Shop Build: DML Panel Speakers
My neighbor Kyle wants some speakers. Together we build DML Panels and I hook up the sub from my last video. Will it work? Will it sound good? Listen to the sound test at the end to find out. Bonus ASMR section in the middle of the video!
Table of Contents:
0:45 - Step 1: Sand the panels
3:09 - Step 2: Seal the panels
4:04 - Step 3: Install the pins
5:03 - Step 4: Make the wires
5:39 - Step 5: Test the exciters
6:18 - Step 6: Solder the wires to the exciters
7:09 - Step 7: Attach the exciters
9:41 - Step 8: Sound test
Parts:
2 Dayton Audio DAEX25FHE-4 Framed High Efficiency 25mm Exciter 24W 4 Ohm
Nobsound 2.1 Channel Bluetooth 4.2 Amplifier , Class D Stereo Audio Amplifier
2 Foamular 1 x 24 x 24 inch panels
4 Cotter pins 1 inch
2-part epoxy
White glue
India ink
Speaker wire
String
Banana Plugs (optional)
Tools:
Sand paper
Razor knife
A marker
String
Drill
Scissors
Wirestripper
Music:
Jazz Mango by Joey Pecoraro
Rhodesia by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: www.twinmusicom.org/
Fat Caps by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: audionautix.com/
Alex, admire your empathy, patience, observation and assisting younger ones to become more open, more sociable, more confident, capable to express themselves. It was a pleasure watching you guys. I hope every man will be a little bit like you and will become a good father to own kids. World will be brighter, nicer, safer with happier people around. Thanks!
Love this. Just like the “old” days where if you wanted something, you built it and learned from your mistakes and relished the successes.
Thanks Edward! I totally agree :)
The one key thing to remember for soldering, is that you do not use a soldering iron to melt solder, you use it to heat cables, terminals etc that then melt the solder. :)
Michael, I recently desoldered my mechanical keyboard and lubed the switches. I'm way better at soldering now, but I do need to work on heating the contacts rather than using the iron to melt the solder. Thank you for the reminder. I'll work on this. 🤓
Another very important key to successful soldering is to figure out which type of flux you should be using, and then USE IT. You simply cannot use too much flux.
thats only with wires tho if you do that on smd or smaller trough hole components you'll burn them up before you can solder
@@sean00172 I would argue that it still works the same for electronic components, it just happens much quicker because you are only heating a small terminal and a contact on a circuit board. You should never melt solder onto terminals that are not hot enough.
I'm so bad at soldier I bought silver conductive epoxy
The speakers are awesome! Even better than the speakers is the confidence Kyle gained and the fact that he wants to do more!! Great!
Thanks so much for the sub and the comment binks7725!
I saw the original video from Tech Ingredients, decided to watch yours to see what "Normal" DIYers end up with. Looks like a win. Now its my turn to give it a try. thanks for the great vid!
Thanks Eric! I hope your build turns out great. Don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything,
That's my only gripe with Tech Ingredients, he is so damn good you're never quite sure if it's a do-able project by regular person standards haha.
@@lucastonoli3256 he is so technical isn't he?! Be bold my friend and give it a go. I was floored when I tried out my panels for the first time. I couldn't believe they worked. 🤓
Well done guys, love it!
Thanks Lisa! It was a blast to make the speakers and the video. Glad you liked it!
Nice work guys! One thing I would like to clarify: 8 inches diameter = 4 inches radius as given in the other channels.
Good catch! yes, the radius of the curve is 4". I misspoke and mis-subtitled the video :)
Why do people use such huge radii? A soup or aerosol can (1-1.5”) is plenty…and leaves a bunch of surface area for the “membrane”
@@gregorykusiak5424 according to the tech ingredients video linked, the radius affects the distribution of resonance frequencies. The goal is to get the two panels, one with the radiuses and one without, to have offset peaks/troughs to produce a more balanced sound.
You guy brought the cheap low powered ones . The 40 watt version is preferred . 8 inch radius is best. No glue it changes the frequency.
I don’t know about the glue affecting the sound, but why would you use an epoxy glue when the speaker gadgets come with that 3M tape stuff that is stickier that the stickiest axle grease, or anything else for that matter.
