I am not quite yet an audiophile (mainly because I can't afford to be) but I do appreciate the finer things in life and a good music / home theatre is one of those things. I can hear the differences between good, bad and great systems but I have not been able to justify spending huge money to own anything much better that "prosumer" grade stuff.
I also happen to design and build furniture as a hobby so I have the shop and mechanical skills to build speakers...the question is where to start...
Are there any well regarded reference books available on speaker design and construction concepts or a book of drawings that shows typical cabinets, volume calculations, etc? Alternatively are there any places out there that have proven designs and driver specs so that I could simply follow plans?
My current setup is a pair of Polk RT2000p mains, a Polk CS400 enter, matching rears being driven by an integra dtr40.1. My woofers are in need of maintenance or replacement so I figured that I may be at a crossroads of upgrade vs. repair.
Thx
I also happen to design and build furniture as a hobby so I have the shop and mechanical skills to build speakers...the question is where to start...
Are there any well regarded reference books available on speaker design and construction concepts or a book of drawings that shows typical cabinets, volume calculations, etc? Alternatively are there any places out there that have proven designs and driver specs so that I could simply follow plans?
My current setup is a pair of Polk RT2000p mains, a Polk CS400 enter, matching rears being driven by an integra dtr40.1. My woofers are in need of maintenance or replacement so I figured that I may be at a crossroads of upgrade vs. repair.
Thx
Kooshball, You'll find more than you ever could imagined on this site.
You can take look through here for kits, its a good place to start.
Madisound Speaker Kits for DIY Speaker Builders
As a woodworker, you can add things like thicker wood and/or angles; also you can cut good clean joints with ample glue/clamps and set time (assembly-line-speakers can not afford to do this).
Are you looking to build a set of 2 ways? (also a good place to start).
You can take look through here for kits, its a good place to start.
Madisound Speaker Kits for DIY Speaker Builders
As a woodworker, you can add things like thicker wood and/or angles; also you can cut good clean joints with ample glue/clamps and set time (assembly-line-speakers can not afford to do this).
Are you looking to build a set of 2 ways? (also a good place to start).
Hi,
TBH you should repair / maintain what you have, replacing woofer surrounds
is not difficult if that is the issue and far less time burdensome than building,
and a hell of a lot cheaper overall.
If fixed to move them on to someone else, they are not trivial to replace :
Especially seeing you are talking about 5 speakers, that is a big ask.
Its a huge subject, and you have to be able to sort the wheat from the chaff,
so I can't point you to just some "instructions", especially regarding cabinets.
For most designs the quality of the cabinets, acoustically and aesthetically
is very much a moving target depending on the builders skills / ambitions.
Some links below, if you make a choice ask for comments.
rgds, sreten.
http://sites.google.com/site/undefinition/diy
(see if nothing else, the excellent FAQs)
The Speaker Building Bible
Zaph|Audio
Zaph|Audio - ZA5 Speaker Designs with ZA14W08 woofer and Vifa DQ25SC16-04 tweeter
http://audio.claub.net/Simple Loudspeaker Design ver2.pdf
FRD Consortium tools guide
Designing Crossovers with Software Only
RJB Audio Projects
Jay's DIY Loudspeaker Projects
Speaker Design Works
HTGuide Forum - A Guide to HTguide.com Completed Speaker Designs.
A Speaker project
DIY Loudspeaker Projects Troels Gravesen
Humble Homemade Hifi
TBH you should repair / maintain what you have, replacing woofer surrounds
is not difficult if that is the issue and far less time burdensome than building,
and a hell of a lot cheaper overall.
If fixed to move them on to someone else, they are not trivial to replace :
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Especially seeing you are talking about 5 speakers, that is a big ask.
Its a huge subject, and you have to be able to sort the wheat from the chaff,
so I can't point you to just some "instructions", especially regarding cabinets.
For most designs the quality of the cabinets, acoustically and aesthetically
is very much a moving target depending on the builders skills / ambitions.
Some links below, if you make a choice ask for comments.
rgds, sreten.
http://sites.google.com/site/undefinition/diy
(see if nothing else, the excellent FAQs)
The Speaker Building Bible
Zaph|Audio
Zaph|Audio - ZA5 Speaker Designs with ZA14W08 woofer and Vifa DQ25SC16-04 tweeter
http://audio.claub.net/Simple Loudspeaker Design ver2.pdf
FRD Consortium tools guide
Designing Crossovers with Software Only
RJB Audio Projects
Jay's DIY Loudspeaker Projects
Speaker Design Works
HTGuide Forum - A Guide to HTguide.com Completed Speaker Designs.
A Speaker project
DIY Loudspeaker Projects Troels Gravesen
Humble Homemade Hifi
Here's an idea for inspiration; have you scrolled this the full range Photo pages?
