looking to build my first speaker project. I have looked in the stores and discovered that to please my ears I need >$300 a pair towers and I don't want to pay that much. being new to DIY I'll just tell you what I like and let you recommend good fits for me.
first the two most annoying things when I hear a sound system. one is bass that gets muddy at the slightest hit of complication in the bass line. the other is highs that don't go high enough and aren't clear enough. I can hear the high pitch whine from a tube tv to give you an idea my hearing range.
my reason for being disastified with my current speakers [2 van model tower speakers and a 5.1 pioneer home theater in a box set all of which I got for free] is that the sound never seems to fill the room no matter how loud I turn it up. it gets loud, but just never sounds full. I am powering using this sony amp http://www.amazon.com/Sony-STR-DE697-Audio-Video-Receiver/dp/B00022RV9O
if that helps anyone.
I am guessing that I may do well with one of the full range designs with an added tweeter to squeek out the extra highs. curious what you would all recommend for box design and model #s for off the shelf components. some hints on the best sites where I could buy said components would also be helpful but I could always fall back on google if necessary.
first the two most annoying things when I hear a sound system. one is bass that gets muddy at the slightest hit of complication in the bass line. the other is highs that don't go high enough and aren't clear enough. I can hear the high pitch whine from a tube tv to give you an idea my hearing range.
my reason for being disastified with my current speakers [2 van model tower speakers and a 5.1 pioneer home theater in a box set all of which I got for free] is that the sound never seems to fill the room no matter how loud I turn it up. it gets loud, but just never sounds full. I am powering using this sony amp http://www.amazon.com/Sony-STR-DE697-Audio-Video-Receiver/dp/B00022RV9O
if that helps anyone.
I am guessing that I may do well with one of the full range designs with an added tweeter to squeek out the extra highs. curious what you would all recommend for box design and model #s for off the shelf components. some hints on the best sites where I could buy said components would also be helpful but I could always fall back on google if necessary.
Hi,
floorstanding BAMTM :
http://www.zaphaudio.com/BAMTM.html ,
/sreten.
http://www.partsexpress.com/
http://www.madisound.com
floorstanding BAMTM :
http://www.zaphaudio.com/BAMTM.html ,
/sreten.http://www.partsexpress.com/
http://www.madisound.com
I haven't heard the BAMTMs but I trust them to be very high quality speakers for the price. Zaph knows what he's talking about.
You also definitely need to go here:
www.speakerbuilder.com
A lot of people rave about the Modula MT, which are bookshelf speakers, but apparently beautiful sounding (haven't heard them yet). They cost around $300. The plans are here:
http://www.htguide.com/forum/forumdisplay.php4?f=39
Most of his designs use the Dayton "classic" drivers, which are VERY inexpensive, but give you a lot of bang for your buck. You'd probaby be very happy with a pair of his Dayton III. I bulit a pair for a little over $200 for everything, and they sound like 4x that! Nice, musical bass, which I don't find "boomy" or "sloppy." The other nice thing about the D3s is that a guy did a walkthrough for those who build them as their first set of speakers.
Hope that helps.
-Paul
You also definitely need to go here:
www.speakerbuilder.com
A lot of people rave about the Modula MT, which are bookshelf speakers, but apparently beautiful sounding (haven't heard them yet). They cost around $300. The plans are here:
http://www.htguide.com/forum/forumdisplay.php4?f=39
Most of his designs use the Dayton "classic" drivers, which are VERY inexpensive, but give you a lot of bang for your buck. You'd probaby be very happy with a pair of his Dayton III. I bulit a pair for a little over $200 for everything, and they sound like 4x that! Nice, musical bass, which I don't find "boomy" or "sloppy." The other nice thing about the D3s is that a guy did a walkthrough for those who build them as their first set of speakers.
Hope that helps.
-Paul
oops
I meant
www.speakerbuilder.net
That's Wayne Jaeschke's site. His projects have blown away many a speakerbuilding newbie. Most of his projects use the "great bang for a buck" Dayton Classic series drivers. Therefore, you can jump in quickly for not too much bread.
I meant
www.speakerbuilder.net
That's Wayne Jaeschke's site. His projects have blown away many a speakerbuilding newbie. Most of his projects use the "great bang for a buck" Dayton Classic series drivers. Therefore, you can jump in quickly for not too much bread.
Re: oops
yeah, I went to the first link and figured out pretty quickly that it was not your intended site, a google search got me on the right site and I am still reading since then. there are lots of graphs about that I don't know enough to be able to read yet. also even though I come from a technical background the schematics and building custom crossovers is a bit intimidating. not beyond my ability to learn but definitely not something I've already mastered. more self education needed I guess.
