Will you help a newcomer with his first multi-way project?

[pipsk]

Hi, I'm completely new to DIY community. Over past week I have been reading about DIY and HiFi audio all day, and I have decided to build my first speakers.
I really got interested by Zaphaudio and I nearly decided to build one of his 3 way designs, Unfortunately the speakers and the parts are not available in Slovakia or Czech republic where do I come from. I'd like to build a system from parts generally available out there, but I really don't trust our DIY community.
Their ratings of their speakers are like: "I am very pleased with the result. I really like listening to them, I was really shocked when I heard them first time"
Which sounded like crap to me even before I read Zaph's site. No graphs, no measurements.. nothing. I don't want to build a crappy system.

I am moving to a house and my listening room will be L shaped (didn't read anything about that, I don't know if it's a problem or not. It will look like this..



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

I don't have problems with big tower speakers, and I can get all the wood and woodwork done myself, so it's practically free. Same for Circuit boards for crossovers.

I need to buy speakers and crossover materals for +-500Eur (like 620$) and I need to buy it here, I think that's the biggest problem, However I don't really want to mess up so I'd like to build system already done, with all plans for crossover and box or designed by someone that really understands this. I can post links to speakers that are avaliable out there

Do you think you can help me?

[Erik F]

Well, I'm sure we can help you...you are wanting to build a proven design that has been measured and known to perform well. That is understandable. If you don't feel comfortable doing your own measurements a kit or working off someone elses design is the best choice. If you want help you need to let people know what types of drivers you can get your hands on. With out that info there is no where to start from.

[Erik F]

Adam Vox - Professional handmade Loudspeakers From Slovakia

http://www.lautsprechershop.de/pdf/m...m/york_eng.pdf

Here is what I came up with in 5 minutes on Google.

[r0b]

You could check this out: Boxsim Projektdatenbank Sonja

and ask here Speakerscorner - Lautsprecher, Visatonlautsprecher, Visaton, Alcone, Hobby-Hifi, Bestellung, Probehören, Onlineshop if he can ship to you. From the reviews he seems to be a good guy, and will probably be able to get Chassis for you.

However there's a hell of a lot more out there, so this is just one little suggestion!

[giralfino]

pipsk,
as you know Slovakia is part of EU and use Euro currency.
This means you can buy in any EU country without having to pay duties, and if you buy from a Euro country you don't lose money on the currency exchange.

The only Zaph tower design that fits your budget is the ZDT3.5, and the drivers are available in Europe. Another well known builder, Troels Gravesen, has some designs that fits your budget and use drivers available in Europe. Look for example Peerless HDS 830875

As to where buy drivers and components, Europe-Audio in Holland has a big variety, but unfortunately they don't answer to mails. I can suggest Audiokit in Italy, they are very helpful, they can even provide inductors with value in between standard ones. (I have no affiliation with them).

Ralf

[pipsk]

Thank you for your replies. The reason I need the speakers from Slovakia or Czech Republic is that I want them to be my high-school project and I need to document everything It must also be available in our market (don't ask me why). (I did not find any peerless distributors)

Erik F - Adam Vox is pretty expensive and I have pretty large room it's like 400 square feet and I don't really believe that such small speaker like york could deliver good bass (I haven't heard it yet but still.. I don't know)

I like Sonja suggested by r0b because we have few Visaton distributors out there. But I couldn't open the project file.. What program do I need?

Lots of builders out there use TVM mainly because they are very cheap. I don't know about quality but they have graphs on their site for every speaker. Google Translate
(When u click on products in menu on the left first three things from the top Tweeters, Mids , Woofers)
Another popular site is DEXON | REPRODUKTORY A OZVU?OVACÍ TECHNIKA It's in English too.

As I think more about it it will be better that you show me some speakers I could build and I will try to find a distributor for drivers, because I don't know many brands of speakers myself. Anyway thank you for your time.

Also I'd like to ask what would I need to power them, I have 2x20W 8Ohm amp. Will that be enough to power Sonja or any other project until I build something later? Right now it powers pair of old Tesla 1 PF 067 08. They sound good but they slowly fall apart. (they are like 20 years old). And btw is the table / speaker placement in my room a problem to figure out?

[giralfino]

The reason I need the speakers from Slovakia or Czech Republic is that I want them to be my high-school project and I need to document everything It must also be available in our market (don't ask me why). (I did not find any peerless distributors)

IMHO, in a global market, looking only for drivers available in a local store is a pure nonsense. For specialized items, like loudspeakers, it is very difficult (or near impossible) to find good quality items in a normal store, you have to buy from a internet store. Every internet store (not only those located in the EU) should be considered "local", because what they sell become available also in your market! As I said, if a store is located in the EU, you have also the advantage of not having to pay duties, so it is truly local.