Move quickly, there are 100s of pics. (very nice)
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/65061-full-range-speaker-photo-gallery.html
Move quickly, there are 100s of pics. (very nice)
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/65061-full-range-speaker-photo-gallery.html
In case you don't know, there are several sites for drivers, etc.: meniscusaudio, madisound, partsexpress, usspeaker, solen.ca (in Canada), toutlehautparleur.com (France), audiophonics.fr (France), oaudio.de (Germany)
The ones in Canada, France and Germany also have kits. Solen.ca has a free crossover design service (if you order drivers from them) and meniscusaudio has a cabinet building service.
The ones in Canada, France and Germany also have kits. Solen.ca has a free crossover design service (if you order drivers from them) and meniscusaudio has a cabinet building service.
Why not start with the easiest bit and build a subwoofer that is suitable for both music and home theatre? Biggest bang for buck in the DIY field and do as Sreten suggests with a repair and upgrade on your existing speakers.
Even better and much better sound; 3 or more subwoofers for a better effect and sound field.
Even better and much better sound; 3 or more subwoofers for a better effect and sound field.
Parts Express: the #1 source for audio, video & speaker building components has a forum that is 95% about speaker building. The members are extremely helpful.
Where are you located? There are a few DIY speaker shows coming up soon; one in Iowa and one in Alabama. These shows welcome all comers, even if just to watch, listen, and learn. There might be other shows too.
The Parts Express forum has The Speaker Building Bible which is a GREAT reference and the authors are on the forum to answer questions. There are also a lot of different designs available from which to choose. Plenty of help if you want to build your own too.
Mike
Where are you located? There are a few DIY speaker shows coming up soon; one in Iowa and one in Alabama. These shows welcome all comers, even if just to watch, listen, and learn. There might be other shows too.
The Parts Express forum has The Speaker Building Bible which is a GREAT reference and the authors are on the forum to answer questions. There are also a lot of different designs available from which to choose. Plenty of help if you want to build your own too.
Mike
First, thanks to all for the replies!
I have spent quite a bit of time on the web and in the audio stores trying to figure out what I want and have narrowed (I think) the field down to something from Gravesen, Zaph or the Pennywise speakers from PBN but...
Generally speaking (assuming I build to plan), at what quality level will these speakers play at? For example the Zaph ZDT3.5 looks like a great start since I can easily add matched speakers for HT sound but how well is the cross-over designed and what is gained or lost by what appears to be a standard box design (say vs. the Pennywise)? Will this speaker (or anything from the above list) compare to something like an Aerial Model 7T?
THX
Gald you are back....I thought you took the blue pill.
Nice...........
www.avsforum.com/t/1049613/finished-zdt3-5-including-cc-pics
Nice...........
www.avsforum.com/t/1049613/finished-zdt3-5-including-cc-pics
HA! honestly my email notification of these replies went to spam and I never thought to check!!
I think you would be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't at least look at these. Jeff's crossover are magic.
My RS180 MTM Design
My RS180 MTM Design
FAST is unpopular
I'm not the expert since I've only read message here so far, haven't officially built a pair of speakers yet (apart from putting a pair of full range drivers inside juice bottles hooked up directly to a Lepai amp, lol). But, when I think about all the compromises, I'm leaning towards a FAST (combining full range drivers with woofers). That way, I might be able to keep the power and bass down to a level as to not have a significant negative impact on the voice quality of the singers while still off-loading some of the load from the full rangers to the woofers.
The only thing is, there's an almost total absence of free plans on FAST builds. The only example I found lately that I thought looked pretty cool was the miniTysen3D drawing I saw here.
I'm thinking even though people might disagree that the "ideal range" for vocals might be a pair of speakers anywhere in the range from 15 to 45 watts per side. Any more than that and I find women start to sound like men.
I'm not the expert since I've only read message here so far, haven't officially built a pair of speakers yet (apart from putting a pair of full range drivers inside juice bottles hooked up directly to a Lepai amp, lol). But, when I think about all the compromises, I'm leaning towards a FAST (combining full range drivers with woofers). That way, I might be able to keep the power and bass down to a level as to not have a significant negative impact on the voice quality of the singers while still off-loading some of the load from the full rangers to the woofers.
The only thing is, there's an almost total absence of free plans on FAST builds. The only example I found lately that I thought looked pretty cool was the miniTysen3D drawing I saw here.
I'm thinking even though people might disagree that the "ideal range" for vocals might be a pair of speakers anywhere in the range from 15 to 45 watts per side. Any more than that and I find women start to sound like men.
I did like this project, doesn't cost an arm and a leg, good size woofers and simple crossover.
I'd build the same box with a little twist: cut the top bottom plates with one 90 degree corner and opposing corner 15 degree - this cuts down on parallel walls.
Which helps with bass extension - IMO.
Standing Waves.......
I'd build the same box with a little twist: cut the top bottom plates with one 90 degree corner and opposing corner 15 degree - this cuts down on parallel walls.
Which helps with bass extension - IMO.
Standing Waves.......
Attachments
Last edited:
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.