Worth building a compact bookshelf or just buy? Need advice!

[seawalker]

Hello all, i have been searching the net for a while trying to find a good compact bookshelf project. Something with a 5-5.5 inch woofer with an enclosure no larger than 12" high for the most part. The only decent looking design I have found is a project called the Microbe and the Overnight Sensation. Budget speakers.

My budget for parts or buying speakers is $550 - $700. The best speakers that I have been able to listen to are the Totem line. I really like like their clean sound and awesome imaging off axis. Thats most important rather than bass. These will be used for music only so I want something that sounds very good.

I would like to find a design like Totems as an example. They make some good sounding small bookshelves from the handfull Ive heard, but I can't afford the nicer ones and would like to build something similar using sans/seas/dynaudio drivers?

The problem is that everything I see out there design wise is big. Using 6"woofers and .5 cubic foot enclosures.

Can anyone recommend something high quality that is small? If I build a speaker and dont like it i'm stuck with it. BBut I want to get the best bang for my buck and enjoy DIY.

[zoe]

I dont think you can go wrong with the Zaph 5.2 sealed.

[woof]

Your size restrictions are limiting as you have noted. However, the "Speedster" may work. It has been very highly reviewed by those who have built and/or heard it. https://sites.google.com/site/undefinition/speedster

[mdocod]

Questions:

Will these speakers be placed in an actual bookshelf like application, where they will be against a wall or have their effective "baffles" extended on top bottom side/side excessively, or will they be more free standing?

How much clean amplification do you have to work with and how loud do you like to listen?

Is your amplification stable at low impedance?

Are you looking for only "proven" designs to replicate or are you open to build ideas that are unproven and for you to be the guiny pig on?

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With as 12" tall baffle. My first inkling would be to sim up something based on an MTM with a pair of these:
Dayton Audio RS125T-8 5" Reference Woofer Truncated Frame 295-340
and one of the following:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...umber=264-1032
Tang Band 25-1933S 1" Fabric Dome Shielded Tweeter 264-900

I'd want to experiment with x-over points around 1000-1500hz on 4th order slopes

[seawalker]

I have come across the Speedster, and the ZA5.2. they are on the table. How does the ZA sound?

For clean power I am looking at an NAD 40watt, or an emotiva 60watt. I could go to 80 clean watts with a T amp if I had to but would prefer not to because I dont listen loud, and I only sit less then about 6 feet from the speakers in my listening area. The speakers would be placed in a bookshelves next on either side of my TV.

Right now I have a pair of Paradigm Atoms running from a Dayton DTA 100 T amp. They provide enough volume and midrange but the highs are very veiled and weak. the imaging is poor. I dont find them enjoyable at all for the type of music I listen to, mostly acoustic.