Undefinition said:
yeah, I went to the first link and figured out pretty quickly that it was not your intended site, a google search got me on the right site and I am still reading since then. there are lots of graphs about that I don't know enough to be able to read yet. also even though I come from a technical background the schematics and building custom crossovers is a bit intimidating. not beyond my ability to learn but definitely not something I've already mastered. more self education needed I guess.
I would rate DIY speakers as the greatest bang for buck projects, after which comes preamp power supplies.
Zalytron is another decent source, www.zalytron.com
Zalytron is another decent source, www.zalytron.com
Not to worry
I'd done a fair amount of woodworking before ever attempting DIY speakers. But at the same time, it was sort of daunting to spend $200+ dollars on something I was *not sure* would work out. So I spent at least a month reading every single thing I could find on how to do it; and even so, there were things I was unprepared for. The good news is: in the end, they worked, and far exceeded my expectations.
I have documented many of my findings at my website
http://undefinition.googlepages.com/diy
You might want to read my "postmortem" on the D3s as well as the speaker building links section.
In a way, it's a tough hobby t oget started in, because there just aren't many resources out there for getting started. Once you understand what's going on, the internet is chock-full of great stuff!
And if, in the end you're STILL daunted by all this (or parts of it), you can ask friends or relatives to help you with sections (woodworking, soldering, etc.) or someone here can help you out with parts (ie: building the crossovers for a small fee). Hell, if you really are so intimidated I'll SELL you mine for what it cost me to make them, just so I can build more (yes it's an addiction).
Hope that helps! good luck! (Once you go DIY, you never go back to store-bought)
Paul
I'd done a fair amount of woodworking before ever attempting DIY speakers. But at the same time, it was sort of daunting to spend $200+ dollars on something I was *not sure* would work out. So I spent at least a month reading every single thing I could find on how to do it; and even so, there were things I was unprepared for. The good news is: in the end, they worked, and far exceeded my expectations.
I have documented many of my findings at my website
http://undefinition.googlepages.com/diy
You might want to read my "postmortem" on the D3s as well as the speaker building links section.
In a way, it's a tough hobby t oget started in, because there just aren't many resources out there for getting started. Once you understand what's going on, the internet is chock-full of great stuff!
And if, in the end you're STILL daunted by all this (or parts of it), you can ask friends or relatives to help you with sections (woodworking, soldering, etc.) or someone here can help you out with parts (ie: building the crossovers for a small fee). Hell, if you really are so intimidated I'll SELL you mine for what it cost me to make them, just so I can build more (yes it's an addiction).
Hope that helps! good luck! (Once you go DIY, you never go back to store-bought)
Paul
Sure
I'd love to build a set of BAMTMs myself. The aluminum drivers also look nice n' mean. I only suggest the D3s to a first-timer is that they are vented and can produce serious amounts of bass. And bass is usually a quick way to impress an audience--yourself included, perhaps. They sound pretty decent otherwise. Yes, the BAMTM is going to have a more articulate and accurate midrange. But while the BAMTM is about the same size cabinet, it's sealed. Thus, you just aren't going to get the same sort of low end out of them that a D3 does. (Zaph says you can make a "short floorstander" which would be vented, and THEN you'd have the same sort of bass extension as the D3).
So it's your call.
D3: small box, tons of bass (impress your friends), "recessed mids"
BAMTM: small box, sealed (not as much bass), more articulate mids and highs
The only OTHER reason I'd suggest the D3s for a newbie is because there is a complete walkthrough on how to build them on www.speakerbuilder.net
I'd love to build a set of BAMTMs myself. The aluminum drivers also look nice n' mean. I only suggest the D3s to a first-timer is that they are vented and can produce serious amounts of bass. And bass is usually a quick way to impress an audience--yourself included, perhaps. They sound pretty decent otherwise. Yes, the BAMTM is going to have a more articulate and accurate midrange. But while the BAMTM is about the same size cabinet, it's sealed. Thus, you just aren't going to get the same sort of low end out of them that a D3 does. (Zaph says you can make a "short floorstander" which would be vented, and THEN you'd have the same sort of bass extension as the D3).
So it's your call.
D3: small box, tons of bass (impress your friends), "recessed mids"
BAMTM: small box, sealed (not as much bass), more articulate mids and highs
The only OTHER reason I'd suggest the D3s for a newbie is because there is a complete walkthrough on how to build them on www.speakerbuilder.net
I think I will be trying out the BAMTM, make just a center channel to try my stuff. woodworking and soldering are both well within my grasp though I don't have a router to make them pretty at the moment. the crossovers are slightly intimidating because my soldering skills come from hobby rc cars where its never more complicated than wiring premade components together. reading those schematics for the crossover is all new to me but I think I can figure it out. now I just need to find a good rectifier to do a car sub to home sub conversion.
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