Dear Troels,
 
It has been a while. I finished my Faital 3WC-10 set about a year ago now. They are equipped with the soft dome tweeter and with the level 2 crossover kit. I really want to thank you for answering all of my (novice) questions. And last but not least a big thank you, for sharing these great designs!
 
For me it has always been a kind of a childhood dream to build my own set of speakers. On the lookout for a new set of home audio with my girlfriend, we couldn’t find anything satisfying enough within our budget. So I told her about the dream I still had, and she finally gave it her blessing.
 
I’m far from an experienced wood worker, so I took a simple Hitachi saw with guiderail and modified it a bit. This being necessary in order to make precise and repeatable 45 degrees cuts. In the process I also used quite some 3D printed tools, for guidance of tools (like the saw and trimmer).
 
For the cabinet sides I used 21 mm Birch ply, and for both the front and the rear I used 22 mm MDF V313. I decided to glue the cabinets in three steps:
 
1.      Cabinet sides (Birch ply) + rear (MDF V313);
2.      Inserting and fixing inner braces (MDF V313);
3.      Attaching the front (MDF V313);
 
At the crossover I did opt for even an extra R1, to accommodate for adjustable treble levels. In the end I selected the default value and I’m completely happy with using that.
 
I also wanted to build some custom stands, for which I used an old Dutch (cheese) cabinet made from Oak. The design is tri-pod based, as the three legs guarantee a wobble free contact with any floor. The design is not perfect yet, as I feel they are a bit skinny compared to the cabinets. This is only visually based, as they are strong and stiff enough to support them. Finally the cabinet sides (Birch only) are finished using a 2K clearcoat (3 layers), which I really like. It genuinely has the appearance of non-coated wood, which I was aiming for.
 
As a personal touch I decided to make an extra effort in introducing foam fronts. I always liked the aesthetics of these fronts. However kept in mind that function comes before aesthetics, easy removability was required. I used filter foam with 15 PPI mazes, and build a dedicated jig to cut them. Cutting is done using a spring-loaded resistance wire (CR20NI80). Really important is the use of good ventilation here, as it is quite a smelly/smoky process. The end result is not 100% perfect, but I like it. Do they influence the sound? Most likely, but my ears can’t really tell the difference. But I’m not an audiophile, and the only way to find out would be measuring them. In the end I find myself listening with the fronts on most of the time.
 
Do I like the sound? Well, my opinion on that fluctuated over time at the beginning. I did have contact with you about bass; lacking or not deep enough. After that I did play with placement a lot. My amp is just a straightforward Denon PMA-1700NE, which is not super nor bad either. I started listening to vinyl on a vintage Micro Seiki DD-7, playing with different elements here. I realized that I’ve never put real effort in listening to other kinds of records and that there was/is a load to discover. The mids and highs are so accurate and clear, it is just breathtaking. Even the bass is something I really started appreciating now, being subtle but very tight and accurate (never boomy). As I mentioned earlier I’m not an audiophile, and have no real interest in becoming one neither. I just like music, and once a setup is able to give me goosebumps occasionally, I’m very satisfied. If the record/source is great and matching the Faital 3WC-10 is able to surprise you, making you realize how great they are and what the can do. So yes, I like the sound, I like the sound a lot.
 
Is there room for improvement? Yes, I believe so. First and most important of all: room acoustics. I’m redecorating our room and looking for ways to improve here (as measurements showed already there is a lot to gain). But there are limitations of course, as it still needs to be a living room in the end not a studio. I truly believe that this will do the Faital 3WC-10 even more justice.
 
The build process however was really enjoyable; I’ve learned a lot. I’m looking forward to building another set (after dealing with the acoustics), maybe something out of the TL series. Not sure if I’m up to that level already, but they make me very curious.
 
Best regards,
Bas