Hi,
I am needing a pair of speakers for my bedroom system ... low level, 30w/ch SS amp .... jazz, classical, etc. Low power so efficiency should be good. I have been thinking of a DIY project and the thought hit me .... why not try DIY speakers? By this I mean ... build it myself, not design one. I have never built speakers before but have done a number of DIY amp projects.
I'd love a slim, tower design. Are there good reference DIY designs out there? Can someone point me in the right direction?
Are there any kit options out there?
Am I crazy to consider this as a 1st time project?
Thx in advance for help,
Rob
I am needing a pair of speakers for my bedroom system ... low level, 30w/ch SS amp .... jazz, classical, etc. Low power so efficiency should be good. I have been thinking of a DIY project and the thought hit me .... why not try DIY speakers? By this I mean ... build it myself, not design one. I have never built speakers before but have done a number of DIY amp projects.
I'd love a slim, tower design. Are there good reference DIY designs out there? Can someone point me in the right direction?
Are there any kit options out there?
Am I crazy to consider this as a 1st time project?
Thx in advance for help,
Rob
I built the Planet10 hifi Fonken Floorstanders MKII with CSS EL-70s and they sound awesome!
Pretty easy build too.
FonkenFSMKII
***EDIT***
The FE127E's are no longer available. The EL-70 is a recommended substitute. For this design you have to adjust the cutout of the brace behind the driver to the deeper EL-70. And don't let the efficiency numbers of the EL-70 fool you. They will play plenty loud. Without any analytical measuring equipment I almost don't believe the numbers based on the sound.
Pretty easy build too.
FonkenFSMKII
***EDIT***
The FE127E's are no longer available. The EL-70 is a recommended substitute. For this design you have to adjust the cutout of the brace behind the driver to the deeper EL-70. And don't let the efficiency numbers of the EL-70 fool you. They will play plenty loud. Without any analytical measuring equipment I almost don't believe the numbers based on the sound.
Last edited:
from the criteria listed in your first post, either the Pensil or Planet10 half micro-tower would likely be quite suitable
I've always questioned single driver speakers. Do you get get good hi - freq ? Is it a big deal (redesign, etc) to add a tweeter?
Rob
Rob
well until you've actually listened to a single driver speaker in your own system, you'll never know how the overall freq response works for you
regardless of all the theory and measures, some folks are simply more tolerant of "deficiencies"
the complexity of adding a tweeter later depends on a few factors, but allowances can always be made in the build's execution for that contingency
EL70 & CHR70 use the same Mark Audio basket. Both drivers designed & built by Mark Fenlon.
As to HF response, it depends on the FR driver you are talking about. All the latest Mark Audio drivers have very extended response -- the smaller ones still have some response up to 30k... in the right box actual 9 octave response. The FF85k (i have the last of these in NA) is in its own right a stellar tweeter, besting domes costing much more, and can be XOed really low (typically 300 Hz in a FAST, but capable of 100 Hz output on its own)
Now being a single driver, and usually small they are going to be limited in absolute volume, bass impact, and dynamics (but some of them are no slouches -- the EL70 will have you looking for the woofers, and if you double up dynamics and bass slam get better). But with no XOs they are seamless (especially the no whizzer drivers), and both your ear & your amp will like that.
There is a certain seductive quality about a good FR that no multiway can match, and fans are happy to live with their shortcomings.
I have no doubt that the best modestly priced diy speakers use a FR driver (a set of EL70/CHR are $100 and a fully tarted pair are less than twice that).
And then if you need it all, a FAST system will allow 20-20k, the required XO often cheaper by going active, and an XO point where it does the least harm.
An then anothor point of view (Floyd Toole) is that there is little point in mains that play below 80 Hz, because that is the domain of the room and is best dealt with with multiple separate subwoofers.
dave
As to HF response, it depends on the FR driver you are talking about. All the latest Mark Audio drivers have very extended response -- the smaller ones still have some response up to 30k... in the right box actual 9 octave response. The FF85k (i have the last of these in NA) is in its own right a stellar tweeter, besting domes costing much more, and can be XOed really low (typically 300 Hz in a FAST, but capable of 100 Hz output on its own)
Now being a single driver, and usually small they are going to be limited in absolute volume, bass impact, and dynamics (but some of them are no slouches -- the EL70 will have you looking for the woofers, and if you double up dynamics and bass slam get better). But with no XOs they are seamless (especially the no whizzer drivers), and both your ear & your amp will like that.
There is a certain seductive quality about a good FR that no multiway can match, and fans are happy to live with their shortcomings.
