MiniByzy (Mini Byzantium) Build Thread

[Pete Schumacher]

Re: MiniByzy (Mini Byzantium) Build Thread

Yes, Bondo would explain the pink areas, but what is the glossy coating applied over the entire front? Bondo dry's flat not glossy.

He painted on a coat of West Systems Epoxy, to seal the surface completely. Then, he'll sand it smooth before it goes to paint.

[Pete Schumacher]

Re: MiniByzy (Mini Byzantium) Build Thread

The final surface prep. You can see the tell-coat on the lower right as the process of smoothing the epoxy finish begins.

[greywarden]

Re: MiniByzy (Mini Byzantium) Build Thread

Are there any plans for matching stands?

[DoubleTap]

Re: MiniByzy (Mini Byzantium) Build Thread

Gloss metallic black for the front baffle, maybe Pelin Burl for the cabinet?

[Pete Schumacher]

Re: MiniByzy (Mini Byzantium) Build Thread

Are there any plans for matching stands?

Only a discussion so far. We sure would like to have something that compliments the lines, and I do have a couple ideas. I'm sure Ed and Ryan do too.

Looks like the feet will consist of a set of 4 hardwood discs that have been turned on a lathe for a bit of shaping and accents, so any stand of sufficient platform size will work. But once we fix those positions, I'd like to see a platform custom fit to the bottom, to give the port a wide open exit space.
As for the vertical portion of the stand, it would be nice to see the use of the same curved panels to fashion the structure.

[DoubleTap]

Re: MiniByzy (Mini Byzantium) Build Thread

Only a discussion so far. We sure would like to have something that compliments the lines, and I do have a couple ideas. I'm sure Ed and Ryan do too.

Looks like the feet will consist of a set of 4 hardwood discs that have been turned on a lathe for a bit of shaping and accents, so any stand of sufficient platform size will work. But once we fix those positions, I'd like to see a platform custom fit to the bottom, to give the port a wide open exit space.
As for the vertical portion of the stand, it would be nice to see the use of the same curved panels to fashion the structure.

If you could draw up the shape of the cabinet bottom in CAD, I could get some stand top/bottom plates cut and use the same basic stand I do for the Cirrus. That shape with the 5* tilt would compliment it well.

[Pete Schumacher]

Re: MiniByzy (Mini Byzantium) Build Thread

Gloss metallic black for the front baffle, maybe Pelin Burl for the cabinet?

Wow . . . that's really nice.

What about extending the black metallic to the top/back, with only the sides veneered?

[Pete Schumacher]

Re: MiniByzy (Mini Byzantium) Build Thread

If you could draw up the shape of the cabinet bottom in CAD, I could get some stand top/bottom plates cut and use the same basic stand I do for the Cirrus. That shape with the 5* tilt would compliment it well.

We'll have the cabinet soon enough to get the information for the platform. But I was thinking that the stand could be fashioned from the same curved panels used to make the sides, including the platform. Not sure exactly the final form it would take, but we can talk about that later . . .

[DoubleTap]

Re: MiniByzy (Mini Byzantium) Build Thread

Wow . . . that's really nice.

What about extending the black metallic to the top/back, with only the sides veneered?

You could only paint the top if we did it after veneering. Too much flush trimming, sanding, finishing, sanding, finishing, buffing, etc as part of veneering to keep from screwing up the paint if done before veneering.

[Pete Schumacher]

Re: MiniByzy (Mini Byzantium) Build Thread

You could only paint the top if we did it after veneering. Too much flush trimming, sanding, finishing, sanding, finishing, buffing, etc as part of veneering to keep from screwing up the paint if done before veneering.

We may be painting the baffle ourselves. Ed's a bit concerned that he won't have the baffles trimmed closely enough to match the cabinet with veneer. If we are painting, we could try the painted back look before veneering it.

[TN Allen]

Re: MiniByzy (Mini Byzantium) Build Thread

This certainly is an interesting and unusual project, I can see the many challenging construction problems, as well as see there is no shortage of ability solving these. I also understand the aesthetic appeal these cabinets represent.

In that I am only just beginning to work with semi-non rectangular enclosures for speakers, I am curious about the acoustic advantages this cabinet design provides over flat sided enclosures.

I've read through several of the posts looking for comments and explanations that discuss the advantages, and may have missed these, but wonder if someone could point these out or provide a brief explanation of the advantages, or perhaps suggest a source for an explanation of the advantages of this sort of enclosure.

I look forward to seeing photos of the finished project.

tna

[Pete Schumacher]

Re: MiniByzy (Mini Byzantium) Build Thread

This certainly is an interesting and unusual project, I can see the many challenging construction problems, as well as see there is no shortage of ability solving these. I also understand the aesthetic appeal these cabinets represent.

In that I am only just beginning to work with semi-non rectangular enclosures for speakers, I am curious about the acoustic advantages this cabinet design provides over flat sided enclosures.

I've read through several of the posts looking for comments and explanations that discuss the advantages, and may have missed these, but wonder if someone could point these out or provide a brief explanation of the advantages, or perhaps suggest a source for an explanation of the advantages of this sort of enclosure.

I look forward to seeing photos of the finished project.

tna

Non rectangular baffles will have different diffraction signatures, and can be beneficial. There's also the inherent advantage of curved panels to adding stiffness and strength compared to their flat counterparts. It's much more difficult to set a curved panel into resonance than a flat one.

The interior being a chamber composed of non-parallel sides, the chances for standing waves to form are reduced, but when properly damped with acoustic stuffing, standing waves shouldn't be a problem in rectangular enclosures either.

This shape was chosen purely for aesthetic reasons, based on the floor standing 3-way in my avatar. Ed did with this, what he wanted to do to the big ones, by adding the curved top/back.

The main reason for the waveguide, other than the really cool look it imparts, is simply to allow us to easily cross the tweeter at 1KHz to an 8" woofer. Preliminary models show that the filter will be down 20dB at 1KHz relative to the upper frequencies in LR4, which should allow it to keep up with the woofer and provide an even cleaner upper mid presentation.

[TN Allen]

Re: MiniByzy (Mini Byzantium) Build Thread

Thank you very much for this response, this is fascinating and it gives me something to think about.

Later, tna

[greywarden]

Re: MiniByzy (Mini Byzantium) Build Thread

So the big-boys weigh in around 200lbs, what do these little guys weigh?

[D, Rose]

Re: MiniByzy (Mini Byzantium) Build Thread

The empty cab weighs around34.6 lbs without drivers, so I figure around 42-45 total when finished. Not too bad. Still wouldn't want to drop one on my foot, though.