Building a High-end 3-Way Classic Vintage Style Speaker - by SoundBlab

With the increasing popularity lately of the classic vintage styled large box format loudspeakers from manufacturers such as Wharfedale, KLH, PSB and others, I have set out to design and build my own version. It is a typical 3-way design with a tweeter, 4 inch mid-range and 8 inch woofer. The dimensions are roughly 600mm high, 300mm wide, and just short of 400mm deep. The result is a high-end loudspeaker that has loads of detail and balance across the frequency range. Despite the wide baffle, the sound stage and imaging is still top notch, and when positioned right, they will still disappear into the background. This is a high-end loudspeaker, and building the cabinet will require some intermediate to advanced woodworking skills.
*NOTE: The Punktkilde drivers are ONLY available from Soundimports.eu in Europe, and are in limited supply. Before purchasing the BUILD PLANS, make sure that the drivers are still in stock in the quantity you will require. See the links below.
Get the BUILD PLANS here: soundblab.net/build-plans/
Parts:
- Speaker wire (14 AWG) - (US) parts-express.sjv.io/e4yRJz, (EU) bit.ly/39erRI4
- Fountek NeoCD3.0 Ribbon Tweeter - (US) shorturl.at/glG19, (EU) shorturl.at/qvzJ8
- Punktkilde AUGWL0010-JN10 Mid-Woofer (EU Only) - shorturl.at/ABIL0
- Punktkilde AUGWL0020-JN03 Woofer (EU Only) - shorturl.at/hpOU2
- Pair Binding Posts - (US) parts-express.sjv.io/Xx0Xqb, (EU) shorturl.at/bhsuZ
- Black Sumi Ink - (US) amzn.to/3RrMPZw, (UK) amzn.to/3GwoETH
- Makita 18V Cordless Trim Router Clone - (INT) s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DeQ...
- Router Circle Cit Jig - www.banggood.com/custlink/G3G..., s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DcI...
SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:
- SoundBlab Website and Build Plans - www.soundblab.net
- Patreon - / soundblab
- KZbin Membership: / @soundblab
FOLLOW THE CHANNEL:
- KZbin - goo.gl/EWMSXV
- Instagram: / soundblab
- Pinterest: / soundblab
- Twitter: / soundblabs
OTHER CHANNELS:
- Mixtape // Music for everyone and every occasion - bit.ly/3Cg3pUA
CHECK OUT MY AMAZON SHOP for recommended gear, tools, etc.:
- www.amazon.com/shop/soundblab
Audio Components & Solutions:
- Parts Express (US) - parts-express.sjv.io/yRNVk2
- Soundimports (EU) - bit.ly/3B0xWEn
- Axiomedia (EU) - bit.ly/3TUQUoA
Get Whole house audio via ARYLIC:
- www.arylic.com?aff=9
xTool Laser Engraving & Cutting Solutions:
- (US) bit.ly/3FKUGur
- (EU) bit.ly/3G71unu
- (UK) bit.ly/3WdMBW8
Music:
- www.epidemicsound.com/referra...

[@southernsoundpulse]

I have seen vids of people building speakers but this is exceptional!

[@mcbert22]

There's nothing that I didn't like about it, from the raw MDF to the audio demo. Great craftsmanship.

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks!

[@anthonycorrenty8123]

¹​@@SoundBlab

[@airtow6766]

I started building speakers in the late 1960's and find your care in getting the small details right one of the best parts of your builds. Things like internal damping and good bracing, things that a lot of builders skimp on. Great Stuff!

[@zoroluva]

These look great but sounds even better. So clean and effortless. Works of art

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks!

[@mitchmurrell753]

It's obvious that this was not your first rodeo. Mad woodworking skills. I would adore a pair of these.

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@rynesp217]

The Sumi Ink is a wonderful idea and it looks awesome.

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks so much!

[@davidjudd951]

This exactly what I was looking for. Thank you.