As mentioned in Tech Ingredients' video, sanding the front face of the panel would only enhance the output but not the sound signature. Since they are using a smaller exciter, I don't think there will be any noticeable difference if they left the surface unsealed.
Cool video. As soon as I saw the pink foam board I knew where the design came from. I appreciate you crediting Tech Ingredients. You earned a sub from me.
Thanks so much for subscribing! I'm glad you liked the video. Tech ingredients is a great creator. I've been off the grid for a while now, but I'll be uploading more videos soon. Anything you'd like to see? Build videos? Reviews? Vlogs? Let me know.
Good job boys!
Good job guys!
Awww, the way the boy's face lit up when he heard the bass.
Good on neighbors!
Can't have no in your heart brother!
I am glad you mentioned tech ingredients he is awsome
Right?!
@@alexmendiola I liked your bull too keep it up
Awesome
Putting glue on the boards/panels negates the idea of sanding the panels. The reason why you sand them is to remove a thin plastic coating that keeps them from flexing/vibrating as much. By adding the glue you are just restoring an even thicker version of that plastic coating. I would recommend not painting them. Or use an air brush to apply a layer of paint.
Well, it's my understanding that adding the glue water mix provides a solid film that better transfers the sound. See the original Tech Ingredients video. That is part of his recommended process. Also, I have read on other articles that the harder the surface film, the better the response. In fact, I built new DMLs in my new shop and used Appliance Epoxy and they sound even better than these.
@@alexmendiola the panels that Tech Ingredients recommended sealing were the end grain balsa panels. Even then it was only a patch large enough to properly adhere the driver.
Congratulations! Great video! Indeed in doubt about sealing it with glue but it’s a design choice as well… btw, in Brazil it seems we have this panel in white… hope is the same…
Alex, can you explain the function of removing the protective coating on the panels by sanding them. then reapplying a protective coating of glue, water & ink, 2 coats?
I'm not 100% certain about the science of this. However, in order to work at optimum efficiency, the panels need a hard outer surface that covers all sides of the panel. When you purchase the panels, only the front and back are covered in the coating. In order to coat the whole surface and insure adhesion, it's necessary to rough up the surface (just like when painting). The cheapest coating is white glue and the water thins it enough to cover easily.
@@alexmendiola yeah, still doesn't add up to me. I'm wanting to do this to some already made art panels.
I really wanna see DMLs made with different exciters!
Question: Why did you decide on "painting" the panels with glue/water/ink? I'm guessing you didn't test the performance of the speakers prior to painting them so you can see if your "paint" had any negative effect.
I'd love to see some actual tests showing the tonal differences between drivers that are simply attached with the 3M tape vs the epoxy you added. I feel like the epoxy is choking down something.
Panels are made from a material that is not very strong so if you do not want your exciter to get lose with time you need to make a socket for them and that is the job for epoxy->make durable spot for your exciters.
Kyle does not look like he is used to being on video. Lol
Well done for building the speakers, but what impressed me was the love and patience in teaching Kyle how to do his project!
Thanks so much @macacinelecanle I really appreciate it. I'm glad that came through in the video. It's all about spreading the knowledge, creativity, and passion for making.
Nice video
From the original video, this one and a couple others, I start considering the hipotesys of using 3 different layers of coating: a more rigid one, at the bottom, for the low freqs, a medium one at the middle and a light one at the top, for high freqs (maybe concentric circles would work better, with high freqs at the edge of the panels?).
Well, I'm no expert in acoustics but my suggestion if you do try concentric rings is, it should be high frequencies at the center and low frequencies at the ends. Low frequencies need larger lengths to be accurately represented. The reason is that lower frequencies have larger wavelengths and you require a larger length panel to produce lower frequencies. The length limitation is why most DML speakers have aggressive bass roll off.
@Alex Mendiola Hi Alex! Love the (kind) way you respond to your viewers, and guiding Kyle to make em mostly by himself! I'm very interested in seeing the results after the 'epoxy spray' and the 'angle/ceiling placement'! PLEASE focus not only on the end result, but, on testing the sound results by measurements and your hearing opinion before and after applying the epoxy (first by sanding, and then painting/and spraying epoxy), and after epoxy testing various positions also (parallel to the wall, bigger distance, parallel to the ceiling, angled etc). I think it would be VERY helpful and interesting to all of us! Also, you sir gained one more subscriber! Please keep up and enjoy!
