Generally, box store speakers in the sub $500 price range won't stand a chance to a well executed DIY speaker for half the price. The quality of the driver used and crossover parts are generally very cheap to make the manufacturing possible. If you are willing to spend circa $200 on a pair of 2 ways, I can highly recommend these. The driver quality is insanely good and the quality of the xo parts is really top notch. These were top rated in a blind shootout with a bunch of speakers in a much higher price range. You just need to provide a half cubic foot box.
I have the lower cost standard version but regret that I did not get the better version for just a little more. Look at photo of all the stuff you get for $170 (a pair). Those are Peerless paper cone woofers and Peerless silk dome tweeters. High quality passive crossover with no electrolytics. Oxygen free copper wire and silver solder all nuts and bolts vent tube and binding posts also included.
X-LS Encore kit
I have the lower cost standard version but regret that I did not get the better version for just a little more. Look at photo of all the stuff you get for $170 (a pair). Those are Peerless paper cone woofers and Peerless silk dome tweeters. High quality passive crossover with no electrolytics. Oxygen free copper wire and silver solder all nuts and bolts vent tube and binding posts also included.
X-LS Encore kit
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
I have probably not heard the particular ones you have, but I've heard various cheap Klipsch before. They all sounded terrible. In your face and fatiguing. IMO anything cheaper than a Klipsch Heresy is too cheap, and even those are frankly cheap and cheerful sounding, though fun in the right system.
I don't really believe in burn in. 90% of what burns in is your head.
You said you have the "lower cost version" and that you regret that you didn't get the "better version just for a little more". For $170 is that the low cost version or better version? I notice there are some individual upgrades to the kit after reading the link.. is this the better version you are referring to? (i.e. the sonicap and mills resistor upgrade)
I'm really interested in these speakers because they destroyed lots of pairs of $1k speakers
EDIT: How would this kit sound compared to the Mark Audio 10.3's? (Non-FAST).
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Buy these, IMHO better than any Klipsch regardless of price... ;-)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B014GSER6O?fp=1&pc_redir=T1
Or build Jeff Bagbys Continuums Continuum, Pr
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B014GSER6O?fp=1&pc_redir=T1
Or build Jeff Bagbys Continuums Continuum, Pr
picowallspeaker, well i hooked up the klipsch again and played them for hours.. after a few hours they still sounded tinny and less midrange and less musical (harmonics?). [I took what you said seriously about the burn in -- didn't realize you were kidding. It seemed to make sense since there are mechanical moving parts--much more sense than burning in a DAC.]
Just put the Infinity RS-2001's back in place, and the music just sounds better.
The highs on the klipsch are pretty crisp whereas the highs on my rs2001 are slightly more smeared (?) but still really nice.
Looking forward to a DIY replacement.. but can't make my mind up with all the choices: LM-1, X-LS Encore, Mark Audio 10.3 , etc..
Just put the Infinity RS-2001's back in place, and the music just sounds better.
The highs on the klipsch are pretty crisp whereas the highs on my rs2001 are slightly more smeared (?) but still really nice.
Looking forward to a DIY replacement.. but can't make my mind up with all the choices: LM-1, X-LS Encore, Mark Audio 10.3 , etc..
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You said you have the "lower cost version" and that you regret that you didn't get the "better version just for a little more". For $170 is that the low cost version or better version? I notice there are some individual upgrades to the kit after reading the link.. is this the better version you are referring to? (i.e. the sonicap and mills resistor upgrade)
I'm really interested in these speakers because they destroyed lots of pairs of $1k speakers
EDIT: How would this kit sound compared to the Mark Audio 10.3's? (Non-FAST).
I got the $109 XLS Classic:
X-LS Classic kit
There are upgrades to the xo you can pick like nicer caps and mills resistors. Might be worth it as that was what was used in the speaker tested in shootout.
In comparison to MA 10.3 it's a different ball game. The XL-S measure flat within 1.5dB over range and are two ways with a lot more power handling. If you want full range then it's a different sound. I have a lot of full range and these do a great job that might put many higher priced two ways or full range the test.
For the price they really can't be beat as the manufacturer is selling below cost due to excess inventory from a speaker company that folded.
The customer service is very good with this company. The designer/owner will personally help you get things sorted out to your satisfaction. I had a problem with the lower cost version and he hand matched a pair of tweeters for me and exchanged for the bad one.
By the way, my speakers aren't rotten. I re-foamed the woofers a few years ago
The speakers were made in 1990.
I don't know if it will make a difference, but since Jennifer G is asking about a simple speaker project, I thought I'd contribute my experiences with a pair of Alpair 10.2 (older generation than the current 10.3, but close enough).
I had a pair of B&W DM100's from my college days (long, long time ago). The drivers had fallen apart. I was curious to hear the Alpair drivers, so I used the WinISD program to predict the bass response of the Alpair 10.2 in the DM100 cabinet (sealed, no port). The prediction was -3dB down at about 90Hz. I figured that would be good enough for a bookshelf type speaker. So I tried it.
I made a sort of sandwich baffle out of three sheets of thin MDF, glued together in wood clamps. That allowed me to flush mount the Alpair drivers without a router. It turned out OK. These were meant to be a quick 'n dirty experiment, but they've remained as my bedroom speakers for 3 years now(!). I listen to them every night.
