Tarkus Speaker design by Paul Carmody

[MrBoat]

Have been sitting on the parts for this design for a couple years. I didn't buy a kit, but procured the parts from multiple sources based on the design posted on his web page. Picked up the MDF from Intercity Lumber yesterday. Still not sure if I am going for the slanted, or straight cabs, since I have to elevate these a bit. Will be making sawdust today if it's nice enough out.

Tarkus by Paul Carmody

It's no secret I am fond of this designers work. I get the feeling that he actually has spent some time listening to classic rock because he tends to get his designs right enough to handle that in a way that's familiar and enjoyable to me. The Classix2 design by him is a favorite that I use in my bedroom and the kit was around $170 a few years back. Second kit by him was the Speedster design and it too has some sweet things it does for music, albeit a bit small for the SPLs I usually end up at.

These aren't champagne and caviar designs. There is no shortage of those. These are more like a quality pub ale on tap. Have been listening to the Classix a lot lately, which is what got me off my butt with finally doing this design. I'm hoping for a similar sound signature but louder.

 

[gene]

Make sure you listen to this song on your Tarkus speakers!

 

[highfigh]

Make sure you listen to this song on your Tarkus speakers!

Have you heard the live version by The Nice, from around 2002? Pretty impressive and at the end, while the audience is cheering, someone says "Wow" into a mic.

 

[MrBoat]

Make sure you listen to this song on your Tarkus speakers!

He does mention in his design notes the song as a theme with regard to the design.

Their song, "From the Beginning" is one of the (Elton John's "Rocket Man" yet another) first tunes I heard growing up that made me aware of my love of melodic basslines. Subs, made it even better. Half the reason I gravitate towards jazz more often these days because it tends to showcase more of that.

 

[highfigh]

He does mention in his design notes the song as a theme with regard to the design.

Their song, "From the Beginning" is one of the (Elton John's "Rocket Man" yet another) first tunes I heard growing up that made me aware of my love of melodic basslines. Subs, made it even better. Half the reason I gravitate towards jazz more often these days because it tends to showcase more of that.

Arguably, not much was happening in the basslines of rock & pop records before McCartney and a lot of the reason is that he played guitar first, then started playing bass after Stuart Suttcliffe left. He played simply, at first and then, started to embellish his playing. Before that, it was mostly root/5th with an occasional 4th but McCartney played around the melody much more. I wouldn't ask him to play standards, but he can still play, even at 80-ish.

And he looks like Angela Lansbury.

 

[MrBoat]

I did indeed make sawdust today. Got all the bottom cabinet parts cut out. I deviated from the plan and sized it for rabbet joints. Angled cabinets are more work because you have to square the drops after so it's 8 extra cuts over the course of the build, compared to rectangles. Also added about 1mm oversize to sand flush to the flats.

A look at the cabinet shop.

Bottom cabinet pieces cut. I won't rabbet edges until tops are all cut out too.

 

[MrBoat]

Got the top cabinets cut out as well. Will do the backs for the top cabs once they are assembled. Also built a new router table. Last one got wet and self destructed when I forgot to bring it in one night.

The whole stack of both cabinets parts on a wheel dolly on it's back for now. Next step is rabbets. Backs, tops and bottoms will all set in .25" rabbets. Backs will go on last. I can do crossovers during the week indoors. Feels good to have this part behind me. My circle jig I had to take off to use the plunge base to make the new router table. Bought a separate fixed base to leave in the router table though.

 

[lovinthehd]

Love the Tarkus album, hopefully the speaker can do it justice....and looks like it can.

 

[MrBoat]

Love the Tarkus album, hopefully the speaker can do it justice....and looks like it can.

So far, Paul Carmody has been pretty spot on with his descriptions. It seems as if a lot of designers don't really know about rock. JBL comes the closest with getting out of that genre of music what I want from it. Headbanging, with champagne designs just doesn't feel the same.

 

[MrBoat]

I had to go to multiple outlets to get the drivers because Meniscus, Madisound or PE didn't have all of them, or were backordered. Same with the crossover parts. Had to go to PE, Meniscus, Mouser and Digikey. It was a lot of shopping and list adjusting trying to get enough parts from each to make the shipping not so ridiculous for something like a single cap, or resistor not found at the other sites. I guess this was right at the onset of the Rona and shipping was all messed up.

Also pleased to discover I had the notion to order a hookup kit from Meniscus for wire, screws for the drivers, everything. I even have extra terminals to makeup the connections between top and bottom cabs.

