Why DIY?

[Vikash]

A conversation with someone today got me thinking about what cost saving is really involved in making your own speakers.

To be more precise, what would you say is the percentage of materials to sales price of a good loudspeaker? 10%, 20%?

When looking at respected DIY designs, I immediately look at how considerations such as diffraction, standing waves, time alignment, bracing, stuffing etc. have been applied, but at what price range would you expect these considerations to be met in a commercial design? £500, £2000?

I've have the uncomfortable feeling that to gain something over commercial designs (more than the self satisfation of doing-it-yourself), you have to use better drivers/components. If I spend £200 to make a set of speakers (considering all drivers/materials/finishing) then will it really be better than a commercial £200 design?

Your thoughts...

[SY]

A successful manufacturing operation will have a minimum 5:1 ratio of price to bill of materials cost. diy will save you money compared to boutique operations, but not compared to relatively efficient manufacturers.

There are MANY reasons beyond price to diy.

[tom1356]

It depends on who's breathing in the saw dust.
If you are starting anew at this hobby you probably wont end up with great savings by designing a speaker from scratch.
If you build a well designed kit you could expect great savings.
Of course a DIY builder has the ability to do things that would be unreasonable in a comercial design.
What is the education gained worth? Certainly it has a value. Pride of workmanship must be added. The ability to customize finishes. These are some of the intangibles that make DIY such a bargain that it's possibility should always be examined.
Not to metion the story of how you got that great scar.

[Svante]

-The joy of having built it yourself.
-The pleasure of learning.
-The pleasure of understanding.
-The knowledge of every nut and bolt.
-The illusion of owning the only pair of spreakers that sounds good.
-The time away from the computer.
-The money saved. Nah.

[Timn8ter]

I can't even begin to imagine a pair of commercial speakers that sound as good as my bipole 40-1197s for anywhere near what it cost me to build them, which was about $100. A good point by tom1356 though; it wasn't my first build.

[johninCR]

If saving money is the goal then DIY speakers can be made much cheaper and better sounding that $200 commercial speakers. For example, for my desktop I use an OB line array that cost a total of $25/pr and they sound really nice. I'd put them up against any $200/pr commercial speakers.

You'll find that most here do it as a hobby with sonic excellence as the goal, not necessarily cost savings. The result is typically the same price as commercial, but superior sound.

[chipco3434]

If I have ever heard anything that sounded this good http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showt...32#post368532, I reckon they would be well over a thousand bucks, maybe two. Cost me $250.00.

[johninCR]

Chipco,
Don't you just love OB arrays? You've got room in the bottom for
some dipole bass. A couple of cheap 10's or 12's in a W baffle on each speaker. You can find something that will work locally and cheap. Look for the smaller magnets which indicates lower Qts. Bring cardboard and a knife with you, so you can pick the ones with the best sound and verify that they'll make bass on OB. It will really fill out the sound.

[Ken L]

Originally posted by tom1356
If you build a well designed kit you could expect great savings.
Of course a DIY builder has the ability to do things that would be unreasonable in a comercial design.

What most DIY gives up is in looks and a certain amount of effort. There are a number of great kits out there for less than a $1000 that will sound better than many products costing multiples of the price -

However, I am not aware of kits that you wind up with really slick fit an finish that you would find on a set of B&W top of the line speakers -

Kits are fine sounding and look very nice. Production speakers are fine looking and sound very nice.

The marketing of kits has a primary focus on sound with most of the costs being development and raw costs.

Finished products, however usually are sold through a dealer chain that has a much higher overhead storefront that must be added into the cost - Their speakers have to _look_ better because of expectations in the market place at their price points

Further, the manufacturer of a finished product has to put a great deal more into advertising, trade shows, etc. all involved in a great deal more cost related to marketing that increase the selling price of the speaker without increasing the performance of the product.

Kits are sold by word of mouth and by the parts houses.

You will get far more sound for your dollar with kits.

what do you want most from your dollar? Great sound?

Or pride of ownership of great cabinetry that looks really sharp?

Kits/DIY are a no-brainer - If you have the time and inclination.

Regards

Ken L

[tom1356]

Originally posted by Ken L


What most DIY gives up is in looks and a certain amount of effort. There are a number of great kits out there for less than a $1000 that will sound better than many products costing multiples of the price -

However, I am not aware of kits that you wind up with really slick fit an finish that you would find on a set of B&W top of the line speakers -

The finish of a kit depends on who finishes it. Most DIYers are to impatient to do a bang up job on the finish.
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ken L

Kits are fine sounding and look very nice. Production speakers are fine looking and sound very nice.
[/QUOTE

Again...
The finish of a kit depends on who finishes it.

Originally posted by Ken L

The marketing of kits has a primary focus on sound with most of the costs being development and raw costs.

This is because they are geared tword beginers. I would no sooner buy a kit speaker than buy a kit car. For the exact opposite reasons.


There is no doubt that kits are a great place to start.
This was my first DIY speaker.