WEM, HIWATT or…. ?
Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 3:11 pm
Recently I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase two 12” Crescendo A’s. One ’74 and one ’75, both in excellent condition.
Right after that I was on the trail of yet two more. Unfortunately that developed into a dead-end. But I’m determined to keep searching until I have a full quartet.
The objective is to place them in, what else, a 4x12 cab. And that’s where the complications start.
Option 1. I could choose for a WEM Super Starfinder 200 custom made 30”x30”x14.5” replica cab. BUT! For starters the grille cloth is not obtainable these days (I categorically decline that printed MG shadenetting). So anything made with the intention to look like an original WEM cab… would not look like an original WEM cab. It would be a compromise.
Option 2. An obvious choice would be a Hiwatt SE4128 custom made 30”x30”x13” replica cab. The SE4128 originally holds four 12” Crescendo A speakers (see attached picture). All materials used for those is still available, so a very good-looking replica can be built. I’m already looking forward to placing the DR103 on top. BUT (there it is again)! As far as I know not many of these SE4128’s have been manufactured. The reason for that could be the following: Fane specifies that the Crescendo A requires a cabinet volume of 3.200 cubic inches per speaker. The SE4128 cab did not meet these specifications.
A quick calculation shows that the WEM cab affords 3.262 cubic inches and the Hiwatt 2.925 cubic inches per speaker, based on the outside(!) dimensions. All cab materials still need to be subtracted from that (this involves an extensive calculation; we’d rather skip that), so even less cabinet volume is left for the speakers. I would expect that to have affected the sound of the Crescendos. With WEM cabs that is not much of a problem: if their sound is good enough for Gilmour, it certainly is good enough for me!
So that leaves us up the creek. A WEM replica is not an option because of its looks and a Hiwatt replica would not be ideal for these speakers. That brings us to:
Option 3. A Hiwatt lookalike hybrid. And this is where I would really value your input. How would this hybrid need to be constructed and with what materials?
I thought of the following, but please correct me if you have other thoughts:
1. Marine Grade void-free 0.75inch (19mm) 13 layered Baltic Birch Plywood for the sides.
2. One inch thick chip/particle board for the ported (what size port?) rear cover panel.
3. One inch thick Baltic Birch Plywood for the baffle (original: see attached WEM specs). It would need to be that thick because those 4 Crescendos together weigh over 60 lbs!
4. Inside reinforcements. Option 1: According to WEM specs: a 1.5” square piece of timber along each outer side-corner, triangular-cut plywood reinforcements in each rear corner and no bracing of the baffle. Option 2: Hiwatt specs: a triangular length of timber along each outer side-corner and 0.75 inch square reinforcement battens (plywood) against the baffle.
5. Outer dimensions: 30”x30”x14.5”.
6. Tolex: black Hiwatt/Vox Basketweave vinyl.
7. Grille Cloth: Salt & Pepper, salt running horizontally.
I’m looking forward to your response(s).
Right after that I was on the trail of yet two more. Unfortunately that developed into a dead-end. But I’m determined to keep searching until I have a full quartet.
The objective is to place them in, what else, a 4x12 cab. And that’s where the complications start.
Option 1. I could choose for a WEM Super Starfinder 200 custom made 30”x30”x14.5” replica cab. BUT! For starters the grille cloth is not obtainable these days (I categorically decline that printed MG shadenetting). So anything made with the intention to look like an original WEM cab… would not look like an original WEM cab. It would be a compromise.
Option 2. An obvious choice would be a Hiwatt SE4128 custom made 30”x30”x13” replica cab. The SE4128 originally holds four 12” Crescendo A speakers (see attached picture). All materials used for those is still available, so a very good-looking replica can be built. I’m already looking forward to placing the DR103 on top. BUT (there it is again)! As far as I know not many of these SE4128’s have been manufactured. The reason for that could be the following: Fane specifies that the Crescendo A requires a cabinet volume of 3.200 cubic inches per speaker. The SE4128 cab did not meet these specifications.
A quick calculation shows that the WEM cab affords 3.262 cubic inches and the Hiwatt 2.925 cubic inches per speaker, based on the outside(!) dimensions. All cab materials still need to be subtracted from that (this involves an extensive calculation; we’d rather skip that), so even less cabinet volume is left for the speakers. I would expect that to have affected the sound of the Crescendos. With WEM cabs that is not much of a problem: if their sound is good enough for Gilmour, it certainly is good enough for me!
So that leaves us up the creek. A WEM replica is not an option because of its looks and a Hiwatt replica would not be ideal for these speakers. That brings us to:
Option 3. A Hiwatt lookalike hybrid. And this is where I would really value your input. How would this hybrid need to be constructed and with what materials?
I thought of the following, but please correct me if you have other thoughts:
1. Marine Grade void-free 0.75inch (19mm) 13 layered Baltic Birch Plywood for the sides.
2. One inch thick chip/particle board for the ported (what size port?) rear cover panel.
3. One inch thick Baltic Birch Plywood for the baffle (original: see attached WEM specs). It would need to be that thick because those 4 Crescendos together weigh over 60 lbs!
4. Inside reinforcements. Option 1: According to WEM specs: a 1.5” square piece of timber along each outer side-corner, triangular-cut plywood reinforcements in each rear corner and no bracing of the baffle. Option 2: Hiwatt specs: a triangular length of timber along each outer side-corner and 0.75 inch square reinforcement battens (plywood) against the baffle.
5. Outer dimensions: 30”x30”x14.5”.
6. Tolex: black Hiwatt/Vox Basketweave vinyl.
7. Grille Cloth: Salt & Pepper, salt running horizontally.
I’m looking forward to your response(s).
