Which Tannoys, folks?

[The Black Adder]

Hi Paul.

What I've learnt recently is that Formica is a more professional choice of veneer as it's rock solid and strengthens the flex of wood, my lockwoods are veneered with it. It also adds to the weight substantially.

Might be something to try in the future.

[Marco]

Indeed... Originally, I considered the use of Formica on my Lockies as something rather quaintly vintage, but then later learned that it's a bloody good material, sonically, for a speaker veneer.

I was therefore warned by people in the know that my Lockwoods would not sound the same if I re-veneered them in something 'tidier' looking (as I had intended to do), so I've left them well alone!

Brown Formica, castors, strangely made non-removable grilles and side-handles, and they sound freakin' amazing. You gotta love the charm of these babies...

Marco.

[Rare Bird]

Trouble with that stuff is you can't hide the end/sides unless it's set in.

[The Black Adder]

You can 'edge' the edges to a matching colour, don't ask me how but mine are done like that (Marco's will be too I should imagine) and look very tidy indeed.

Professional job by the brown coats at Lockwood back in the 50's/60's.

A recommended alternative to veneer, Paul.

[Reffc]

Sorry chaps but I would rather drown myself in a vat of pickled eggs than have a piece of Formica anywhere near my speakers! It may well be excellent sonically as something to form a compound lamination with but another answer surely is to use birch ply in place of the chip board in the first place? Formica...yuck! I guess it doesn't matter what you use but the prinicple is the same....lamination of materials with different resonant properties combined such that their natural resonant frequency isn't excited within the audio bandwidth or more accurately, is designed such that resonant decay time is minimised (the opposite of "ringing"). Worst material by far if left untreated has to be MDF. Some chip boards are actually very good (better in fact than some plywoods) and dense ply with a high resin/pva content (courtesy of lots of thin laminations) possibly the best of the timber based materials?

Its a whole other topic and one worthy of a thread on it's own but lets leave Formica out of it, unless it's to restore a '60's kitchen (tongue firmly in cheek just in case the Formica police come after me....)

[The Black Adder]

lol... yuck as may be but WOW!

[Marco]

Hehehe... Formica rools ok, ya bass!

In all seriousness, though, quite a few people come to hear my system, and the vast majority of them like the 'retro' look of the Lockwoods (and these are people who would soon tell me if they didn't). Then once they hear them, their admiration takes on another dimension....

Marco.

[walpurgis]

Sorry chaps but I would rather drown myself in a vat of pickled eggs than have a piece of Formica anywhere near my speakers! It may well be excellent sonically as something to form a compound lamination with but another answer surely is to use birch ply in place of the chip board in the first place? Formica...yuck! I guess it doesn't matter what you use but the prinicple is the same....lamination of materials with different resonant properties combined such that their natural resonant frequency isn't excited within the audio bandwidth or more accurately, is designed such that resonant decay time is minimised (the opposite of "ringing"). Worst material by far if left untreated has to be MDF. Some chip boards are actually very good (better in fact than some plywoods) and dense ply with a high resin/pva content (courtesy of lots of thin laminations) possibly the best of the timber based materials?

Its a whole other topic and one worthy of a thread on it's own but lets leave Formica out of it, unless it's to restore a '60's kitchen (tongue firmly in cheek just in case the Formica police come after me....)

Mmmmm. Pickled eggs!

Anyway, formica is very stiff and has a laminar structure, but no real directional grain as such (although the manufacture is linear). I doubt it offers much in the way of panel damping, but it will certainly add to the stiffness (and weight) of panels.

It is hard wearing to a point, the surface is hard, but the edges chip fairly easily.

I agree that chipboard can be good, it is pretty resistant to vibration, unlike MDF and hard (birch) ply is even worse. Just try tapping a board of each and you'll see what I mean.

Regardless of material choice though, much panel resonance can be largely cut by intelligently utilised cabinet bracing.

[The Black Adder]

Hehehe... Formica rools ok, ya bass!

In all seriousness, though, quite a few people come to hear my system, and the vast majority of them like the 'retro' look of the Lockwoods (and these are people who would soon tell me if they didn't). Then once they hear them, their admiration for them takes on another dimension....

Marco.

+1 - I (and the wife) like the look. Which is cool... Proper job.

[Reffc]

There's been a fair amount of study into panel resonance and Ply came out pretty well (measured using an accelerometer with energy applied to the panels and the decay times and amplitudes measured). Just rapping a panel tells you little about it's resonant behaviour in this respect although it can indicate the stiffness and density of what's been used. Sturdy braced cabs in virtually any material are fine....MDF is terrible but suitably braced or damped, it works fine (which is why 90% of all mass produced speakers use it...that and the fact it's cheap and easy to machine and finish). Hear what you're saying chaps about Formica and would agree that it looks fine (and is easy to care for, doesn't stain etc). Personal choice for me are real wood veneers.