[@bdubya63]

This is excellent! I've been considering Wharfedale Lintons for years, but I'd prefer to take on the challenge and build something myself. Unfortunately, I haven't seen many classic 3 way speaker build videos or plans. I'm really glad you put this together. Thank you!

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@CockatooDude]

May I recommend Troels Gravesen's website in that case.

[@chotafallen8390]

but the diy wont be much cheaper so you hope thy sound much better?

[@C-man553]

Back to the 60s! This config frequently has a special sound. Forstner bits…. Love❤.

[@attainableaudio4533]

Always look forward to your builds!

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks!

[@peevonb7070]

true craft. Thank you for documenting and explaining so well.

[@SoundBlab]

My pleasure!

[@vincentcorpuz1622]

Sounds amazing too!

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks!

[@andymuzzo8568]

Damn they look amazing. Great work

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@eugenybelaev9567]

Отличные полочники. Отличная работа. Thanks.

[@keithgregson9573]

>Very remarkable craftsmanship allround incl driver selection with filtering - stunning veneer work!

[@MichaelYoung-xs1vh]

Incredible work once again! I am just finishing up your Arylic build and already looking forward to building these.

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks. Ok cool, send some pics when you are done.

[@FreshLeaves]

Awesome build quality.. thank you.

[@SoundBlab]

Glad you like it, thanks!

[@peterpixo]

The gap on the baffle is actually nice touch I would go for in first place. The solid wood profile is also nice, but I am afraid it brings some unwanted diffractions to the sound.

[@glue4131]

They open die quite directional wave

[@inixio11]

Just ran into your video and must say that it is a pleasure watching you work. Do you need a 53-year-old apprentice by any chance? 😉Thanks.

[@NosEL34]

Outstanding!!! Pretty nice directivity as well. Bravo 👏

[@SoundBlab]

Thank you 😀

[@locolique]

Amazing sound

[@GBO76]

Beautiful !

[@SoundBlab]

Thank you!

[@webdkd3]

Wow, these speakers sound absolutely fantastic. They sound better than most $10k+/pair fancy pansy brand name speakers.

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@webdkd3]

Would you consider selling them?@@SoundBlab

[@robertolaggo9141]

Judging this from distorted low quality youtube audio? Well done. You must be a genius

[@vincentcorpuz1622]

Looks amazing!

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@arcyoon]

Sound very nice and clear.

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks for listening

[@AndreCapone2000]

Brilliant job

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@DanielAzocar]

GREAT SOUND

[@MS-fi6fe]

Look great and sound so full. They dig deep! Awesome work. I wish I could tackle something like this. May have to start with one of your older and simpler builds first though.

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks! Yes, a simpler build is always good as a starter project. Perhaps look at the Dynamites, it's a fairly easy and straight forward build with good results.

[@GRAAmusic]

Sounds real good 🎉

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks!

[@goodgoat3096]

Another great design, thanks for the effort.

[@SoundBlab]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@samankumara7461]

Great job sir 👍

[@genecatcher1]

They very resemble to a Wharfedale Linton Heritage. Good job.

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@lolilollolilol7773]

Really, really well made speakers, from great drivers to quality filtering to well designed enclosure. Classic ! And love the sound, very clear and dynamic !

[@SoundBlab]

Glad you like them!

[@pabloosvaldopenizzotto1098]

Beatiful speakers!

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@thomaswyrick4648]

For us in the USA, it would be great to see a similar build using Parts Express drivers.

[@SoundBlab]

Planning to redo this one with SB Acoustic drivers in the new year. They are available from Madisound in the US.

[@karimdailyjazz]

very good this is your a very best loudspeaker

[@tweakerman]

Lovely Job!!!

[@SoundBlab]

Thank you!

[@TriAmpHiFi]

Beautiful

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@yngve6640]

👌 Looks like my Lintons. Nice quality build. Sounded good on my studiomonitor PC set up.

[@SoundBlab]

Cool, thanks!