I will do my best. Unfortunately, I do not own the diagnostic equipment necessary to do full testing. I will absolutely give you my opinion and provide some recordings of the differences.
In the video from Tech ingredients it is shown how adding weights in a specific pattern helps to dampen the resonance patterns, which should lead to a more linear behaviour of the speaker. Maybe if you want to further improve the speaker, it should be easy to add this later. Defenetly trying this out. It's just so simple.
Tech Ingredients did a followup video, where he states that the weights shift the resonance frequencies rather than remove them, and also reduces the volume. He then advocates alternative strategies such as multiple speaker panels with different driver locations
Tech ingradients tarnished their credibility by calling these the best speakers. They don't even come close.
@@marttiinnanen4911 best doesn't always mean perfect and I think should be taking into account the price and effort put into them. And for this amount of work and that price, it's hard to beat. If by best you mean most flat response, then no, it's not, but within it's pricerange, it probably is
@@marttiinnanen4911 True, the frequency response is very rough and uneven.
I saw this project on Tech Ingredients two years ago and I was left with many questions. You addressed most of them. Thanks. One remaining question is if it matters which board shape gets the Exciter on the center and which on the 3/5-2/5 area. Thanks
Hi Omar, as far as I can tell, no. I'm in the process of building a new set of 4 larger panels for my workshop. I'll let you know if I notice anything with placement differences. Also, below is a comment from Russell Schiwal that I'm going to try. He says to make sure the panels aren't too close to the wall. I'll mount mine at a 30 degree angle from the ceiling (I'm mounting these new panels on the ceiling). Let me know if you give this a try!
@@alexmendiola thanks Alex. I do want to give them a try. Unfortunately, can't find those panels in my country. BTW I found a video where the guy hangs the panels on the wall from behind. I'll look for it and give you the link.
For the black coating, how about black gesso? Would that work too? (It's the primer artists put on canvas to prepare to paint. It can be made with acrylic, which is somewhat hard.)
Nice idea, but from what I can tell you want something that will be as hard as possible once it cures. Not sure how hard Gesso gets, but that would be a great experiment!
i just saw the bigger high efficiency exciters with 40W. I think, i might try them out. i have to check the coating from tech ingredient channel. is your version with the epoxy glue giving it extra stiffness to create a stiff membrane instead of something wobbely?
Great question! I did a fair amount of research on this idea. Tech Ingredients suggested a 1:1 mix of white glue and water. In this build, I followed that recipe with the addition of India Ink to tint them. In a more recent build, I used RustOleum Appliance Epoxy. In my research, I found that the more rigid the surface layer is, the more accurate the production of the sound. To my ear, this holds true. I still want to get a diagnostic microphone and do more empirical testing. Hope this helps. :) P.S. this a link to the product I used: www.amazon.com/Rustoleum-241168-Quart-White-Appliance/dp/B0067NM12E?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
@@RolandWartenberg I am so glad to hear that!!! I still get chills listening to my set of DMLs as well. Maybe you and your daughter could make some together.
I have built these speakers and they work great unless you mount them close to the wall, then they get super tinny.
Where did you put them or how did you fix the tinny sound?
I have mine hanging about two inches infront of a wooden wall and they sound great. They sound great but a bit bright and wierdly muffled. It might be that I am using a very cheap and cheerful Blue tootth to DAC. Am am planning on building one that is a bit better.
I totally agree with you Mark. They do mellow after a bit of listening, but I absolutely want to get a decent DSP to even out the highs. My next project is a 7.1 Atmos setup. Fingers crossed it works well. I may even make another video :)
Good video. Great coverage of the build. I have used Ceiling tiles and separately plywood. Plywood sheets of 4 feet by 2 feet work really well
Thanks! I wondered how plywood would sound. I have plans to make more panels. I even made an 8 foot long "subwoofer" panel. It vibrated so much, that it rattled a bit.
Alex Mendiola Just as a heads up, the larger the panel. More power is needed but....... you can connect the same drivers in series or parallel connection (depending how loud you need to go) but be cautious of the impedance. I currently have four Dayton Audio DAEX19CT-4 driving 4 feet by 2 feet plywood panel. They sound great even though the drivers are smaller. All four work together. They are wired in two series pairs connected in parallel. I.e. singe driver is rated 5 watts into 4 ohm. My four drivers are connected to appear as 20 watt 4 ohm.
