The build begins-finally

Ivan Beaver

Ivan Beaver

Graduate Student
Jan 11, 2011
2,300
10
0
Atlanta GA area
I have been wanting to do this for over 15 years.

Take a pair of Kustom 4x12 rolled and pleated column and put real drivers in it.

I didn't want to change my working blue PA and columns. I found just a pair of red ones awhile back-they have been sitting.

I finally got started in the mod. A heavy duty coax 12" in the top and a pair of woofers in the bottom. With the other 12" hole to be filled and ports put in.

I am using a B&C coax in a sealed chamber for the mid/high. A pair of reconed lab12's are the woofers.

I realize the ports are in the wrong place-and it would be a little bit better if the woofers were higher up (closer to the mids)-with the ports on the bottom.

I am also adding additional bracing to help with the flexing.

They will mainly be used for playback at my desk (ie computer speakers) and I may take them out from time to time on shows. Either mains or sidefills.

Imagine the looks on the faces of the 'ol timers when they show up and see the speakers they will be playing though.

And if all turns out right in the crossover design (fingers crossed), they should sound pretty good-and just be "freaky".

They are quite a bit heavier now. I have new handles (new versions of the old handles) that I need to through bolt to keep them from tearing out.

I do have the origional drivers that I need to sell-if anybody is interested.

Sorry for the bad cell photo. I just shot it as walking out of the office today.
 

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Re: The build begins-finally

Tim Weaver said:
Fully passive or going biamped?
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I am going to do passive. Much simpler for a "desk" speaker.

I have an old Symetrix 322 2x2 processor I will use to do the final tweaks-And use one of my old Soundcraftsmen amps (the ones with lOTS of LEdD's for meters). Just trying to keep that vintage look ya know.
 
Re: The build begins-finally

Ivan Beaver said:
I am going to do passive. Much simpler for a "desk" speaker.

I have an old Symetrix 322 2x2 processor I will use to do the final tweaks-And use one of my old Soundcraftsmen amps (the ones with lOTS of LEdD's for meters). Just trying to keep that vintage look ya know.
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DANG! With all that going on we may have to stop by your office for a quick tour the next time we pass by Atlanta. I'm guessing you have a way to play vinyl too? Maybe an old 2 track reel to reel? Better yet - hook up the other 2 and go quad 8 track - YIKES!
 
Re: The build begins-finally

Gene Hardage said:
DANG! With all that going on we may have to stop by your office for a quick tour the next time we pass by Atlanta. I'm guessing you have a way to play vinyl too? Maybe an old 2 track reel to reel? Better yet - hook up the other 2 and go quad 8 track - YIKES!
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I still have my old technics turntable and Teac cassette player at home. We gave away my wifes 8 track player AND RECORDER a couple of years ago. No reel to reel-never got into that

If you are passing by stop in (of course it is always good to have a little advance notice). We are about an hour north of Atlanta-depending on where in Atlanta you are.

The "museum" is always open-but not always clean HA-HA
 
Re: The build begins-finally

Ivan Beaver said:
I still have my old technics turntable and Teac cassette player at home. We gave away my wifes 8 track player AND RECORDER a couple of years ago. No reel to reel-never got into that

If you are passing by stop in (of course it is always good to have a little advance notice). We are about an hour north of Atlanta-depending on where in Atlanta you are.

The "museum" is always open-but not always clean HA-HA
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Not sure when that might be - we rarely have much extra time when traveling but I would like to see it in action some time. Maybe some more phone pics when it's all set up? Both sides of my family are from Atlanta and I even did a feeble attempt at educating myself at Berry Collage in Rome. Other relatives were in Acworth probably near you.
 
Re: The build begins-finally

Gene Hardage said:
Not sure when that might be - we rarely have much extra time when traveling but I would like to see it in action some time. Maybe some more phone pics when it's all set up? Both sides of my family are from Atlanta and I even did a feeble attempt at educating myself at Berry Collage in Rome. Other relatives were in Acworth probably near you.
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Neither Rome or Acworth are close to Ivan. It would be easier to get from downtown Atlanta to Gainsville than from Acworth
 
Re: The build begins-finally

In my first band we used to rent two Kustom amps for gigs - there was actually a music store called the Kustom Music Center about a mile away in south suburban IL that featured the line. Guitar and mic into one amp, bass and mic into the other. They paid us $25 per gig at the clubhouse and our amp rental was $10 apiece. We split the princely remaining sum of $5 three ways in our young power trio. I still remember the sparkly silver and blue Naugahyde covering of the amps as if it were yesterday.
 
Re: The build begins-finally

Rick Powell said:
In my first band we used to rent two Kustom amps for gigs - there was actually a music store called the Kustom Music Center about a mile away in south suburban IL that featured the line. Guitar and mic into one amp, bass and mic into the other. They paid us $25 per gig at the clubhouse and our amp rental was $10 apiece. We split the princely remaining sum of $5 three ways in our young power trio. I still remember the sparkly silver and blue Naugahyde covering of the amps as if it were yesterday.
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My blue ones still have the new smell. THe Red ones (the ones being modified) are not as stong smelling-but still have it.

Probably causes cancer or something-but I STILL like to go up and smell them from time to time-brings back memories. Yes I am weird.

I hope tomorrow to start gathering data (amplitude-phase-impedance) to start working on the crossover design.

I will post some of the raw and final measurements as I get them.

These things are getting heavy!!! Especially compared to what they used to weigh.
 
Re: The build begins-finally

I still have a catalog with the original mailing envelope. I used to drool over that stuff.

For those who like Naugahyde, it's still available. A friend recently did a kitchen corner booth in dark turquoise sparkle.
 
Re: The build begins-finally

Here are the raw responses of the drivers in the cabinet.

There is no reference voltage-so the sensitivity numbers are lower than what the final cabinet will be.

Looks like it should turn out pretty good. The crossover basic design is about finished-so just to build it and start testing.

So maybe some noise tomorrow evening-maybe
 

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Re: The build begins-finally

I bet they would sell a lot if they started making a vintage line of the old stuff from the seventies.
 
Re: The build begins-finally

DAMN! This "thing" sound pretty good!:)

Lots of punch and very smooth.

I may tweak a bit more on the crossover-but everybody who has heard it has been impressed.

One guy came in this morning and was wondering what Ivan was doing playing a Jericho horn so early in the morning.:)

Here is the current response with the passive crossover-NO DSP used-just the measurement system straight into the amp.
 

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Re: The build begins-finally

Jeff Babcock said:
Bravo Ivan! Cool project! :nod:
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To be honest-i was wishing for great-but hoping for OK.

I am VERY pleased. Everybody who has listened to it LOVES the tight bass and the punch. :)

Now finalize the crossover-and build another complete cabinet-then enjoy.

They will be a very nice addition to the museum that is my office.
 
Re: The build begins-finally

I can't wait to hear what people have to say about this cabinet. Most folks will have decided before you turn it on that it's going to sound bad!
 
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