3D Printing of speakers is now A THING?

[FutureAudiophile.com]

Who Needs 100K Speakers When You’ve Got A 3D Printer?

The B&W Nautalis is, depending who you ask, either infamous or an icon of modern design. Want the look but don’t have a hundred grand to spare? [Every Project All at Once] has got a Nauta…

hackaday.com

I saw this article in my Google Feed and it got me thinking about Luca Chesky, the son of my friend and recording engineer, David Chesky. Luca, at 17 years old is making 3D printed loudspeakers that have gotten the attention of people like Sandy Gross (co-founder of Polk, Definitive, GoldenEar). I just saw him showing his audiophile speakers at both Axpona and Munich. Made in the US. Tariff proof. And he's not even in college yet.

The above article begs an interesting question... with a big enough 3D printer and easy access to super-high-quality parts could normal audiophiles make their own uber-high-end loudspeakers?

DIY speakers have always seemed silly to me but these are different times. AI, 3D printing. Class D-Amps that kick total ass for cheap?

Do you think they have a point? Perhaps more so now, than before?

 

[lovinthehd]

I tried resisting looking at this post as to how silly it could be....wtf are you about?

 

[TankTop5]

I tried resisting looking at this post as to how silly it could be....wtf are you about?

It may be silly now but it’s definitely the future, at least for budget to mid level speakers. You’ll be able to get very intricate port designs in smaller speakers that plastic injection molds can’t. Silly now but not for long

 

[FutureAudiophile.com]

I am really Ted Denny posting to haunt Gene, Tank Top.

Maybe you could be more hostile dude?

I actually write for Audioholics and I am friends with Gene. Get a clue and change your shirt.

 

[TankTop5]

I am really Ted Denny posting to haunt Gene, Tank Top.

Maybe you could be more hostile dude?

I actually write for Audioholics and I am friends with Gene. Get a clue and change your shirt.

How did you read that as hostile in any way?

 

[j_garcia]

The speakers pictured in the article are pretty interesting. I saw the article the other day, but didn't have time to read it. The parts look like a decent driver, with some parts express bits for the rest of it, attached to the printed waveguide. I wasn't thinking Nautilus, despite the shape, but rather more like the "hamhock" Norh speakers that could readily be 3D printed.

I work with a lot of advanced 3D printing companies now, that could make something more "appealing" print wise vs. those My current project involves a team that is doing very advanced manufacturing (metal and ceramic 3D printing) so I get to see a lot of presentations from the 3D printing vendors.

 

[TLS Guy]

Who Needs 100K Speakers When You’ve Got A 3D Printer?

The B&W Nautalis is, depending who you ask, either infamous or an icon of modern design. Want the look but don’t have a hundred grand to spare? [Every Project All at Once] has got a Nauta…

hackaday.com

I saw this article in my Google Feed and it got me thinking about Luca Chesky, the son of my friend and recording engineer, David Chesky. Luca, at 17 years old is making 3D printed loudspeakers that have gotten the attention of people like Sandy Gross (co-founder of Polk, Definitive, GoldenEar). I just saw him showing his audiophile speakers at both Axpona and Munich. Made in the US. Tariff proof. And he's not even in college yet.

The above article begs an interesting question... with a big enough 3D printer and easy access to super-high-quality parts could normal audiophiles make their own uber-high-end loudspeakers?

DIY speakers have always seemed silly to me but these are different times. AI, 3D printing. Class D-Amps that kick total ass for cheap?

Do you think they have a point? Perhaps more so now, than before?

They have no point. They may be able to print the enclosure, but they won't print the drivers. All enclosures have to be matched to drivers that have the exact Thiele/Small parameters. If not then disaster in terms of audio. Then we have not even got to the crossovers.

DIY speakers are not silly. I have always DIYed my speakers and go the huge trouble to design and build them.

DIY gives you freedom in the absence of commercial constraints. So you can design to your specific requirements and also design room and speakers as a functioning totality.

All my own designs.

 

[its phillip]

Luca’s speakers need a lot of work.

Chesky Audio LC1 Speaker Review

Chesky Audio LC1 Review

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

 

[TLS Guy]

Luca’s speakers need a lot of work.

Chesky Audio LC1 Speaker Review

Chesky Audio LC1 Review

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

Very nasty speaker that.

 

[lovinthehd]

I am really Ted Denny posting to haunt Gene, Tank Top.

Maybe you could be more hostile dude?

I actually write for Audioholics and I am friends with Gene. Get a clue and change your shirt.

LOL you're not from ol' Thed in my book from your various articles/posts. I'm just stating my opinion, if you find that hostile, meh. Your articles mostly I find crap.

 

[TankTop5]

I think someone needs to make a 3d print file for the speaker mount on the LXmini that doesn’t use metal straps and other ugly parts