Can anyone suggest a design?

[jasonb84]

Hi, I'm looking to build a pair of speakers, something along the way of a 2-way floorstanding design. I'm doing some research and the ProAC 2.5 clones are looking pretty good. However my original budget for new new speakers was higher than the estimated cost to build the clones. I was wondering if there is any design that has good information available like the DIY 2.5 that uses a very high quality driver, better than the Scanspeek in the 2.5 and accordingly has a crossover that can accomodate it. I would like a neutral speaker with good imaging and sounstaging and am willing to spend about 2000USD to build something exceptionally nice.

Thanks for any suggestions
Jason

[jackinnj]

you can get the Thor kit (cabinets, drivers, crossovers) from www.madisound.com
I believe that there is a review of the Thor on the madisound website.

[jasonb84]

I just found the site for North Creek. The Rythm seems to be what I'm looking for. They're gorgeous speakers and use excellent Scan-Speak tweeters and drivers. Still open to more suggestions.

[Jay]

2000USD is a BIG money. Buying or building an unknown design is a gambling. In audio, good design will be proven by time because DIYers build every speakers and rich audiophiles buy every speakers available. If Rythm is that good, somebody must have reported it in this forum.

MTM will have better bass but worse midrange. Seas Excels have definetly better mid than the Scan-Speak. So the trade-off is there (between Thor and Rythm)

I will opt for the Thor. Or why not an ORION?

[ozynigma]

Agree with earlier comment that $2000US is big money to spend.

So why limit yourself to a two way speaker?

I would definitely be looking for a good three way floor standing design with that budget unless I was teaming them with a sub.

Sorry I can't suggest any specific designs. The ORION I have read about but suggested budget for it was about $4800US including amplification if I remember right.

Maybe someone else can suggest a good three way?

Howard

[sreten]

JMO but the Borealis is better value than the Rhythm, and by
the same token the 2.5 clone is better value than the Borealis.

This would be an interesting project :

http://www.deadwaxcafe.com/vzone/david/david.htm

or this :

http://home.hetnet.nl/~geenius/Andromeda.html

or this :

http://www.speakerbuilding.com/content/1009/

Also checkout BESL products.

Choices, choices and money burning a hole in your pocket......

sreten.

[paulspencer]

If I had a budget like that I would go for a kit using something like the Seas drivers - actually I would use the Seas crossover and source the drivers. Then I'd bi-amp them with a good pair of woofers. Say the seas Odin with a pair of woofers like the Peerless CSX or if budget allows the Scan Speak 10" carbon fibre woofer.

This way the difficult design work of the xo is done for you. IMO biamping what would otherwise be a tricky 3 way passive design is a significant improvement on a 2 way design.

Then you get to design the part that I consider the most fun - the enclosure

[jasonb84]

I had no idea that there are so many different designs available.
I appreciate all the suggestions. Looks like I've got a lot more reading ahead before I start building.

[cdoggy81]

paulspencer -
"I would use the Seas crossover and source the drivers"

What are you trying to say here? Use a crossover designed for the Seas drivers (Thor, Odin, Froy, etc) but used different drivers instead, or are you saying build a Seas kit & add in a pair of woofers (bi-amp) for the low frequency stuff?

[Timn8ter]

I'm not suggesting something specific but an example. At VSAC last year the winning design was a three-way SEAS system using a XO designed by Adire Audio. The builder carved the enclosure out of solid rock (he's a sculptor). Anyway, the 3-way SEAS system is very impressive. This is the best pic I have at the moment. It's the big gray one in the middle.