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Dave,
Have you, or would you ever consider, offering custom Rythmik subs in the same finishes as your bamboo products? Same dimensions as Rythmik's subs to keep it simple just in the bamboo finishes. Would make for a nice matching audio set up.
Thanks,
Jason
He will but the price for a bamboo Rythmik sub would be very pricey. I wanted to go this route but the price was too much to justify it. Awhile ago they looked into it but I believe the cost to make would kill the bang for buck.
Check this out
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1298370/ry...ng-impressions
Ahhh good to know. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Jason,Quote:
Originally Posted by jahjd2000
This would be up to Rythmik as they build their cabinets overseas. We could have cabinets built locally out of the same bamboo that we use but these are going to be VERY expensive -- easily a premium of at least twice the cost of standard enclosures. Keep in mind that these are not just bamboo finishes, our Sierra enclosures are made entirely from bamboo.
So is that twice the cost of the box or twice the cost of a complete sub? I know Salk offers every single one of their tower finishes as a custom finish for a sub with the Rythmik speaker and amp and that gives a substantial price increase, but their box design is WAY better braced made and a much stiffer overall cabinet design.Quote:
Originally Posted by davef
I would assume that all bamboo in the factory style box design would cost more but still be stiffer without ridiculous internal bracing the Salk MDF boxes use. Not that cabinet rigidity is an issue with my stock F15HP as it is now, but it is very apparent how cheap my Rythmik box construction is when you look at it without a driver or amp or look at the vinyl compared to my black bamboo. Seems like copying the design parameters for a stock Rythmik box using all bamboo would be far stiffer, tougher, and have a more beautiful surface finish worthy of a price bump. To me that's easily worth twice the cost of the box, but probably not twice the cost of an entire sub.
I agree. I got my F12 in the matte finish as it was the only option. Very cheap finish IMO. Good sound however.
Why not discuss with Dave for the cost, you can get the rest of the unit from rythmik. So essentialy Dave would be desling with the custom work.
It would likely cost close to twice that of the complete standard subwoofer. Bamboo is expensive, as is the labor and custom finishing of the bamboo itself.Quote:
Originally Posted by DevL
Would it be cheaper if you were able to order bamboo subwoofer boxes in bulk? I'm sure there's multiple folks out there with more money than sense who would be willing to pay a hefty premium for a sub that matches their speakers...Quote:
Originally Posted by davef
We would need to order a minimum of 50 of the same subwoofer cabinet to benefit from some volume discounts. We would also then have to assemble, test, clean and package the subwoofer's ourselves (as opposed to Rythmik)Quote:
Originally Posted by pj-
I wonder how much of a performance boost you would get from the bamboo.
It seems the 12 would be about 1700 and the 15 about 1900. If Rhythmik would up the game to the HO amp, I would definately consider this. To be able to match the towers would be great. Maybe if we could get 50 names on the want list, it might be easier for Dave to consider this. No pressure Dave.
I would love a pair in Dark Cherry!
DJoel
F15 HP in bamboo can we do it? I'd be down. Gonna try asking Salk Signature what they would charge.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bds0048
Best to speak with Rythmik directly. We can do this, but it is extremely expensive through us.
I don't know if you are still interested, but I noticed a premade bamboo cabinet you can get for a 10 or 12 inch driver for a very reasonable price.Quote:
Originally Posted by jahjd2000
http://www.diysoundgroup.com/bamboo-sub-enclosure.html
It seems to be made specifically for Dayton drivers and such, but I wonder if you might be able to get a Rythmik 12 inch driver and amp to work with this? On the Rythmik website you can get the amps and drivers seperately, to go the DIY route:
http://www.rythmikaudio.com/products2.html
If they did go together without any problem, this would be a cheap way of getting what you might want, although you are limited to the 12" sealed design. Also you would need to finish the cabinet, which sounds like it is labor intensive. I would love to have a subwoofer in the cabinet to match my natural Sierra 2s, but I don't have the extra money to put into it. Since I have such a large room open to other areas of the house, I need to go with a larger ported sub, like the Rythmik FV15HP and I definietely don't have the extra money to get it finished in bamboo.