[@Mak_ol]

Great work 👍 It was pleasure to watch 😊

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks a lot 😊

[@LiliekEP]

Amazing sound 👏👏👏👏 GREAT WORK SIR

[@joegreer9584]

Remind me of infinity QBs which are amazing vintage speakers.

[@RayR]

Superb work.

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks a lot 😊

[@saloncaruso3701]

Thank you❤

[@berndross2689]

Hier kann man sich mal das Ergebnis anhören. Und es hört sich wirklich gut an.

[@SoundBlab]

Danke

[@ltshering]

Respect from india ,quite ingenious loved it very professional

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@allsorts9909]

Great job 👏

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@mauserkk98]

I'm getting 80's looks from these but they sound far better.

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

theyre expensive like 4000+ but really minimum if you have smth like livepro and up

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

well align with the 1-1-1 ratio

[@DIYhyfy]

Great work! Love the look of vintage speakers.

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks!

[@analogkid4557]

Wow, they sound great! I have those Fountek tweeters and don't like them much below 5khz. They do great above that.

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@earl007]

Fantastic mate well done. Hard to believe that the mid range only needs such a small enclosure.

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@amb3cog]

Have you ever seen the closed back ones? They make that enclosure look huge by comparison. Of course they’re usually only good for about 500hz at the very lowest. Basically bass needs space. Mids, and treble not so much. ✌️

[@wallstreetcrash1]

Great job..🙂🇬🇧👍

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@nikkin6474]

У Вас золотые руки.Супер ,круто.Удачи👍👍👍👋😊

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks!

[@frederikjacob1985]

Great build! Would love to do a similar build with a horn

[@nissev2665]

Amazing! I would for sure buy build plans for a revised version of this with in stock drivers if they were available!

[@Shnick]

Nice job!

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks!

[@dr0b4h]

Damn really amazing sound 🥰

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@aligul7772]

perfect perfect perfect I like it

[@pcorf]

Very nice build

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks!

[@rikardekvall3433]

Great build. Have watched this video several times and you are the only quality speaker DIY, at present. You’re doing great design and a lot of speakers for various tastes and looks. This speaker sounds great above 200 hz. Bass a bit too boomy in my headphones. Room mode or speaker mode? A fun speaker to listen to. Side note, barefoot in the shop? No nails or wood splinters laying around? Keep up the great work. You and Danny (GR research ) take the lead.

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks!

[@playingsongs]

Amazing speakers! This is probably the 10th video I watched in a row, and I enjoy watching you building these masterpieces! I want to build my own two active bookshelf speakers, and I'm glad I did found your channel, so I can learn something more before I start building them. Do you have a video or article explaining how to measure space needed for certain speakers and how to separate enclosure etc? Also, I would love to understand how to pick up parts for speaker assembly, how they work, what's the best for certain built etc. I'm absolute amateur in speaker build or any sort of audio engineering and I want to learn more before I order parts and speakers for build. I'm a carpenter and should be able to build any sort of enclosure without problems, but I have absolutely no clue what to install in that enclosure for a sound I want from it. Thank you for great videos, I already learned a lot from you, and I'm enjoying watching your videos

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks. I don't have particular content that goes into much of the detail that you mention. However, I do aim to bring more of that content into my projects. It took me a good 5 to 10 years to learn the basics of speaker design and become fairly good at it, and a lot has to do with the equipment required to properly be able to do it. However, I am still learning with every project I take on! Being able to measure your speakers accurately and to model a crossover is key to designign and making your own. For most, just starting to build a kit or from a build plan is a good start.

[@vladimirkhudyakov1636]

Excellent

[@SoundBlab]

thanks

[@arturomty9969]

I adore this channel! By the way, that new nailer looks fantastic! It would be even more amazing if you could create a version with SB Acoustic, making it easier for people worldwide to access.

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks! Yeah, I think I might try that with some more 'budget' friendly drivers that are more readily available in the future.

[@goodgoat3096]

@@SoundBlab The SB Acoustics Satori 9" woofer is supposed to be a beast, nice tweeters too.

