DIY Speaker Noob

Hi Ho · 25th September 2005, 09:47 AM

Hi I am new to this forum. I was sent here by someone at the AVS Forums.

I had an idea for my high school senior project. Build a set of speakers! I built a subwoofer about six months ago and I couldn't be happier with it.

I just "discovered" a good place for a dedicated theater in the attic over my dad's woodshop. I will need a set of speakers, including a subwoofer for it. It would be perfect to tie it in as a senior project. I think I'll make a sonosub this time since I have several sonotubes lying around. What's going on with Ascendant Audio? I have an Atlas12" in the sub I built and would love to buy another ASA sub but their site hasn't been updated for months and the email I sent to them bounced. What's a good alternative?

The complicated part will be the speakers. I don't know much about building speakers (that's what makes it a good senior project). I don't know what drivers are best, how to make a crossover, etc. Building the boxes won't be difficult because I already know how to work with wood.

What drivers are best? Tweeters? I think I'll do two way speakers that are identical all around. My budget has not yet been determined. Are there any tried and true plans around? I want smaller bookshelf type speakers that are basicly the same all around.

I will probably use a Pioneer VSX-1015. Any information will be helpful.

Hi Ho · 26th September 2005, 06:07 AM

What about THIS kit from Madisound? I would buy it without the enclosures and build my own. Would that sound good?

MPM · 26th September 2005, 12:54 PM

Decide first what your budget is and report back. There are many good plans available on this site for a first project. You can spend as much or as little as you want on drivers. Search "NSB" and see what people have done with it. You'll be suprised and so would your classmates.

Scottmoose · 26th September 2005, 02:16 PM

Also, decide what sort of sound you like neutral; bright & detailed, or a warmer presentation. We can all help, but we'll need a bit more to go on.

Personally, I'd build a single driver transmission-line setup like Martin Kings' Project 2 ML TQWT: http://www.quarter-wave.com/Project02/Project02.html
This is always what I advise new builders to try out first. It's staggeringly well documented by a man who knows what he's doing, relatively cheap, easy to build, sounds astonishing, and looks terrific too, if a little care is taken over the finish. But then I'm biased; I like single driver setups. That said, for the money, I've never heard anything better. In fact, you'd have to triple the budget to get anything better at all -these are neutral to a fault, and good down to circa 35Hz in room. If that one's too tall, Bob Brines has re-drawn it as a neat folded TQWT here: http://www.geocities.com/rbrines1/Pa...Fostex%20FE164
You'd still get the experience with electronics, as they need a compensation circuit to even out their frequency response -similar things needed to a crossover, but here it's used to compensate for baffle-step response, and to bring the rising frequency response of the drivers into line. I've just completed my third pair of these and can vouch for their capabilities -a Rolling Stones obsessed opera singer friend of mine has the first pair, the other pair went into a home studio. The FE164 is no longer built, but the FE167E is a straight swap. Mine will be my regular listening speakers while I play around with rather more costly experimental setups.
Best
Scott

25th September 2005, 09:47 AM	#1
Hi Ho diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2005	DIY Speaker Noob Hi I am new to this forum. I was sent here by someone at the AVS Forums. I had an idea for my high school senior project. Build a set of speakers! I built a subwoofer about six months ago and I couldn't be happier with it. I just "discovered" a good place for a dedicated theater in the attic over my dad's woodshop. I will need a set of speakers, including a subwoofer for it. It would be perfect to tie it in as a senior project. I think I'll make a sonosub this time since I have several sonotubes lying around. What's going on with Ascendant Audio? I have an Atlas12" in the sub I built and would love to buy another ASA sub but their site hasn't been updated for months and the email I sent to them bounced. What's a good alternative? The complicated part will be the speakers. I don't know much about building speakers (that's what makes it a good senior project). I don't know what drivers are best, how to make a crossover, etc. Building the boxes won't be difficult because I already know how to work with wood. What drivers are best? Tweeters? I think I'll do two way speakers that are identical all around. My budget has not yet been determined. Are there any tried and true plans around? I want smaller bookshelf type speakers that are basicly the same all around. I will probably use a Pioneer VSX-1015. Any information will be helpful.

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26th September 2005, 06:07 AM	#2
Hi Ho diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2005	What about THIS kit from Madisound? I would buy it without the enclosures and build my own. Would that sound good?

26th September 2005, 12:54 PM	#3
MPM diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Alabama	Decide first what your budget is and report back. There are many good plans available on this site for a first project. You can spend as much or as little as you want on drivers. Search "NSB" and see what people have done with it. You'll be suprised and so would your classmates.

26th September 2005, 02:16 PM	#4
Scottmoose diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK	Also, decide what sort of sound you like neutral; bright & detailed, or a warmer presentation. We can all help, but we'll need a bit more to go on. Personally, I'd build a single driver transmission-line setup like Martin Kings' Project 2 ML TQWT: http://www.quarter-wave.com/Project02/Project02.html This is always what I advise new builders to try out first. It's staggeringly well documented by a man who knows what he's doing, relatively cheap, easy to build, sounds astonishing, and looks terrific too, if a little care is taken over the finish. But then I'm biased; I like single driver setups. That said, for the money, I've never heard anything better. In fact, you'd have to triple the budget to get anything better at all -these are neutral to a fault, and good down to circa 35Hz in room. If that one's too tall, Bob Brines has re-drawn it as a neat folded TQWT here: http://www.geocities.com/rbrines1/Pa...Fostex%20FE164 You'd still get the experience with electronics, as they need a compensation circuit to even out their frequency response -similar things needed to a crossover, but here it's used to compensate for baffle-step response, and to bring the rising frequency response of the drivers into line. I've just completed my third pair of these and can vouch for their capabilities -a Rolling Stones obsessed opera singer friend of mine has the first pair, the other pair went into a home studio. The FE164 is no longer built, but the FE167E is a straight swap. Mine will be my regular listening speakers while I play around with rather more costly experimental setups. Best Scott