First time speaker builder (please help)!

[idub]

Hello, very new to this site. I joined simply becaause I am interested in building my own speakers. I have woodworking experence and tools and am interested in building somthing like the "cyburg needle" or "straight pipe" for my first speaker. I would like to use a 5 1/4" driver as is used in most of the plans I have seen, my question is; can anyone recommend a good, high quality driver to use in my new speakers?? I plan on investing considerable time in the cabnets and would like to use somthing better than the "radio shack special" I will be using my NAD 3225PE to power my would-be speakers. If anyone has any recomendations on what I should use and where I can get them, it would be much appreciated, thankyou. Ian.

[Richard Ellis]

Ian:
Most all of us here who have been doing this for some time.....we read alot...technical/mathmatic articles/journals..
Each of us has our favorite "supplier" of speaker components and drivers.
You most definatley have a leg up on most with your woodworking skills...a big plus when building enclosures.
Have you the basic understanding of speaker...dynamics?, P.S. lotsa math.
Me I like to surf thru "my" supplier www.partsexpress.com as I check for new products, number crunch new hypothetical systems.
Me I like Atrium products.
Keep asking questions....No such thing as a "dumb" question.
___________________________________Rick.........

[doorman]

A number of excellent plans available @ http://www.frugel-horn.com
Don

[TerryO]

Originally posted by idub
Hello, very new to this site. I joined simply becaause I am interested in building my own speakers. I have woodworking experence and tools and am interested in building somthing like the "cyburg needle" or "straight pipe" for my first speaker. I would like to use a 5 1/4" driver as is used in most of the plans I have seen, my question is; can anyone recommend a good, high quality driver to use in my new speakers?? I plan on investing considerable time in the cabnets and would like to use somthing better than the "radio shack special" I will be using my NAD 3225PE to power my would-be speakers. If anyone has any recomendations on what I should use and where I can get them, it would be much appreciated, thankyou. Ian.

Ian,

I'm a little puzzled by what you call the "radio shack special" as I've used numerous Radio Shack drivers in speakers that have been very well received. As you seem to be new to this, I take it that you may feel that a more expensive driver will make for a better speaker. Well the truth is that it's just as easy to build a bad speaker with expensive components as it is with "cheaper" parts.

All speakers are compromises, and this applies to single driver speakers as well. So, in order to discern what you want, you need to define what your budget is, what types of music you listen to, both the size and condition of your listening room and what constraints you are working with (wife's approval as to size, shape, finish) and how loud do you normally listen to your music.
With these details it will be much easier to make recommendations.

Best Regards,
TerryO

[loninappleton]

Welcome to the hobby. Lots of great people here and amenable to many questions.

I don't want to get into the Radio Shack fight since most of the
'good stuff' they discontinued.

So it's on to Madisound and maybe CSS for specialized drivers used
by the single driver gang.

The OEM for Radio Shack for some of the favorites like the RS1147
were made by Fostex. Fostex makes the premier quality product under their own name such as the FE127 or 126. These pieces are at Madisound.

Since there is a lot of experimenting you may want to start with
some simple builds of particle board just to get the full range effect.

A BIB is good for that and you can read about them here on a specialized thread that is quite long.

For the Fostex, you can 'get in the door' for about $40 each. I use these with an SS Yamaha (though of low wattage) so the NAD should work fine.


Have fun. Don't let the technical overwhelm you.

[Nanook]

hmmm , I used to sell these many moons ago. You have a functioning one with all the buttons and switches intact?

Kinda depends your location and your specific needs. If you want a Cdn supplier, than Solen (Longueuil, Quebec)l has a pretty wide variety. Planet 10 hifi (Victoria) sells moddified Fostex drivers at a very reasonable price (that sound excellent), and has played around with some smaller Hemp Acoustics. CSS is in GVA.

with our $ trading at par with the USD, than pricing may provide an advantage for US purchased products.

My first step would suggest you ID your listening biases so you look at a particular performance/comprimise and then look at drivers. after that , then search for a driver that will fit your needs, tastes, and budget.

[idub]

Originally posted by TerryO



Ian,

I'm a little puzzled by what you call the "radio shack special" as I've used numerous Radio Shack drivers in speakers that have been very well received. As you seem to be new to this, I take it that you may feel that a more expensive driver will make for a better speaker. Well the truth is that it's just as easy to build a bad speaker with expensive components as it is with "cheaper" parts.

All speakers are compromises, and this applies to single driver speakers as well. So, in order to discern what you want, you need to define what your budget is, what types of music you listen to, both the size and condition of your listening room and what constraints you are working with (wife's approval as to size, shape, finish) and how loud do you normally listen to your music.
With these details it will be much easier to make recommendations.

Best Regards,
TerryO

My apologies, I assumed Radio Shack made sub-par components. I tend to have the "more expensive=better" mentality. I realize I have much to learn and I don't want to be wasting anyones time. All of your replys are very, very helpful and I appreciate your advise. My budget is around $200, I like music very loud, clear, clean and punchy. I don't need window shattering base, I prefer quality over quantity. My speakers will be living in a room thats about 15'x20' and will have to look, and sound good inorder to have aproval for future funding of other speaker projects. (my wife is a banker, I get away with nothing!)
So, I have a book coming, "Designing Building Testing Your Speaker System by Weems" which I will read cover to cover prior to cutting any MDF and research further what you guys have told me so far. Once again, thank you, and i'm sure I will bothering you all again soon. Ian.

[idub]

Originally posted by Nanook
hmmm , I used to sell these many moons ago. You have a functioning one with all the buttons and switches intact?

Kinda depends your location and your specific needs. If you want a Cdn supplier, than Solen (Longueuil, Quebec)l has a pretty wide variety. Planet 10 hifi (Victoria) sells moddified Fostex drivers at a very reasonable price (that sound excellent), and has played around with some smaller Hemp Acoustics. CSS is in GVA.

with our $ trading at par with the USD, than pricing may provide an advantage for US purchased products.

My first step would suggest you ID your listening biases so you look at a particular performance/comprimise and then look at drivers. after that , then search for a driver that will fit your needs, tastes, and budget.

My 3225PE is in excellent conditon, about as close to new as you can get with somthing that age.

[loninappleton]

I have looked over a few of the books over the years and the best one I found for the fundamentals of T/S and other introductory concepts is
"Speakerbuilding 201." I have a Weems and tried to plow through Dickensen but the 201 is an easy reference and fairly new:

http://www.audioxpress.com/bksprods/products/bkaa66.htm

[GM]

I'm not familiar with that one, but I normally recommend this much cheaper one by Ray: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/...0&Go.y=0&Go=Go