A(nother) reason NOT to DIY

[planet10]

These look decent for the money (even just for the boxes) but that XO looks mighty low

The Source (new name for Radio Shack Canada) sells mostly warmed over stuff... the little aluminum cabinet ones have been around for literally decades -- and like a few other standouts (1197/1354/the Stax headphones to name a few) stands head & shoulders above most of the stuff they sell.

dave

 

[ww_je]

Hmm interesting crossover for the Insignia. Is "murphyblaster" a reliable source for mods? I am new to this DIY world and not sure if he's a regular contributor, whose reputation I can trust.

Thanks.

Quite a reasonable fellow. He does his crossover designs using software and, unlike more than a few, then actually tests them for audible quality and glitches AND reports the measurements! Further, a virtue for me, he doesn't wax 'poetic' in reporting what he hears -- improves the the noise to sognal ratio in what he reports too. A win all round. Still more, he's apparently committed to something like "open source" audio design which is a Good Thing from my perspective. Including his mod kits, which seem to be priced more or less on a "no loss" basis.

BUT, if you haven't an elementary sense for components (do you know what an electrolytic capacitor is? as compared to a non-electrolytic? or why an air coil inductor is likely best for post-amp audio crossover use? can you solder? do you know what impedance is and why it's different than resistance? what is resonance?), his mods may be too much. Not a very high hurdle though. Try one of Weems' books on speaker design and construction. If you're a little more ambitious about electronics, consider Horowitz and Hill, The Art of Electronics, the best introductory text I've ever seen.

Build a simple, though quality, amp. Simpler than a pre-amp (all those controls and switches, eek!) and possible for a new builder, unlike an RF kit like a tuner. And no impenetrable digital filter theory as there is in DAC or CD electronics, nor firmware variants either. Not worth wasting time on a crude design if a good one's available. It used to be that one of the simple Heathkits (RIP!) or an inexpensive Dynaco (likewise RIP!) was the way to go, but those days are gone. At least one of the 41Hz site's amp designs avoids the tricky surface mount components (itsy bitsy, and hard to solder) and will give you a very high quality amp and teach you something besides. And they're cute. Follow Jan's suggestions about power supplies and absolute max voltages, and you'll stay in a safe operating area. Very good amps, these are; good enough that some very picky people are using them by choice. And Audio Research even has a new amp design built around the Tripath chips Jan's using; they get a few thou$and more though, and they have a nice cabinet. You'll learn something about the mechanical issues of chassis construction and such. Some of the Elliot Sound Products kits (Australia) might be reasonable, but they're far more varied, and choosing a suitable starting one will be confusing for the novice. And the same for the Velleman kits available from many a site. Perhaps later.

If it turns out that you really like building circuitry, and want to try something more ambitious, check out one of Tony Gee's designs (Humble Homemade HiFi). Driver choices have already been reviewed and found sensible, so you can avoid puzzled poring over driver specs for stuff you've never heard. Then consider bi-amping or tri-amping. John Conover has a very flexible active crossover design kit (PC boards available) on his site, so you can actually make the crossover fit the drivers, rather the more common (and Wrong Wrong Wrong-- just ask Dennis Murphy) reverse. And you'll already know how to build cost/effective amps, so...

Good luck.

 

[EdT]

Hey guys,

These are a known good quantity.... (and they spray paint nice if you need black)

http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/P...&category=Book+Shelf+Speakers&product=4012001

dave

PS: i've burned better built cabs than the insignias because i figured they weren't good enuff

Thats new low price, they had a special before Christmas for $39.99 and the only reason I didn't get them was they are only 88dB and didn't have bindings.

They also sell them in black, so no spray is necessary, I am told these are basically the same as the old Optimus 7s.

Dave, theres definitely a market of full range PC speakers now !

These 4" Fostex Tektons from Mike Temple's set-up are the ones I want to get , but in the 3" version. Eric Alexander who by trade is an acoustic engineer is the owner of Tekton Designs, he builds all the speakers himself. A pair was auctioned on eBay for $178us, most of his speakers are going for $330-$500us now, he has a set for $16,000us !

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