Also my second set are mounted on ceiling tiles hanging from the wall (just like tech ingredients video) with two Dayton Audio DAEX32EP-4 drivers mounted on each panel. They do go loud but I think running 80 watts into 8 ohms (two connected in series) goes above the limits of ceiling tiles. There is only so much flex in ceiling tiles
@@BillyNoMates1974 I was curious about how the ceiling tiles sound. I actually have some that I haven't yet mounted exciters on. How did you position the dual exciters on the panel?
@@alexmendiola well here's the thing. The original glue is ok for about a month but the bigger drivers weight a bit more and because they move up to an inch in travel. can actually rip themselves off the tile. So I found the best way was to buy some 3M VHB tape and cut to size over the front driver mount. this in conjunction with the VHB tape already applied gives no problems even after 6 months . The ceiling tiles I used were 600mm (24 inch) by 600mm (24 inch). Also placing two of the same drivers on each ceiling (connected in series) tile weights the ceiling tile down but the drivers do not have to move so much
2:44 Takes the mask off to make a good sniff of plastic dust directly from his sleeve :P
Yea hahaha
Lol
So what did sealing these panels do for the sound? I've seen other people test painting them directly, but the best sound was always with nothing put on the surface. I want to make some of these myself, and if the sealant works well, I might look into doing that too
Hi Jeconiah, That is a great question! I have not done any A-B testing between sealed vs unsealed panels. I simply trusted the testing done by Tech Ingredients. Check out his video for more information (lot's of technical detail in there!) . kzhead.info/sun/dq-CqclsiYxjaKM/bejne.html When I have the money to purchase the necessary testing equipment, I will absolutely validate the difference between the two.
Does painting picture or adding stickers on the panels affect sound performance
Hmm... Great question! If you painted with the same glue and ink mix, I don't think it would affect the sound. Stickers might but I suspect very little. I'll have to try that out. When we moved, I did not bring my dml panels with us. Maybe I'll build a new set and try that out for a future video.
I'm just wondering if this technology would work for a guitar amplifier and I'll stretch that out to a bass guitar amplifier.?.
It would work as a guitar speaker, but the way I would go about it is install software like native instruments guitar rig on a laptop and get a cable like this www.amazon.com/YESPURE-Interface-Gold-Plated-Recording-Compatible/dp/B08HD1TCYB/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=rocksmith+cable&qid=1622865831&sr=8-9 and connect your guitar to the laptop and then you can use guitar rig to add effects and stuff, then just plug a 3.5mm male to male cable (www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Stereo-Audio-Cable-Meters/dp/B00NO73IN2/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=3.5mm+male+to+male&qid=1622865913&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExWUs2MkUxU1BMTTJNJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDg1ODc0VTJKR0E3NFVMVTMmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDg2MzE3NzFVWUEzWDdHMEFDUzMmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl) from the laptop headphone jack to the input on the amp they're using at the end of this video or something similar and it would work just fine. It's a bit complicated but really loud has great sound reproduction and cheap. Also one drawback from these dml panels is they don't replicate low frequencies super well (that's why they've added a subwoofer to the setup), but it would work without one great for a guitar, but not so good as a bass amp.
To get 3/5 of 24", run the tape measure at an angle to get 25". Then, it's simply 5" increments.
Someone is thinking.
Whether you do it this way, or by using math, 3/5ths from one edge is 2/5ths from the opposite edge! I suppose we all have head-slap moments, though.
@@NBryanBlack I fell for that at first.
Were the exciters wired in series for each panel set? And each panel set was basically left and right speaker sets?
I only had one Exciter per panel and each one was on its own channel. I need to try a multiple Exciter panel setup.
Was plywood tried first and rejected after the foam panels performed better? Wondering how they wound up with foam?
Hey Jim. Check out Tech Ingredients vid on making these speakers as they tested a bunch of materials before arriving at polystyrene foam panels. They also combined the foam with an adjoining balsa wood end grain panel for filling in the mids. Think of a tweeter and woofer combined. Wait...........aren’t you dead?🤔😆
Could someone test a taller panel for more bass? 24 x 48 or even taller.
