Best $1000 DIY

[fin1bxn]

I'm looking to replace my Magnepan MGIIIa speakers. My goal is to build the best design for my type of listening. Rock, Blues and female vocals, somtimes Flamingo.
My room 14 wide by 20 long 9' high
Amps i have are - Tube 3 watt SET or 35 watt PP or 200watt SS

I want impact, I want what I've been missing from the maggies, when they hit the drums I want the speed and kick of in your face, but then I still want imaging and a non fatigue sound. (If this is at all possible)

Thanks
Bob

[hooha]

If you're happy with what the Maggies give you from mid-bass on up, don't replace them. Add a sub to the mix.

Mark

[HipoFutura]

If you want to build something that will take you to an entirely new realm of listening consider building a pair of JBL L200s, but be sure to add a slot tweet to each.

After listening to such a setup you'll kick yourself for wasting all those years listening to Magnepans.

You can pick up the drivers on ebay and build or buy the x-overs. The LE85 drivers and horns will break your budget, but you could substitute something for the mid-range, or spend a few extra hundred dollars. You would not regret it. It will take some serious bargan shopping to meet your budget. Don

[planet10]

How about a par of Fostex 208sERs in one of the big Spawns?

dave

[Zen Mod]

Druid clone is too cheap?

[Cloth Ears]

For $1000, I'd be looking at a pair of OB or dipole bass bins to add that impact to your maggies, plus a simple active crossover and an amp to go with it.

Not sure what pricings are locally to you, but you might start with a Behringer CX2310 2-way x-over, plus an A500 amp from the same manuf. Then 4x15" drivers in an OB or dipole arrangement (try Linkwitz - also for the transform). Even without the transform, you'll find they add "oomph" (technical term) that you didn't get with the maggies, and the dipole arrangement will mean that the sound doesn't change drastically as you pass through the crossover - as it would with a standard sub.

You could probably use the 200w SS in place of the A500 (money saved for your speakers).

No recommendations for the drivers, as I'm not really an OB person - maybe someone else could help here.

[Cloth Ears]

You could use this in place of the Linkwitz transform.

[fin1bxn]

I have a custom JBL sub with 350 watt plate amp, blends good, but i'm realy looking for midrange punch...I was looking at the Areal's or maybe a good Horn set up.

[fin1bxn]

I'm not usre if I can build a speaker around these woofers.
JBL GTO1220 12"
Here are the specs I can get these for $130 each

SPECIFICATIONS
DIAMETER: 12" (304.8 MM)
SENSITIVITY (2.83 V @ 1 M): 91 dB
POWER HANDLING: 300 WRMS (1,200 WPEAK)
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20 ~ 450 HZ
NOMINAL IMPEDANCE: 2 OHMS (Dual Voice coil wired to 4ohms)
VOICE-COIL DIAMETER: 3.0" (76.2 MM)
DIMENSIONS:
THIELE-SMALL PARAMETERS
VOICE COIL DC RESISTANCE: REVC (OHMS) . . . . . . 2.04
VOICE COIL INDUCTANCE @ 1 KHZ: LEVC (MH) . . . . . . . 0.70
DRIVER RADIATING AREA: SD (IN2) . . . . . . . . 74.71
SD (CM2) . . . . . . 482.00
MOTOR FORCE FACTOR: BL (TM) . . . . . . . . 12.33
COMPLIANCE VOLUME: VAS (FT3) . . . . . . . . 1.73
VAS (LITERS) . . . . . 49.03
SUSPENSION COMPLIANCE: CMS (ìM/N) . . . . 148.61
MOVING MASS, AIR LOAD: MMS (GRAMS). . . . 220.77
MOVING MASS, DIAPHRAGM: MMD (GRAMS) . . . 214.68
FREE-AIR RESONANCE: FS (HZ) . . . . . . . . 27.79
MECHANICAL Q: QMS . . . . . . . . . . . 6.18
ELECTRICAL Q: QES . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.52
TOTAL Q: QTS . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.48
MAGNETIC-GAP HEIGHT: HAG (IN) . . . . . . . . . 0.47
HAG (MM) . . . . . . . 12.00
VOICE-COIL HEIGHT: HVC (IN) . . . . . . . . . 1.28
HVC (MM) . . . . . . . 32.50
MAXIMUM EXCURSION: XMAX (IN) . . . . . . . . 0.40
XMAX (MM) . . . . . . 10.25

[AJinFLA]

Originally posted by fin1bxn
I'm looking to replace my Magnepan MGIIIa speakers. My goal is to build the best design for my type of listening. Rock, Blues and female vocals, somtimes Flamingo.
My room 14 wide by 20 long 9' high
Amps i have are - Tube 3 watt SET or 35 watt PP or 200watt SS

I want impact, I want what I've been missing from the maggies, when they hit the drums I want the speed and kick of in your face, but then I still want imaging and a non fatigue sound. (If this is at all possible)

Thanks
Bob

There is no such thing as a "best" $1000 DIY, or everyone looking for the same thing with your taste in music would own one .
That said, I think I know what you are looking for.
The openess and transparency of the maggie is the realm of boxless speakers. The kick, power,dynamics and immediacy you desire is outside the realm of a planar. That's dynamic driver territory.
You can have both.
It's called a dynamic driver open baffle.
For your price range, I can think of two serious, well engineered contenders.

http://www.musicanddesign.com/NaOMini.html

http://www.adireaudio.com/Home/KITDDR.htm

Since you own maggies and have 200w, I would lean towards the Adire. I would still recommend a sub for below 40-50hz.
Something like this would put you slightly over budget, but is a superb product, well worth it IMHO. http://www.rythmikaudio.com/servo_product.htm
For your size room, this system should certainly be sufficient dynamically.

cheers,

AJ

edit- oops, see you have JBL sub already, that should work just fine, rather than the Rythmik.