Habemus Papam (13-03-2013)

Dear Troels,
Finally finished the Jenzen Seas ER speaker. First let me tell you that due to my inexperience in DIY, everything that could go wrong went wrong. I really had to struggle to fix everything up which made me even more proud of them.
Painting them in white is not very original, but these speakers will stay in my listening room, so the aesthetics is a non-issue. That said, as they say in Napoli (Naples) "Ogni scarrafone è bello a mamma soja" which is translated by "Every cockroach is beautiful in his mother's eyes".
I've replicated your design for the most part, mixing the original plans of the Seas ER with top cabs and bass ports inspired by the "D" version, plus I've added some (nonsensical) personal touches such as: granite to the sides of the woofer, a flower pot behind the tweeter and reinforcement rings with "damping material" behind mid drivers. For the time being the crossovers are placed behind the bass cabs, as soon as tests are over, they will go under the cabs as planned.
The granite in the top part of the bass cabs has greatly complicated the assembly. Has this been beneficial to the sound? I surely hope so but I will never know for sure. One thing comforts me, when I knock on it; I only hear the crushing noise of my bones… while when knocking on the lower part made of plywood, it's loud and woody. I've also placed a reinforcement made of very hard wood (something tropical) at the back of the cab, leaving a central channel for the wires.
The Inside of the top cabs has been covered with some 5mm bitumen pads. This, together with the thickness of the sides has contributed to give about the same "knock-knock" response as the granite.
Comparing them with my beloved 3WClassic has been somehow embarrassing… I always claimed that my 3WClassic where ideal for my needs and taste; detailed, beautifully neutral with decent bass response. They have better crossover components than the Jenzen and drivers on the same level; I was therefore expecting only better soundstage and better bass response.
How wrong! Yes the soundstage and bass response are wonderfully better. But it's also another planet in term of details, refinement and "thickness" of sound... The mid bass frequencies have more weight so the tonal balance is warmer or should I say less edgy, some records previously sounding harsh totally lost this characteristic.
A last remark, these beasts are huge and intimidating. Placing them in my attic in a close range listening context (3.5 meters from listening position, 2.5 meter apart) might seems a complete exaggeration. Well, I'm glad to report that this is absolutely not the case, bass response is just right never too much and I don't get this "in your face" feeling that one could expect. Moreover, as they are tall, I particularly appreciate the fact that the top cabs can be tilted towards my favourite "lazy" chair.
I hope you do get from my words that I am really pleased. Thank you a million times for sharing all your work with the rest of us.