I am not sure how that is even possible at that price. Even in bulk quantities, just 1 sheet of 4 x 8 bamboo we purchase costs more than what they are asking for the entire assembled cabinet - and no speaker company even comes close to purchasing as much bamboo as we do. I have sampled bamboo directly from nearly every manufacturer producing it.Quote:
Originally Posted by N Boros
Perhaps it is just one single sample cabinet that they made and are trying to get rid of it?
Thanks for the post Boros. bds and jahjd aren't the only people who would like a bamboo enclosure to match their Ascends.
Dave. The description says it's bamboo ply. :confused: Not sure what that means, maybe a bamboo veneer?
Doesn't look like a veneer. All bamboo paneling is technically some form of a "ply" as it is multiple pieces.Quote:
Originally Posted by loonytunes
We once sampled a very inexpensive bamboo, and there was a reason it was so cheap. But even at that reduced pricing, it truly puzzles me how they can offer this enclosure at that price.
I might just have to order one to check it out ;)
If you do, and like the results, I'll buy the first one from you. 12" Rythmik in satin espresso. Feel free to PM me so as not to start a panic. ;)
This would really only be to satisfy my own curiosity. The logistics involved in having us offer fully assembled and finished bamboo enclosure Rythmik subwoofers is very complicated. Even if this company could offer these cabinets at this price, and assuming they are built well and use high quality bamboo, they would then have to be shipped to our cabinet maker for finishing. From there, then shipped to us for assembly, testing and packaging. Rythmik would, of course, also have to ship us the woofers and amps...Quote:
Originally Posted by loonytunes
It is a logistics nightmare and will not be cost effective by any means. Best if you DIY them.
Definitely a niche product... perhaps a business opportunity for a skilled hobbyist?
I understand completely. I would still be interested in hearing your impressions if you did order one.
I came across the site a couple of months ago. Someone from a forum mentioned that this was a nice cabinent to start with when trying to built a sealed sub. It sounded like they thought it was a quality made cabinet and obviously they liked the idea of having it for the same reasons you chose to build the Sierra cabinet out of bamboo. Also, it sounded like this is something that many in the DIY community use as a starting cabinent and the site regularly stock it. I didn't look into it much further since I would want at cabinent for at least a 15 inch driver, in my size room. Furthermore, it is best to likely just go with a ported design, for the added efficient to keep it economical. That is way out of my league to do DIY. I might be able to do a simple sealed DIY sub, but definitely not a ported sub.Quote:
Originally Posted by davef
I have contacted Jim Salk about a Rythmik/Salk Sub. I'll probably end up going this route as the specs are the same unless Dave changes his mind. I would think that anyone who has spent the amount I have for Raal Towers would be more than willing to spend to money for a bamboo sub. Maybe if Dave offered one sealed & vented version to see how many might be interested, he might be surprized how many might be interested.
I'd be curious as to what Jim will charge you for this. Please let me know (privately of course).Quote:
Originally Posted by Chops
Thanks!
Some feedback on building a custom salk/rythmik sub that you mght be interested in. This is superior to a total bamboo build. The two different materials have different resonant frequencies. So they tend to dampen each other, reducing cabinet resonance in the process.
Solid bamboo is no problem. However, there is a better alternative.
Bamboo comes in several thicknesses. We use mostly ¾” here. It is about 10 times more expensive than MDF, so there is a cost involved. But it works fine for speaker cabinets.
As for subs, our normal 12” sub walls are 1” thick. Our normal 15” sub wall is 1 ½” thick. You could purchase 1” bamboo for the 12” subs and glue two ¾” thickness panels together for the 15” subs. But a less costly way of doing it is to, for example, sandwich ¾” bamboo with ¼” MDF (on the internal side) to come up with the required thickness.
This is actually superior to a total bamboo build. The reason is that the two different materials have different resonant frequencies. So they tend to dampen each other, reducing cabinet resonance in the process.