Been browsing all day since I came across the tech ingredients video just to convince myself to follow you...sound from yt isn't convincing so I might start looking for that magic little exciter, Philippine market isn't the place to have those.. fo now👍
I'm so glad you're convinced to try these! I'm in the process of building 7 small DML panels to try it for a Dolby Atmos Home Theatre project. Maybe I'll finally do another video of that. :)
Was thinking about making these but painting the panels instead. Think that would seal it enough?
I suggest watching this video it will answer your question: kzhead.info/sun/i6dxYZitiJyilH0/bejne.html
What is the model of the amp that you are using?
How did you guys attach the subwoofer? I know a lot of these small amps only have a left and right channel, but did the one you use have a sub output? Just curious to what amp you used
Yeah, they made sure to use a 2.1 channel amp. If you're doing this and want the option for a sub, use a 2.1 channel amplifier!
FYI you can also add a subwoofer to any 2.0 amp, if the subwoofer has a high level input+output. Some even argue that this would be the preferred way to do it.
couple things... why would you paint them? adding anything will modify the sound and from tech ingred, you want the foam to vibrate as cleanly as possible. also, perfect example of why you should use metric. 3/5th and 2/5ths is EASY to calculate in your head
What is the point of sanding the boards to remove the sheen only to add it back thicker with multiple layers of paint.
Check out the Tech Ingredients video on this for the technical details, but it tones down the highs a bit and evens out the frequency response. I def recommend using these with a traditional subwoofer and DSP of some kind. My next project is a 7.1 Dolby Atmos setup using DMLs as my Center, Left, Right, and surrounds with an 8" sub. I'm hoping the AV Receiver will balance out the frequencies. If not, I'll add a separate DSP.
Could you use a longer Flat Panel for an increase in BASS without adding a dedicated Subwoofer ?
I haven't made a panel speaker yet, but to help with your question I would say that it probably wouldn't help, for lower bass notes it is a lower frequency wich the foam wouldn't be able to reproduce because it doesn't have the capability to move slow enough, you need to be able to push air to create bass tones
@@trentc4576 good point
@@user-ss6zt2mo1l I wonder if there is a larger exciter and or a different type of foam that would help produce lower frequencies ? Guess we would have to experiment with size of the panels too
@@trentc4576 Tech Ingredients said that a larger panel is necessary for good bass
@@trentc4576 that would be fun.
Could you put tweeters and mid range speakers to this also can it be done wireless?
Hmm... Well, wireless would be tough with these. You could use a wireless receiver from parts express (www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-Wave-Link-WLS-System-2.4-GHz-Full-Range-Wireless-Pair-300-594) to connect any of the speakers to your source. I don't think you'd need separate tweeters and mids. These speakers are remarkably clear from 40-20000 hrz. I plan to get a dsp to flatten the response in the highs.
As explained in a Tech Ingredients vid, the panel speakers work in full range and don't need separate drivers or crossovers that cone speakers need.
well done and inspired me to try to make my own. What sub-woofer did you use ?
So glad you are giving this project a try. I built a simple closed sub-box and installed a Dayton Audio DCS165-4 6-1/2" Classic Subwoofer 4 Ohm 295-198. That's a great low cost sub that pairs nicely with a 2.1 amp. Let me know how it goes and if I can help!
@@alexmendiola thanks for getting back so quickly. the dimensions of cabinet for sub-woofer and whether it is ported would be handy. have ordered the exciters and will likely order the rest so Brisbane Australia will soon be reverberating to your design : )
@@michaeldockray8650 I need to go find my build plans for the sub box. It was sealed, I do remember that. I'll find the details and get back to you ASAP! :)
Why not use screws instead of split pins???
How far from the wall are we hanging? Sound is coming from both sides.
I hang them about 1.5 inches from the wall. Just enough so they can move without touching the wall.
The background music sounds like a lounge jazz version of the theme from nier: replicant.
I'm in the middle of making these myself. Just made a stop to Home Depot to grab the boards and epoxy. I've never soldered before; in fact this will be my first project on anything that uses electricity. Any tips? Any way to do this without buying an entire setup to solder?
