Silly question about pubblishing plans...

Have to be built and tested?
or just a plan on paper...

Staips latest mini plans as stated as,not built or tested. Should be fine

first one yes...by you smiley2

I think anyone finalizing a drawing for a speaker, without hearing it first, is taken a risk. I asked a question some time back, whether those who had simmed and then built, if the box had come out as thought. Everyone without exception said the results were different. I asked asked originally, because it's something I've never done, and there was far to much talk about graphs and not enough building and testing. It would be easy to draw a Reflex cab, tune it on Bass Box . (which I find to be quite accurate). But even this doesn't tell you about panel resonance which can affect the end result.
I would advise anyone to build first, and if it's satisfactory, then draw it up, with confidence.
Did you know that to claim true copyright for a product, the drawing must exist before the item is produced. Baring this in mind, there can't be many things really covered by copyright. I learnt this many years ago in court with the late Dave Martin.

So I must prototype...but.. how can I judge the sound? I mean just by my newbie hears or with some measurement instrument? and if I'm not satisfied by the sound...how can I distinguish if is build problem or a wrong concept?

Development and experimentation is all part of the fun. It also teaches you many things. When I started out, there wasn't much around in the way of PA systems, and it was my generation that developed the principals of PA as we know it today. We never had drawings or computers to play with. The only copying that was done was to modify old cinema systems, that were built even before our time. We had to have patience because there was no other way.
Getting the right sound is partly subjective, and I've never thought there was an easy way to get a good sound, apart from duplicating someone else's tried and tested cab.
I guess people on Speaker Forums fall into many sections. Some only want a cheap way into the business. Others don't don't really have the money. Some are just happy to look at a computer screen all day long. Some think it will be easy. There are even some people with really good woodworking skills that make amazing cabs, but it doesn't mean they know about acoustics or designing to optimize the sound.
This little essay is not passing judgement on anyone or anything. It's only my mind doing into overdrive.

In your opinion what are a good material for prototyping? for good I mean cheaper than birch ply, easy to workout, etc...etc..
I'm thing to build a mid horn phase plugged, so should be nice to change horn shape without rebuild all the cab. Fiberglass is not cheap...paper? foam?
What about bass? MDF? Chipboard?

bitzo wrote: In your opinion what are a good material for prototyping? for good I mean cheaper than birch ply, easy to workout, etc...etc..
I'm thing to build a mid horn phase plugged, so should be nice to change horn shape without rebuild all the cab. Fiberglass is not cheap...paper? foam?
What about bass? MDF? Chipboard?

If I am pretty certain that the box will be OK as built or with tiny mods then I risk Ply but if it is just a design exercise or something that could be just plain wrong i.e. a BP6 box then I use MDF.

Tony

Tony.A.S.S. wrote: Development and experimentation is all part of the fun. It also teaches you many things. When I started out, there wasn't much around in the way of PA systems, and it was my generation that developed the principals of PA as we know it today. We never had drawings or computers to play with. The only copying that was done was to modify old cinema systems, that were built even before our time. We had to have patience because there was no other way.
Getting the right sound is partly subjective, and I've never thought there was an easy way to get a good sound, apart from duplicating someone else's tried and tested cab.
I guess people on Speaker Forums fall into many sections. Some only want a cheap way into the business. Others don't don't really have the money. Some are just happy to look at a computer screen all day long. Some think it will be easy. There are even some people with really good woodworking skills that make amazing cabs, but it doesn't mean they know about acoustics or designing to optimize the sound.
This little essay is not passing judgement on anyone or anything. It's only my mind doing into overdrive.

Also hobby people. I'm in dilemma at the moment. I want to build some Eminence scoops that I have a modification idea for, no sims, thing is doing them in MDF means if it works I have to do again. I've never done the slope/curve bit before so that addds to the problem. Keep seeing Hogs/Staipier minis as I can manage these and they'll be ok, Really want to try the idea though.
Ho Hum

Bitzo- If you're making mid horns you certainly will need to do some prototypes as they are very difficult to model accurately and even the smallest change can make a very noticeable difference to the sound and the dispersion pattern. I would suggest using cheap ply or MDF for the first couple of attempts, just to get roughly the right shape. You can then start adding filler to make fine adjustments until you are confident enough to make a fibreglass version. Fibreglass is great for churning out lots of identical horns, but will involve a lot of work if you wish to make changes.