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Step 24Test
With all the driver mounted and all components in position, it's time for the big moment, the first real test run of the speakers.
Assuming that you can bare the suspense, carefully carry them to a good quality amplifier in a well dampened room, or wherever you plan on keeping them. Hook up speaker wire, power up your amp, and reach for your best mastered, best sounding CD, record, or dare I say, iPod.
There's virtually endless debate on what to play to "break speakers in" or test them with, but I've found that it's just best to play what you like, and what you've listened to most. You ears will remember what it has sounded like in the past, and hopefully, if all has gone to plan, will notice the huge improvement that you're now hearing.
I've found that Pink Floyd The Wall Disk 1, and more specifically "Mother" is an excellent track to test with. It starts off slow and low, so you're inclined to crank the volume up higher than you should at the beginning (this is a good thing), and then, around a minute or so into the track, it explodes in a rich sound stage, excellently mastered, and beautifully balanced, giving your speakers a real chance to shine. While the list of well mastered and arranged music is constantly growing, many DIY enthusiasts can agree that even though it's a bit dated at this point, Pink Floyd just sounds bigger and better then a lot of what's out there.
Speakers need a break-in period of time, or at least the industry big wigs claim that they do. I've found that the sound does tend to break in a bit, but for the most part, how the sound for the first time is a pretty good indicator of how they'll sound in 5 years.
Once the test is complete you should be grinning ear to ear, proud of your achievement and excited to re-listen to all of your music, knowing that it's not only sounding better then it ever has before, but that you made the whole thing possible, from start to finish.
Assuming that you can bare the suspense, carefully carry them to a good quality amplifier in a well dampened room, or wherever you plan on keeping them. Hook up speaker wire, power up your amp, and reach for your best mastered, best sounding CD, record, or dare I say, iPod.
There's virtually endless debate on what to play to "break speakers in" or test them with, but I've found that it's just best to play what you like, and what you've listened to most. You ears will remember what it has sounded like in the past, and hopefully, if all has gone to plan, will notice the huge improvement that you're now hearing.
I've found that Pink Floyd The Wall Disk 1, and more specifically "Mother" is an excellent track to test with. It starts off slow and low, so you're inclined to crank the volume up higher than you should at the beginning (this is a good thing), and then, around a minute or so into the track, it explodes in a rich sound stage, excellently mastered, and beautifully balanced, giving your speakers a real chance to shine. While the list of well mastered and arranged music is constantly growing, many DIY enthusiasts can agree that even though it's a bit dated at this point, Pink Floyd just sounds bigger and better then a lot of what's out there.
Speakers need a break-in period of time, or at least the industry big wigs claim that they do. I've found that the sound does tend to break in a bit, but for the most part, how the sound for the first time is a pretty good indicator of how they'll sound in 5 years.
Once the test is complete you should be grinning ear to ear, proud of your achievement and excited to re-listen to all of your music, knowing that it's not only sounding better then it ever has before, but that you made the whole thing possible, from start to finish.
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Jul 3, 2010. 12:55 PMandybuda
says:
the plates you have fixed on to the side are nice did you have to send them away to be cut... an idea... make coners bend them yourself
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Jul 24, 2009. 2:12 PMfatalfragger59
says:
:o *drools
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