I did give them a listen in my main system. They don't do well with a low power tube amp (too dark and closed in sounding), but they played great with a normal 50W/channel solid state amp. I listened to some CD and SACD, and was thoroughly impressed. Where you notice a difference using single driver speakers is in the vocals. They sound so natural and coherent compared to any of the multi-way speakers I have (Tannoy System 8 monitors, Snell Type C, Snell Type E).
I played around with a couple of Klipsch KG4.5 and Klipsch RF3 at one point. They're kind of fun in a way, but they get aggravating. Sharp and aggressive in the upper mids. Too intense for me.
If you try the Alpair speakers, you might find that you love the clear, unmuddled midrange. Or you might find the weak bass and slightly soft upper trebles troubling. I accept the bass rolloff as the price to pay for the little drivers in small cabs, and the upper trebles don't bother me since I'm getting older and can't hear that high anyway. But the mids from those Alpair speakers are really nice, and that's where the meat of the music is anyway.
Just my two cents, fwiw, etc.
I had a pair of B&W DM100's from my college days (long, long time ago). The drivers had fallen apart. I was curious to hear the Alpair drivers, so I used the WinISD program to predict the bass response of the Alpair 10.2 in the DM100 cabinet (sealed, no port). The prediction was -3dB down at about 90Hz. I figured that would be good enough for a bookshelf type speaker. So I tried it.
I made a sort of sandwich baffle out of three sheets of thin MDF, glued together in wood clamps. That allowed me to flush mount the Alpair drivers without a router. It turned out OK. These were meant to be a quick 'n dirty experiment, but they've remained as my bedroom speakers for 3 years now(!). I listen to them every night.
I did give them a listen in my main system. They don't do well with a low power tube amp (too dark and closed in sounding), but they played great with a normal 50W/channel solid state amp. I listened to some CD and SACD, and was thoroughly impressed. Where you notice a difference using single driver speakers is in the vocals. They sound so natural and coherent compared to any of the multi-way speakers I have (Tannoy System 8 monitors, Snell Type C, Snell Type E).
I played around with a couple of Klipsch KG4.5 and Klipsch RF3 at one point. They're kind of fun in a way, but they get aggravating. Sharp and aggressive in the upper mids. Too intense for me.
If you try the Alpair speakers, you might find that you love the clear, unmuddled midrange. Or you might find the weak bass and slightly soft upper trebles troubling. I accept the bass rolloff as the price to pay for the little drivers in small cabs, and the upper trebles don't bother me since I'm getting older and can't hear that high anyway. But the mids from those Alpair speakers are really nice, and that's where the meat of the music is anyway.
Just my two cents, fwiw, etc.
Many to choose but basic ones around $5-$7 should be fine.
Binding cup - Parts Express Ships Fast and Ships Free.
Parts Express Pressfit Speaker Terminal Cup 2-1/4" Gold Banana Binding Post
I also like basic posts no cup:
http://www.parts-express.com/parts-...y-speaker-wire-binding-post-terminal--260-302
Binding cup - Parts Express Ships Fast and Ships Free.
Parts Express Pressfit Speaker Terminal Cup 2-1/4" Gold Banana Binding Post
I also like basic posts no cup:
http://www.parts-express.com/parts-...y-speaker-wire-binding-post-terminal--260-302
One example:
http://www.amazon.com/Speaker-Termi...2&sr=8-25&keywords=terminal+cup+parts-express
You can get from Part-Express directly, please check shipping options, it might be less.
Edit: X has responded first. The basic binding posts (no cup) posted by X is one I like too.
http://www.amazon.com/Speaker-Termi...2&sr=8-25&keywords=terminal+cup+parts-express
You can get from Part-Express directly, please check shipping options, it might be less.
Edit: X has responded first
. The basic binding posts (no cup) posted by X is one I like too.
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Decided to go with the X-LS Encore for $169 and the $40 parts express MDF .56 cu feet cabinets. $18 shipping for the X-LS and $6 shipping for the cabinets.. not bad on the cabinets. Just placed the orders for each.
Maybe I'll do a full range speaker next time. These just seem like a good way to go to start with: affordable and beat several other more expensive speakers in a shootout. Plus I know they'd be good for various genres of music including hard rock.
Thanks xrk971 for the recommendation.
I'll let you guys know how they compare to the Infinity RS 2001.
Maybe I'll do a full range speaker next time. These just seem like a good way to go to start with: affordable and beat several other more expensive speakers in a shootout. Plus I know they'd be good for various genres of music including hard rock.
Thanks xrk971 for the recommendation.
I'll let you guys know how they compare to the Infinity RS 2001.
I think that looks like a really good kit for the money, especially if you didn't go for the X-LS's WAY over-priced options. Looking forward to seeing how it works out for you.
Yeah I didn't buy the sonicap and mills resistors upgrades, nor the brass pointy feet.
I figure I can change out the caps and resistors later if they don't sound satisfactory enough as is. Also I don't know what those feet really do for the sound. I am using the tiny 1/4" diameter cupboard bumpers as feet right now on my Infinity RS2001's -- sitting on desk.
I also didn't understand that wire tube connector thing.. how would that really help much?. I figure stick the bare unsoldered/untinned copper speaker wire in the terminal and screw down tight smashing down the wire to the gold contact. Isn't that good enough? Every so often I can trim back and there be fresh unoxidized copper.. or I could use de-oxit contact cleaner on it once and a while? This is how I have always wired my amps and speakers.. bare copper wire directly to the terminals and tightened down.
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That "Electra Cable tube connector" is pure snake oil in my opinion, especially at $50!!!! Your method will work just fine!
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