Is this insane?

[type]

I got a set of klh hta-4100 speakers with a subwoofer for $40.00 delivered on ebay. I like the size of the sats (aprox 4.5H x 4W x 4D). They have a 3" full range driver. What's your opinion on this idea: Replace the existing drivers with this: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=264-814
What kind of an improvement might I get? Do you think this is even worth attempting?

[Timn8ter]

http://www.audioxpress.com/magsdirx/...20building201/

[paulspencer]

If you replace the drivers in some cheap crummy sats with a TB then I'd say you should get a worthwhile improvement. I'd go with the 871 over that driver and put a notch filter on it. If its active then you probably get a low power cheap chip amp which is handy. Did you get a sub?

[paulspencer]

Originally posted by Timn8ter
http://www.audioxpress.com/magsdirx/...20building201/

What did you mean to show? Can't see anything particularly relevant

[Timn8ter]

Yeah, a little tongue in cheek
I'm not a big fan of swapping drivers into existing cabinets because they fit in the hole. By the time you purchase five TB drivers and put them into cabinets that can't optimise the potential you've spent $140 for something mediocre to poor, although, I do agree that the W3-871S is the better choice for a 3" driver. I guess I'm hoping to encourage Type to do a little research on speaker building so he can get the most for his money. My attempt may have been poor. I'm not familiar with the KLH sub/sat set so I don't know what the crossover consists of, if it's a powered sub or what the crossover and amplifier components are. I know some Logitech sats use TB speakers though.

[type]

Thanks for the replies. I did get a subwoofer with that speaker system. Here's a best buy link to the same system:http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....9&type=product
The receiver I'm using is the Pioneer vsx-d811-s.

[Timn8ter]

Go ahead and give it a try. I have some concerns that the cabinets for the sats are the typical thin plastic ones which may not be enough for the TB speakers. Chances are they may sound better than what you have but if you really want to improve things try JohnK's version of the TB satellite speaker. I think you'll be very pleased with the result.
http://home.new.rr.com/zaph/audio/audio-speaker11.html

[BrianAe]

I've always wondered about the general concept though of buying some closeout speakers with high quality cabinets as a cheap way of getting good quality cabinets and then designing my own speakers with replacement drivers and my own crossover. Naturally, the cabinets would impose some limitations. However, I think that might be part of the fun.

Has anybody been successful with this approach? Does anyone approve of it in theory?

[Timn8ter]

It's possible but it sure is the hard way to do it. Your first limitation would be finding drivers that fit the holes, then trying to match diameter to cabinet volume. In rare cases it's possible to plop drivers into a pre-existing cabinet but it's not very practical.

[Tim Moorman]

BrianAe,

People do it every day, though usually with older boxes. Most drivers are the same frame sizes, just different specs for the general public vs OEM. You may need to apply some wood filler or bondo here and there where the cut-out may be notched for the particular tweeter or midbass used, or add the notches yourself for the new units.

Biggest difference, all other design considerations done, is tuning the box for the proper amount of bass, since that is where the enclosure has the largest effect. You may have to accept the fact that the deepest bass extension is not possible with the replacement woofers, or that some amount of adjustment may be needed to the port, including replacement. If ported in front and part of the cosmetics you wish to preserve, then you may have a problem.

Tim