But this is what I will be doing this week after work at some point. I have them laid out on the table so I will be reminded to do it before falling into one or two pints of Guinness like I tend to do, after work most evenings.

The aluminum resistors I ended up ordering from scamazon and they got lost in shipping so I had to order another set. Meanwhile the lost set turned up 2 months later so now I have extras.

 

[highfigh]

I did indeed make sawdust today. Got all the bottom cabinet parts cut out. I deviated from the plan and sized it for rabbet joints. Angled cabinets are more work because you have to square the drops after so it's 8 extra cuts over the course of the build, compared to rectangles. Also added about 1mm oversize to sand flush to the flats.

A look at the cabinet shop.

Bottom cabinet pieces cut. I won't rabbet edges until tops are all cut out too.

Is the case of the saw metal, or plastic? If it's metal, please make sure to use a good, intact extension cord. One of my professors told us about using an old Craftsman drill while he was standing on the grass outside of his home. Since the case was metal, he became part of the circuit when he squeezed the trigger switch and he couldn't get his hand to let go. He said his young daughter laughed and said "Ha, ha- daddy's funny, he's dancing!". No, daddy was being electrocuted.

 

[highfigh]

Love the Tarkus album, hopefully the speaker can do it justice....and looks like it can.

I remember hearing that one after my older brother brought it home- he started high school in '68 and was hanging out with friends who had older siblings who turned them onto Prog- I'm 2-1/2 years younger and I became hooked on that stuff, but my friends, who were listening to Donny And Marie, The Archies and that kind of crap seemed to be afraid of it. I played '21st Century Schizoid Man' and after a few minutes, they asked if we could go somewhere else, with their voices shaking and eyes wide.

Hearing this kind of music through a system that can really deliver the synth sounds and the power of the bass & drums is incredible.

 

[lovinthehd]

I remember hearing that one after my older brother brought it home- he started high school in '68 and was hanging out with friends who had older siblings who turned them onto Prog- I'm 2-1/2 years younger and I became hooked on that stuff, but my friends, who were listening to Donny And Marie, The Archies and that kind of crap seemed to be afraid of it. I played '21st Century Schizoid Man' and after a few minutes, they asked if we could go somewhere else, with their voices shaking and eyes wide.

Hearing this kind of music through a system that can really deliver the synth sounds and the power of the bass & drums is incredible.

My dad introduced me to ELP's first album when it came out....I was a fan pretty much instantly (even had tea with Carl Palmer once). I even have the Steven Wilson multich remixes....and yes, loud works!

 

[MrBoat]

Is the case of the saw metal, or plastic? If it's metal, please make sure to use a good, intact extension cord. One of my professors told us about using an old Craftsman drill while he was standing on the grass outside of his home. Since the case was metal, he became part of the circuit when he squeezed the trigger switch and he couldn't get his hand to let go. He said his young daughter laughed and said "Ha, ha- daddy's funny, he's dancing!". No, daddy was being electrocuted.

It's grounded with a 3 prong and the bond is securely attached to the chassis. I also have an all metal 1/2" all metal drill with the brand name Thor right on the case. Now that one will bite, and will break your wrist if it hangs up. This saw, in spite of it's age was barely used. Bearings are still precise and the switch is still in great shape. I don't typically work barefoot unless it's finishing. Always wear shoes when working. Never any other time, though.

 

[MrBoat]

I remember hearing that one after my older brother brought it home- he started high school in '68 and was hanging out with friends who had older siblings who turned them onto Prog- I'm 2-1/2 years younger and I became hooked on that stuff, but my friends, who were listening to Donny And Marie, The Archies and that kind of crap seemed to be afraid of it. I played '21st Century Schizoid Man' and after a few minutes, they asked if we could go somewhere else, with their voices shaking and eyes wide.

Hearing this kind of music through a system that can really deliver the synth sounds and the power of the bass & drums is incredible.

My Tempests do really well with synth music. I ended up getting hooked recently by the group "Yello" because of it. I had only known of them for the "OH YEAH" song so pretty much brushed them off as some one hit gimmick band. I was really surprised to find they have a lot of material and were one of the pioneers of electronic music from the way back machine. Well recorded and a lot of variety and fusion with other genres.

 

[highfigh]

It's grounded with a 3 prong and the bond is securely attached to the chassis. I also have an all metal 1/2" all metal drill with the brand name Thor right on the case. Now that one will bite, and will break your wrist if it hangs up. This saw, in spite of it's age was barely used. Bearings are still precise and the switch is still in great shape. I don't typically work barefoot unless it's finishing. Always wear shoes when working. Never any other time, though.

