please help me select a speaker build

[space-cake]

I'm in the middle of many projects (most are audio) and just had an idea for another one!
I've built a tube amp for a friend from a kit yesterday. took about 4 hours and even though not all the parts were top notch the amp sounded really nice with my old crappy speakers. actually it sounded nice enough that i decided i want to build a tube amp and matching speakers!

since i am a firm believer in 2-way speakers i am looking for something like that. a site with step by step or similar instructions including the cross-over design would be best. I'm pretty good in building things but i don't have too much time to do all the research. it took me over a year to complete my guitar tube amp based around jtm45 with kt66 tubes and i understand this is not going to happen this time. i want something done in 2 months max. on the guitar amp i had to build it twice as i was not happy with the first build and selecting speakers took forever as well!

the amp I'm looking to build will be no more than 15W per channel i think. it is very important that the speakers used drivers with good sensitivity.

all help appreciated.

[Richard Ellis]

Best site I have found so far is Partsexpress.com....They do speaker building....Running a two-way system really does limit youself......systems can easily be built that put out 98 +db which will scream with low power...if your not up to reading up on the process on selection & integration of particular drivers alot of us here have the math & experience background to walk you thru the numbers, pros & cons of differing designs ....how much $$ have you allocated for this project & what is the upper limit on the physical size you are willing to accept? (Note "The bigger the better")
______________________________________Rick........ ..

[space-cake]

well, i'm looking to build these speakers and amp for music listening, probebly not for the living room. when i'll come around to build a proper set of speakers for the living room i'll build something nice and big
for now i'm looking at speakers that will be on shelfs, so pretty much the biggest design that would feel comfortable in this format.

if you think that a 2-way system is very limiting maybe you can offer another design which is not very complicated and can offer good resaults. naturally i'm looking for freq. response, range and that they'll scream with low power

i think my budget is around $700 - $1000 for the pair.

[FourDegrees11]

The Morchellas might be what your looking for.

http://www.partsexpress.com/projects...llas/index.htm

[sqlkev]

If you want good sensitivity, take a gander at the fullrange forum. A smaller horn loaded system might work. But, if you insist on going 2 way, you can always add a supertweeter to your fullranger.

[space-cake]

those speakers from partsexpress look great and even the cabinets are done which will save time, actually there is no reason in the world why i won't be able to finish the speakers in about 2 or 3 hours (i like that).

[sreten]

Hi,

not keen on PE "higher-end" designs.

Choose something from one of the following :

http://www.zaphaudio.com/

http://www.rjbaudio.com/projects.html

http://www.humblehomemadehifi.com/

http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/Diy_Lou...r_Projects.htm

/sreten.

[space-cake]

sreten - those links are amazing! there is such a vast selection of projects and now i'm lost

i have a technical question about router use for installing the speakers sunk just a little bit into the box. from talking with a friend who built a few speakers i understood that i need to drill a hole in the middle of where the driver will be installed, than some jog should be used with the router to me make a countersink for the spakers and after that a second run with the router and the jig making the hole. does everyone work like this?

[kifeinthesink]

Yes, thats alot of projects to wade through.

All the designers are well respected. I think Zaphaudio is probably the most popular, although I personally really like the interesting projects on www.troelsgravesen.dk. Especially the accapella, although I dont know how efficient it is.

I had a look at the wave guide project on zaphaudio. The sensitivity is 90db, the drivers are excellent, and the beautiful thing is that is has an ultra minimal XO, as well as more complex options if your so inclined. The cabinet needs to be built from scratch and the wave guide might be a bit fussy, but if your building amps that shouldn't be a problem.

Another project that is a bit old now but likely to be outstanding is the Ariel (http://www.nutshellhifi.com/Arieltxt1.html). The Vifa p13wh driver is an all time favorite. The transmission line cabinet is quite an undertaking but seems to have quite a following.

I mention this because it is specifically designed with tube amps....

Oh Damn!

I just remembered you want small speakers. Well, you can check out the Me2 at the same site as the ariel. Same drivers without the TL.

Whatever the case, Im sure you'll find the articles at that site interesting.

[Richard Ellis]

OK SK...
Let me see if I can narrow things down a bit for ya..
If you ran thru these designs posted you will notice most of the shapes are of a relatively tall narrow tower type design....this is an accepted type of loudspeaker these days...it used to be that speakers were of the retangular box shape that would conform to an accepted ratio of height to width to depth. These ratios were an attempt to minimize internal waves from building up resonances inside boxes....unfortunately big boxes in the living room were an unacceptable loss of floorspace...these days the "Tower" approach is the accepted "norm".
If you read thru these designs, unfortunately most of them do not have enough sensitivity to do the job.
Granted some use whats called a "horn" design which helps somewhat in delivering the volume level you'll need....but I think not...& besides most of these are a rather complex build....& expensive to do.
Problem # 1 is to get the required sensitivity you'll need
Problem # 2 IF to stay within the "Tower" framework you'll need efficient drivers...at least 8" or maybe 10" woofers.
Problem #3 Stay simple....
It is very likely that if the project is complicated & expensive you will quickly lose enthusiasm for the project & you'll wind up with a pile of stuff you'll want to rid yourself of.
I suggest a dual ten inch driver with a single tweeter in a tower some twelve inches wide, eighteen inches deep, fourty eight inches high, built from one inch medium density fibreboard.
The goal is to get at LEAST ninety two decibels from one watt.
The woodworking question I don't really know much about, but one of the reasons DIYs' go for the flush mounting of drivers is to minimize an acoustical effect called edge diffraction.....another esoteric term that is bandied about as if its a holy grail or something.
_____________________________________Rick........