BTW, looking at the Tymphany site (owner of Peerless and Vifa brands), there is a Czech distributor:
Xavian Electronics s.r.o
Milady Horkov 413
272 01 Kladno
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 777 125 456
Fax: +420 312 687 087
It is also a Scan-Speak distributor.

The Peerless project I suggested has also the advantage of being of high sensitivity, an important thing because of your big room (and small amplifier).

Ralf

[head_unit]

Are you sure you can't consider the Internet as "local"? Because otherwise it is true your selection will be much more limited.

I think it is very cool you are doing such a project in high school! Good luck!

But, I am not sure of your goals. Do you want super low bass? Compact? (you said towers were OK, if so how big? 3m tall? 1m wide? 2m deep? No, seriously, give us some limits).

As a project, can you build a pre-calculated design? Or do you have to do everything yourself?

And maybe I missed upon re-reading, but what is your amplifier? And 2 speakers, or 5.1?

[wjlamp]

Originally Posted by pipsk

Hi, I'm completely new to DIY community. Over past week I have been reading about DIY and HiFi audio all day, and I have decided to build my first speakers.
I really got interested by Zaphaudio and I nearly decided to build one of his 3 way designs, Unfortunately the speakers and the parts are not available in Slovakia or Czech republic where do I come from. I'd like to build a system from parts generally available out there, but I really don't trust our DIY community.
Their ratings of their speakers are like: "I am very pleased with the result. I really like listening to them, I was really shocked when I heard them first time"
Which sounded like crap to me even before I read Zaph's site. No graphs, no measurements.. nothing. I don't want to build a crappy system.

I am moving to a house and my listening room will be L shaped (didn't read anything about that, I don't know if it's a problem or not. It will look like this..



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

I don't have problems with big tower speakers, and I can get all the wood and woodwork done myself, so it's practically free. Same for Circuit boards for crossovers.

I need to buy speakers and crossover materals for +-500Eur (like 620$) and I need to buy it here, I think that's the biggest problem, However I don't really want to mess up so I'd like to build system already done, with all plans for crossover and box or designed by someone that really understands this. I can post links to speakers that are avaliable out there

Do you think you can help me?

Hi,

your case,and room , screams for an open baffle speaker.Don't say no,before you make a thorough study.I did a quick tour your local retailer site,and looks like it has everything that you need. Have a look at some proven open baffle designs,simple and relatively low cost,within your cost limits)
You will be pleasantly surprised.

B.L

[pipsk]

I found another distributor Peerless, Visaton, Seas and few others audium / manufactury of loudspeakers, amplifiers, audio accessories, custom made electronics...

Wow giralfino I was browsing Xavian before but I didn't find anything about drivers distribution, I think I will call them and audium for prices... The tower looks good but the box construction is doccumented very poorly.. Also do you see any disadvantages to this 2and1/2 way construction over 3 way? I don't want to have bad bass or mids. (Just asking I'm trying to get most of this experience and most for the buck of course). I could give like 100 more Euro for better quality/price. It's not really strict budget, but I would like to stay around that price.

head_unit - Yeah I know but it will have to do. I can buy from Internet but the company needs to be located somewhere near. If they wanted to call them or something.. I don't really know. They're not very good at English or German. So they won't know I didn't calculate it if I won't tell them, but I will provide credit to the original builder and I will need to measure it and tell something about it like - why I chose this build over that, what is the frequency response, and more of the technical stuff.. It has to be 20 pages of text + graphs.. pictures etc. I think I will need to open them and show the crossover so the commission can tell if I bought em or I really created the thing myself, and what's the quality of it.

Anyway I think I will have one of the most challenging projects this year because everyone is building from kits. Like electronic hours, amplifiers etc.. I wanted to build oil cooled PC with some pretty bad *** oil cooling technique but when I saw the mess oil can do I chose this instead... Slight OT.

About the amp, It's some old Polish "Unitra PW 8010" stereo amp and the speakers are ReproMania.NET | Tesla | Reprosoustavy | 1PF 067 08 35litres - 1L = 1W they are pretty big for desk/table speakers and I think everything I build will take less space so they can really be 2m tall (or taller up to +- ceiling height) 1m wide and 1m deep or so... I don't care as they sound best they can.