For subs, this is important since there is a lot of energy inside a subwoofer cabinet when playing deep bass.
So, the answer to your question is “yes, we can do solid bamboo.” But there is an even better alternative that costs a bit less.
Ok Chops, please clarify for me!Quote:
Originally Posted by Chops
Are you quoting someone here, i.e. Jim Salk, or making your own statement on this? Do you build cabinets?
Just trying to put your post into perspective.
Info from e-mail I received from Jim at Salk Audio
I am in the process to finalize my order for a custom Rythmik/Salk F15HP.
It will be 3/4" MDF sandwiched with 3/4" Bamboo on the out side.
I have been told this is superior to a total bamboo build. The reason is
that the two different materials have different resonant frequencies. So
they tend to dampen each other, reducing cabinet resonance in the
process.
It makes sense to me that this would create a better sounding sub than a
total bamboo build. The cost savings verse a total bamboo build is not that much more.
Would love some feedback
I have my suspicions on whether this is true or not. If it was, why aren't other sub manufacturers doing this with other materials? Especially since it is not difficult to do.
Now that I think about this some more....you could achieve the same thing with two different thicknesses of MDF. Different thickness of a material will also change its resonant frequency.
Curtis thanks for the feed back.
I didn't know that sandwiching to different thicknesses of the particular type of material like MDF iwould also reduce resonant frequency.
Maybe I’m over analyzing this and should be happy and blessed to have a wife that says get what you want even if the sub is going to be 19.5” W X 24” D X 25.5’ H.
I just want to get it right the 1st time like my Raal Towers. My wife wants me to get 2 more for surrounds.
Based on my back ground in the music field. I know that different types of metal, wood, plastic, etc. all vibrate/resonant at different frequencies/pitches. Also, laminating or layering the same type of wood with the grain in different directions does the samething.
The customize Salk/Rythmik F15HP comes standard with a 1 1/2’’ of MDF for the sub wall
to reduce cabinet resonance so having ¾” of MDF sandwiched with ¾’ of bamboo on the outside
would make me think that this should only reduce the resonance further as different types wood resonant at different frequencies & should canel each other out. Better than a total bamboo
build.
Going back to my music background, there may be a point that not having enough resonance might impact the sound. I found this out when having a brass instrument built. The sound became almost
lifeless with some of the metals I was testing.
I'd say resonance in a speaker cabinet is never a good thing. An instrument makes music, the resonance created by its building material contributes to the timbre. A speaker reproduces music, you do not want the cabinet to have resonance, otherwise you are adding a coloration not present in the original sound.
The material itself isn't the sole basis for the resonant frequency, it is also the size and mass. Those same materials you mention also "vibrate/resonant at different frequencies/pitches" differently in different thickness, shapes, etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by Chops
Did Salk tell you what the resonant frequencies are for the materials?
Curtis,
[Salk has not mentioned what the resonant frequencies are for the materials. I sent them an e-mail last night asking this question. With Thanksgiving I may not hear back till the beginning of next week.
I have finalized the dimensions which will create the same volume, along with the direction of the bamboo grain to match my Raal Towers. Salk is quite flexible with dimensions as long as the volume stays the same. It will be down firing as I have dogs.
The last part is going to be tricky has I do not have a sample of the bamboo Satin dark cherry finish and will need to make a high quality picture with white background for Salk to use to match.
I did contact Rythmik about building me a sub with bamboo and they told me to contact Salk.
Salk has been great to work with and the cost for the ¾” bamboo on the outside is going to cost me around 30% more than the Rythmik version. A total bamboo build does not cost much more.
I know Salk does great work, and is great to work with.
I just highly doubt the actual benefit of the proposed MDF/bamboo configuration compared to an all MDF or all bamboo solution.
Chops,
Did you end up with the cabinet? I'm curios how it turned out if at all.
Yes, I have ordered and the cabinet is finished waiting for the 3rd sealer coat.
What ever happened with this? Did you get the sub?Quote:
Originally Posted by Chops