Great question! You could use crimp connectors. You can pick up some inexpensive sets from Amazon. Amlits 300 PCS Insulated Wire Electrical Connectors - Butt, Ring, Spade, Quick Disconnect - Crimp Terminals Connectors Assortment Kit www.amazon.com/dp/B078PMWNJC/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_2VWR86WFK9RVXZGBXVZZ no soldering needed!
keep your eye on polarity of cables on exciters, if you connect it on some battery, the exciter needs to go out, if its going inside, you need to change polarity on it
This kind of speakers work with the dipole principle i.e. they radiate sound equally front and back. If you place them very near to the wall like in the video, it will suppress the low frequencies and affect the frequency response. Dipole speakers need to be angled away from the walls and preferably at 0,5 - 1,0 meters from the back wall.
Thanks martti! I will absolutely try this with the new set I'm making. Planning on hanging them from the ceiling parallel to the floor. I wonder how this will affect the low frequencies?
@@alexmendiola The main thing is that neither side should be close to a hard surface that reflects the sound back. It's enough if you angle the panels 30-45° away from the surface. Think of light reflecting from a mirror, place the panel so that the reflection won't hit on itself.
AND- when placing the exciters on the rear of your panel, if using a single driver, use the 3/5-2/5 spacing dimensions to find the center of your mounting location.'Break up' will be minimized..
Exactly! We actually did this in our build. Sorry if that wasn't clear. :)
@@alexmendiola It was clear!
Have you considered that the paint could change the xps vibrations?
That's the point I think.
How might one waterproof the panels for outdoor use w/o affecting the resonance?
XPS doesn't deteriorate that fast when exposed to water according to the company's that sell it as insulation. Dayton audio also produces waterproof exciters so I assume you could make reasonable splash-proof dml's.
@@lkwakernaak While I'm worried how they'd fare in windy situations, I'd want to be able to coat/paint to put viynl decals as part of an outdoor theater setup.
If they're porous and directly subjected to moisture, and then freezing temperatures,I would think the ice could damage the foam. But maybe the tiny bubbles are solid and don't soak up water. Insulation installed in homes is protected by the outer shell of the building.
What is the advantage of Cotter pins over Eye screws?
I was having this same thought, I even considered getting some drywall anchors and using those to grab into the foam, then you could use any old screw in anchor
How are these DML Panels different from NXT?
Also, how are the NXT different than the DML panels made by Philips in Argentina?
it's been a while since i saw that video - did Tech Ingredients seal the foam with glue/water/ink? I don't remember that step.
Yes they did. I'm building a new set for my workshop with an in-wall sub and am planning to use white appliance spray epoxy. After some more research, they epoxy will aid in the precision of reverberation.
@@alexmendiola Nice. Good information, thank you! It also makes them look a whole lot better. I may do a set for my garage.
I thought he used spray paint?
He used spray paint only with light sanding on one model. He built many with the balsa model having the best sound. Epoxy was only used on the pins.
Can these speakers be hooked up to the back of a regular stereo?
Sure! The exciters are rated for 24W @ 4ohms so make sure you have an appropriate amplifier.
Those are called project panels at Home Depot btw
Thanks. I'm going to get some.
Maybe I missed it but why does one have square corners and the other one curved?
Because of the way these speakers work, they have a few resonance points that affect the sound. By mounting the exciters in different positions and rounding one panel’s corners, the resonance points somewhat cancel out to make the overall sound more consistent. Honestly the difference is gonna be hard to notice for most people, but picky audiophiles will appreciate it
How are you taking the numerous modes
I've actually not considered that. They appear to work well. I do know that the amp adjusts resistance based on the power supply.
@@alexmendiola you can pull up a sine wave generator online and output it to the speakers. As you move up the frequencies you will hear massive peaks that become harsh. During normal playback it might be that female singers sound terrible but dudes sound great. Not sure what you mean about the amp.
Where did the amp and sub woofer come from?
the Amp ist a cheap nobsound and the sub woofer you can find it on Tech Ingredients Channel
@@kiril135790 thanks for posting this reply. I was wondering why the video creator did not list the sub in the parts list.
@5:19 Had to take a break at 16:20, eh?
Why sand the foam? Is it to provide a rough surface for the Ink/Glue coating?
