Shards 5.1 Fullrange Loudspeakers / Speaker Enclosure

Shards:

I set these up so I could enjoy true 5.1 surround sound right in bed, and was it worth it? Absolutely! That said, if you want a stronger surround effect, I recommend boosting the rear speakers by about +3 dB on your 5.1 amplifier. It seems like the standard Dolby mix holds back a bit, almost as if they don’t want us to fully enjoy that immersive surround experience.

These little speakers deliver a surprisingly big sound, but to get the full 5.1 experience, you’ll definitely want to pair them with a Subwoofer. Ideally, they should be crossed over around 90–120 Hz, I set mine at 90 Hz and Subwoofer at 80 Hz, and the balance feels just right. 

I always use my Triangular-Port design, but this time I made it Front-firing for practical reasons. It makes placement easier and keeps the sound projecting directly at you thus further improving immersion!

Mounting:

The set includes Fronts with arms, Surrounds, and a Center. In most setups, you’d mainly use the Surrounds. The Fronts are designed to be mounted behind a small wooden wall with their arms (like I did for my TV). The Surrounds don’t have any mounting options, they’re meant to be placed lying down. The Center, however, can be mounted directly on a wall.

If you only have Flat walls and no special mounting options, you could even just use Centers for all five channels, since the enclosure design is the only difference and it doesn’t actually change the sound.

Parts List:

Peerless by Tymphany TA6FC00-04 or TC6FC00-04

M3 6-8mm Long Screws and 8x3 Neodym Magnets

Tutorial:

Inside the Baffle, you’ll notice 8 screw holes. Just grab some M3 screws about 6 to 8 mm long, any type will work fine. If they end up being a little too long, no worries! You can simply print a few spacers and everything will fit nicely. Since the material is plastic, take it easy when tightening just snug them in gently. That’s all it takes. If you turn too hard, the screw will cut too deep and damage the plastic threads, so light pressure is enough.

Next, apply some Silicone (or any non–quick-drying adhesive) into the groove. This will help create a strong bond between the Enclosure and the Baffle. I also included spaces for Grills and Magnets in the Speaker Baffle. When printing, you can pause the print at the last layer before the holes close up and place 8×3 mm Neodymium Magnets inside, perfect if you plan on pairing them with the Cloth Grills I provided! (Do the same with the Grills when printing.)