[@arturomty9969]

@@SoundBlab maybe SB Acoustics: Tw. SB29SDAC-C000-4 or SB29RDAC-C000-4 + Mid. SB12PFCR25-04, 4" + Woofer SB20PFCR30-4 8" All 6 drivers for $267 or $296 USD. Just a thought

[@LucasPfaff]

looks lovely! Just as a headsup - I also had one of those cordless routers that I used to make the Dynamites, however it literally went up in flames. Got the original cordless Makita then, which is just an insane value. I also didn't need any new accessories as the generic ones fit the Makita as well :)

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks! And thanks for the headsup, so far so good. It has been holding up for me. Holding thumbs!

[@surround1969]

This Chanel is awesome 👏

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks! 😃

[@jerichotm2122]

WOW! They sound great! But if my headphones are accurate, the high frequency are too bright for my taste... the rest is... unbelievable! GREAT WORK, like usual!!! 🙂👏👏👏

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

so as basically everything else, theyll be updated when necessary

[@MBdrummer3288]

Wow! Absolutely fantastic job sir. Would love to know how long this took to complete. Maybe it’s in the description. Sorry, I haven’t read that first. Sounds incredible! Even through KZbin!

[@andreasjonsson8075]

Theese are the best sounding speakers

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@mfkhometheater7742]

Very nice job! Even though it's not what I use for listening, I still have a soft spot for those old school designs like this. I'm currently collecting parts to build replicas of the Altec Model Nineteen studio monitors but even though I do have a table saw and a CNC, I'm a little worried about getting clean enough miter cuts. The plan is to use MDF with the veneer already on it but any glitch at all in the miter cuts will mess this up. Thing is, I've heard that getting veneer to look good isn't very easy either but you definitely made it look easy. So I'm not sure if I should use raw MDF and veneer it or try to get clean miter cuts on veneered MDF. It's going to be quite a project, the eBay acquired woofers will need new cones and none of the aftermarket cone rebuild kits are quite correct. One issue is the vented dust cap, I basically have to make them. I have a source for caps with the vent cut and no screen and a different source for the correct screen so I have to put the two together. I found a pair of dividing networks in Japan but probably won't use them. Instead I plan to machine the face plates on the CNC, get them anodized and make the Altec logo skins for them on the laser etcher. The crossover itself is relatively simple assuming I can find the correct L-Pads. I wish I had your skills, even with the CNC etc I don't think I can make cabinets that look as good as you did with the project in this video. Normally I'm not too worried about cosmetics but for these Model Nineteen replicas I want them to look good. Any tips on whether to use veneered MDF and just be really careful cutting the miters or use raw MDF and put the veneer on after?

[@Denito451]

Great woodworking skills. I'd be a little concerned about the decorative beading at the edge of the baffle as a source of sound diffraction and I personally don't build my boxes with baffle obstructions. Whether in practice you can hear is the acid test.

[@jdekong3945]

Baie mooi Meneer

[@SoundBlab]

Dankie

[@jorimlobijn1952]

Damn.... Super nice speaker build!!! Want to build myself a pair, but i'm thinking of making them active/powerd 🤔.Would be nice i think.

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@divyanshushakya7320]

Wow❤❤❤

[@PM-wt3ye]

Is painting MDF black this easy?! One layer in a few seconds with a brush?! This amazes me the most

[@djmindroler69]

its pretty easy just use mdf primer first (mdf soaks up a lot of paint so best to prime first)

[@greatpix]

Did you consider going with a mirrored pair? My friend, who had two speaker companies, built them that way. He would put a foam gasket around the edge of the drivers when installing them to make them airtight and help prevent any buzzing of the cabinet. He held twp U.S. patents on speaker design.

[@gregooify]

cool

[@GrulbGL]

your recordings of the speaker really sound ludicrously good, i can hear the box reverb, room reverb and all the details from the speaker! really astonishing!! i did myself a pair of speakers with spare/local parts (i'll be honest, in my opinion, brazilian drivers sound better in everything, except subs, i've never saw a good BR sub) keep up the great work!

