The pages on this website can give sufficient information for the experienced speaker and electronics builder to duplicate the PLUTO or to build something similar to it. A 32-page manual provides detailed drawings, material lists, assembly and test procedures to build PLUTO exactly as I designed it. Working with the manual will be a great time saver and give you the confidence that you will obtain the speaker's intended performance and the full reward for your efforts.

The cost of the PLUTO Construction Plans is $70

For shipping in the US add $10, or $15 for international.

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Building the three power amplifiers, crossover, equalization and power supply circuitry is greatly simplified by using a printed circuit board. Each component in the circuit diagram carries a designation which is repeated on the circuit board. The corresponding component in the material list, contained in the above manual, also carries this designation so that it is easy to just follow the material list when loading a component onto the circuit board. The component leads are soldered from the backside of the board. A few exceptions are spelled out. The most convenient sequence for building up the circuit board is described in the manual. Turn-on and test procedures lead to safe and correct function of the circuit.

The cost of a PLUTO circuit board is $75

Shipping is included when ordered with the PLUTO Construction Plans. Otherwise it is $10 in the US or $15 international for up to 6 boards.

Electrical test requires a digital voltmeter, DVM, for DC and AC voltage measurements and a source of 1 V sinewave signals of 100 Hz, 1 kHz, 5 kHz and 10 kHz frequency.

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A CD is available with signals for electrical test of the circuit board assembly and for acoustic test of the completed loudspeaker.

The cost of a PLUTO Test CD is $20

Shipping is included when ordered with the PLUTO Construction Plans.

Tracks
1 - Pink noise, alternating left, right 2:03
2 - Pink noise, mono 5:03
3 - Jazz 1 6:22
4 - Male chorus 2:29
5 - Stage play 4:12
6 - Jazz 2 4:32
7 - Piano concerto 6:26
8 - Soprano 1:46
9 - 100 Hz sinewave 5:00
10 - 1 kHz sinewave 5:00
11 - 5 kHz sinewave 5:00
12 - 10 kHz sinewave 5:00

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Building the electronic section of PLUTO on your own might be too demanding or time consuming for your taste. You have to order all components yourself. Their cost is around $400 plus $150 for 2 circuit board. We can provide a fully assembled and tested electronics module like you see on the right. You merely need to screw the four leads from woofer and tweeter drivers into a wire terminal block. It takes two more leads soldered to binding posts, to accept high level input signals coming from a power amplifier output.

Indicate in the order form when 240 VAC operation is required so that the transformer is wired accordingly and the proper fuse is installed. The module has heat sinks. The circuitry is configured for the SEAS driver L16RN-SL (H1480-08) of Pluto-2.1.

They Modules are part of the assembled and tested PLUTO-2.1 from Wood Artistry but are not sold separately.

The Modules are no longer available from Linkwitz Lab and thus their assembly becomes part of any PLUTO DIY construction. Your ability to solder, to comprehend and follow instructions and to work meticulously will guarantee a successful assembly and test of the Modules.

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If you like to attach a logo to your PLUTO, then download the pluto-logo1.gif file and print it out.

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In the ORION/PLUTO Users Group you can find useful information for building PLUTO and possibly make contact with PLUTO owners for a listening session.

Updates and continued support are provided on the Owner-Support page that is provided with the Construction Plans.

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To estimate the total cost for a pair of PLUTO assume that the four drivers will be about $250. They are available, for example, from www.madisound.com . Electronic components are about $550 including 2 printed circuit boards. Construction plans and test signal CD come to $100. The pipes, fittings, wood and miscellaneous hardware for the enclosures are around $60 and should all be available at your local hardware store. Thus the total cost is about $1000 for 2 loudspeakers with 4 built-in power amplifiers. You need to be able to cut PVC/ABS pipes to length and build two simple wooden boxes. Assembly and test of the electronics is more difficult and you may prefer to buy them from Wood Artistry.

Ordering information

Send an e-mail message with the subject "PLUTO order" to tell me the details of your order and to provide me with shipping information.
Copy the example below between the dashed lines into an e-mail message to sl@linkwitzlab.com and correct the underlined text .
(Drag your mouse over the text to highlight it, then COPY and PASTE into your e-mail message)

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Shipping Label:

John-Alexander Smith
345 Kensington Street
Apartment #54
New York, NY 10019
USA

Items ordered for PLUTO construction:

(1) - Construction Plans ($70):    1
        (including Customer Support URL with PLUTO-2.1 supplemental information)
(2) - Test signal CD ($20):    1
(3) - Original printed circuit board* ($50 each):    0
(4) - New printed circuit board** ($75): 2

* DIY construction of the PLUTO module should only be undertaken, if you have some expertise in electronic assembly, test, measurement and component selection. Even with the new circuit board and material list you may still have to procure substitute electronic components due to changing inventory of vendors. I provide an updated Support Page with the Documentation but cannot help you individually. The ORION/PLUTO Users Group has been very helpful in solving problems and answering questions. For price and availability of assembled and tested PLUTO electronics check with Wood Artistry.

** The new printed circuit board comes with PLUTO-2.1 Supplemental Information. It consists of circuit schematics, material list, component layout drawing, component loading table, and frequency response graph. Attachment of heat sinks is made easier since the power IC's have been moved to the edge of the pcb. Hole spacing has been adjusted for currently available capacitor components.

Subtotal $240.00

California residents add 9% Sales Tax

Shipment of:
Construction Plans ($10 US or $15 international)
Printed circuit boards (if not included with Construction Plans, $10 US and international, for up to 6 boards)

Shipment total $10.00

Total order $250.00

PayPal fees (3% US, 4% international) $7.50

PayPal / Money Order in the amount of: $257.50 sent on 8 November 2011 .

Note: All material is copyrighted and for the personal, non-commercial use by the person who bought it from LINKWITZ LAB. It may not be passed on in any form for use by others. | Terms & Conditions |

Comments: Anything you want to tell me
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Payment options

You can pay with credit card over the Internet by using PayPal. In that case, please add a 3% payment fee (4% international) to the total cost of materials and shipping. My address for PayPal is: sl@linkwitzlab.com .

Alternatively you can purchase and send me a Postal Money Order, International Money Order, Western Union or Thomas Cook Money Order, or a Bank (cashier's) Check drawn in $USA currency and made out to Siegfried Linkwitz. I will wait with shipment against a personal check from a US bank until my bank has cleared it. A direct transfer of money from your bank to my bank account is not feasible due to unpredictable additional fees.

Send your payment to:

LINKWITZ LAB
15 Prospect Lane
Corte Madera, CA 94925
USA
sl@linkwitzlab.com (for PayPal)

What you hear is not the air pressure variation in itself
but what has drawn your attention
in the two streams of superimposed air pressure variations at your eardrums