The following outline of the required steps for constructing an ORION loudspeaker system should give you an idea of the size of the project. This might help you to decide which of the tasks you would be able to accomplish yourself and which ones you might want us to do for you.

	1 - Construction Plans+ provide detailed information about cabinet construction, electronic parts and materials to order, circuit board assembly and test, speaker assembly and test, and system test. * The Construction Plans are essential for building the ORION. You need to purchase them for building the speakers yourself, or for having them built by us whether partially or completely.*
	2 - Wooden parts are cut out according to their drawings. A template is made first for outlining the curved side panels. The cabinet is assembled with screws and glue. * Alternatively, Wood Artistry can provide a flat-pack of precut, unfinished wood or a partially assembled cabinet in satin black finish.*
	3 - The cabinet is finished either with paint or wood stain and varnish. Technique and materials are your choice. Grill cloth is attached to separate frames.
	4 - Woofer, midrange and tweeter drivers are purchased from Madisound or other supplier. Parts information is provided with the Construction Plans.
	5 - The drivers are normally screwed into the cabinet. Optionally, with Revision 0.1 of the ORION, the midrange drivers are magnet-mounted using Conversion Kit 1. * A Conversion Kit 1A is available through Wood Artistry.*
	6 - Each driver is wired to a terminal strip at the bottom of the speaker cabinet. * Alternatively, Wood Artistry can provide a wiring harness with solder-ready ends, or 8-pole Speakon connector⁴⁾ and a Speakon mounting bracket⁴⁾.*
	7 - Speaker cables are assembled and soldered to the driver terminal strip. Correctness of driver polarity is tested electrically. * Alternatively, speaker cables with Speakon connector and 4 dual banana plugs⁴⁾ are available through Linkwitz Lab.*
	8 - Electronic components, power supply and chassis are purchased from DigiKey or other supplier. Detailed parts information is provided with the Construction Plans.
	9 - Components are loaded onto the ORION ASP printed circuit boards by following the loading table in the Construction Plans. They are soldered from the backside. Boards are mounted in the chassis. They are tested electrically using signals from the ORION Test CD and a DVM. * Alterrnatively, a fully packaged and tested crossover/equalizer⁴⁾ is available through Linkwitz Lab. Choose between a 115VAC power supply, useable in the US, or a universal 90-250VAC supply.* * Also, for a fee we can test and repair, if necessary, your assembled crossover/equalizer.*
	10 - Provide 8 channels of power amplification of 40 W/channel minimum. Low distortion, low output impedance, solid-state amplifiers are preferred. * Alternatively, a well suited 12 x 60 W amplifier is available through Linkwitz Lab.*
	11 - Provide 2 unbalanced interconnects between your preamplifier output and the ORION crossover/equalizer input. Provide 6 unbalanced and 2 Y interconnects between the crossover/equalizer outputs and your power amplifier inputs. * Alternatively, gold plated interconnects are available through Linkwitz Lab.*
	12 - Interconnect speakers, power amplifiers, crossover/equalizer, preamplifier^{2) 3)} and CD player. Test the complete system¹⁾ sonically using the ORION Test CD.

¹⁾ The block diagram shows the system hookup from CD/LP player to the ORION loudspeakers.

²⁾ If your preamplifier has balanced outputs, then see FAQ 9 for proper connection of the crossover.

³⁾ If neither an unbalanced RCA nor a balanced XLR preamplifier output connection are available on your equipment, then you could use the power amplifier output binding posts that hook up to your existing speakers. In that case you would disconnect your speakers and then connect the ORION crossover/equalizer to the binding posts via an attenuator. The attenuator is very important to prevent damage of the crossover/equalizer input circuitry from excessive power amplifier output signals.

The attenuator is formed by a 1000 ohm, 1 W, metal oxide resistor and a 50 ohm, 1/4 W, metal film resistor. A pair of twisted, insulated wires of necessary length connects the attenuator to the RCA phono connector that plugs into the crossover/equalizer. Be sure that the negative (-) binding post connects to the shield side of the phono plug. All joints must be soldered except to the binding posts.

The power amplifier operates essentially into an open circuit and has its lowest distortion in this mode.

⁴⁾ No soldering of parts is required, if wiring harnesses and speaker cables with Neutrik Speakon connectors, and an assembled crossover/equalizer are purchased.

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Before you start with the project of building the ORION by yourself, assess your range of capabilities realistically, to know what you should buy ready-made. You might save yourself long hours of frustration. The ORION can also be purchased as a complete system, including all cables, interconnects and amplifiers, and ready to be plugged in to play. Cabinetry can be customized in different solid woods. Wood Artistry supplies the US market and Joachim Gerhard Design provides such systems in Europe.