Need help chosing a bookshelf speaker kit in the $1000 range

[jcmkk]

I"m looking to build a bookshelf kit as my first DIY speaker. This will be for two channel audio so HT is not a factor. I'll probably build a subwoofer too, but I'd like them to have a pretty good range on their own. I'm looking to spend no more than about $1000 not including the cabinets. Right now, the kits I'm looking at mostly is the Ellis Audio 1801b , Seas Odin MK3, and GR-Reasearch Diluceo. Anybody have any opinions on these kits or have suggestions for others I should be looking at?

[sreten]

You need to get your priorities in order, the 3 you mention are
very different, and a good design for use with a subwoofer is
very diffrent to a general full range design.

However I'd suggest this :

http://home.hetnet.nl/~geenius/DD8-MkII.html

Build a compact sealed version for use with a subwoofer, these
will need a quality pair of stands, or put them in cabinets like this :

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

for a full range design.

Don't mess about with a compact reflex if you are adding a subwoofer.

sreten.

[qi]

I would go with door three...

[JonPike]

You might look at Dennis Murphy's MBOW1 speakers.. they are very well thought of (as are his designs in general) and continue to get much praise at DIY events as a very well balanced design.

They won't cost you $1000, though.. sorry... ;-)

http://murphyblaster.com/content.php?f=MBOW1.html

Being a smaller speaker with smaller midbass drivers, should fit your "small speakers to go with a sub" idea. Though they AREN'T supposed to be put in a bookshelf (as are most higher quality speakers), on pedistals out in the room a bit would be the right positioning for best results.

He also recently came up with a added 10" driver meant to turn the two way's into a three way with lower bass. But going with a good music (smaller, faster) sub would work well, too..

[diamdiam]

i'd go with the first one. the 1801 is designed by dennis murphy just like the mbow1, so if you wanted to spend 1k, i'd step up to the 1801 rather than the mbow1, i'd email him and ask him what he thinks of the sound difference.

[ultrachrome]

The Ellis 1801b seems like a higher end version of the DD8. I have the Ellis and am very happy with it. It uses a larger enclosure than the DD8 but can be built as a floorstander similar to Tempo. I'll be doing this to mine shortly.

However, the DD8 woofer/tweeters represent a $270 savings over the those used in the Ellis. But if you have a grand burning a hole, no use stopping there.

Unfortunately, I haven't listened to the Odin or Diluceo. But what's this about an extra woofer costing $300. I can't believe that in the case of the Odin you get that much improvement. I'll put that money someplace else like a sub.

What kind of amp are you using? The Odin and Diluceo are 4ohm speakers.

[454Casull]

$1000 is a lot of money. What kind of music do you listen to?

[JonPike]

True.. $1k is so much, for a kit, you'ld be hard pressed to spend that much for bookshelf speakers, no matter what the quality.

If you really want $1K of DIY sound (i.e. probably $4K to $10K of "off the shelf" sound) why not go with some larger and better speakers like a D'appolito/Seas Thor, a Linkwitz Orion, or something in that class?

On the other hand, you can go to a custom enclosure maker, and spend some bucks on a nicely verniered box.. (there's a guy around who does this in nice exotic wood) and you need to save some for a decent sub to fill out that bottom end...

[jcmkk]

Thanks for the posts so far. Looks like there's a lot of different opinions (as I expected). I guess I shouldn't have said anything about a sub in the first place. It would actually be great if the speakers didn't need a sub, but I didn't think that many bookshelf sized speakers would be able to produce bass well enough without sacraficing in other areas.
I'm not actually planning to put these in a bookshelf or anything. They'll be on stands. I was just looking for a compact speaker because they would do better for an apartment if I can't find a house at a decent price when I move out of my parents house. I also figured they'd be a bit easier to build (especially veneering). I plan to build some floorstanders later.
Amp wise, I have a Panasonic XR-45, and am building a gainclone based off BrianGT's boards. I don't want the amps to limit me though, as I plan to build a couple more varieties for comparison.
Also, I don't necessarily have to spend $1000. I was just saying that I don't mind spending that much if it's worth it. It seemed like most of the top-end bookshelf designs were around that price.
I realize that I picked some very different designs, but I don't have a preference for any particular one. I just want a good solid speaker as my beginning reference into Hi-Fi. Right now all I own is some Axiom M3Ti's.

[planet10]

A $1000 is an aweful lot to spend on a 1st project.... it is generally the case that you can't just build one pr

If i had a grand to spend, i'd be buying a pr of Fostex F200As.

dave