In the Tech Ingredients vid they say that there is a thin film of plastic on the outer layer. Removing this by sanding allows for more vibration. Or something like that. Painting it is completely optional. There's another bit of advice depending on what paint you use. I think spray paint would be better than brushing anything on. I thought it was weird seeing that in this video - since they went through the trouble of sanding it. The thing is - with spray paint, it's a good idea to hold it a certain distance away so the acetone in the spray paint doesn't melt the foam and evaporates before it... settles. And apparently, it takes a lot of paint doing it this way. :-/
@@Sutoraida1975 I intend on placing these speakers under our pergola. Pink won't cut it. I thought about painting an ivy or floral design on the front side so they will blend in with the rest of the plants.
There are water-based spray paints that are safe for polymers, if you can find them. Might make this a lot easier and less wasteful.
When playing the musiq the white shirt man what diong under the desk any speakers there? 😜
Nope! The music is coming straight from the panels.
Sorry I think something wrongly
@@jktalks5125 No problem! :)
Was wondering if you built an open frame to suspend them in, would it improve the base?
another video shows the comparison, it doesn't seem to make a big difference, suspending sounds better
you should have given your neighbour some coffee first :-)
Would these work plugged into home theatre amp?
Yes! I just set up a 7.1 Atmos surround sound system for a home theatre and they work great! You will need a traditional subwoofer though. They don't have enough low end for home theatre.
@@alexmendiola so good, and thanks for responding to a 2 year old vid. Saw in the other comments you were doing ceiling mounted parallel to the floor and I was thinking of doing the same. Is this what you ended up doing?
I'll take some pics. I should totally do another video. I'm setting up the screen this weekend. I made some frames in which the speakers hang and the ceiling speakers are hung at an angle where the wall meets the ceiling. I use a needle with waxed thread to keep it from swinging down.
@@alexmendiola sounds good, would love to see new vid 👌
How thick the foam board was?
It was 2" rigid foam board. I believe it's called XPS.
I need HELP! I have built one speaker using 30mm XPS (extruded polystyrene) at 46x58cm (the recommender width = 4/5height) with a DAEX25FHE exciter at the 3/5-2/5 position behind it (also with rounded corners)... AND IT SOUND TERRIBLE! Tiny and tinny sound, souped exaggerated and screeching highs and almost nonexistent midrange. Like listening to a tiny cheep portable radio made in 90s China. What am I doing wrong here??? (I have tried different distances from both brick and double-drywall walls)
Did you connect them the right way? (I'm a noob)
Could you have one wired out if phase? That would do it.
I suggest you get a calibrated mic and measure them with REW and use the build in function to make an eq for the dml's. Use APO (for windows) to load the eq.
I totally agree Joep. It's on my list to purchase for sure!
hallo Joep, did you build your own set (in the Netherlands)?
Specs on the amp?
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D8NRFQL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I'm confused, you say: 8" radius. but you corrected in the video text, 6" radius, but the other videos talk about diameters. so, essentially, you said 16" or 12" diameter, which is not close. Shouldn't this be indeed 4" radius? (or 8" diameter)? (d=2r)
Yes, I did misspeak. I am working on a new set of speakers and referred back to TechIngredients video to get the correct radius.
Tech ingrediants uses a 8 inch radius. on corners.
@@YorHighness no he does not.
I never noticed Tech Ingredients cover their panels in a mixture of glue, water and ink. So, my questions are: 1. Why these three ingredients together? 2. In what proportions? 3. Why not just paint them?
Hey Karl, Here are the answers I have: 1. The idea I think is to create a thin hard layer to all surfaces in order to improve frequency response. White Glue is cheap, water is free, and the ink was just to give them a different look than the pink of the foam. On a more recent build, I used white appliance epoxy and they sound even better than these. 2. For the water/glue mix it's 1:1, I just eyeballed the color with the ink. 3. From my research paint is too elastic. You want something that will harden.
the youngest seems stoned 😂
Testing for 1 minute with speakers plaing back?
Cool as shit to have a kid appreciate what your doing. Kudos to you sir
Thanks @Dan I do my best :)
How would these sound up on the ceiling?
That's actually my plan! A video from one of the folks at element14 did this for their workshop. It inspired me to do the same in my new workshop. Although I plan to take @russelschiwal advice and angle them about 30 degrees down.
What does DML mean?
DML stands for Distributed Mode Loudspeaker.
@@alexmendiola Thanks. Did not know that.
