North Creek build getting close *PIC*

[marlowe]

Provided Link: my photobucket


I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with North Creek but here are some thoughts on my current project (NorthCreek has recently stopped selling kits)

Speaker kit: Kitty Kat Revelator - full range bookshelf speaker kit

Contents: Very thorough and high quality

Instructions: Very specific and easy to follow

Pre-assembled crossovers: HUGE!

This is the first "kit" I've built. Also the most expensive project I've done, by far. Not expensive to me, but to my dad. I build all of my stuff from PE, usually limited to what is on sale or clearance. My speaker building budget is obviously on a different planet than my dad's. : )

I look forward to listening to them soon. I'll have to audition them for several months before delivering them to my dad.

Have any of you built this kit? Any other North Creek stuff? Stuff with the same woofer?

NC claims the speaker will hit solid without a sub, hence their "full range" title. I'm kind of a skeptic, but not sure how such a small driver can hit solid that low without some kind of sacrifice.

And I know my basement is a mess. I'll get it clean one of these days. : )

[unknownuser]

$2,500 for a 2-way bookshelf kit? You could spend $250 and only the guy from Stereophile could tell the difference...and he'd probably rate the cheap one better.


(Originally posted by: BFB)

[Scott L]

The old North Creek Catalog/mailers were a nice read; much better than "piled high".

I like the way you did your front baffle boards,
and yes, you will need a sub for fullrange operation.

[marlowe]

I never got the old North Creek mailers.

The baffles aren't attached yet, the one in the pic is just resting against the cabinet. Thanks for the compliment. I'm hoping to borrow a 1/2 or 3/4 roundover bit from a friend, I only have a 3/8 and that's what they're at now.

A sub is next on the list of projects for my dad. But first I have 3 other subs to build, 2 for myself, one for a friend - 12" DVC w 240W amp, 12" DVC (cheap one) w/100W amp, and one of the TB 6.5" subs. Also have parts for pair of small speakers I haven't built yet.

thanks for the comments

> The old North Creek Catalog/mailers were a
> nice read; much better than "piled
> high".

> I like the way you did your front baffle
> boards,
> and yes, you will need a sub for fullrange
> operation.

[williamrschneider]

I bought Echos last year for my entry into speaker building (I've since become a rabid builder, slowed only by lack of money and time).

I like how North Creek provides test charts with each driver so you don't waste your time building something with a mis-performing driver. That's added value.

It was a great introduction into speaker building.

If that's a Scan Speak driver in your kit, it should perform beyond it's size.

I believe that they still sell three kits that remain from their former lineup - at least it looks that way from their website.

[marlowe]

Great looking speakers! Did you build those cabinets?

The drivers are Scan Speak, the model # is covered up by the North Creek sticker, so I'm not sure of the model, but I know I've seen it around.

I think it's a great intro to high end speaker building. I doubt I'll be building much in that category though. I tend to stay in the super budget category, which lately has really been booming on this forum. I think that's great and hope to build the scrappys or some of the other budget designs that have been posted recently.

> I bought Echos last year for my entry into
> speaker building (I've since become a rabid
> builder, slowed only by lack of money and
> time).

> I like how North Creek provides test charts
> with each driver so you don't waste your
> time building something with a
> mis-performing driver. That's added value.

> It was a great introduction into speaker
> building.

> If that's a Scan Speak driver in your kit,
> it should perform beyond it's size.

> I believe that they still sell three kits
> that remain from their former lineup - at
> least it looks that way from their website.

[williamrschneider]

> Great looking speakers! Did you build those
> cabinets?

Yes, I built them according to the North Creek 'handbook'. I used Maple veneer on them.

[marlowe]

Very nice looking job. Was that your first veneering job? Are you a woodworker?

I'm doing these all black with a smooth satin sprayed waterborne lacquer. I've got a bit of sanding and sealing to do before I spray though.

And very nice photography also, the pic looks great.

> Yes, I built them according to the North
> Creek 'handbook'. I used Maple veneer on
> them.

[williamrschneider]

Provided Link: My veneering experience


> Very nice looking job. Was that your first
> veneering job? Are you a woodworker?

It was my first veneer job. I don't consider myself a woodworker, although I'm learning.

[markparsons]

> $2,500 for a 2-way bookshelf kit? You could
> spend $250 and only the guy from Stereophile
> could tell the difference...and he'd
> probably rate the cheap one better.

You really underestimate the value of North Creek speakers. I've built several of their speakers and they are some of the finest speakers I have ever heard. I heard the Kitty Kats at the Rocky Mountain Audio Festival this year and they are fantastic. If I had more income right now, I would build a pair. I am confident the builder here will be very happy with the result.

[marlowe]

I really do hope they are amazing when I get them to the point where music comes out. They have measurements for all the drivers included in the paperwork and things look very credible.

I would like to be able to make it to one of the DIY Audio meets to hear other designs to have something to compare it to. One of these days. Not much going on in the Delaware DIY world right now.

> You really underestimate the value of North
> Creek speakers. I've built several of their
> speakers and they are some of the finest
> speakers I have ever heard. I heard the
> Kitty Kats at the Rocky Mountain Audio
> Festival this year and they are fantastic.
> If I had more income right now, I would
> build a pair. I am confident the builder
> here will be very happy with the result.

[marlowe]

Thanks for the link. I followed that glue/iron veneering thread back when you were doing it, but didn't see the finished result or know what speakers you were veneering. Glad to see it turned out so well. I've been doing woodworking for years, but never tried a veneering job yet.

How do you like your plutos? Listening impression? Great job on those also by the way, they are very impressive looking. Keep shopping at Woodcraft and building speakers and soon your wife will have you building cabinets and other things.

> It was my first veneer job. I don't consider
> myself a woodworker, although I'm learning.

[williamrschneider]

> How do you like your plutos? Listening
> impression? Great job on those also by the
> way, they are very impressive looking. Keep
> shopping at Woodcraft and building speakers
> and soon your wife will have you building
> cabinets and other things.

I'm still building! Below is a pic of one of the Pluto+ subs in progress. The Plutos sound fantastic, and being omni-directional up to 3kHz, image like crazy.

My next project will probably be a mid-level MT for the work shop. I also bought a PE 500w plate amp to build a sub for the Northcreek Echos, and I'll use the RSS315HF 12" driver for that project.

So little time...

[unknownuser]

They look like good designs, and he puts a premium on the highest quality parts and woodworking. But you can get an excellent 3-way floorstander for half that price. And for a tenth of that, you can make a pretty deep mini-monitor, though I know the revelator does do low bass well. For $2,500, it better be not just fantastic, but orgiastic. And then there's the law of diminishing returns...



(Originally posted by: BFB)

[williamrschneider]

> though I know the
> revelator does do low bass well. For $2,500,
> it better be not just fantastic, but
> orgiastic. And then there's the law of
> diminishing returns...

I'd expect a lot for $2500 too, but that's for fully assembled speakers. The kit form that he's building costs $1600. Revelators aren't cheap drivers, and the crossover components are all first-rate.

A similar DIY speaker is Zaph's Revelator ZD5. The cost for drivers, caps, inductors, and resisitors is $725. You'd have to test drivers and crossover parts, solder the circuit boards, buy ports, binding posts, etc. to get the kit that Josh purchased. Once you factor all that in, it's not an unreasonable price.

All high-end speakers are in the realm of diminishing returns though. Once you reach a certain point, you pay a lot for a little extra performance.