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@imjustherefortheks]

Excuse my ignorance but what do you mean by "Brazilian drivers"?

[@GrulbGL]

@@imjustherefortheks drivers made by brazilian brands, usually made with celullose cones and mesh gaskets.

[@imjustherefortheks]

@@GrulbGL well, can you recommend one for me, because, I'm from Brazil, I've been in the audio world for more than 30 years now and I don't know a single brand that makes an worthy driver. At most mediocre ones , which are designed for car audio. Bravox, Audiophonic, Hurricane and the one I consider the most, NAR. On the other hand, I think subwoofers are OK. I will be really glad if you could give me a clue of where to start. Imported drivers are way expensive, especially now with the taxation... I had to put a pause on a pair of bookshelf speakers and a pair of tower speakers because of the cost... It made me very upset... Thanks

[@chuckmcgillis8160]

They sound terrific

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@scanspeak00]

I usually secure my crossovers with velcro. My only criticism is that protruding beveled front edge which is terrible for diffraction . Otherwise well done!

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@pauloroversi6750]

Incredible work, congratulations, I would like to know how to assemble the crossover and also where I can buy the components, thank you.

[@vinniev1]

Id have loved to.make these pity the plans are discontinued

[@catchthehare]

Such a shame the plans have been discontinued literally a few months after making this video. Any plans for an updated version please? Lovely work as always, cheers very much

[@SoundBlab]

I am working on an update with more easily available drivers that will also be better value for money.

[@bst8733]

"Even though the crossover network is not the most complicated...." Love the sense of humor.

[@litoboy5]

Cool

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks

[@colinmartin9797]

The ink as a dye for mdf is interesting. I have a lot of interesting fountain pen inks on hand. I wanna go grab a chunk of mdf and test a few... accent piece with the insane noodlers Baystate blue, having a royal blue face could be dramatic. Wife would probably hate it though. I'm still on the fence about making or buying speakers for our living room. We need speakers that can fill a 20x40 room with a 10 foot ceiling. Would this size box/driver setup handle that?

[@chleide61]

What are The demo music, im impressed by the 3rd Electronic song

[@Hamashi]

This is one phenomenal build , i just have one dumb question: does the vibration from subwoofer affect the sound that tweeter and mid make? is it more optimal to put each in separate enclosure? how would one avoid that considering regardless of where in room you put the other two , the sub will still shake the other two drivers as well Thank you for your insane content

[@SoundBlab]

Thank you! Many have made loudspeakers with separate enclosures for each driver, and I am sure it has some benefit, however it is not always very practical. I think the relatively small gain from separate enclosures outweigh the cost involved in manufacturing separates. Not sure how much a subwoofer will affect other speakers in the same room, but again I think we are talking very small gains, if any at all. If enclosures are well built, I think that each driver will perform at its optimal on its own, without interference from others.

[@geoffreymills9932]

Those are as close to my Polk audio A6 that I've heard in a long time, can they play with my KLH A5s

[@juststuff5216]

... and if Wilson Audio, Magico or McIntosh sold these speakers, they would cost at least $100,000 ... !!! Thank goodness for good DIY'ers like yourself, kicking out great sounding speakers, which for some reason, the commercial sector is near incapable of producing!

[@attainableaudio4533]

Yeah and their actual cost is way cheaper then we can buy components for. Granted they are a business and have to cover all the cost that go with it but the markup seem up there.

[@juststuff5216]

@@attainableaudio4533 I agree, businesses are there to make a profit. It simply requires people to use the grey matter between their ears, and given that people will pay $20,000 for a speaker cable that has been proven to have no advantages over a length of bell wire, and that people are willing to pay near £20,000 for £250 worth of tech (Boenicke) ... all I can do is stand back and witness people literally losing their minds!