So Pink is the new purple, but...Tech Ingredients sanded off the hard veneer caused by the fabrication process of the boards to improve the volume quality " World’s Best Speakers! 11:00" Wont the glue based paint job cancel out this benefit to the loudness?
Great question! We also sanded the veneer. Tech Ingredients also coated the panels with a 1:1 glue/water solution, but he did not demonstrate it. From my further research the coating needs to be as hard as possible to even out the response curve. In fact, on my next DML build I plan to use spray appliance epoxy as it will harden even more than the pvc glue.
So why sand off the “hard veneer” if a hard surface is ideal? Why not just leave it and spray epoxy?
hi! as he said "From my further research", he researched that after that build. I believe he sanded it first so after the 1:1 glue/water the surface wouldn't be too hard. I'm interested myself to see if the 'epoxy appliance' will make it better or worse! Dear Alex, please make measurements before and after, it will help a lot all of us! :)
@@alexmendiola Hi Alex! Love the (kind) way you respond to your viewers, and guiding Kyle to make em mostly by himself! I'm very interested in seeing the results after the 'epoxy spray' and the 'angle/ceiling placement'! PLEASE focus not only on the end result, but, on testing the sound results by measurements and your hearing opinion before and after applying the epoxy (first by sanding, and then painting/and spraying epoxy), and after epoxy testing various positions also (parallel to the wall, bigger distance, parallel to the ceiling, angled etc). I think it would be VERY helpful and interesting to all of us! Also, you sir gained one more subscriber! Please keep up and enjoy!
@@vassilispapadimitriou9016 I think hard epoxy or any other hard veneer may increase treble, decrease bass or both. To my knowledge Tech Ingredients only suggested ; A spray can paint job from far away, as to not have the volatile thinners melt the polystyrene.
thanks, I just saw the same video from Tech Ingredients
GO CHARGERS GO! - Arnold Schwarzenegger
Made em doodoo with the paint.
Yea, the exciters may be less than 10 bucks, . . . . . but the amplifier is $78 !
Looks like Breaking Bad: audiophile.
Great video. But that asmr was torture. X_x
How about playing some non mellow music …. Metal…
You should of removed the 3m sticky tape first. Then add the 2 part 5min. epoxy.
Fair point. Time was against us though. The tape on those exciters were stuck on quite firmly, the epoxy was mixed, and we had started rolling. Oh well. Next time for sure. 🤓
@@alexmendiola 3m tape is super strong by itself. No epoxy need there. effects sound frequency.
Here's the same idea, only I used GUITARS instead of flat panels: kzhead.info/sun/lqagorCup5GYiIU/bejne.html
Good men "teach" young men.
Listening this on a tiny iPad speaker... Hmm. What's Bass? 🤪
What is ASMR? you have "ASMR in 3...2...1...." and I just see a mouth-breather mixing glue.
Not that I needed to know how, but after watching this, I'm surprised how few people even show the step of dealing with the wires in their videos about making DML speakers.
lol just try to find that foamboard in the UK and then try to buy a single sheet! you have a much better chance of finding Rockinghorse shit as the UK is absolutely retarded and greedy as far as sales practices go you have to buy a whole pack of full size sheets as most outlets are on line and those who have physical outlets don't seem to stock that shit!
Wrong ....... Thats the whole point of sanding them is to take off the shiny sealed surface from manufacturing to improve the output of the panel, kzhead.info/sun/dq-CqclsiYxjaKM/bejne.html kzhead.info/sun/rcikqat8qIdtq3k/bejne.html
If you want to REALLY clean up the fidelity of these x-citers, there's one "trick" I highly recommend(and use)... Regardless of the size of your panels, or regardless;ess of how many 'drivers" you use, ALWAYS use a steep passive( at least a 12dB/Oct) high pass around the 100-150 range depending on you're set up, or even BETTER yet, use an active XO doing the same duty.. hempopotamusloudspeakers.com. for some cool HEMP speaker/woofer/subwoofer ideas..
Thanks for the tip! I have been running these type of speakers with a 2.1 amp with and adjustable crossover. I just turn that dial until it sounds good. But, precision is what I strive for and I'll give the diy route a try in the future. :)
Always amazed that measurements needs an electronic calculator, while even 6yrs old can do without - if using the metric system. Nur said.
Do you have a license for that ruler?
Let's not have this discussion