and the results are excellent so far. I will say, my box has a large around over all around similar to the Sointuva speaker, that is easy with MDF, but yes they are kind of ugly. I was curious how the sointuva is constructed and if anyone has some insight to offer in general.

It appears they use solid wood for the baffle and possibly other cabinet walls? I was under the impression this isn't a good idea due to expansion and contraction, but I would assume a commercial operation such as the shop that does March's cabinets would be aware of the long term expansions and contraction leakage risks?

 

[Raxumit]

You might try DIYAudio with this sort of question.

I have made speakers with hardwood baffles on the front, but I had help from a CNC to do it. The results look good but were somewhat painful to achieve. Plywood fronts have always been solid for me, if boring. All these speakers were on the small side (4-5" woofer).

With large (6" woofer bookshelves and up) speakers I have always done cabinets with MDF, laminating the sides with veneer and painting the rounded over MDF front baffle a textured black. This isn't exciting but does produce acceptable results even when you are a moderately bad woodworker like myself.

If this is your very first DIY speaker set, I encourage you to do the boring way that works first, then branch out on future projects.

 

[staticV3]

It appears they use solid wood for the baffle and possibly other cabinet walls? I was under the impression this isn't a good idea due to expansion and contraction, but I would assume a commercial operation such as the shop that does March's cabinets would be aware of the long term expansions and contraction leakage risks?

Doesn't seem to be the case:

March Audio Sointuva AWG Bookshelf Speaker Review by ERIN's Audio Corner

Does anyone know the weight of the speaker? According to Spinorama.org it’s 6.6 kg. Strangely enough, it doesn’t seem to be listed anywhere else.

www.audiosciencereview.com

I know of at least one more case of a cracked Sointuva chassis.

 

[Ktacos]

Doesn't seem to be the case:

March Audio Sointuva AWG Bookshelf Speaker Review by ERIN's Audio Corner

Does anyone know the weight of the speaker? According to Spinorama.org it’s 6.6 kg. Strangely enough, it doesn’t seem to be listed anywhere else.

www.audiosciencereview.com

I know of at least one more case of a cracked Sointuva chassis.

That's exactly what I was concerned about. I've made some with solid wood before and they basically sit in a corner as an example as to why I don't use it for speakers. While I'm experience builder, my woodworking is limited to speakers for the most part so I don't use real wood much outside of plywood.

I suppose my best compromise is to round the sides and leave the top and bottom right angles. I've veneered plenty of round overs. I don't really care for painted cabinets.

 

[restorer-john]

I've veneered plenty of round overs. I don't really care for painted cabinets.

My hat's off to you if you've been able to successfully veneer MDF round overs.

The other thing can can look nice (not always) is veneered panels and a corner insert roundover of solid timber stained to match. You get the really interesting sides and top, but a much more resilient set of edges. The three way intersections can be fun though... The timber can colour match or contrast/be a totally different timber if you want.

More work making the roundover piece, but it can be done and refined without butchering the cabinet and saves all the BS with applying veneer to the roundover and making the perfect join.

 

[Ktacos]

My hat's off to you if you've been able to successfully veneer MDF round overs.

The other thing can can look nice (not always) is veneered panels and a corner insert roundover of solid timber stained to match. You get the really interesting sides and top, but a much more resilient set of edges. The three way intersections can be fun though... The timber can colour match or contrast/be a totally different timber if you want.

More work making the roundover piece, but it can be done and refined without butchering the cabinet and saves all the BS with applying veneer to the roundover and making the perfect join.

I did consider some solid wood edges, and I just made do that. I imagine if you dowel them on they're probably not going to be moving much.

Hardest part of veneering is having the mental focus to do it as well on the second speaker as you did on the first, at least thats how it goes for me. My first veneer was a tower kit, Amiga, and it turned out great. Round overs were easy compared to these 45 degree chamfers.

I find it surprising that a commercial operation would put out a speaker knowing that the cabinets material limitations may cause problems in the future. Wood moves, even the thin veneer I have on MDF is proud to the touch during summer months, very smooth in winter.

 

[restorer-john]

Hardest part of veneering is having the mental focus to do it as well on the second speaker as you did on the first, at least thats how it goes for me. My first veneer was a tower kit, Amiga, and it turned out great. Round overs were easy compared to these 45 degree chamfers.

But they do look fabulous. Truly excellent work.

 

[Ktacos]

But they do look fabulous. Truly excellent work.

The kind words are much appreciated. FWIW it is cherry with shellac.

If only they sounded as good as they looked. Ended up with some dispersion errors that I couldn't get past and the speakers overall were just too tall and overtook my living room. I like to relax and not have behemoth of speakers in front of apparently. That's why I'd like to make new speakers with the woofer, I'll probably just make towers instead of bookshelves though because I really hate stands. Gotta put that new track saw to use.

 

[Ktacos]

To hijack my own thread, I kind of hate seeing light reflect off a speaker baffle when watching movies and such, so I'd like to the ole black painted baffle with veneer'd MDF cabinet. Does anyone have any advice on this process? Paint first? Veneer first?