He wasn't barefoot, he was wearing shoes that didn't have rubber soles. He was also an EE with his Masters in Architecture, so he would have known that working on something other than grass was a good idea.

I'm amazed by the videos showing people welding and woodworking while they wear sandals.

 

[highfigh]

My dad introduced me to ELP's first album when it came out....I was a fan pretty much instantly (even had tea with Carl Palmer once). I even have the Steven Wilson multich remixes....and yes, loud works!

I thought you posted that you're old- you can't be old, if it was your dad who introduced you to ELP.

I played softball on a team that was sponsored by a club that was known for the size of its bar and for the bands that played there. One night, after our game was over, we went to the bar and found out that 3 was playing. don't know if you're familiar, but that was Keith Emerson, Robert Berry on bass and Carl Palmer. Palmer wasn't originally available for the tour, but when the regular drummer had to cancel, they announced the news that they had to find a replacement and that replacement happened to be Carl Palmer.

Tea with Palmer- how did that happen?

I have heard several of Wilson't remixes and it's amazing that the original tapes, which sounded like crap in some cases, could be used to produce sound that was so much better.

Feeling the low end from synths is one of the reasons I don't chase 'perfect bass' in my system- I auditioned for a Prog band in late-'80 and when the low notes from what may have originally been bass pedals kicked in, it was completely unlike any home system I have heard, with the possible exception of the one I had when I owned a pair of ElectroVoice 30" woofers. Even that didn't feel the same.

Makes me chuckle when I read about 'immersive audio',

 

[ryanosaur]

He wasn't barefoot, he was wearing shoes that didn't have rubber soles. He was also an EE with his Masters in Architecture, so he would have known that working on something other than grass was a good idea.

I'm amazed by the videos showing people welding and woodworking while they wear sandals.

I had to break down some branches one day and was wearing my kilt. Last time ever I chainsawed in a kilt. Wasn't really a safety issue... I had steel toe boots on ...But I was cleaning sawdust out of my boots for a week!

 

[lovinthehd]

I thought you posted that you're old- you can't be old, if it was your dad who introduced you to ELP.

I played softball on a team that was sponsored by a club that was known for the size of its bar and for the bands that played there. One night, after our game was over, we went to the bar and found out that 3 was playing. don't know if you're familiar, but that was Keith Emerson, Robert Berry on bass and Carl Palmer. Palmer wasn't originally available for the tour, but when the regular drummer had to cancel, they announced the news that they had to find a replacement and that replacement happened to be Carl Palmer.

Tea with Palmer- how did that happen?

I have heard several of Wilson't remixes and it's amazing that the original tapes, which sounded like crap in some cases, could be used to produce sound that was so much better.

Feeling the low end from synths is one of the reasons I don't chase 'perfect bass' in my system- I auditioned for a Prog band in late-'80 and when the low notes from what may have originally been bass pedals kicked in, it was completely unlike any home system I have heard, with the possible exception of the one I had when I owned a pair of ElectroVoice 30" woofers. Even that didn't feel the same.

Makes me chuckle when I read about 'immersive audio',

I'm 66 now....in 71 (when I got the record) I was 15. Dad mostly was a classical fan but he did like Janis Joplin (he gave me Cheap Thrills before that) and ELP, tho. Later on, probably very late 70s when I did a lot of band logistics Carl came to LA on some solo stuff and I arranged return of his kit to england. He invited me to "tea" at the hotel as part of the arrangements; his wife was also there. Very nice guy.

Yeah Wilson can do some magic with the old prog stuff.....wish we had more with his multich mixing skills....

The band was called "3"? Not familiar with them but that's some great personnel !

 

[MrBoat]

He wasn't barefoot, he was wearing shoes that didn't have rubber soles. He was also an EE with his Masters in Architecture, so he would have known that working on something other than grass was a good idea.

I'm amazed by the videos showing people welding and woodworking while they wear sandals.

I have roughly 15 years servicing and rebuilding electric motors and welding now for 30 years along with a minor degree in electronics. Electricity is no mystery to me (much to the dismay of the cable and other electronic sorcery pushers out there) and I respect it. I hold 250 amps AC in my hands every day and have to be aware of how and where to ground, including daisy chaining it to reach isolated parts at the same time.

I have had the circular saw since 2004 and built an 18' wood boat with it and repaired a 12' x 12' section of my roof with it two years ago. Also built all my other speakers with it, outdoors and a bunch of other projects. I also have two Makitas that I used to frame houses with but this metal one is better at staying tight to an aluminum straightedge.