[@amb3cog]

That’s simply not true at all. Not even the smallest littlest tiniest bit. Neither Wilson, nor Magico build these type of speakers. So that’s a completely moot point right there. And McIntosh just came out with a vintage speaker (a revamp of their first speaker ever, I’m pretty sure) that’s much nicer than this one (ML1 MkII, 12 inch woofer, 5 driver, 4 way), and they cost $12,000. So uh yea. No they wouldn’t. Not trying to be a jerk. But the misinformation, speculation, and general BS surrounding this hobby is just so bad for it in general. Young people read stuff like this, and get put off from the hobby. Because they think one has to DIY, or spend a fortune. And because they don’t want to get ripped off. But they don’t have to deal with any of that in reality. If we all strive to give correct info, and advice. Plus it gets old really, really, fast. So please, if you don’t know what you’re talking about. Please don’t spread misinformation around. And like my Mother taught me. If you don’t have anything nice to say….. ✌️

[@juststuff5216]

@@amb3cog I'll give you a hint - Please re-read the first 2 words of my OP ... !!! The rest of your soliloquy is not worth addressing!

[@amb3cog]

@@juststuff5216 Enjoy that fantasy land you live in there Sssssport. You know the one where you’re never wrong, and where you selectively hear only what you want to hear, while ignoring all the rest. Yea that one. Denial is not a river in Egypt. Chief! ✌️

[@95lovi]

They sound ok good stage a little to extreme in the mid highs

[@petrstoudek1135]

Nadhera👌

[@thomasschafer7268]

The bassreflextunnel in Front? No Problem by positioning the speaker.

[@jameslaidler2152]

Are the magnets on the midbass and midrange drivers vented? I couldn't quite see. Thank you. Also the crossover designs just about made my eyes pop out of my head! Yikes!

[@PeteBasel]

This is not a very old video, why do the plans show as discontinued at your site? Excellent video and woodworking skills, very nice!

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks. The drivers for this build is in very limited availability. I have decided to rather discontinue the plans to avoid issues in getting parts. I will replace this project with a build including drivers that are perhaps better value for money and more easily available, soon.

[@davevolz6138]

Two series resistors on mids not recommended but have fun

[@johannjohann6523]

Excellent speaker design and build. I liked that you went with a 3 way set up instead of 2 way. Yes there are some good 2 way designs, but for the best sound quality you really need a 3 way design speaker. Thanks for the video, and hope others see the quality of this speaker which would be hard to beat for the price doing it themselves. Just need some good woodworking tools. Should compete with new speakers 3x it's price.

[@Hawk7886]

I get what you're saying, but you'll quickly burn up that 3x initial cost savings in tools, materials, parts, and build plans. It's just how it goes.

[@jotuaqui4789]

Amazing build. What type of tape do you use to hold the frame pieces together before final glue stage?

[@SoundBlab]

Used a good quality masking tape.

[@Customcuer36po]

First of all, thank you, it looks very nice and high quality. I want to ask you something; Would these cabinets offer a clearer, simpler sound if they were portless?

[@SoundBlab]

Thanks! A sealed enclosure will make the bass woofer roll off earlier and thus provide less bass extension. Typically it will roll off around 60 to 80Hz. There is lots of debate around which enclosure type gives better bass, ported, sealed, etc. The answer is not clear and very much up to personal opinion/experience. However in this case, you will lose a lot of bass, so I would not recommend it.

[@Customcuer36po]

Thanks@@SoundBlab

[@jcweiz09]

you can make portless enclosure but make it narrower from front to back and then you can add a 10inch bass radiator at the back. :)

[@davidristic3800]

I love how flat or satin black looks as soon as it is painted....I hate how 5 minutes later it is full of prints marks and scuffs

[@alfaholic3]

The speaker looks fantastic, but aren't you worried about potential diffraction issues with that trim around the baffle? Granted, I'm no expert on the subject but from what little i have learnt that could exacerbate the issue.

[@TriAmpHiFi]

. Ya It'll show up in testing & maybe hearing but keep in mind there's at least a thousand of those choices in the whole signal chain. Sometimes we just want what we want because we like it and that's cool.