Replies

1. 
   Merryhiker | Apr 29, 2003 09:04pm | #1

   I use M. L. Condon 914-946-4111. They are in White Plains, NY and Stormville, NY.

2. 
   JeffKurtz | Apr 29, 2003 10:39pm | #2

   Ken,

   Check with your nearest woodworking supply dealer.  If you are able, it would be better to avoid shipping charges, which could be rather high on a bulky, heavy item such as plywood.

   Sometimes lumber yards which supply a cabinet maker or two will keep it in stock.

   Jeff

1. 
   kenewald | Apr 29, 2003 11:45pm | #3

   Thank you.    Just curious, do you know if it's graded .. and if so what grade is best for stage (band) speakers?

1. 
   JeffKurtz | Apr 30, 2003 02:37am | #6

   Ken,

   Not sure how they grade the stuff.  I just ask for Baltic birch, no voids.  (I suppose one can get it in different face grades.  What you'd want would depend on whether it will be painted or stained.)

   Jeff

3. 
   WorkshopJon | Apr 29, 2003 11:50pm | #4

   Ken

   Built many over the years myself. I'm not sure what "sound" your friend is trying to achieve, but typically speakers are built out of a dense sound deadening material like particle board or MDF as it doesn't resonate so much. There is a reason mfr's pack the inside of speaker boxes with insulation and sometimes line the walls with carpet. If you want more info on the subject I know their is at least one book out there on the subject, as I have it, just don't know where it is.

   Jon

1. 
   WorkshopJon | Apr 30, 2003 02:15am | #5

   Ken,

   Thought I'd add this to my prior comments, as for a "high grade birch plywood" I do know that baltic birch (the stuff made from ~.040 veneers) should be available from any commercial plywood distributor. Where I work we routinely purchase it in thicknesses up to 2". That would make for a strong speaker box.

   Jon

4. 
   mwestenberg | Apr 30, 2003 03:46am | #7

   Ken,

   I'm not sure about the source of your friend's conviction that the wood for this use would make that profound of a difference.  I have been a pro musician and woodworker for many years and have built many musical instrument and monitor/PA type speaker cabinets.  By far the greatest influence on sound is the drivers followed by the amplification followed by the audio source with the cabinet a distant fourth unless you're talking sound reinforcement in which case the cabinet design not the materials so much will dictate some efficiency factors.  Typically the thing with materials is more durability and lack of resonance impacting the activity of sound as it is propagated through the cabinet to the audience.  Baltic birch with no voids is desirable as it will have less resonance to "waste" the sound energy within the cabinet and probably has somewhat better long range durability.  I have had great success with plain old BC plywood for guitar cabinets though birch veneer is a lot nicer to work with in terms of finishing and flatness. 

   Hope I've shed a little light on the confusion.  Post back if you need more input.

   Mark

5. 
   CheekyMonkey | Apr 30, 2003 08:46pm | #8

   Generally, the best material for a speaker cabinet is MDF. Void-free Baltic Birch plywood is substituted for heavy subwoofers (where the frequencies are low enough that cabinet resonances don't matter, but weight does) and in live-sound applications, where the speakers will be moved often, and subject to more abuse than an MDF box can handle.

   Find yourself a good lumberyard which has void-free baltic birch, and you'll be set. You'll likely not find this at a big-box store. An alternative would be void-free marine plywood, but I'm sure it ain't cheap.