I have no doubt that the best modestly priced diy speakers use a FR driver (a set of EL70/CHR are $100 and a fully tarted pair are less than twice that).
And then if you need it all, a FAST system will allow 20-20k, the required XO often cheaper by going active, and an XO point where it does the least harm.
An then anothor point of view (Floyd Toole) is that there is little point in mains that play below 80 Hz, because that is the domain of the room and is best dealt with with multiple separate subwoofers.
dave
The Twin Alpair 7 DBR, Bipole Metronomes, uFonken^2, any of the Lake District or English Auto series with the suffix ^2, the microTowers or ML-TLs with 2 drivers. If you really want to party a stacked pair od EL70 chubbyTowers (8 EL70/side is going to move some serious air)
Some of those here: planet_10 hifi
A client recently built bipole EL70 Mets for his HT, and said he was able to remove his subs. Then he built another pair because a buddy took the 1st ones away.
dave
Some of those here: planet_10 hifi
A client recently built bipole EL70 Mets for his HT, and said he was able to remove his subs. Then he built another pair because a buddy took the 1st ones away.
dave
Attachments
Dave...these would have a lower reach into the bass region vs. the twin alpair 7 design?
I can't seem to find an info on the half micro-tower you mention. Do you have a link?
Thx,
Rob
Thx,
Rob
It is part of the microTower series. The planet10-hifi link in the 2 posts previous to yours will take you to the right page. microTower is in the ML-TL section.
dave
We haven't really had a chance to push the A7 so don't know what it is capable of, but from the sims i'd say that the A7 (vrs the EL70) trades off some bass for more finese.
The sim in the Twin A7 suggests bass into the 50s, the EL70 microTower is good into the low 40s and the bigger ML-TLs probably get into the mid 30s, maybe better with room lift.
If you want to rock & roll, the EL70 might be your guy. And keep in mind that things like the big ML-TL could have their x-section & ports doubled to support 2 drivers on the front and 2 on the back. One could even target the mythic 9:4:1 aspect ratio, paint them flat black and decorate the room with a lunar motif
Almost endless variations & twists can be done to many of the designs you see actually published. They are literally just the tip of an iceberg.
dave
Consider my Jordan Jx92S MLTL design with (or without) the Aurum Cantus G2si ribbon tweeter. Both drivers are still available from suppliers. It is a small footprint 7.5"W x 6.6"D by 48"H. There is an extensive thread (started by me) here on diyaudio.com on both my mini-monitor and MLTL versions of this design. Several people have built this design and report success. Also I've received great comments at several DIY speaker shows and contest. The low end tunes to 35 Hz at the 3 dB down point. The enclosure is easy to build and gives high reward for your effort. You can use the Jordan full band with a baffle step comp network or use the crossover with the ribbon. The sound is very neutral with excellent flatness over the band.
Last edited:
Guys...what do yo think of this combo. http://www.markaudio.com/alpair/5/grey I'm definitely interested in bass capability. Would this design yield favorable results similar to what is mentioned above??
Thanks for REALLY good info btw.
Thanks for REALLY good info btw.
If you REALLY want BASS, and take good advantage of a FR, then you need to look at a FAST.
FAST is the concept of using a full range driver as a mid-tweeter and add as much bass help as you want/need.
In OB-land, it has almost become defacto... Martin King's passive baffle a good starting place for that.
It is not limited to OBs... A good start is Tysen and the threads that spin out of it. The Alpair 5 would work... Alpair12, Fostex, Lowther, Jordan, whatever. For woofers use any good midbass(s). Decent extension on the top is needed (unlike most subs). Easier to do if you biamp. Without having to worry about the FR make bass, you can build an enclousure that optimizes for the midrange top -- without the stress of the bass, the FR gets better in the range it is covering.
I'm currently noodling thru the concept of a bi-amped Alpair7 + 4 CSS SDX7 per cabinet -- a <superlative>Tysen one could say
dave
For those intered some links to my Jordan JX92S MLTL thread include:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/81634-jordan-ribbon-mltl.html#post942200
The Jordan drivers are available from:
Jordan's US Distributor for JX92S and other Full Range Drivers
while the A-C G2si ribbons are available from Parts Express.
Aqtquark:
The Alpair 5 will definitely need a subwoofer to yield significant bass at all.
Jim
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/81634-jordan-ribbon-mltl.html#post942200
The Jordan drivers are available from:
Jordan's US Distributor for JX92S and other Full Range Drivers
while the A-C G2si ribbons are available from Parts Express.
Aqtquark:
The Alpair 5 will definitely need a subwoofer to yield significant bass at all.
Jim
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.